4 - Ravoay, the crocodile and Rakoera, the parrot

 

A tale from the region of Ambanja (North‐West)

Taken from « Contes Antakarana », Ed. Foi et Justice

Text: Myriam Verenako, illustrations: Patoo

 

(P.4) Once upon a time, dear children, so they tell in the region of Ambanja,  there lived  a crocodile called Ravoay and a parrot called Rakoera or Rabaloky.

Ravoay lived in the water and had many children. The family grew so big that they found it hard to feed them all. So the crocodiles had become evil and cruel and ate anything that came their way, be it animal or human.

As for Rakoera, the parrot, he lived on dry land and lived in peace with his neighbours. He had become very rich, because he worked hard.

 

(6) Ravoay’s only occupation was waiting on the lookout at the riverside. One day he  caught hold of Rakoera just when he was fetching water. He didn’t eat him right away but took him down to his lair, to later give him to his wife and children to eat.

 

(8) On the way, Rakoera pleaded Ravoay to set him free. He said that he’d give him a zebu in exchange. Ravoay refused, because only one zebu could not satisfy his big family.

Rakoera felt he had to offer more zebus, two, three, …or even ten cows ….

But Ravoay would only accept, if Rakoera promised him all the cattle he had in his compound. So the deal was agreed, and Ravoay carried Rakoera to the river bank. But before he let go of him, he made Rakoera vow the he would do as he had promised.

 

(10)Each of them went back to his home, Ravoay to his lair, Rakoera to the forest. They gathered their two families and told them what had happened.

All of Ravoay’s family were at home. He told them about the deal that he had made with

Rakoera and finished by saying « Prepare for a treat, tomorrow, we will be eating all of  Rakoera’s cattle. »

 

(12) As for Rakoera, he hobbled home like a cripple because of the gashes Ravoay’s teeth had made when he had caught him. He had no intention of giving his cattle to Ravoay, quite the contrary, he wanted revenge. So the parrots worked out a plan to kill Ravoay and his family.

 

(14) The next day, at daybreak, Rakoera’s family were assembled in the forest. Rakoera flew to the river bank  to call Ravoay and his family  to come on the dry land not far from his home in the forest. But Ravoay didn’t respond immediately to Rakoera’s invitation and kept asking for guarantees and making threats that they would eat the parrots alive, if they tried to cheat them. At last when he felt sure that he was not going to be tricked he came out of the water with all his  family, one after another, in single file.

 

(16) Once they were out of the water, Rakoera told them to hide in the tall grass and get ready to capture the zebus  while Rakoera and his family would chase the cattle towards them.

 

(18) As soon as the crocodiles were well hidden in the grass, a flock of parrots pretended to flush out the cattle  crying “Hi‐ho‐o‐o‐o‐o‐o‐o , Hi‐ho‐o‐o‐o‐o‐o‐o “

The crocodiles believed the parrots were sending the zebus in their direction. They were mad with joy and prepared to trap and devour them.

 

(20) Yet another flock of parrots arrived with burning branches and set fire to the grass

surrounding  the crocodiles. Taken by surprise by the sight of smoke and fire, the crocodiles ran for their life. But the fire spread so fast that they couldn’t escape and they all died in the fire.

 

(22) Only one of the crocodiles managed to escape and jumped in the water. But his whole back was on fire and it spread down from his head to his tail. He wallowed wildly about in the river to put the fire out. When, at last, he had quenched it, he started to think ways to revenge himself on the parrots.

 

(24) That is why crocodiles have got such a rough skin on their backs that looks so much like scars and from which  their descendants have inherited the scars  generation after generation. And since that day, crocodiles are always on the watch trying to catch a parrot.

That’s why the parrots don’t dare approach  the water, but balance on the ravenala leaves (the traveller’s tree) from which they drink water and where they take their baths. When spring comes, when we hear the parrots cry « Hi-ho-o‐o‐o‐o‐o‐hi‐ho‐o‐o‐o » they’re remembering their victory over the crocodiles.

 

Tales, tales, stories, stories,

I tell them, you, you listen