Based on the book "Hunterman and the Crocodile by Baba Wague Diakite, Scholastic Press, 1997. Read the book for some really beautiful art work to illustrate the story. Please be sure to provide the link to a listing of the book on Amazon.com in the class blog.
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This is a story from Mali. Mali is a country in West Africa. They have some pretty nice stories. I read that after working hard in the fields all the day, the kids, the Moms and Dads and Uncles all get together around the fire. Just imagine. The fire is nice and sparkly and sputters in the dark night but it is bright around the fire. Grandma sits in front of the fire and everybody sits around her and she tells these stories.
One day, Bamba, the crocodile went on a pilgrimage to Mecca with his whole family.But they got really really tired and thirsty. A hunterman was walking in the forest. He saw the crocodile and said "Why did you come so far away from your house?" The crocodile said "Oh, we came with some good intentions. But now we are very tired and thirsty. Could please carry us to a river?". Hunterman tied all the crocodiles one one top of the other with ropes, put the whole pile on his head and started walking to the river. Finally they reached the river. Hunterman put the pile down and removed the rope and said goodbye to the crocodiles.
But Bamba opened his big snout and Snap! the caught hold of Hunterman's arm. I wont let you go, I want to eat you for dinner! The Hunterman said "Thats not fair - I carried you here all the way and helped you!". They were arguing like this when a cow walked by.
"What are you fighing about?". "The crocodile wants to eat me even though I helped him and his family". "Well" said the cow "I dont care. Human people are bad. They drank the milk I gave. But after I became old, they sent me away into the forest". "Go ahead Bamba, eat the Hunterman!" and she walked away.
Bamba and the Hunterman started arguing again!
An old horse came by. "What are you fighting about?". "The crocodile wants to eat me even though I helped him and his family". "Well" said the old horse "I dont care. Human people are lazy. I pulled the carriage, I helped the farmer plough the land. But all he did was beat me till I became too old to work". "Go ahead Bamba, eat the Hunterman". And the old horse walked away.
A rabbit came by. "What are you fighting about?". "The crocodile wants to eat me even though I helped him and his family". "Ha! said the rabbit. "Thats silly" I have never seen four crocodiles carried by one man!. Both of you are so silly!". The crocodile did not like being called silly. So he said "No I am not" He called his whole family to the shore of the river and asked the Hunterman to tie them up together and put the pile on his head.
"Ah Ha" said the rabbit. "Now you were really silly" "Hunterman, you tried to help. But the crocodile was bad and tried to eat you. Now you go home and dont let the crocodiles free". Hunterman was so happy and started walking home.
Just then his neighbor came running to him and said "Your wife is very sick. The doctor said that the only thing that can cure her is crocodile tears. Nobody can find the tears, so she is going to die". The hunterman was very very said. He put the crocodiles on the ground. I dont want to trap you and be bad to you. I just want to go home to my wife and help her to get better. I love her so much.
The crocodiles felt very sad. They all felt sorry for the sad Hunterman and they also started crying!
The Hunterman said, "I will let you go free if you will give some of your tears". The crocodiles gave him their tears and the Hunterman ran all the way home. Hi wife got better after she took the medicine.
After that the Hunterman never forgot what the cow and the horse taught him. He told his children and their children and all the children in the village about how man must never treat animals badly. Man should place himself among the animals and not above them.
Thats how the children learnt that all good humans treat animals well.
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This is a story from Mali. Mali is a country in West Africa. They have some pretty nice stories. I read that after working hard in the fields all the day, the kids, the Moms and Dads and Uncles all get together around the fire. Just imagine. The fire is nice and sparkly and sputters in the dark night but it is bright around the fire. Grandma sits in front of the fire and everybody sits around her and she tells these stories.
One day, Bamba, the crocodile went on a pilgrimage to Mecca with his whole family.But they got really really tired and thirsty. A hunterman was walking in the forest. He saw the crocodile and said "Why did you come so far away from your house?" The crocodile said "Oh, we came with some good intentions. But now we are very tired and thirsty. Could please carry us to a river?". Hunterman tied all the crocodiles one one top of the other with ropes, put the whole pile on his head and started walking to the river. Finally they reached the river. Hunterman put the pile down and removed the rope and said goodbye to the crocodiles.
But Bamba opened his big snout and Snap! the caught hold of Hunterman's arm. I wont let you go, I want to eat you for dinner! The Hunterman said "Thats not fair - I carried you here all the way and helped you!". They were arguing like this when a cow walked by.
"What are you fighing about?". "The crocodile wants to eat me even though I helped him and his family". "Well" said the cow "I dont care. Human people are bad. They drank the milk I gave. But after I became old, they sent me away into the forest". "Go ahead Bamba, eat the Hunterman!" and she walked away.
Bamba and the Hunterman started arguing again!
An old horse came by. "What are you fighting about?". "The crocodile wants to eat me even though I helped him and his family". "Well" said the old horse "I dont care. Human people are lazy. I pulled the carriage, I helped the farmer plough the land. But all he did was beat me till I became too old to work". "Go ahead Bamba, eat the Hunterman". And the old horse walked away.
A rabbit came by. "What are you fighting about?". "The crocodile wants to eat me even though I helped him and his family". "Ha! said the rabbit. "Thats silly" I have never seen four crocodiles carried by one man!. Both of you are so silly!". The crocodile did not like being called silly. So he said "No I am not" He called his whole family to the shore of the river and asked the Hunterman to tie them up together and put the pile on his head.
"Ah Ha" said the rabbit. "Now you were really silly" "Hunterman, you tried to help. But the crocodile was bad and tried to eat you. Now you go home and dont let the crocodiles free". Hunterman was so happy and started walking home.
Just then his neighbor came running to him and said "Your wife is very sick. The doctor said that the only thing that can cure her is crocodile tears. Nobody can find the tears, so she is going to die". The hunterman was very very said. He put the crocodiles on the ground. I dont want to trap you and be bad to you. I just want to go home to my wife and help her to get better. I love her so much.
The crocodiles felt very sad. They all felt sorry for the sad Hunterman and they also started crying!
The Hunterman said, "I will let you go free if you will give some of your tears". The crocodiles gave him their tears and the Hunterman ran all the way home. Hi wife got better after she took the medicine.
After that the Hunterman never forgot what the cow and the horse taught him. He told his children and their children and all the children in the village about how man must never treat animals badly. Man should place himself among the animals and not above them.
Thats how the children learnt that all good humans treat animals well.
