Adam's Friend
Somalia
Before you read the story
- Most wild animals are frightened of human beings. How do they show their fear?
- Are you afraid of wild animals? Which ones do you fear most?
Now read the story
Our father, Adam, lived in the Garden of Eden. One day, God sent him out and closed the gate behind him. Then all the animals saw Adam for the first time.
"Who is this new animal?" they asked each other. "Look, he has only two legs. He has hands, like a monkey, but he is not a monkey. He has no fur, like the fish, but he is not a fish. Is he a friend or an enemy? Does he want to live peacefully with us? Or does he want to fight us?"
They talked for a long time, and at last they called the dog.
"Dog," they said, "you can run fast, and you are brave and strong. Go to the man and talk to him."
So the dog ran to Adam.
"What kind of animal are you?" he asked Adam. "My brothers and sisters, the other animals, are afraid of you. Are you a friend or an enemy? Do you want to live peacefully with us, or fight us?"
Adam smiled at the dog.
"I have been in the Garden of Eden," he said. "I am a stranger here. I want to be your friend, not your enemy. I want to live peacefully with you."
"That's good news," said the dog, and he turned and began to run back to his friends. He ran as fast as the wind.
The other animals saw him.
"Oh, look!" they said. "The dog is running! The man is chasing him. The dog is running away from an enemy!"
And they all ran away.
The dog ran after them.
"Wuf!" he shouted. "Stop!"
But the animals were too frightened to stop. They hid themselves in the forest. Sadly, the dog ran back to Adam.
"They didn't listen to me," he said. "They are afraid of you."
"If they don't want to be my friends," said Adam, "I will hunt them. Stay with me, Dog, and help me."
So from that day, the dog stayed with the man, and they hunted the animals together.
Exercises
A. How much did you understand?
These sentences retell the story. Fill in the gaps from words you will find in the text.
- God sent Adam out of the Garden of Eden, and the animals saw him for ……
- The animals were surprised to see Adam. "Is he a …… or an enemy?" they asked each other.
- After the animals had talked for a long time, they called ……
- Adam said to the dog, "I want to live …… with you."
- The animals were frightened when they saw the dog running away from Adam. They hid themselves in ……
- Adam said, "If the animals don't want to be my friend, I will …… them."
B. Make whole sentences
These sentences have been cut in half. Match the first halves 1-5 with the other halves a-e to make whole sentences.
- God sent him out……
- He has hands ……
- He has no fur ……
- My brothers and sisters, the other animals, ……
- Stay with me, Dog, ……
- …… but he is not a monkey.
- …… and help me.
- …… are afraid of you.
- …… but he is not a fish.
- …… and closed the gate behind him.
C. What do you think?
Do you think that our early ancestors really wanted to be friends with all the animals, or did they always hunt them?
There are not many wild animals in the world now, because people have hunted so many of them. Do you think we should take care of the wild animals that are left?
Teachers’ answer key
A. How much did you understand?
- God sent Adam out of the Garden of Eden, and the animals saw him for the first time.
- The animals were surprised to see Adam. "Is he a friend or an enemy?" they asked each other.
- After the animals had talked for a long time, they called the dog.
- Adam said to the dog, "I want to live peacefully with you."
- The animals were frightened when they saw the dog running away from Adam. They hid themselves in the forest.
- Adam said, "If the animals don't want to be my friend, I will hunt them."
B. Make whole sentences
These sentences have been cut in half. Match the halves 1- with the other halves 2- to make whole sentences.
1/e God sent him out and closed the gate behind him.
2/a He has hands but he is not a monkey.
3/d He has no fur but he is not a fish.
4/c My brothers and sisters, the other animals, are afraid of you.
5/b Stay with me, Dog, and help me.
For teachers — answers to the exercises above.