Page 15 - AHATA

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LOCAL Saturday 5 July 2025

Keeping up with the conniving spider…

Nanzi fools Cha Tiger

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