A retold fable from Numfor, West Papua
By CELLY AKWAN
One day, when the western wind was blowing, the cuscus was sitting on the branch of a banyan tree. To the cockatoo, parrot, and bird of paradise also sitting in the tree and to the cassowary under the tree, the cuscus boasted, “I can sit here so firmly that the wind cannot throw me off from this branch!” The three birds exchanged glances and smiled wryly and the cassowary looked up to the cuscus.
“We won’t believe your words unless you prove them to us,” said the cockatoo. “Challenge the western wind!”
“Don’t try the eastern wind,” warned the sober cassowary. “She’ll blow you off from the branch easily.”
But their words meant nothing to the overconfident marsupial. He faced up to the western wind and said, “Western wind. You surely can’t blow me off from this branch!”
The western wind laughed and said, “You, tiny and weak fool. Haven’t you seen how I topple the sturdiest ironwood trees and flown off even the strongest walls and roofs of houses? I’ll blow you off much more quickly than the wink of a human eye. I’m much stronger than you.”
“Say whatever you want,” said the proud cuscus, “but I’m not what you’ve destroyed. I’ll win because I’m much, much stronger than you.”
The mammal then stuck his curved claws into the branch to keep him stay firmly there. The cuscus was certain the western wind would not be able to rip them out.
Meanwhile, the birds and cassowary left the banyan tree. They sensed that the competition for power and dominance between the cuscus and wind would be fierce and could endanger their life. But they stayed at a safe distance as witnesses.
The confronted, masculine western wind then increased his puffs, whooshed, and blustered to the branch where the cuscus was trying to hold himself firmly. The branch moved to the left and to the right and up and down and caused the marsupial to sway along. But just as the wind was able to loosen the grips of the cuscus to the branch and almost blow him off, the cuscus quickly curled his tail around the branch to hold him more firmly to the branch and prevented himself from being thrown to the ground.
The western wind that had raged from morning until evening caused a lot of destruction. A lot of trees and houses were blown off; canoes along the beach were lifted and crushed against the stone bridges for village houses on stilts. In spite of the destruction he had caused, the might of the western wind began to weaken during the evening. The western wind subsided and was not able to blow the cuscus off from the branch. The cuscus proved himself to be stronger than the western wind.
His victory made him more bigheaded and daring. He provoked the eastern wind. “Eastern wind, eastern wind, you can’t blow me off from this branch!”
The calm, feminine eastern wind heard the challenge and said, “You’ll feel sorry for what you’ve just said.”
“Come on,” said the impatient cuscus. “I’ve defeated your friend, the western wind, and I’m going to defeat you, too. I’m stronger than you.”
But the eastern wind was shrewder than the western wind. She knew she could defeat the cuscus through his weak spot and by working together with Mr. Rain and Mr. Sun.
“Help me, gentlemen, to teach the cuscus a lesson,” said the eastern wind.
“You can count on me,” said Mr. Rain.
“I’m on your side,” said Mr. Sun.
The eastern wind waited until it was night and cold in the forest. Then, she said to Mr. Rain, “Pour your rain down.”
Soon, it rained all night. The cuscus got wet, sat quietly, and got terribly cold. In the morning, the marsupial still felt terribly cold. The eastern wind then said to Mr. Sun, “Come out and shine on the cuscus.”
“I’m coming,” said Mr. Sun.
The sun soon rose and began to shine on the branch of the banyan tree where the cuscus was still sitting. He felt warmer and fell asleep.
The eastern wind did not blow strongly. She blew very gently on the cuscus and made him sleep, sleep, sleep like a log. The sleeping cuscus did not hold himself firmly to the branch.
Then, the eastern wind sent a gust to the sleeping cuscus. "Whooosh!" sounded the gust at the cuscus. The cuscus suddenly fell on the ground.
“Didn’t I tell you that the eastern wind is stronger than the cuscus?” asked the thoughtful cassowary.
“You’re right,” said the bird of paradise.
“The cuscus should be more thoughtful next time,” said the parrot.
“And humble, too,” added the cockatoo.
“And understand that gentleness is power,” said the wise cassowary.
Copyright © 2008. All rights reserved. Published with written permission from the author.
