Animals of epau
Here’s a children’s story about the creatures of our first training village, Epau.
It’s five o’clock in the morning, and the man fowl awaken me with a rough, scratchy cock a doodle do. I open up the window of my house and spot the feathered alarm clocks wandering around in the grass.
Malbongwio puskat, sleeping on a tree stump as I eat my breakfast. He licks his paws and lets out a gentle meow.
I walk along the road. Malbongwio, smol nasipiru, chirping above me in the papaya trees.
Malbongwio duck, quacking as he walks in the grass.
I walk between houses and under clotheslines to the clearing of the football field. Malbongwio nani, eating the grass, bleating as I pass by.
I make cake in the nakamal during class. Halo, dog, circling around me, waiting for a crumb to fall to the ground.
The mamas come to the nakamal for lunch. Halo lobster, sitting on one of the plates before me.
After class, I walk to the river. Halo fis, swimming against the current, snapping at the food rushing past. Halo namarai, slithering beneath the rocks at my feet.
My host mama asks me to help her scrub some pots in the solwota. Halo pig, snorting near the garbage pile in the bush.
My friends go study on the stage beside the soccer field. We hear a rustling as the sky grows dark. Bongwio, cows, who’ve untethered from the tree and are munching their way through the surrounding brush.
I return home and have dinner with my family. The usual puskats surround us. I hear a quiet whimper under the table. Bongwio, puppy, who got lost wandering away from Frances's home. I scoop him up and carry him to him to his brothers.
Bongwio snails, sliding in the grass. Bongwio hermit crabs, scuttling alongside their slimy friends.
Before I go to bed, I make one last stop to the toilet. Bongwio cockroaches, scurrying away from my headlamp’s bright lights. Bongwio millepod, finding his way out the door.
I slip off my shoes as I step into my house. Bongwio, spiders, their eyes shining back my headlamp’s light.
Climbing into bed, I hear a familiar screech. Bongwio, unseen lizard, eating the mosquitos who dare enter my home.
Goodnight, creatures of Epau. Goodnight.
It’s five o’clock in the morning, and the man fowl awaken me with a rough, scratchy cock a doodle do. I open up the window of my house and spot the feathered alarm clocks wandering around in the grass.
Malbongwio puskat, sleeping on a tree stump as I eat my breakfast. He licks his paws and lets out a gentle meow.
I walk along the road. Malbongwio, smol nasipiru, chirping above me in the papaya trees.
Malbongwio duck, quacking as he walks in the grass.
I walk between houses and under clotheslines to the clearing of the football field. Malbongwio nani, eating the grass, bleating as I pass by.
I make cake in the nakamal during class. Halo, dog, circling around me, waiting for a crumb to fall to the ground.
The mamas come to the nakamal for lunch. Halo lobster, sitting on one of the plates before me.
After class, I walk to the river. Halo fis, swimming against the current, snapping at the food rushing past. Halo namarai, slithering beneath the rocks at my feet.
My host mama asks me to help her scrub some pots in the solwota. Halo pig, snorting near the garbage pile in the bush.
My friends go study on the stage beside the soccer field. We hear a rustling as the sky grows dark. Bongwio, cows, who’ve untethered from the tree and are munching their way through the surrounding brush.
I return home and have dinner with my family. The usual puskats surround us. I hear a quiet whimper under the table. Bongwio, puppy, who got lost wandering away from Frances's home. I scoop him up and carry him to him to his brothers.
Bongwio snails, sliding in the grass. Bongwio hermit crabs, scuttling alongside their slimy friends.
Before I go to bed, I make one last stop to the toilet. Bongwio cockroaches, scurrying away from my headlamp’s bright lights. Bongwio millepod, finding his way out the door.
I slip off my shoes as I step into my house. Bongwio, spiders, their eyes shining back my headlamp’s light.
Climbing into bed, I hear a familiar screech. Bongwio, unseen lizard, eating the mosquitos who dare enter my home.
Goodnight, creatures of Epau. Goodnight.
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