Many years ago in the Animal Kingdom, when the animals could speak, a great Sangoma called Sun came and lived among the animals. He was a skilled healer known in all corners of the kingdom and far. Sun never charged the animals for healing them and they loved him dearly as a result. Sun, however, was not the kind of man the animals thought him to be. He came to the Animal Kingdom with one mission in mind, to be a King. So, he healed them for free to gain their love with the hope that soon they will make him their king. But the animals already had a king whom they loved and respected; Elephant.
One night, Elephant died and as was the custom, after burying their king the animals elected a new king. Sun was happy that his wish would come true but to his dismay, they didn’t choose him, but rather they chose Tortoise since he was wise. This displeased Sun who then decided to kill Tortoise like he did with Elephant. King Tortoise was not one to be messed with. Being wise as he was, he decided to go to the hills on the same night he was ordained king to talk to his ancestors. He asked for their protection from all dark forces, and they happily granted him beads to put around his neck as protection. When dawn approached, King Tortoise awoke to footsteps approaching his hut. Before he knew it a knife sank into his chest and that was the end of him. The animals cried bitterly, buried him and Sun was chosen as king.
Three days after he became king, he started showing his true colours. He called all the animals to a meeting;
“I summoned you all here to tell you that from now on, this whole kingdom belongs to me. Every Well, food, land and everything in it belongs to me. I am your god and if I ever hear anyone praying and offering tribute to their ancestors then I’ll take away their life.” Sun boasted.
Great confusion befell the animals as they could not believe that the one whom they loved dearly was their enemy.
“That will never happen Sun,” a voice was heard from the direction where King Tortoise was buried. Alas! It was Tortoise.
“So, you did not die?” Sun asked in shock.
The animals were happy to see their king.
“I did die after I was stabbed with a knife but because I had the beads of my ancestors around my neck, I got a chance to live again.” King Tortoise narrated happily.
“But who killed you?” Chameleon asked on behalf of the curious animals.
“It’s this man we trusted with our lives!” Tortoise said, pointing towards Sun.
Angrily, without second thoughts, Chameleon and the other animals made a huge fire and burnt Sun till he became a yellow ball of fire. They then threw him far into the sky where he could never come back.
In the sky, Sun is very lonely, he has no friends. He can no longer experience the beauty of the wild as everything appears small from where he is. So, every morning he rises early and looks down on Animal Kingdom to try and see its beauty again and walks from East to West all day straining to see a glimpse of the animals who loved him until he gets tired and rest in the evening.
“If only I wasn’t selfish for power…” The Sun regrets to this day.
Glossary
Sangoma- a traditional healer
Read – Hoof For Hoof, Paw For Paw – A Children’s Story by Benita Magopane – Botswana
