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Bushman-Story-Header

A Bushman's Story

Stories from the San People

How the Gemsbok got his long horns

Bushman-Story-Header

A Bushman's Story

Stories from the San People

How the Gemsbok got his long horns

The San people are great storytellers. Today, we would like to share one of their stories with you.

 

THE STORY OF THE GEMSBOK AND THE OSTRICH

... Or: How the Gemsbok got his long horns

From the Book "Splinters at the Fire" 

In the early times when all animals were people, all the anminals lived where water was plentiful and the pans had water. 

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During that time Gemsbok was a feeble looking man. He had no horns and had a pale greyish colour. Ostrich was the one who was beautifully coloured, impressive, and who had the long horns which now belong to Gemsbok.

Yes, it was like that in those times long ago.

One day Gemsbok said to Ostrich: „I can run faster than you, because those horns are far too heavy for your long thin neck and two legs to carry. Let‘s rund a race, but I shall help you and carry your horns.“

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Ostrich agreed and Gemsbok borrowed Ostrich‘s horns and they started running the race. Ostrich‘s feet were soft and it hurt him to run over these rocky places, so he stopped. Gemsbok kept running on and only stopped when he was on the other side. Ostrich was furious. He picked up stones and started throwing them at Gemsbok As Ostrich bent down to pick up more stones, Gemsbok ran away and when Ostrich looked up again, Gemsbok was gone.

 

After a long time, Gemsbok met Ostrich again at the pan. Ostrich wanted to take back his long horns, but Gemsbok fought so well with these horns that he had taken from Ostrich that Ostrich eventually gave up. Then Ostrich had a long thought, „Well, maybe it is better that he should keep the horns. It is true that they are much too heavy for me to carry. We can be friends. He can carry the horns. I‘ll stay close to him and he can protect me.“

So they made peace and since then Gemsbok and Ostrich have always been together on the plains, living together in peace and harmony.