Alidu and his goat
Alidu had about one hundred goats in his village. One day, he went to the chief’s house and told him, “I have an old goat. It can dance, sing, and talk.”
The chief replied, “I know a goat can dance and a horse can dance. A goat can make noise, but it cannot sing or talk. If your goat can talk, I’ll give you one fat cow. All the men in the village will meet at the marketplace on Friday morning. Bring your goat. If it talks, you will get a lot of money. If it does not talk, my men will kill you.”
On Friday morning, all the people in the village gathered at the marketplace. Alidu and the goat stood in front of the crowd. Everyone was waiting for the goat to talk. They stood there for a long time, but the goat did not say a word. Alidu gave it cassava to eat, but the goat remained silent. Then he offered yams, but it still did not talk. The chief told Alidu, “What you told me is not true. Your goat can’t talk. My men will beat you till you die.” Two strong men stepped forward and began to beat Alidu with canes.
Suddenly, the goat jumped three times and exclaimed,
“Don’t beat my master!
Don’t beat my master!
Don’t beat my master!”
Everyone fell silent. The two men stopped beating Alidu, and all the people clapped their hands for him. The chief then gave him a very fat cow. On their way home, Alidu asked the goat, “Why did you let them beat me?” The goat replied, “That is how to get the big cow.” Alidu said, “You are a GOAT!”
The moral of the story is that resourcefulness and courage can turn a difficult situation into a fortunate outcome. Alidu faced serious consequences for his exaggerated claims about the goat, but through quick thinking and the goat's loyalty, they managed to triumph in the end. The tale reminds us that while bending the truth can lead to trouble, cleverness and support from friends can help us navigate through challenges successfully.