ASSIGNMENT 8: FOLKLORE AND STORY TELLING
Assignment 8: Folktales and story telling
Date: 4 October 2017
This story was told to me by my father, who is an Afrikaans speaker from the Overberg region in the
Western Cape. It is one of the relatively well-known Afrikaans “Jakkals en Wolf” (Jackal and Wolf) stories.
Idiom: Die sieke dra die gesonde – The ill is carrying the healthy
Meaning: A person is faking illness to take advantage of someone who may really be ill
Story in Afrikaans
Kyk, die ding het nou so gebeur: Jakkals en Wolf lê een dag langbeen in die son en bak – hulle was mos
hoeka nie die fluksste skepsels nie. Hulle praat oor al hulle wedervaringe en draai by die storie van
Jakkals wat vir Gansie genooi het vir ete. Van al die pratery oor kos begin Wolf se maag grom. Nou in dié
vennootskap is Wolf die spiere en Jakkals die brein. Wolf praat van hase jag, maar vir Jakkals klink dit na
te veel werk. Hoekom dan nou heel aand agter hase aan hardloop as die boer se lekker vet skape net hier
anderkant in die kraal staan? So maak die twee planne om die aand vir hulle ‘n skapie te gaan kry.
By die kraal gekom trek hulle hul magies in en maak ore plat om onderdeur die hek te kruip. Toe hulle
eers binne is, begin elkeen aan ‘n skaap smul. Jakkals reken die kans is goed dat Boer gaan kom kyk, so
elke nou en dan gaan kyk hy of hy nog onderdeur die hek pas. Wolf se gedagtes is net by die feesmaal.
Ook nie lank nie, toe hoor hulle Boer se honde buite die kraal blaf. “Boer! Boer! Wolf is in jou kraal!” laat
Jakkals van hom hoor terwyl hy gou onderdeur die hek glip. Arme Wolf is dik gevreet en kan nie ontsnap
nie. Boer se honde byt hom dat die hare waai. Toe Wolf uiteindelik tot verhaal kom begin hy aanstruikel
huis toe. Langs die pad kry hy vir Jakkals. “Oe! Eina toggie! Die pyn is ondraaglik”, kla Jakkals en vryf oor
die merke waar Boer hom kwansuis sou pak gegee het. “Help my, Wolf, anders sterf ek vanaand hier
langs die pad” dik hy aan. Wolf se hart is groter as sy verstand en hy tel vir Jakkals op sy rug en beur aan
huis se kant toe. Jakkals sit met ‘n grynslag op sy bakkies en sing saggies: “Sieke dra die gesonde!”
Transcript in English
It happened like this: Jackal and Wolf were lying outstretched in the sun, as they were quite lazy. They
told stories of all their experiences and ended up talking about the day that Jackal invited Goose for
supper. With all the talking about food, Wolf’s stomach started to growl. Now, in this partnership, Wolf
was the muscle and Jackal the brains. Wolf started talking about hunting hares, but to Jackal that
sounded like too much work. Why run after hares all night when Farmer’s fat sheep are standing in the
kraal (sheepfold) just around the corner. So they planned to go over to the kraal that evening to eat
some chops.
Arriving at the kraal both pulled in their stomachs and pulled back their ears to crawl under the gate.
Once inside they started feasting on the sheep. Jackal suspects that Farmer may check in on his sheep
later, so every now and then he tests whether he can still fit under the gate. Wolf was concentrating only
on the feast. Before long they heard Farmer’s dogs barking outside. “Farmer! Farmer! Wolf is in your
kraal!” said Jackal while he quickly slipped underneath the gate. Poor Wolf with his full stomach was
unable to get away and Farmer’s dogs bit him until he lay down. After a while Wolf struggled to his feet
and started stumbling home. Along the way he met Jackal. “Ooh! Ow! It’s hurting so badly!” Jackal was
saying and rubs his behind where Farmer supposedly hit him. Wolf felt sorry for Jackal so Jackal got on
his back and continued to stumble home. Jackal sat comfortably with a smile on his face, singing softly:
“The sick is carrying the healthy!”
