The Crow and the Pitcher: Based on a tale from the Panchatantra

Abstract

I found this and three other books in the series on sale at the only supermarket we found in our first four stops in Africa, namely Nakumatt in Nairobi. This booklet starts off telling the story of a little girl named Chakoli, who is always late for school. As she explains, it is because the town's big clock has not worked for a long time. Kakoli the crow lives alone behind the clock and is happy every day to see Chakoli come hurrying, stop to look up at the clock, wave to Kakoli, and then hurry on. Summer comes, Chakoli stops hurrying by the clock, and her grandmother sets out a pitcher of water for those who pass the house and are thirsty. Kakoli comes looking for Chakoli and, thirsty, discovers the pitcher of water. As Kakoli is about to fly away frustrated, Chakoli, who has been watching, asks Are you quite sure the pitcher's empty, Kakoli? The first pebble tossed into the pitcher is actually Kakoli's test to see if there is any water at the bottom of the dark pitcher. Chakoli gets Kakoli's encouragement to do something just as clever to get what she wants, namely to get the town's clock working again. So she goes to the clockmaker and asks him to fix it. Now Kakoli cleans it with his feathers, every Sunday Chakoli gives him the key to wind the clock, and she is never late for school. The booklet is a curious attempt to weave together two similar stories. It may break down at the points at which Chakoli knows the bird's name (how?) and at which Kakoli answers her in human speech. The art reminds me of Leo Politi.