 When Sacaibou was walking across a plain he noticed something white covering a tree branch and realized it was a cotton tree. He took some of the seeds home and planted them. Much to his delight, they were growing into fine trees when he left to go on a hunting trip. When he returned, to his dismay, he found the trees had been torn up. He planted more, but each time he left, he came back to find they had been destroyed. As there was no one around but his son, Rairou, Sacaibou realized he was the one tearing up the trees and decided to punish him. He found a large armadillo (tatu) and put glue on its tail. He told the armadillo to go into its hole but leave its tail sticking out. Soon Rairou came by, saw the tail and thought the armadillo would make a fine dinner. He tried to pull it out but the armadillo was so strong it dragged Rairou into the hole and took him deep into the earth. When Rairou managed to free himself, he wandered around, meeting many different women and men. Just as he was wondering how to return to earth, some kind and handsome people showed him the way home. While Rairou was underground, Sacaibou’s trees grew and bore fruit. He was able to spin the bolls into thread. When Rairou reappeared, he told his father about his journey, all the while thinking about a way to revenge his father’s punishment. “Why don’t we bring up some of those beautiful people to live on the earth?” suggested Rairou. Sacaibou agreed. Rairou went down into the hole of the tatu while Sacaibou sat at the opening and let down a long strong thread of his cotton. After a while, he felt something light and quickly pulled up a man and a woman. Sacaibou saw kindness and beauty in their faces and smiled as they walked away. He dropped the line again, feeling a new and heavier pull. This time there were four ordinary looking men and women. He shrugged, watching them make their way into the world. Sacaibou dropped the line for a third time. It took him a while to pull the heavy bundle of people to the top, surprised to find six disagreeable people. Before he knew what to think, Rairou climbed up and said to his father, “This is my revenge. You will never be able to cover the earth with only good people. There will always be different sorts.” Sacaibou sat on the ground as the sun set. He thought about what happened.
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World TalesAge old stories of wit and wisdom from around the world. Tales retold by Nancy King. Archives
April 2025
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Nancy King is a widely published author and a professor emerita at the University of Delaware, where she has taught theater, drama, playwriting, creative writing, and multidisciplinary studies with an emphasis on world literature. She has published seven previous works of nonfiction and five novels. Her new memoir, Breaking the Silence, explores the power of stories in healing from trauma and abuse. Her career has emphasized the use of her own experience in being silenced to encourage students to find their voices and to express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences with authenticity, as a way to add meaning to their lives.
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