English for Students

Why does the hawk carry off chickens?

Why does the hawk carry off chickens? :



Once, the Sun said to the Hawk, "I need some money. Please give me some. I shall give it back to you very soon." The Hawk gave some money to the Sun. A week passed. A month passed. But the Sun did not give back the money. At last the Hawk decided to go to the Sun and ask for his money. He went to the Sun when he was high up in the sky.


"Do you remember that you must give me back my money?" He said to the Sun.


The Sun answered, "Yes, I do. But I am in the sky now and the money is at home. Please come when I am at home and I shall give the money back."


"All right," said the Hawk.


He decided to go next morning. But the next morning he was too late. The Sun was already in the sky. The Hawk went to the Sun's house another time and again the Sun was not at home. He went many times. But he never found the Sun at home.


One day on his way to the Sun, the Hawk met his friend, the Cock. "Why do you go to the Sun every day?" the Cock asked.


"I gave him some money a long time ago and I cannot get it back! The Sun says that when he is in the sky, he cannot go home to get the money. And I can never find him at home."


"I can help you," the Cock said. "You stay the night with me. I always get up earlier than the Sun does. I shall wake you up very early. Then you can run quickly to the Sun and get your money."


So the Hawk stayed the night with the Cock. In the morning the cock woke him. "Cock-a-doodle-doo! Cock-a-doodle-doo! Get up, Hawk! Run to the Sun! He is at home now. He is not in the sky yet!"


The Hawk got up, thanked the Cock and went to the Sun.


The Sun was at home. He was sleeping.


"Good morning, Sun!" the Hawk said. "It is time for you to get up. And I am here to get my money!"


"Good morning," the Sun said. "Who told you to come to me so early?" :


The Hawk did not answer. "If you want to get your money, you must tell me, who told you to come to me so early."


And then the Hawk said, "It was the Cock."


The Sun was very angry. He said "Now the Cock will pay for it with his children! Now all the Cock's children will be yours!"


And from that day the Hawk began to carry off chickens.

African Folk Tales Index