Once upon a time, not very long ago, there lived a brave and clever dog in a village in the Omusati Region of Namibia.
His name was Nashipolo and he lived in a cosy hut with Mama Alina and little Rakkel.
The hut was surrounded by omusati trees with high branches covered by green leaves. The leaves looked like the wings of mopane moths.
Nashipolo went everywhere with his family.
He went to church with Mama Alina and Rakkel.
He went to the shop with them.
He went to the clinic with them.
He walked along with Mama Alina, and little Rakkel on her back, to fetch water from the nearby well.
Mama Alina gave Nashipolo food and clean water to eat and drink, every day. He was healthy and happy.
Nashipolo was important to Mama Alina and Rakkel.
He had sharp eyes that could see in the dark.
He had a big nose that could smell far.
He had big ears that could hear the softest sounds.
He had a big, loud bark.
He had a long, hairy tail for good balance.
Nashipolo had four legs to run fast and jump high.
He had many friends in the village and everyone knew him.
''Good morning, Nashipolo,'' they greeted him. ''How are you today?''
''I am well, thank you,'' Nashipolo answered. He wagged his tail. ''How are you?''
''We are doing well, thank you, Nashipolo,'' they replied.
He was happy in the village with his family.
One hot afternoon, Nashipolo curled up in the shade next to the hut to sleep. It was a hot day and many people in the village were resting indoors.
The village was quiet. Everyone was fast asleep except little Rakkel who had just learned to walk.
She crawled to the door of the hut and stood up. She walked out the door.
It was a hot day. Rakkel was thirsty for fresh, cool water.
On her short legs, she walked toward the water well, nearby.
Nashipolo woke up, barked loudly and ran after Rakkel.
''Stop, Rakkel, stop!'' He barked at her.
Rakkel did not listen when Nashipolo barked at her.
She was thirsty for water. She saw that the well was open.
Rakkel was in danger of falling into the well.
Nashipolo pulled with his teeth on Rakkel's dress to get her away from the well.
But she pulled away from him.
Nashipolo turned around and ran back to the hut.
At the door, he barked loudly:
''Wake up, Mama Alina!'' He barked. ''Wake up!''
Mama Alina woke up. ''What is it, Nashipolo? Why are you barking at me?'' She asked.
''Rakkel!'' He barked, loudly.
Mama Alina looked around the hut. Rakkel was not asleep on the bed with her.
''Where is Rakkel?'' She asked Nashipolo.
He barked, turned around and ran away from the door.
Mama Alina walked to the door of the hut.
She saw Nashipolo running to the well.
''Rakkel!'' She shouted and ran after Nashipolo.
Nashipolo stopped close to the steep, smooth side of the open well.
Rakkel was by this time very close.
He growled fiercely for her to stop walking.
''Rakkel!'' Mama Alina shouted. ''Stop!'' She ran as fast as she could.
Rakkel stopped walking and turned when she heard the voice of Mama Alina. Just in time, Mama Alina reached her. She picked Rakkel up off the ground.
The sweat shone on Mama Alina's face. Nashipolo jumped about and barked angrily at Rakkel.
Mama Alina covered the open well with roofing zinc and placed a stone on top.
The three of them walked back to the hut, Rakkel safely in Mama Alina's arms.
That night, after dinner, Mama Alina gave Nashipolo a big, meaty bone.
''Thank you, Nashipolo,'' she said to him, ''for saving Rakkel's life. You are a good dog.''
She stroked his head and ears.
Nashipolo took the bone between his teeth. The rest of that night, Mama Alina and Rakkel heard him chewing on the bone.
Nashipolo, the brave and clever dog, was very happy in the village with his family.
Adapted by Anya Links from a true story. Copyright protected. The real Nashipolo, a black and tan mixed-breed dog, lived in a village in the Omusati Region of Namibia, with a little girl and her mother in the early 1950s. Mrs. Rachel Shixunguleni, a retired teacher, was a little girl at the time and this story was based on her recollections of the brave and clever dog, Nashipolo, she knew as a child. Sadly, Nashipolo passed away before little Rachel's tenth birthday but her fond and vivid memories of him remained.
