Reading Notes: South African Folktales, Reading A
I haven't read the South African folktales in the previous readings, so I found these readings to be really fascinating. I think they are all rich in plots and characters, but the story about the ants was the most fascinating of all. I have read about the story of other animals such as monkeys, crocodiles, lions, and so on, but insects like ants aren't usually given attention worthy of a great story.
So The Lost Message part of the reading was my favorite of all South African stories I've read. I like the very beginning of the story, which is so true to the core: "The Ant has had from time immemorial many enemies, and because he is small and destructive, there have been a great many slaughters among them. Not only were most of the birds their enemies, but Anteater lived almost wholly from them, and Centipede beset them every time and at all places when he had the chance."
How many ants have I accidentally stomped on and killed? Probably countless. Yet, it's a life and death serious situation for ants.
I found this to be somewhat contrary to the popular belief about ants: "But at the gathering their opinions were most discordant, and they could come to no decision." As far as I've learned, ants are very hierarchical animal with strict social structure, so I thought this was an interesting exception that the story has made.
I think this is a very clever solution: "another part wanted to have a large and strong dwelling built on the ground, where nobody could enter but an ant." It would certainly prevent attackers and intruders from getting inside that tiny hole.
This is what ants are good at when people think about them in their mind: "Greater unity than that which existed in each separate faction could be seen nowhere in the world; each had his appointed task, each did his work regularly and well."
I like all the divisions of tasks that different ants performed. The result would be efficient and effective with such coordinated effort.
Well. the result was depressing. All the different ants didn't coordinate well and became the prey of predators. I think it perhaps has been a reality of many South African countries. They haven't been so well to coordinate and many foreign powers invaded and has taken away the resources.
The lesson is clear: Coordination is critical in teamwork in order to be successful. It was one of the most fascinating stories I've read and truly interesting as it's a story of South Africa.
Bibliography:
South African Folk-Tales by James Honey (1910).
So The Lost Message part of the reading was my favorite of all South African stories I've read. I like the very beginning of the story, which is so true to the core: "The Ant has had from time immemorial many enemies, and because he is small and destructive, there have been a great many slaughters among them. Not only were most of the birds their enemies, but Anteater lived almost wholly from them, and Centipede beset them every time and at all places when he had the chance."
How many ants have I accidentally stomped on and killed? Probably countless. Yet, it's a life and death serious situation for ants.
I found this to be somewhat contrary to the popular belief about ants: "But at the gathering their opinions were most discordant, and they could come to no decision." As far as I've learned, ants are very hierarchical animal with strict social structure, so I thought this was an interesting exception that the story has made.
I think this is a very clever solution: "another part wanted to have a large and strong dwelling built on the ground, where nobody could enter but an ant." It would certainly prevent attackers and intruders from getting inside that tiny hole.
This is what ants are good at when people think about them in their mind: "Greater unity than that which existed in each separate faction could be seen nowhere in the world; each had his appointed task, each did his work regularly and well."
I like all the divisions of tasks that different ants performed. The result would be efficient and effective with such coordinated effort.
Well. the result was depressing. All the different ants didn't coordinate well and became the prey of predators. I think it perhaps has been a reality of many South African countries. They haven't been so well to coordinate and many foreign powers invaded and has taken away the resources.
The lesson is clear: Coordination is critical in teamwork in order to be successful. It was one of the most fascinating stories I've read and truly interesting as it's a story of South Africa.
Bibliography:
South African Folk-Tales by James Honey (1910).
Ants. Source: Fire ants
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