By CELLY AKWAN
One day, when the western wind was blowing, the cuscus was sitting on the branch of a banyan tree. To the cockatoo, parrot, and bird of paradise also sitting in the tree and to the cassowary under the tree, the cuscus boasted, “I can sit here so firmly that the wind cannot throw me off from this branch!” The three birds exchanged glances and smiled wryly and the cassowary looked up to the cuscus.
“We won’t believe your words unless you prove them to us,” said the cockatoo. “Challenge the western wind!”
“Don’t try the eastern wind,” warned the sober cassowary. “She’ll blow you off from the branch easily.”
But their words meant nothing to the overconfident marsupial. He faced up to the western wind and said, “Western wind. You surely can’t blow me off from this branch!”
The western wind laughed and said, “You, tiny and weak fool. Haven’t you seen how I topple the sturdiest ironwood trees and flown off even the strongest walls and roofs of houses? I’ll blow you off much more quickly than the wink of a human eye. I’m much stronger than you.”
“Say whatever you want,” said the proud cuscus, “but I’m not what you’ve destroyed. I’ll win because I’m much, much stronger than you.”
The mammal then stuck his curved claws into the branch to keep him stay firmly there. The cuscus was certain the western wind would not be able to rip them out.
Meanwhile, the birds and cassowary left the banyan tree. They sensed that the competition for power and dominance between the cuscus and wind would be fierce and could endanger their life. But they stayed at a safe distance as witnesses.
The confronted, masculine western wind then increased his puffs, whooshed, and blustered to the branch where the cuscus was trying to hold himself firmly. The branch moved to the left and to the right and up and down and caused the marsupial to sway along. But just as the wind was able to loosen the grips of the cuscus to the branch and almost blow him off, the cuscus quickly curled his tail around the branch to hold him more firmly to the branch and prevented himself from being thrown to the ground.
The western wind that had raged from morning until evening caused a lot of destruction. A lot of trees and houses were blown off; canoes along the beach were lifted and crushed against the stone bridges for village houses on stilts. In spite of the destruction he had caused, the might of the western wind began to weaken during the evening. The western wind subsided and was not able to blow the cuscus off from the branch. The cuscus proved himself to be stronger than the western wind.
His victory made him more bigheaded and daring. He provoked the eastern wind. “Eastern wind, eastern wind, you can’t blow me off from this branch!”
The calm, feminine eastern wind heard the challenge and said, “You’ll feel sorry for what you’ve just said.”
“Come on,” said the impatient cuscus. “I’ve defeated your friend, the western wind, and I’m going to defeat you, too. I’m stronger than you.”
But the eastern wind was shrewder than the western wind. She knew she could defeat the cuscus through his weak spot and by working together with Mr. Rain and Mr. Sun.
“Help me, gentlemen, to teach the cuscus a lesson,” said the eastern wind.
“You can count on me,” said Mr. Rain.
“I’m on your side,” said Mr. Sun.
The eastern wind waited until it was night and cold in the forest. Then, she said to Mr. Rain, “Pour your rain down.”
Soon, it rained all night. The cuscus got wet, sat quietly, and got terribly cold. In the morning, the marsupial still felt terribly cold. The eastern wind then said to Mr. Sun, “Come out and shine on the cuscus.”
“I’m coming,” said Mr. Sun.
The sun soon rose and began to shine on the branch of the banyan tree where the cuscus was still sitting. He felt warmer and fell asleep.
The eastern wind did not blow strongly. She blew very gently on the cuscus and made him sleep, sleep, sleep like a log. The sleeping cuscus did not hold himself firmly to the branch.
Then, the eastern wind sent a gust to the sleeping cuscus. "Whooosh!" sounded the gust at the cuscus. The cuscus suddenly fell on the ground.
“Didn’t I tell you that the eastern wind is stronger than the cuscus?” asked the thoughtful cassowary.
“You’re right,” said the bird of paradise.
“The cuscus should be more thoughtful next time,” said the parrot.
“And humble, too,” added the cockatoo.
“And understand that gentleness is power,” said the wise cassowary.
Copyright © 2008. All rights reserved. Published with written permission from the author.
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