Page 17 - AHATA

A9
LOCAL Saturday 19 July 2025

Keeping up with the conniving spider…

Nanzi fools Cha Tiger

Many years ago, Cha* Tiger did not live in the Cha Tiger walked past.
mondi*, but among civil society. Back then, he “Hey, Cha Tiger!” someone called to him. He
was feared by everyone. When he walked past growled at the person. “Hey, Cha Tiger! Listen!”
in a halfway, everyone around would make “Nanzi made fun of you, said he wasn’t afraid
room immediately, that’s how ferocious he was. of you at all! Said he could sit on your back and
that you weren’t as strong as we think you are.”
One night a group of friends was hanging out Cha Tiger stopped dead in his tracks, furious.
and they were talking about Cha Tiger. “You “Well, I’ll set him straight!” Cha Tiger ran toward
know, that tiger sure is incredibly strong and I Nanzi’s house, prepared to teach Nanzi a pain-
don’t trust him one bit. He probably eats a lot ful lesson. The entire way there he was growling
too. Oh, I’m so scared of him!” one person said. and yelling, making everyone around aware
“Oh, don’t be stupid! What can Cha Tiger do? what was going to happen. They all ran inside
He’s all bark and no bite, that’s it. I certainly am and peaked through the blinds to see the fight
not afraid of him. I bet you guys that I could that was going to unfold.
even sit on his back like I would any donkey.” It Nanzi also heard Cha Tiger’s screams, slowly
was Nanzi who said this. The people around him getting closer and closer. He was terrified. His
laughed at his remarks, thinking how silly it was face turned pale, and his teeth started chatter-
for him to say such things. ing like someone with a high fever. Sweat was
“You, Nanzi? You are such a liar! He’ll stomp you dripping down his forehead.
into next Tuesday, stop saying such nonsense.” When Cha Tiger arrived at Nanzi’s place, he Once they started traveling through the mon-
“I’m not lying!” Nanzi defended himself. “He’ll stormed in and saw Nanzi’s frail body lying face di, Nanzi turned to Cha Tiger and said: “These
take me all the way to Shon Arei*.” down in the corner. “Hey, how are you, Cha Ti- mosquitos are so annoying! Cha Tiger, do you
ger?” Nanzi asked, his voice trembling. “I Heard mind if I cut a piece of branch so I can keep
The next morning, Shon Arei already knew of you were making fun of me in front of your little these mosquitos away?” Cha Tiger let him take
what Nanzi had been saying about Cha Tiger. friends, so I came to hear from your own mouth his branch.
He was really curious to see if Nanzi was brave what you have to say to me,” Cha Tiger retort- Eventually they made it out the mondi to where
enough to put his money where his mouth is. ed, still fuming. everyone else was. Nanzi immediately perked
“Me? Talk bad about you?” Nanzi chuck- up and whacked Cha Tiger with his branch,
led nervously. “People are such liars, I swear. making the tiger jump. He ran all the way to
Can’t you see how sick I am here?” Nanzi took Shon Arei’s castle. Exhausted, he plumped
a pause, like someone who couldn’t breathe down in front of His Majesty.
properly. In his case of course, it was probably “See, Shon Arei? Cha Tiger ain’t nothing but
from extreme fear. “Shi Maria* wanted to take a big donkey!” Nanzi said proudly. Everyone
me to Shon Arei, where someone can heal me around cheered: “Hurray, Nanzi!” Poor Cha
from my illness.” Still wrapped up in his act, Nan- Tiger was so embarrassed that he was fooled
zi turned back face down. “Me, a father of nine by the conniving spider, and so he ran into the
little children…” mondi to hide. To this day, it’s said that the tiger
Cha Tiger was shocked. Nanzi looked absolute- still hides away in the mondi.
ly terrible, God knows he was dying.
“Cha Tiger, you’re strong. Could you put me
on your back and take me to Shon Arei, I can Cha: Nickname placed in front of someone’s
barely walk,” Nanzi pleaded. Cha Tiger took name and can mean anything, like friend. How-
pity on the spider and agreed to do this favor. ever, it often has negative connotations first.
Nanzi climbed on the tiger’s back, letting his Mondi: dry wooded areas found on the ABC is-
body fall down and grabbing on to Cha Tiger’s lands.
neck. “Would you mind putting a rope in your Shon Arei: The King
mouth so I can hold on? That way I can sit up Shi Maria: Nanzi’s wife.q
straight,” Nanzi asked. Cha Tiger growled in re-
luctance but said OK. And so they made their Story and pictures are from “Kon Nanzi a Nek Shon
way to Shon Arei. Arei (i otro kuentanan antiano di e araña sabi)” by
Nilda Pinto.