The Nsasak Bird & the Odudu Bird

The King of Calabar makes a promise: whichever bird can endure hunger the longest will be made a chief. The great Odudu bird, far larger than his small friend the Nsasak, is certain of victory and boldly offers to fast for seven days, each sealed inside a house of his own. But the tiny Nsasak bird has been thinking rather harder about the problem. A sly tale of how cunning can outweigh size — and why, to this day, the little Nsasak is the king of birds.

A traditional tale from southern Nigeria.

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