Why Animals Have Different Patterns and Spots
Read the narrative below and then answer the questions that follow.
Once upon a time, all animals in the jungle were of the same plain colour but when they were invited by King Lion for his son’s wedding, they decided to decorate themselves for the occasion. The tortoise was given the task of making the dye to be used. Though he was slow, he was the most intelligent.
The big day was fast approaching but the tortoise had only managed to make one big pot of black dye. He called a meeting and they all decided to use the available dye to make various patterns in their skins.
The leopard was allocated the job of painting the rest of the animals. The zebra was the first on queue followed by the giraffe, then the donkey and all the other animals were to follow. The giraffe and the zebra were painted and they looked very beautiful.
Then the donkey’s turn came but he was undecided on the pattern to choose. The leopard decided to paint him like a zebra and got down to work. He had a long line along the donkey’s spine from the head towards the tail. On reaching the tail, the donkey started giggling. The leopard continued and the donkey jumped and threw him his hind legs saying the brush was tickling and he could not contain himself any longer.
He had thrown his hind legs so hard that he hit the pot containing the dye. The dye spattered all over the animals in the queue. The cheetah got speckles all over his body, the leopard got spotted and the crow who happened to be passing by with an urgent letter for the king hanging on its neck was splashed by the dye which covered him the whole body apart from the neck where the letter was. On seeing this, the hyena started laughing but got a large splotch in his mouth.
All the animals rushed to the stream to try and wash out the dye but it was already dried and had become permanent. Nobody could get off the spots, streaks, speckles and splotches. And that is how the donkey was responsible for the various patterns we see on animal bodies today.
Questions and Answers on Why Animals Have Different Patterns and Spots
a) Classify the narrative above. (2marks)
Aetiological / Explanatory narrative (1mark)
It talks about why the animals have different patterns/ spots (1 mark)
b) Identify and illustrate any two social aspects of society from which this narrative is taken (4 marks)
(i) wedding ceremonies (1mark) King Lion had invited other animals for his son’s wedding (1mark)
(ii) communalism/Division of labour (1mark) Each animal was allocated a different job e.g. leopard to decorate others, and tortoise to make dye.
c) Identify and illustrate any three features peculiar to oral narratives evident in this narrative. (6marks)
(i) Opening formula (1mark) once upon a time (1mk)
(ii) Closing formula (1 mark) and that how …………. Today (1 mark)
(iii) Timelessness (1 mark) once upon a time (lit can be applicable to any time in History)
(iv) Fantasy (1mark) animals have a wedding and decorate themselves for the same.(1mark)
d) Identify and illustrate any two character traits of the Leopard. (4 marks)
(i) meticulous/ rigorous/ precise (1mark)
He painted the Giraffe and Zebra till they looked beautiful (1mark)
(ii) Hardworking/ industrious (1mark)
He had to decorate all the animals (1mark)
e) Who would be the target audience of such a narrative (2marks)
Young children (1mk) as it serves the purpose of entertainment(1mk)
It also teaches them about natural phenomena eg why different animals have different colours.
f) If you were to collect this narrative from the field, what preparations would you make before the actual fieldwork (2marks)
(i)Seek permission from the local authorities to be allowed to conduct the fields study.
(ii) Liaise with my resource person.
(iii) Make a pre–visit to the place.
NB: Accept any other correct answer.