This tale is told the same way by the Dinka, Nuer, Shilluk, Jo-Luo and Bari. Once upon a time the tribes did not know fire. And the dog rescued them. One day the dog went to the village of the Juoks and saw that all the Juoks had gathered in the forge around the blacksmith’s forge, and a fire was burning in the forge.
- I’m kind of cold! - said the dog and moved closer to the fire.
So he moved closer and closer. Suddenly a spark fell on his tail, and his tail caught fire.
With a howl, the dog jumped out of the forge and rushed into the forest, waving its tail. Sparks rained down from him in all directions. And then the grass, the abolo tree and other trees around caught fire. The dog barely reached the village alive.
-Where did you get the fire? - people asked him.
“I brought it from the village of Juoks,” answered the dog. But now you will find it in the abolo tree too.
People went to look, and sure enough: all the other trees and grasses had gone out, but the abolo tree was still smoldering.
The tribes have had fire ever since. And to get it, people rub pieces of abolo wood against each other.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru