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Tuesday 21 May 2024 locAl
                                      A10


            Keeping up with the conniving spider…

            Nanzi fools Cha Tiger



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