SWA Fables/Fabeln/Fabels by Joachim Voigts
SWA Fables/Fabeln/Fabels by Joachim Voigts
Publisher: Gamsberg,Windhoek,Namibia- 1999 Reprint.
Condition: Like new.
The colourful Namibian children's book SWA Fables: The guinea-fowl and other fables from South West Africa introduces to the fine and subtle art and poetry of Joachim Voigts (1907-1994).
The lamb's first day
A little lamb was born one day
In the veld beyond the vlei.
When it felt too heavy, then he
Rested beneath a shady tree.
No sooner was he fast asleep
When a leopard spied the little sheep.
Delighted he began to plan
To get the fat lamb from the man.
He thought of leaping from some stones
Upon the lamb to break its bones.
Creeping, stealthy, on his way,
He drew closer to his prey.
Isaak sleeps, the sheep see naught.
Only our lambkin's gaze is caught.
Though unaware of any danger,
He senses something from the stranger.
The robber crouches in a lump
Behind a stone, prepared to jump.
The lamb cries 'Baa' with all his might.
The leopard gets an awful fright.
Leaping up, his head strikes through
A nest of wasps that breaks in two.
Then amidst a whirl of wings
His snout is pierced by pointed stings.
He howls with pain in high pitched key,
And runs away in agony.
Isaak wakes- without a notion.
He yawns and stretches, then once more
Takes the lamb pickaback as before.
Home to the kraal he herds his flock.
Lucky none are missing, when he takes stock.
This is an excerpt from the children's book SWA Fables: The guinea-fowl and other fables from South West Africa, by Joachim Voigts.
Title: SWA Fables
Subtitle: The guinea-fowl and other fables from South West Africa
Author: Joachim Voigts
Translation: Olga Levinson; Hans Viljoen
Publisher: Gamsberg Macmillan Publishers
Windhoek, Namibia (1978/1999)
ISBN 0868480096 / ISBN 0-86848-009-6
Hardcover, 28 x 21 cm, 143 pages, throughout colour illustrations, texts in English, German and Afrikaans
