The Coward and the Lion Stump

Cigaal Shiidaad and the Lion Stump

Once upon a time there was a man called Cigaal Shiidaad. It was night and Cigaal Shiidaad was traveling in the countryside. He saw what looked like a lion sitting in the middle of the path. He was a coward. He thought, “Oh, this is a lion.” Cigaal Shiidaad stood where he was. He took his shield and spear, and got ready to fight the lion. He yelled loudly, trying to scare the lion away. But he was not able to scare it away. It just stood there.

Cigaal Shiidaad was too scared to pass. In the morning he saw the tree stump. He went closer to the stump, and he said, “Stump, you are one thing, and what I saw was something very different. What will I do? I thought you were a lion about to attack me, but you are only a stump. I will never travel at night again.”

Lesson: Don’t be afraid of everything you don’t recognize.

Source: Somali Folktale