His name was Nashipolo and he lived in a cosy hut with Mama Alina and little Rakkel.
The hut was surrounded by omusati trees with high branches covered by green leaves. The leaves looked like the wings of mopane moths.
Nashipolo went everywhere with his family.
He went to church with Mama Alina and Rakkel.
He went to the shop with them.
He went to the clinic with them.
He walked along with Mama Alina, and little Rakkel on her back, to fetch water from the nearby well.
Mama Alina gave Nashipolo food and clean water to eat and drink, every day. He was healthy and happy.
Nashipolo was important to Mama Alina and Rakkel.
He had sharp eyes that could see in the dark.
He had a big nose that could smell far.
He had big ears that could hear the softest sounds.
He had a big, loud bark.
He had a long, hairy tail for good balance.
Nashipolo had four legs to run fast and jump high.
He had many friends in the village and everyone knew him.
''Good morning, Nashipolo,'' they greeted him. ''How are you today?''
''I am well, thank you,'' Nashipolo answered. He wagged his tail. ''How are you?''
''We are doing well, thank you, Nashipolo,'' they replied.
He was happy in the village with his family.
One hot afternoon, Nashipolo curled up in the shade next to the hut to sleep. It was a hot day and many people in the village were resting indoors.
The village was quiet. Everyone was fast asleep except little Rakkel who had just learned to walk.
She crawled to the door of the hut and stood up. She walked out the door.
It was a hot day. Rakkel was thirsty for fresh, cool water.
On her short legs, she walked toward the water well, nearby.
Nashipolo woke up, barked loudly and ran after Rakkel.
''Stop, Rakkel, stop!'' He barked at her.
Rakkel did not listen when Nashipolo barked at her.
She was thirsty for water. She saw that the well was open.
Rakkel was in danger of falling into the well.
Nashipolo pulled with his teeth on Rakkel's dress to get her away from the well.
But she pulled away from him.
Nashipolo turned around and ran back to the hut.
At the door, he barked loudly:
''Wake up, Mama Alina!'' He barked. ''Wake up!''
Mama Alina woke up. ''What is it, Nashipolo? Why are you barking at me?'' She asked.
''Rakkel!'' He barked, loudly.
Mama Alina looked around the hut. Rakkel was not asleep on the bed with her.
''Where is Rakkel?'' She asked Nashipolo.
He barked, turned around and ran away from the door.
Mama Alina walked to the door of the hut.
She saw Nashipolo running to the well.
''Rakkel!'' She shouted and ran after Nashipolo.
Nashipolo stopped close to the steep, smooth side of the open well.
Rakkel was by this time very close.
He growled fiercely for her to stop walking.
''Rakkel!'' Mama Alina shouted. ''Stop!'' She ran as fast as she could.
Rakkel stopped walking and turned when she heard the voice of Mama Alina. Just in time, Mama Alina reached her. She picked Rakkel up off the ground.
The sweat shone on Mama Alina's face. Nashipolo jumped about and barked angrily at Rakkel.
Mama Alina covered the open well with roofing zinc and placed a stone on top.
The three of them walked back to the hut, Rakkel safely in Mama Alina's arms.
That night, after dinner, Mama Alina gave Nashipolo a big, meaty bone.
''Thank you, Nashipolo,'' she said to him, ''for saving Rakkel's life. You are a good dog.''
She stroked his head and ears.
Nashipolo took the bone between his teeth. The rest of that night, Mama Alina and Rakkel heard him chewing on the bone.
Nashipolo, the brave and clever dog, was very happy in the village with his family.
END
Adapted by Anya Links from a true story. Copyright protected. The real Nashipolo, a black and tan mixed-breed dog, lived in a village in the Omusati Region of Namibia, with a little girl and her mother in the early 1950s. Mrs. Rachel Shixunguleni, a retired teacher, was a little girl at the time and this story was based on her recollections of the brave and clever dog, Nashipolo, she knew as a child. Sadly, Nashipolo passed away before little Rachel's tenth birthday but her fond and vivid memories of him remained.
What a feel good, love it!!!
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