Gombe the Hunter
On the Lake
The sun floated placidly in the sky, casting a lovely glow over the calm lake. Surrounding it were vibrant green trees, bushes, and a thick curtain of flowers. A group of ducks revelled in their happy surroundings, unaware of the danger lurking just behind the bushes.
Suddenly, a gun barrel emerged from the thicket, held by none other than Gombe, the hunter. Spotting the ducks, he clucked his tongue in delight and exclaimed to himself, “Aha! What do we have here? Not one, but thirteen plump ducks! How lucky I am! All I need to do is take aim and see how many I can bag!”
The Unexpected Twist
And that’s exactly what he did. Many might assume that when Gombe fired his first shot and hit a duck, the remaining twelve would fly away to safety. However, to their misfortune, the bullet sped out of Gombe’s gun, taking a zig-zag path that hit all the ducks one after the other. Ultimately, the bullet traveled to the opposite side of the lake, striking a wild boar that was minding its own business. With a sharp cry, the boar swooned to the ground.
Gombe rushed over, surprised by his unexpected catch. Just think of it, he mused—one bullet and such a haul: thirteen ducks and one boar! He tied up the ducks securely and fastened the other end of the rope around himself to ensure he wouldn’t lose them. Pleased with his good fortune, he then decided to tie the boar to the bundle of ducks. However, in a twist of fate, his foot slipped into the marshy bank, and with a big plop, he fell upside down into the lake, releasing the boar in the process.
The Wild Ride
While Gombe struggled to climb back onto the bank, the ducks, having merely been dazed by the earlier commotion, took flight. As Gombe was pulled from the lake, he found himself dangling from a rope tied to the ducks as they soared higher and higher. They flew over mountains, valleys, lakes, and rivers until the sky turned dark, and a big golden moon rose on the horizon.
As they flew over a village celebrating a festival with fireworks, the ducks decided to let Gombe enjoy the show. However, sparks flew into his clothes. “Help! Help!” he screamed. “Fly higher, dear ducks! Otherwise, those sparks will burn my clothes!”
A Lesson Learned
The ducks took him over the sea to cool off, but they soon spotted a whale blowing water into the air. Thinking it would be amusing to give Gombe a cold bath, they drew him into the path of the whale’s spout. “Help! Help!” he begged. “I’m freezing! The water is so cold!”
Despite his cries, the ducks grumbled among themselves as they continued flying until darkness enveloped them. Gombe couldn’t sleep that night, and as dawn broke, hunger pangs gripped him. Feeling the rope loosening around his stomach, he patted it, and suddenly found himself slipping free as the ducks fluttered away happily.
What happened to Gombe? He descended slowly, eventually crashing onto the temple tower in a nearby village. Villagers gathered around, curious to see the strange figure perched atop the tower. Crossing his arms and lighting a cigar, Gombe tried to appear unfazed by his predicament.
Feigning indifference, he responded to the crowd’s queries with a clever jest about climbing up to see the mountain tops. But when they offered to help him down by spreading out their bed sheets, Gombe, terrified of the height, took a leap and miraculously landed safely on the ground. From that day on, he dared not face a duck directly for a long, long time.
Retold by Lalitha Manuel
