🌸 The Tale of Kanguli and the Clever Duck | Folktale from Gilgit-Baltistan

-

  

Introduction

Folktales from Gilgit-Baltistan are filled with wisdom, humor, and life lessons. This story of Kanguli, the singing bird, teaches us about fear, courage, and the cleverness of seeking wisdom in times of trouble.

The Story

Once upon a time, in a dense jungle, there lived a beautiful black bird known as Kanguli. She was loved for her sweet songs that echoed through the forest every morning. Kanguli built her nest on a tall tree and was happily waiting for her eggs to hatch.

One day, a hungry fox was wandering through the forest in search of food. Suddenly, she noticed Kanguli sitting in her nest high above the ground. The fox tried to climb up, but the tree was too tall. Realizing she couldn’t reach the nest, she decided to trick Kanguli instead.



The fox called out:
“Kanguli, should I gobble you all at once, or will you throw one chick down to me?”

Terrified, Kanguli thought, “If the fox climbs up, she will eat all of us.” With tears in her eyes, she closed them tightly, picked one chick, and dropped it down. The fox quickly ate it and went away, planning to return the next day.

The following morning, the fox came back and repeated her threat. Once again, out of fear, Kanguli sacrificed another chick. Day after day, the fox kept tricking her until almost all of her chicks were gone.

Heartbroken and helpless, Kanguli went to her uncle—the lame duck known as Khudo Mamo—and told him her sorrow. The wise duck explained:
“Foolish Kanguli! The fox only scared you. She can never climb the tall tree. You gave away your chicks for nothing. Next time, don’t fear her words—threaten her back instead.”



He taught Kanguli what to say if the fox returned:
“I will strike you with the rolling pin, the bread-flattening stick, the bread basket, and the iron pan!”

The next day, when the fox came and tried to scare Kanguli again, Kanguli shouted back with her new words. Shocked, the fox said:
“Kanguli, you were never this brave. Who taught you to threaten me?”

Kanguli replied, “My uncle Khudo Mamo, the lame duck.”

The fox grew angry and decided to punish the duck. She went to the riverbank where Khudo Mamo lived, grabbed his head in her mouth, and said:
“So, you are the one who gave Kanguli courage! Now I will eat you!”

Struggling, Khudo Mamo replied, “Oh, what a beautiful voice you have, dear fox! I have never heard such sweetness before.”

The fox, proud of her voice, loosened her grip to sing louder. As she opened her mouth to howl, Khudo Mamo quickly pulled his head out, dropped a surprise “gift” into the fox’s mouth, and flew away—safe and free.



Moral of the Story

This folktale reminds us:

  • Fear makes us weak, but courage and wisdom make us strong.

  • Not every threat is real—sometimes it’s just a trick to scare us.

  • Seeking advice from the wise can save us from danger.

Every story has a lesson — here are a few more to share with your children 📖✨

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Brave Mountain Goat and Her Kid – A Folktale from Gilgit-Baltistan

-
Image
 Once upon a time, in the high mountains of Gilgit-Baltistan, there lived a mother goat and her little kid. They were part of a happy herd that roamed freely across the steep cliffs and grassy meadows. One bright morning, while the herd was grazing peacefully, a hunter from a nearby village appeared, climbing toward the goats. The mother goat noticed him from afar, and so did her little one.  The kid, frightened, spoke to his mother in a sing-song way, as passed down through generations: Kid: “Aali mama fatu mushak wato…” (“Oh mother, a man is coming behind us!”) Mother: “Palai nazer payaye payaloo hanu…” (“My lovely child, that is just a shepherd from the village.”) But the kid looked again and said: Kid: “Aali mama, shaky ja tumak hanu…” (“Oh mother, he has a gun on his shoulder!”) Mother: “Palai nazer kotai kunali hanu…” (“My dear, it is only his walking stick.”) The kid grew more worried and pointed: Kid: “Aali mama, pity ja koto hanu…” (“Oh mothe...
Read more

Shorti and Borti’s Adventure: A Tale of Two Clever Mice

-
Image
  Shorti and Borti’s Adventure: A Tale of Two Clever Mice Once upon a time, in a quiet little village, there lived two mice named Shorti and Borti . Their early life was filled with hardship—scarcity of food had taken their parents away, and they were left to survive on their own. A Strange Discovery One day, the two mice went to a nearby field in search of food. Shorti spotted a large radish and called out: “Borti, take this one out! It’s a good one!” Borti tugged at the radish with all his strength. Suddenly, it popped out of the ground, and Borti went tumbling backward from the force! To their surprise, a large hole appeared where the radish had been, and smoke was rising from it. Curious, they decided to climb down the hole to see where it led. The Ogre’s Kitchen At the bottom, they found themselves in a strange underground home. Inside, a fox and an ogre were busy cooking Shrabat —a traditional dish of Gilgit-Baltistan made with wheat flour, water, and butter...
Read more

🐜The Baby Ant and the Apricot Rain: A Lesson in Teamwork

-
Image
  🌳 Introduction Once upon a time, near a tall and graceful apricot tree, there lived a hardworking family of ants. The tree was their guardian and friend — strong, healthy, and generous. Every summer, it blessed the earth with golden apricots that glowed under the sun like tiny lanterns of joy. At the roots of this tree was a grand ant hive — home to hundreds of disciplined, tireless ants. Among them lived a small ant family with a curious little baby ant. This family belonged to the great Ant Army — an organized community that worked together, shared food, and followed a strict code of teamwork. Each morning, as the sun rose, the ants formed a neat, endless line that wound its way through the grass. Every ant had a task — some to find food, some to guard the hive, and others to teach young ants the ways of their world. 🐜 The Secret of the Ant Army The Ant Army had a special rule: never walk alone . Every ant followed the scent of the one before it — a magical fragrance ca...
Read more