Marwe and Chura
A folktale from East Africa
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Story
Marwe and Chura, two orphaned children, work for a cruel owner. One day, monkeys steal the beans that the two children were guarding, Marwe dives fearfully into a deep pool, where she finds herself in the Land of No Light. Knowing that she may be tricked into staying there forever, Marwe refuses all offers of food and settles down to hard work alongside the other children. Meanwhile Chura searches for her and eventually is taken in by a tribe of Masai warriors. After killing a lion to protect their cattle, he becomes a warrior and is given the name Simba. Years later, Marwe decides to leave the Land of No Light and she is set a test. As she has worked so hard and asked for nothing in return, she passes the test and is allowed to leave the Land of No Light on the condition that she marries a man named ‘Simba’. Back in the real world, many seek to marry Marwe, but she refuses them all. When Chura finds her, she is saddened by her promise—until he reveals that Simba is his Masai name. They marry and live happily ever after.
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Why we chose it
A story about self-respect and respect for others.