Once upon a time, in the open bushes in the Transkei, there lived a group of different animals.

“All hail, all hail. The king of the feathers has arrived,” said Libhongo the owl, with pride, as he saw the animals sitting under the tree having a great time.

“Yay, we are very excited to see you, Libhongo,” Zanengcebo the giraffe said, rolling her eyes with a tone of boredom mixed with sarcasm.

“Ngcebo, sweetheart, stop pulling that act on me. I know you are happy to see me, I mean who wouldn’t be? I’m cool, I’m handsome, I’m the king of the fea…”

“Woah, Libhongo didn’t you come here to greet us? ‘Cause right now you are wasting our time,” Salathiso the eagle said, with a bit of attitude, because he hated Libhongo’s presumptuous behaviour. He was one eagle that spoke his mind.

“Why would I waste my time and come greet you guys?”

“Then what are you doi…?”

“Shh, I’m not done, Salathiso, plus we all know you envy me…” Libhongo said, arrogantly. He also paused a little.

Salathiso saw a chance to speak.

“Do not flatter yourself, Libhongo, we both are birds, we can fly, we have feathers, wings. I mean, what do you have that I do not have? Oh wait, let me guess, your big eyes!” Salathiso was now livid.

“Do not forget to add, big eyes with keen sight…oh and I’m wise, sweetheart.”

“Do I look like I care about you foolish wisdom?!” Salathiso was now shouting.

“Foolish wisdom? Great oxymoron there, but I have one word for you…‘relax’,” Libhongo laughed, with a little bit of sarcasm.

His laughter drove Salathiso insane and he launched at him, ready to give him the beating of his life.

“Enough!” Msimelelo the lion reprimanded them, with his deep, hoarse and scary voice that made both the birds tremble a bit.

“Since I know that this feud that has started between the two of you won’t end, I am setting up a quest for you, whereby you will go and find a special rare flower called the Heart of the Golden Beast. This flower is only found by the west side, where the sun sets. So tomorrow, at sunset, each and every animal in these bushes will come out and watch you two race to get to the flower. Whoever wins this will be crowned the king of the feathers,” Msimelelo said.

“But then, bhut’ Msira, the ‘king of the feathers’ title is mine,” complained Libhongo.

“Libhongo, who gave you that title? ‘Cause the last time I checked, nobody did,” Salathiso said, fuming.

The following day, at sunset, the animals were already there waiting for Libhongo and Salathiso. In no time they arrived.

Right before they started, Libhongo said, “Remember, Salathiso, I’m high up there, whilst you, well…you are down there. We are not the same.”

“Libhongo and Salathiso, you two are going to use different routes of the same distance, but at the end of the two routes, there will be a route whereby you two will meet. Whoever gets there first and finds the flower will be crowned the king of the feathers.”

The animals counted to three, then the quest began. Salalathiso and Libhongo were both fast. In no time they reached the first routes, which Msimelelo mentioned. Just as they were both flying at great speed, Salathiso saw something that blasted his eyes.

He noticed that it was the sun, then he shouted, “Libhongo! We have to turn and go back, it’s too dangerous, the sun is blasting my eyes, it will blast yours too!”

“I’m not a coward like you Salathiso, I knew you would back down!”

Libhongo flew at high speed and he shouted, “Adios Amigo!”

Salathiso was now left there speechless, looking like a fool as Libhongo did not believe him. Yes, he didn’t like Libhongo, but he wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to him.

As Libhongo was flying he saw what Salathiso was talking about, but he just ignored it. He just flew, the sun blasted his eyes, and it became worse the higher he flew. His eyes went all blank and blind, he couldn’t understand what was happening to him. He then shouted, “Salathiso! Help! Please! I can’t see.”

Salathiso could hear him shouting, but he couldn’t help him as he feared for his life.

“I won’t be able to help you Libhongo, you are now up there and I’m down here.”

You are now up there and I am down here. Those words rung in Libhongo’s ears as he remembered what he said to Salathiso earlier on. He sighed as he now regretted his behaviour.

Now Libhongo rested in a place he couldn’t see. When it was night-time he could see everything, as there was no existence of the sun, but when the sun rose his eyesight disappeared. From that day until today, owls lose their eyesight during the day and regain it at night.

Tell us: What did you learn from this story?