Àdán fò lọ bá ẹyẹ – Bat flew to join the birds @theyorubablog
Ìtàn sọ wí pé eku ni àdán tẹ́lẹ̀ ki ìjà nla tó bẹ́ sílẹ̀ laarin eku àti ẹyẹ. Àdán rò wípé àwọn ẹyẹ fẹ́ bori, nitorina o fo lati lọ darapọ̀ mọ́ ẹyẹ lati dojú ìjà kọ àwọn ẹbi rẹ eku.
Eku àti ẹyẹ bínú si àdàn nitori ìwà àgàbàgebè ti ó hu yi, wọ́n pinu lati parapọ̀ lati dojú ìjà kọ àdán. Nitori ìdí èyí ni àdán ṣe bẹ̀rẹ̀ si sá pamọ́ lati fi òkùnkùn bora ni ọ̀sán fún eku àti ẹyẹ títí di òní.
A lè fi ìtàn yi wé àwọn Òṣèlú tó nsa lati ẹgbẹ́ kan si ekeji nitori ipò̀ ati agbára lati kó owó ìlú jẹ. Ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ ìgbà, wọ́n ma “lé eku meji pa òfo” ni. Ọkùnrin ti o ni ìyàwó kan, ni àlè sita ma fara pamọ́ lati lọ sí ọ̀dọ̀ obìnrin keji ti wọ́n rò wípé́ á fún wọn ní ìgbádùn. Nígbàtí ìyàwó ilé bá gbọ́, wọn a pa òfo lọdọ ìyàwó ilé, wọn a tún tẹ́ lọ́dọ̀ àlè.
Ẹ̀kọ́ ìtàn yí ni wípé iyè meji kò dara, ọ̀dalẹ̀ ma mba ilẹ̀ lọ ni, nitorina, ojúkòkòrò kò lérè.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
According to Yoruba folklore, the bat was once a rat, until a great fight broke out between the rats and the birds. Sensing that birds might win the fight, some of the rats became bats, flying to join the birds against their rat kindred.
Observing the bat’s hypocrisy and treachery, the rats joined hands with the birds to fight the bat. As a result of this union, the bats were forced to escape from the rats and birds, retreating into hiding, forced into the darkest places, caves and crevices — a retreat which continues till this day.
This story can be compared with the Politicians who are always running from one party to the other because of positions, power and public money to embezzle. Most often, many of them end up “chasing two rats and catching none”. Also, a man who claims to be married but who has another relationship outside wedlock often ends up losing both ways with the wife and the mistress when the secret is out.
The lesson from this story is that being double minded is not good and traitors are often consumed as a result.
Originally posted 2015-09-11 09:20:28. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
This story is quite timely, considering the ongoing controversy with Edward Snowden. Maybe someone needs to share this story with him.
That said, I disagree with the conclusion, because (1) I don’t think the bats are in a bad place just because they live in caves, (2) the story does not reveal why they chose to join the birds — it could have conceivably been bad motives or just a matter of understandable tactics — since there are no permanent friends or enemies.
Disagreeing with the conclusion or not, this is a great and highly relevant story and I thank you for sharing this.
Apologies for not being able to write so articulately in Yoruba — Yoruba mi o dan moran ni kiko.
E ku ise.