Forest of snakesJoseph SanchezNadimoRob Owen

English

Sinyaire village was surrounded byhills. Many snakes lived in the forest onthose hills.

The biggest snake was calledUnyalego by the villagers. Unyalegoscared many people. It swallowedwhole goats and sheep.

1

One day, three sisters, Apiyo, Ajoh andAtieno went to the forest to fetchfirewood.

The girls’ grandmother warned,"Beware of Unyalego the big snake.Do not take anything from the forestexcept the wood."

Only Ajoh did not pay attention to hergrandmother.

2

The girls packed milk, bananas,sweet potatoes and water.

They took ropes for tying firewoodand a sharp machete for choppingthe wood. Then they left for the forest.

3

On the way, the sisters chattedand laughed. Suddenly, Apiyo, theeldest of them, said, "Be quiet. We arecoming to where Unyalego the snakelives."

4

Atieno called to the others, "Look, hereare Unyalego’s golden teeth. Let ustake them."

Apiyo reminded them, "Don't forgetgrandmother’s warning. We must nottake anything from the forest exceptfirewood."

5

Ajoh said, "I don't trust grandmother.She said that to stop us having whatwe want. I want the golden teeth."

Her sisters were worried. "Ajoh, wewarned you," they said. But Ajoh didnot care.

6

At that moment Unyalego camelooking for his golden teeth. He wasfurious when he could not find theteeth.

Then Unyalego heard the girlschatting and laughing. He hid undera rock next to the road where thegirls would pass on their way back.

7

The sisters were going home carryingtheir firewood.

Suddenly, they heard, "Hssssss!" Therewas Unyalego with his mouth wideopen, ready to bite. The girls wereterrified.

8

Unyalego asked the girls, "Whotook my golden teeth?" No oneanswered.

The snake decided to test the girls.“Whoever is innocent, will be able tosing well. She will go home with herwood. But the guilty one will singbadly. And I will eat her!”

9

Apiyo started to sing with a clearvoice:

It was not me,It was not me who took the teeth.The one who took is still behind.

Then Atieno sang the song. She alsosang well.

10

Lastly, it was Ajoh’s turn. She wasscared. She started singing. Itsounded terrible and the wordswere wrong.

Unyalego shouted, "Can’t you singproperly like the others?" The snakeknew that Ajoh took his golden teeth.

11

Unyalego opened his huge jaws andswallowed Ajoh. Her sisters ran backto the village. They told everyone thestory of what happened.

"I warned her, if only she hadlistened," the girls' grandmother saidsadly.

12

You are free to download, copy, translate or adapt this story and use the illustrations as long as you attribute in the following way:

ForForestest ofof snaksnakeses

© African Storybook Initiative, 2015Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0SourSourcece www.africanstorybook.org

AuthorAuthor - Joseph Sanchez NadimoIllustrIllustrationation - Rob OwenLanguageLanguage - English

LeLevelvel - Longer paragraphs