Ododo na moni bah!
I’m going to tell you a fable about Apwoya the Rabbit and all the animals of the wild. Once upon a time, there was an election, and Langoko the Chameleon had been chosen to be the leader of all the animals. And so the Chameleon was tasked with calling all the animals together to come and clean the watering hole. For it had been neglected for so long.
All the animals came to offer their help, except Apwoyo. The animals cleaned the site and noted the absence of the Rabbit, so they told Langoko to guard the watering hole. “Apwoyo did not turn up. So he must not drink this water. If he turns up to drink, you must arrest him.” Langoko said, “Yes. I’ll arrest him if he shows up.” So all the animals left the watering hole and went back to their homes while Langoko stayed behind to guard the watering hole.
It happened one day that the rabbit wanted water. So he cleaned a large water gourd and made preparations to go to the watering hole. He walked until he was only a short distance awayination. He slipped into the water gourd and sealed up the top. He shook the gourd and started to yaw singing:
Akulu-kulung God of Water let me drink,
Akulu-kulung God of the Nile let me drink water.
Akulu-kulung God of Water let me drink,
Akulu-kulung God of the Nile let me drink water.
And along rolled Apwoyo, shouting: kulung, kulung, kulung along the valley, till he reached the edge of the watering hole. And he stopped there and sang again:
Akulu-kulung God of Water let me drink,
Akulu-kulung God of the Nile let me drink water.
Akulu-kulung God of Water let me drink,
Akulu-kulung God of the Nile let me drink water.
Akulu-kulung God of Water let me drink,
Akulu-kulung God of the Nile let me drink water.
When Langoko heard the booming strains of Akulu-kulung, he abandoned his post and fled. Apwoyo was pleased with himself and went down into the water. After taking a long refreshing drink, he filled his gourd and leisurely strolled home.
The next day, Apwoyo went back to the watering hole and used the same trick to draw water again, after Langoko had fled. Now Langoko as leader had to explain his absence from the watering hole to the council of animals. So he stood up before all the animals and said, “There is a strange God that comes to the watering hole. It calls itself Akulu-kulung.” But no one would take his excuse. So they told him to go back to his post. And the next day, Langoko went back to guard the watering hole. Apwoyo came back:
Akulu-kulung God of Water let me drink,
Akulu-kulung God of the Nile let me drink water.
Akulu-kulung God of Water let me drink,
Akulu-kulung God of the Nile let me drink water.
Apwoyo rolled along in his water gourd singing. He rolled and rolled, until he reached the watering hole.
Akulu-kulung God of Water let me drink,
Akulu-kulung God of the Nile let me drink water.
Akulu-kulung God of Water let me drink,
Akulu-kulung God of the Nile let me drink water.
When Langoko heard the song he fled in fear again. This time when Langoko went back home he was anxious and appealed to the animals to be reasonable, “Hear me out creatures, I told you what happened yesterday. There is a very ugly and fearsome God that comes to the water. It sings Akulu-kulung, kulung. ”
The animals decided to see for themselves and judge later.
So all the animals were called from all the places in the land. They came armed with countless spears and arrows and all manner of weapons. They said that they would go to the well and wait for this God. They would challenge it with honour. So all the creatures set off and reached the post where Langoko used to keep sentry. They hid, then lay in waiting for the fearsome God to show up.
Apwoyo got into disguise and went to the well singing.
Akulu-kulung God of Water let me drink,
Akulu-kulung God of the Nile let me drink water.
Akulu-kulung God of Water let me drink,
Akulu-kulung God of the Nile let me drink water.
Apwoyo was heavy in the gourd and as he tossed inside the gourd, it make a high pitched sound on hitting the bare ground. It went kili-kili-kili-killi-killi endlessly. When it stalled at the watering hole, all the animals pricked up their ears and heard the song:
Akulu-kulung God of Water let me drink,
Akulu-kulung God of the Nile let me drink water.
Akulu-kulung God of Water let me drink,
Akulu-kulung God of the Nile let me drink water.
The animals bodies were taught with fear, but when they saw the gourd land, they all dropped their weapons and ran away. Apwoyo got out of his gourd when all was calm again, laughed heartily and drew water from the watering hole. He went home very content.
This Ododo teaches us that intelligence is greater than brute strength. The weak rabbit was no match for all the animals but he tricked them all and managed to draw all the water from the watering hole.
All those scions of great men, defeated by the puny rabbit. They should have cracked the gourd.
Yes all creatures, even the ogre. All of them. And that’s the story.
