African Food and Art

This blog explores the wisdom of African proverbs, the depth of folklore, the beauty of art, the stories of history, and the flavors of timeless African food recipes.

Girl with Fish Curse of Selfishness African Folklore

Girl with Fish Curse of Selfishness African Folklore
Girl with Fish Curse of Selfishness African Folklore
Asha and her three sisters

Selfishness runs deep in the Girl with Fish Curse of Selfishness African Folklore


As the ancestors say, selfishness is wicked. A good person thinks of others first and the selfish person earns a reputation as someone not worth dealing with, someone to shun.

Curse of Selfishness African Folklore.

Asha and her three sisters one day took their baskets and went to the river to fish. Asha caught many fishes, while the other three sisters caught none at all.

They said to their more fortunate friend, “Asha let us have a few of your fishes; you have so many, and we have none at all."

"No!" said Asha, "what I have caught I keep for myself!”.

They all started for home and had gone quite a distance when Asha who had caught the many fishes discovered, that she had lost her bracelet. She asked her companions to go along back with her and help her find it.

"No!" said they. "Ask your fishes to go along with you. You know that we are your friends, yet you would not let us have a few fishes when we asked you!"

Asha went alone to the river. There she met a Python. On seeing him, she became charmed by him and was unable to move from the spot. The Python killed and devoured her. Poor selfish Asha not only lost all of her fishes, but her life as well.


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