Sunday, October 5, 2008

a day in the life of a baby goat

6:32AM Wake up mother by plaintive cries of hunger. Feed voraciously.

7:11AM Mother still tied up. Wander off into compound. Nibble on unedibles and cause racket by knocking over drying bowls. Drink water from the laundry.

8:23AM Get shooed out of kitchen.

9:17AM Enter unknown hut.

9:23AM Exit unknown hut, after having eaten most of the nebadie leaves picked for tonight's leaf sauce.

10:43AM King of the hill with neighborhood goats!!!

11:54AM Wander back to mother. (Still tied up!) Feed voraciously.

12:00PM Mother untied and taken by the Pulaar! (Where does she go during the day?!) Run aimlessly through village crying for mother.

12:07PM King of the hill!!!

1:52PM Race through several compounds chasing the goat from next door. Butt heads a few times. Be sure to knock over anything possible -- small children included.

2:22PM Break into pepiniere. Eat lots of delicious baby trees.

4:04PM King of the hill!!!

5:07PM Oooh, peanut field! Munch on crunchy greens.

6:48PM Enter toubab's hut for a looksie. Run from thrown items, feigning terror and "accidentally" pooping on the way out.

7:00PM Mother should be back! Run around in desperate search and bleat piteously for the 15 minutes it takes her to amble home.

7:15PM Mother arrives! Feed voraciously.

7:18PM Get chased by children, tackled, and then dragged on 3 legs across compound to pen. Mother's there! Second helping.

8:24PM Sleep.

1:58AM Wake up and for no apparent reason -- mostly for the fun of it -- wail continuously as if all hell has broken loose with no concern of who or what may be sleeping. Keep up histrionics until sleepy again.

6:29AM Another glorious day in the village!

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I shared a hut with goats during language-learning in Kounkande, Senegal. The smell was worse than the bleating!

Would any of your Pulaar-speaking friends like free copies of a paper in Pulaar? See http://soon.org.uk/fulani/free-papers.php

We mail them free of charge if specifically requested.

Thanks, Jane

Unknown said...

I'm going to be a baby goat in my next life, most definitely yes.

p.s. oops on the emailed comment

treesaver said...

aaawww...this entry brings it all back...i miss you impersonating all the animal sounds...