Folktales are ancient stories passed down through generations; these stories are used to teach lessons. An example of a folktale that teaches an important lesson is “The Man Who Never Lied”. This is an African Folktale that tells the story of a well-known, wise man named Mamad; all throughout the land knew him as an honest man. The King did not believe that Mamad would never lie, so he brought him to the palace and questioned him. Mamad did not give in to the King; frustrated by Mamad’s stubbornness, he planned a scheme to trap Mamad in a lie.
The King sent Mamad to tell his wife, the Queen, she needed to plan a lunch for all tomorrow; however, the King was planning to not show up and blame Mamad for lying to the Queen. As the King was saying this, Mamad noticed that the King held his horse by the mane; and his left foot was already on the stirrup. This made Mamad suspicious. When Mamad arrived at the Queen’s house, he spoke hesitantly; he said ”Maybe you should prepare a big feast for lunch tomorrow, and maybe you shouldn't. Maybe the king will come by noon, and maybe he won’t.”
He mentioned the King’s footing on the horse and how he was unsure if the King was being honest. When the King told his wife that Mamad was lying to her, his wife responded that he was not; she explained that he said maybe and was unsure. The King realized that the wise man never lies, and says only that, which he saw with his own eyes; Mamad did not obey the King’s words but his actions instead. This story is relevant to today’s society because it teaches to not believe everyone and everything that is said.
There are many people who just want to deceive others and do anything to see others fail; in this story, the King wants to deceive Mamad. Mamad uses his instinct and decides to only speak of what he is certain, the things he saw with his eyes; he does not assume anything. Mamad deceived the King and saved himself by being an honest man. Many rumors are stared because people think they saw or heard something, in reality these people are not certain.
They are assuming something. These assumptions are inaccurate because false information can be spread about someone or something. It is almost like a game telephone, where people pass on a message; by the end, the message is usually distorted and the last person receives a totally different phrase form the original. By speaking of only of what is certain, people can prevent the spread of rumors and false information. This story also teaches about the importance of honesty.
Mamad is a great example of what any human being should strive to be, which is honest. He deceives no one and always strives to tell the truth; Mamad shows that honesty is possible and the best option. This story is relevant to today’s society because over time, lying has become an accepted part of life; people always tell lies to make their lives easier. This folktale argues that lying should not be part of people’s lives and that it is possible tot live without lying; telling the truth is easier and the right thing to do.
