English for Students

Why are the fire and rain enemies?

Why are the fire and rain enemies? :



OOnce upon a time there was a chief who had a beautiful daughter. Many young men wanted to marry her. But the chief thought, "They are not very good for my daughter." Fire and Rain wanted to marry her, too. Rain came to the chief’s daughter and said, "Will you marry me, oh daughter of the chief?"


"Yes, I will," said the girl.


At the same time Fire came to the chief and said, "I want to marry your daughter. Will you give her to me for my wife?"


The chief said, "Yes, I will."


Then the chief sent for his daughter and said to her, "My dear daughter, you will marry Fire. I gave him my promise."


"Oh, Father," Said the girl, "I cannot marry Fire, I must marry Rain. I gave my promise to him."


"What shall we do?" cried the chief. "You can't marry both Fire and Rain."


Then Fire and Rain came to the chief and his daughter. The chief said to them.


"Tomorrow will be the day of my daughter's marriage."


"To me?" asked Fire.


"To me?" asked Rain.


"To the winner of a race. To him I will give my daughter."


On the day of the race many people came to the town. They all wanted to see the race. Some of them said, "Fire will win."


Others said, "Rain will win."


But the chief’s daughter thought: "I want to marry Rain."


The day of the race came. When it was time to begin, the drummers beat the drums. The race began. The wind helped Fire to run very quickly. But where was Rain? Nobody saw him. The people cried.


"Look, Fire is quite near the finish!'" But then Rain began to fall from the sky and put out Fire. So fire could not finish the race.


The people cried, "Rain, Rain is the first!"


So the chief gave his daughter to Rain and they were very happy.


And from that day on fire and Rain are enemies.

African Folk Tales Index