Old Hendrik's Tales

In Short

This collection presents a series of South African folktales told by a Hottentot kitchen servant, Old Hendrik, to the children of his employers. Through these stories, Hendrik explains the origins of various animal traits—such as the baboon’s kinked tail or the owl’s nocturnal habits—by recounting the endless, often deceptive, power struggles between figures like Jackal, Wolf, and Hare. The book endures as a rhythmic, localized capture of oral storytelling, preserving a specific regional dialect and a worldview where intelligence consistently triumphs over brute strength.

The Story

The narrative unfolds in the heat of the South African day, where Old Hendrik serves as both a laborer and a storyteller. The children, eager for entertainment, coax him into recounting the "true" history of the veldt. The tales consistently center on the exploits of the Jackal, a classic trickster who finds himself in constant, escalating friction with the Wolf. Whether they are bartering for meat, building homes, or attempting to hoard food during times of scarcity, the Jackal uses his wits to manipulate the more gullible Wolf.

The arc of these tales follows a recurring rhythm: a problem arises—often a shortage of food or a desire for status—and the Jackal crafts an elaborate, dishonest plan to secure the prize for himself while leaving the Wolf holding the bag. In one instance, the Jackal convinces the Wolf to play dead in a road to steal biltong from a passing wagon, only to leave the Wolf to face the consequences of the theft. In another, he maneuvers the Wolf into a kraal to steal sheep, orchestrating an escape for himself while ensuring the Wolf is caught by the farmer.

The cycle of trickery extends beyond the Jackal and Wolf. Other creatures, such as the Hare and the Tortoise, engage in their own disputes. The Hare, much like the Jackal, uses speed and quick-thinking to avoid the consequences of his greed. He leads the slow-moving Tortoise on a merry chase, trading empty promises and imaginary honey for the Tortoise's labor, ultimately escaping by leaping across a ring of his pursuers.

As the stories progress, the theme of "smartness" remains paramount. There is no moral arc in the conventional sense where the wicked are redeemed. Instead, the characters act according to their nature: the strong and dim-witted are perpetually victimized by the small and sharp-tongued. The tales conclude with the natural world appearing as we know it today, with each animal bearing the physical or behavioral marks—the kinked tail, the night-time hunting, the short tail—of their ancestors' past blunders. By the end, the children are left not with a lesson in virtue, but with an explanation for why the world is a place where one must stay sharp to survive, as Old Hendrik retreats to the tobacco lands to continue his work, leaving the children to ponder the harsh, clever reality of the bush.

How It Unfolds

The call to the storyteller The children interrupt Old Hendrik’s midday nap, demanding a story to explain the physical quirks of the animals they see around the farm. Hendrik reluctantly agrees, setting the stage by lamenting that the true flavor of these tales is lost in translation from the original Boer tongue.

The cycle of the trickster The Jackal repeatedly initiates schemes against the Wolf, using fabricated papers and false promises to steal food and avoid labor. These encounters result in the Wolf being humiliated, physically damaged, or chased, while the Jackal retreats to safety, feeling "full of pious" satisfaction.

The shifting of the conflict The narrative expands to include the Hare and the Tortoise, who engage in a protracted battle over fish and honey. The Hare’s agility allows him to evade the Tortoise's clumsy attempts at justice, reinforcing the idea that intellect and speed dictate the order of the veldt.

The final justifications The collection closes with the Ratel’s story, which serves as a cautionary tale about greed within families. Hendrik uses these accounts to explain the permanent traits of the animals, effectively freezing the chaotic, trickster-filled past into the observable reality of the children’s present.

The People

Old Hendrik is the heart of the book, a Hottentot servant whose world is defined by hard labor and the deep, inherited wisdom of his culture. He acts as the bridge between the wild veldt and the children, using his storytelling to assert a quiet authority over them.

The Jackal is the book's defining archetype—a creature who views life as a series of negotiations. He is driven by hunger and an ego that requires him to feel superior to everyone else, especially the Wolf. The Wolf serves as the perfect foil: he is strong and physically imposing, but his lack of imagination makes him a constant victim of his own desires. He repeatedly seeks the Jackal’s help to improve his lot, only to find himself worse off than before.

The Hare (Klein Hahsie) is a smaller, more frantic version of the Jackal, representing the triumph of pure, unadulterated speed and opportunistic lying. The Tortoise (Sculpat) is his antithesis, representing the vanity of those who believe they can compensate for their lack of energy with stubbornness and numbers. None of these characters undergo moral growth; they end as they began, with the Jackal and Hare remaining clever, and the Wolf and Tortoise remaining, in Hendrik's eyes, "fatheads."

In Its Own Voice

"Allah Mattie!" said the grey old kitchen boy to himself, as he stretched to sleep in the shade of the mimosa behind the house.

Old Hendrik begins the day by grounding the reader in the heat and weariness of his labor.

"If you little folks only knowed de Taal," said he plaintively.

Hendrik expresses his regret that the nuances of his stories are diminished by the necessity of telling them in English.

"I's got you this time!" ses he. "I's got you at last, gum an' all! Won't I yust teach you!"

The Jackal reveals his characteristic glee upon ensnaring a younger, less experienced opponent.

What It's Really About

The core of this book is the survival of the clever. It argues that in a world dominated by stronger, more powerful forces, the only legitimate currency is the ability to adapt and deceive. It does not treat the natural world with Western sentimentality; instead, it presents a Darwinian landscape where the "skellum"—or rogue—is the hero. The book asks questions about the nature of hierarchy: is it better to be the king who relies on others, or the trickster who makes the king look foolish? It suggests that status is an illusion and that the true power lies with those who understand the weaknesses of their neighbors.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate folk literature and the cadence of oral storytelling will find this collection captivating. It acts as a time capsule, preserving the dialect and the social dynamics of a colonial-era South African farm through the lens of a servant’s perspective. The prose is rhythmic and earthy, making it a joy to read aloud.

However, modern readers should approach the text with an understanding of its period. The attitudes towards the "location Kaffir" and the general social hierarchy reflect the racial and colonial realities of the time. The dialect, while essential to the charm and authenticity of Hendrik’s voice, can be challenging and requires patience to decipher. Yet, the appeal of the Jackal—a classic, unapologetic trickster—remains universal. The stories do not attempt to be "educational" in a moral sense; they are raw, funny, and occasionally brutal glimpses into a world where a clever tongue is the best defense against a sharp tooth. Those interested in how folklore functions as a means of processing power and identity will find much to admire in Old Hendrik’s ability to turn the harsh reality of the veldt into a series of lessons on the necessity of being "slim."