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Ngano

Ngano dzepasi chigare.

Shona folktales, read whole.

Tsvaga ngano

Ngano

Ngano yaGudo naMombeBaboon and Cow are close friends. When the rains approach, hardworking Cow builds himself a sturdy house while lazy Baboon mocks him and sleeps in a tree instead. When a storm hits, Baboon is left cold and terrified, and comes begging Cow for shelter. Kind-hearted Cow takes him in, feeds him, and warms him until he recovers.Ngano yaJongwe naTsuroThe animals organise a running race. Boastful Rooster is certain he will beat Hare, who says little but is chosen to represent the animals. Midway through the race, overconfident Rooster stops to rest, believing he is far ahead, and falls asleep. Steady, persistent Hare presses on and wins. Rooster is left deeply ashamed of his arrogance.Ngano yaMhembwe naShumbaLion, king of the forest, preys on any animal he pleases, so the terrified animals send gentle, clever Duiker to negotiate a fairer arrangement: each day, one animal will voluntarily present itself to Lion instead. Lion agrees, and peace returns, until Goat refuses to go and Lion threatens to abandon the deal. Duiker rushes to calm Lion down, persuading him not to punish every animal for one's disobedience, and the arrangement holds.Ngano yaHungwe naMujuruFish Eagle, who lives in the sky, and Catfish, who lives in the water, are close friends who help each other by sharing food. Their bond makes some jealous animals resentful, and a lazy, spiteful little bird named Chinyavada spreads lies to each of them, claiming the other has been mocking and cheating them. The two friends fall out, until Fish Eagle sends a messenger bird to investigate and the truth comes out. Fish Eagle confronts Catfish honestly, Catfish realises he was deceived, and the two reconcile, learning that jealousy destroys but honesty rebuilds.Ngano yaTsuro neMakorokotoHare has a reputation for cleverness, while nosy, talkative Hornbill always wants to know everything. One day Hornbill catches Hare coming out of a cave with bread and demands to know where he found it in a forest with no shop. Hare teasingly invents a story about a magic bread tree that only opens if you sing a certain song, and teaches Hornbill a nonsense song. Hornbill sings all day behind the cave and gets no bread, realising too late he has been tricked. Hare tells him it is his own fault for believing so readily without questioning.Ngano yaShumba neMbiraLion, king of the forest and feared by all, throws a great feast and invites every animal except quiet, easily-overlooked Mbira, who was in fact never invited at all. When Mbira does not attend, furious Lion banishes him from the forest, and the other animals grow afraid to associate with him. Later, Lion is caught in a hunter's snare and cries out for help, but the animals who feasted with him only watch from a distance, mocking his misfortune. Mbira, though banished and uninvited, rushes in and gnaws through the snare's ropes to free Lion. Astonished, Lion asks why Mbira helped him after being wronged; Mbira answers that doing good does not wait for reward. Lion learns to respect every animal, especially Mbira, from that day on.Dare revakuru vemushaThe village elders hold a council meeting to address growing concern that young people no longer show respect, are unwilling to work, and no longer value good character. After much discussion about what the youth should be taught to secure a good future, they agree that children must be taught tradition, good character, hard work, and community harmony, and they draw up a plan to teach these values and skills to the children day by day.Ngano yaMusha waKapondoroKapondoro, head of a homestead known as Chidyamapfihwa, has relatives who resent others, refuse to work, and disrespect the teachers among them. These relatives eventually rebel against the homestead council, insisting they can manage on their own. The elders warn that, by tradition, those who isolate themselves invite misfortune. The following season, the rebellious relatives fail to find food, their water runs out, and their children fall ill. They return to the council to beg forgiveness. Kapondoro forgives them, on condition that from then on everyone works together and each person carries their share of the load, and the homestead is united once more.Ngano yaTendai naSamushaTendai is a clever, well-mannered girl who loves learning, while Samusha is a boy who openly scorns girls, insisting they cannot be wise. The two are chosen together to represent their homestead in a boundary dispute with a neighbouring community. When Samusha fails to make himself understood, patient, articulate Tendai steps in, listens, explains, asks questions, and calmly resolves the dispute without conflict. The elders of the other community declare that she deserves great respect, and Samusha learns to value people regardless of their gender.Ngano yaRutendo neChidzidzo chaAmai VakeRutendo is a girl closely looked after by her mother, who often tells her that a girl of good character does not speak carelessly, does not spread gossip, and helps around the home. Her mother warns her never to open the door to a stranger, especially when her parents are away. One day, while her parents are at the fields and Rutendo is alone, an unfamiliar girl calls her to come out and collect a 'gift' from her mother. Rutendo refuses, saying she does not know the girl, and keeps the door shut. When her parents return, they realise it was an attempted child abduction that had been warned about in the village. They tell Rutendo she was protected by her own obedience, and the whole homestead learns to value the guidance of elders.
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