Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters - Read Aloud

mufaro's beautiful daughters an African tale written and illustrated by John Steptoe read by Miss Buck a long time ago in a certain place in Africa a small village lay across a river in half a day's Journey from a city where a great king lived a man named mufaro lived in the village with his two daughters who were called Manara and niasha everyone agreed that man and Nasha were very beautiful Manara was almost always in a bad temper she teased her sister whenever their father's back was turned and she had been heard to say someday Nasha

I will be Queen and you will be a servant in my household if that should come to pass Nasha responded I will be pleased to serve you but why do you say such things you are clever and strong and beautiful why are you so unhappy because everyone talks about how kind you are and they praise everything you do Manara replied I'm certain that father loves you best but when I am queen everyone will know that your silly kindness is only weakness Nasha was sad that Mana felt this way but she ignored her sister's words and

went about her chores niasha kept a small plot of land on which she grew it sunflowers yams and vegetables she always sang as she worked and some said it was her singing that made her crops grow more Bountiful than anyone else's one day niasha noticed a small garden snake resting beneath a yam Vine good day little neoka she called to him you are welcome here you will keep away any creatures who might spoil my vegetables she bent forward gave the little snake a loving hat on the head and then returned to her work from that

day on neoca was always at nasha's side when she tended her garden it was said that she sang all the more sweetly when he was there mufaro knew nothing of how Mana treated Nasha Nasha was too considerate for her father's feelings to complain and Manara was always careful to behave herself when mafaro was around early one morning a messenger from the city arrived the great king wanted a wife the most worthy and beautiful daughters in the land are invited to appear before the king and he will choose one to become Queen the messenger proclaimed mufaro

called Manara and Nasha to him it would be a great honor to have one of you chosen he said prepare yourselves to Journey to the city I will call together all our friends to make a wedding party we will leave tomorrow as the sun rises but my father Manara said sweetly it would be painful for either of us to leave you even to be wife to a King I know niasha would grieve to death if she were parted from you I am strong send me to the city and let poor niasha be happy here with

you mufaro beamed with pride the King has asked for the most worthy and the most beautiful no Manara I cannot send you alone only a King can choose between two such worthy daughters both of you must go that night when everyone was asleep Manara stole quietly out of the village she had never been in the forest at night before and she was frightened but her greed to be the first to appear before the king drove her on in her hurry she almost stumbled over a small boy who suddenly appeared standing in the path please the

boy said said I am hungry will you give me something to eat I have brought only enough food for myself manora replied but please the boy said I am so very hungry out of my way boy tomorrow I will become your queen how dare you stand in my path after traveling for what seemed to be a great distance Manara came to a small clearing there silhouetted against the moonlight was an old woman Seated on a large Stone the old woman spoke I will give you some advice Manara soon after you pass the place where two

paths cross you will see a Grove of trees they will laugh at you you must not laugh in return later you will meet a man with his head under his arm you must be polite to him how do you know my name how dare you advise your future Queen stand aside you ugly old woman scolded and then rushed on her way without looking back just as the old woman had foretold Manara came to a Grove of trees and they did indeed seem to be laughing at her I must be calm Manara thought I will not

be frightened she looked up at the trees and laughed out loud ha I laugh at you trees she shouted and she hurried on it was not yet Dawn when Manara heard the sound of Rushing Water the river must be up ahead she thought the great city is just on the other side but then on the rise she saw a man with his head tucked under his arm manora ran past him without speaking a queen acknowledges only those who please her she said to herself I will be Queen I will be Queen She chanted as she

hurried on toward the city Nasha woke at the first light of dawn as she put on her finest garments she thought how her life might might be changed forever Beyond this day I'd much prefer to live here she admitted to herself I'd hate to leave this Village and never see my father or sing to little neoka again her thoughts were interrupted by loud shouts and a commotion from the wedding party assembled outside Manara was missing everyone bustled around searching and calling for her when they found her footprints on the path that led to the city

they decided to go on as planned as the wedding party moved through the forest brightly plumed Birds darted about in the cool green Shadows beneath the trees though anxious about her sister niasha was soon filled with excitement about all there was to see they were deep in the forest when she saw the boy standing by the side of the path you must be hungry she said and handed him a yam she had brought for her lunch the boy smiled and disappeared as quietly as he had come later as they were approaching the place where the

two paths crossed the old woman appeared and silent ly pointed the way to the city Nasha thanked her and gave her a small pouch filled with sunflower seeds the sun was high in the sky when the party came to the Grove of towering trees their uppermost branches seemed to bow down to niasha as she passed beneath them at last someone announced that they were near their destination niasha ran ahead and topped the rise before the others could catch up with her she stood transfixed at her first sight of the city oh my father she called

a great spirit must stand guard here just look at what lies before us I never in all my life dreamed there could be anything so beautiful arm in arm Nasha and her father descended the hill crossed the river and approached The City Gate as they entered through the great doors the air was rent by piercing cries and Manara ran wildly out of the chamber at the center of the enclosure when she saw niasha she fell upon her sobbing oh do not go to the king my sister oh please father do not let her go she

cried hysterically there's a great monster there a snake with five heads he said that he knew all my faults and that I displeased him he would have swallowed me alive if I had not run oh my sister please do not go inside that place it frightened niasha to see her sister so upset but leaving her father to comfort Manara she bravely made her way to the chamber and opened the door on the seat of the great Chief's stool lay a little green garden snake niasha laughed with relief and joy my little friend she exclaimed it's

such a pleasure to see you but why are you here I am the king neoka replied and there before nasha's eyes the garden snake changed shape I am the the king I am also the hungry boy with whom you shared a yam in the forest and the old woman to whom you made a gift of sunflower seeds but you know me best as neoka because I have been all of these I know you to be the most worthy and most beautiful daughter in the land it would make me very happy if you would be my

wife and so it was that a long time ago Nasha agreed to be married the King's mother and sisters took niasha to their house and the wedding preparations began the best Weavers in the land laid out their finest cloth for her wedding garments villagers from all around were invited to the Celebration and a great feast was held Nasha prepared the bread for the wedding Feast from Millet that had been brought from her Village mufaro proclaimed to all who would hear him that he was the happiest father in all the land for he was blessed with

two beautiful and worthy daughters Nasha the Queen and Manara a servant in the Queen's household