Assignment 8: Folktales and story telling
Date: 4 October 2017
This story was told to me by my father, who is an Afrikaans speaker from the Overberg region in the
Western Cape. It is one of the relatively well-known Afrikaans “Jakkals en Wolf” (Jackal and Wolf) stories.
Idiom: Die sieke dra die gesonde – The ill is carrying the healthy
Meaning: A person is faking illness to take advantage of someone who may really be ill
Story in Afrikaans
Kyk, die ding het nou so gebeur: Jakkals en Wolf lê een dag langbeen in die son en bak – hulle was mos
hoeka nie die fluksste skepsels nie. Hulle praat oor al hulle wedervaringe en draai by die storie van
Jakkals wat vir Gansie genooi het vir ete. Van al die pratery oor kos begin Wolf se maag grom. Nou in dié
vennootskap is Wolf die spiere en Jakkals die brein. Wolf praat van hase jag, maar vir Jakkals klink dit na
te veel werk. Hoekom dan nou heel aand agter hase aan hardloop as die boer se lekker vet skape net hier
anderkant in die kraal staan? So maak die twee planne om die aand vir hulle ‘n skapie te gaan kry.
By die kraal gekom trek hulle hul magies in en maak ore plat om onderdeur die hek te kruip. Toe hulle
eers binne is, begin elkeen aan ‘n skaap smul. Jakkals reken die kans is goed dat Boer gaan kom kyk, so
elke nou en dan gaan kyk hy of hy nog onderdeur die hek pas. Wolf se gedagtes is net by die feesmaal.
Ook nie lank nie, toe hoor hulle Boer se honde buite die kraal blaf. “Boer! Boer! Wolf is in jou kraal!” laat
Jakkals van hom hoor terwyl hy gou onderdeur die hek glip. Arme Wolf is dik gevreet en kan nie ontsnap
nie. Boer se honde byt hom dat die hare waai. Toe Wolf uiteindelik tot verhaal kom begin hy aanstruikel
huis toe. Langs die pad kry hy vir Jakkals. “Oe! Eina toggie! Die pyn is ondraaglik”, kla Jakkals en vryf oor
die merke waar Boer hom kwansuis sou pak gegee het. “Help my, Wolf, anders sterf ek vanaand hier
langs die pad” dik hy aan. Wolf se hart is groter as sy verstand en hy tel vir Jakkals op sy rug en beur aan
huis se kant toe. Jakkals sit met ‘n grynslag op sy bakkies en sing saggies: “Sieke dra die gesonde!”
Transcript in English
It happened like this: Jackal and Wolf were lying outstretched in the sun, as they were quite lazy. They
told stories of all their experiences and ended up talking about the day that Jackal invited Goose for
supper. With all the talking about food, Wolf’s stomach started to growl. Now, in this partnership, Wolf
was the muscle and Jackal the brains. Wolf started talking about hunting hares, but to Jackal that
sounded like too much work. Why run after hares all night when Farmer’s fat sheep are standing in the
kraal (sheepfold) just around the corner. So they planned to go over to the kraal that evening to eat
some chops.
Arriving at the kraal both pulled in their stomachs and pulled back their ears to crawl under the gate.
Once inside they started feasting on the sheep. Jackal suspects that Farmer may check in on his sheep
later, so every now and then he tests whether he can still fit under the gate. Wolf was concentrating only
on the feast. Before long they heard Farmer’s dogs barking outside. “Farmer! Farmer! Wolf is in your
kraal!” said Jackal while he quickly slipped underneath the gate. Poor Wolf with his full stomach was
unable to get away and Farmer’s dogs bit him until he lay down. After a while Wolf struggled to his feet
and started stumbling home. Along the way he met Jackal. “Ooh! Ow! It’s hurting so badly!” Jackal was
saying and rubs his behind where Farmer supposedly hit him. Wolf felt sorry for Jackal so Jackal got on
his back and continued to stumble home. Jackal sat comfortably with a smile on his face, singing softly:
“The sick is carrying the healthy!”
