Aetiological/Why/Explanatory Narrative: Why Hyenas no Longer Talk
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Read the narrative below and answer the questions that follow. (20 marks)
Long, long time ago animals and birds spoke just like men do. When God had to stop them speaking, he made birds sin, like this chrrip! Chrrip……… Lions to roar like this graagh! Graagh! And hyenas to howl like this huuu! Huuu! And do you blame God?
Listen to what naughty hyena who had gone two days without any meat did. He had been wondering up and down the hills when he suddenly stopped, nose in the air, one foot raised. Do I smell, eh…………smell food? He slowly raised his head to the skies as if to say, “Please God, let me find some food, even one rotting bone will do.” Slowly, he followed the smell, sniffing hard, stopping now and again, over grinning wider as the smell became stronger. “Here at last”, He said as he came in sight of a calf that seemed dead, flies buzzing over its excrement. “God, no time to waste. Who knows the owner may be around. Oh, no, I see it is secured to a tree with a “Mukwa” I’ll take my time. Ha, I am tired too, come to think of it.
God gave us pretty strong senses of smell, generous old…… man. Still I do think some people tend to exaggerate, now who was it saying the other day ‘ati’ God is the giver of everything and that we should be grateful. O.K. Tell me, did God give this calf? Did you God? I found it myself, smelled my way there, all the way. Nice calf too, rather thin but it will do. I’ll take the head home and make soup with herbs. I especially like ‘muthathii’, and I see one over there. OK. Here we go, where shall I start, this lovely neck? No, I know, I will start with the ‘mukwa’ then I’ll get on to the soft stuff, the tail, the rump, ‘Mahu’……….” After chewing up half of the ‘mukwa’ the hyena brushed his teeth with the twig of a ‘muthiga’ a tree of stimulate his appetite. He stepped on the calf’s tail, stuffed it in his mouth and ‘snap’ it went.
The calf which was only very sick and tired shot up and bolted away in the twinkling of an eye. The hyena rubbed his eyes, ambled after the disappearing calf and soon fell down in exhaustion. He looked up again to the heaven, tried to speak but no words came. Hyenas have never been able to speak ever since……..
Answers to the Aetiological/ Why/ Explanatory Narrative
(a) Categorize this narrative and give a reason for your classification. (2 marks)
This is an Aetiological / explanatory narrative because it explains why hyena has never been able to speak. (2mks)
(b) Identify and explain two characteristics of oral narratives evident in this story. (4 marks)
(i) Opening formula – Long, long time ago …..
(ii) Closing formula / Hyenas have never been able to speak ever since.
(iii) Elements of fantasy – Personification of hyena.
(iv) Use of animal characters.
(v) Moral lesson (4mks)
(c) Describe two character traits of the hyena as depicted in the narrative. (4 marks)
(i) Foolish – Hyena started eating the rope that had secured the calf.
(ii) Greedy / Gluttonous – The hyena thought of how to eat the whole calf alone
(d) Identify one economic aspect of the community described in this narrative and give a reason for your answer. (2 marks)
Cattle rearing – The calf secured to a tree with a “Mukwa” – rope indicates rearing of animals. (2mks)
(e) What moral lesson do we learn from this narrative? (2 marks)
We should be contented with what we get. The hyena was not contented with what he got and therefore he suffered. (2mks)
(f) Give a proverb with the same moral lesson as this narrative. (1 mark)
Hurry, hurry has no blessing. (Any other relevant proverb, use your discretion)’
(g) If you are asked to go and collect this story in the field, state:
(i) Three things you would do before the actual field trip. (3 marks)
a. Decide on the mode of the interview and assemble the equipment that you will use.
b. Test the equipment to ensure they are in working order.
c. Get a research assistant where necessary.
d. Formulate a questionnaire.
e. Seek permission from the local administration. (any 3x1 = 3mks)
(ii) Two problems you are likely to encounter. (2 marks)
Hostile communities
− Uncooperative respondents
− Inaccessibility of some areas
− Bad weather (2mks)