THE PEOPLE OF THE VILLAGE

“Go outside, look at the sky.  Go inside, look at faces.”  

A Chinese proverb. 

Here is a story from West Africa. Our thanks to Canadian storyteller Dan Yashinsky for sending it to us.

A boy and his father were working in their garden at the edge of the village when a stranger came hurrying up.  

“You,” he said, “can you tell me what the people of this village are like?” 

The father looked at him and said, “That depends.  What were the people like at the last village you were in?”. 

The man said, “They were awful.  I didn’t stay.  That’s why I’m travelling.” 

The father answered, “I think you’ll find the people of this village much the same.” 

“That’s what I expected,” the man yelled as he hurried away. 

A second stranger came down the road and said, “Hello, sir.  I’m a traveler looking for a place to rest.  Can you tell me what the people of this village are like?

 

“That depends,” said the father.  “What were the people like in the last village you were in?”  The man said that some were nice, some were mean.

 

“I think you’ll find the people of this village much the same,” said the father. 

“I’ll take my chances,” said the man, and walked into the village.

 

The boy was puzzled by all of this, but kept gardening next to his dad. 

Around sunset, he saw another man coming along the road. 

“Hello, sir, and hello, young man,” said the stranger.  “I hope you have a good harvest.”  “Thanks,” said the father.  “It looks like it will be a good year.”

 

“Tell me, please,” said the man, “I am a stranger around here and I need a place to stay.  What are the people of your village like?”.

“That depends,” answered the father.  “Can you tell me what the people were like in the village you’ve just come from?” 

“Oh, they were wonderful!  They were kind and thoughtful and so hospitable! I made friends for life, and would have been happy to stay.  But you know the old saying:  if you only go where others have been, you’ll only see what others have seen.  So I’m back to travelling.”

 

“Well,” said the father, “You’ll find the people of our village much the same.  Go in and ask the chief for a place to stay.  As a matter of fact, you’re welcome to stay with us.”

 

The man thanked them and walked into the village.

 

When the father and his son finished gardening, the little boy looked up and burst out, “Daddy, I don’t understand!  Each man asked the same question, but you gave each one of them a different answer!  And that first man … you always taught me that a guest is a gift from God.”

“You’re right,” said the father.  “But don’t forget that it’s better to be alone than to have a bad companion.  You see, if you want to walk fast, walk alone.  But if you want to walk far, walk with friends.  We can let him keep walking alone."  

"Don’t forget, also, that there can be a big peace or a small peace, but there’s no such thing as a small quarrel.  Even one match can burn down the village.  That man is that one match, no matter where he goes.” 

The little boy was still confused.  “But Daddy, what are the people of our village really like?” 

“That depends,” said the father, “on you!”