Before you read the story

• Do you know the date of your birthday?
• How did your parents celebrate your birth?
• Do you celebrate on your birthday?
• When you celebrate your birthday, what do you do?

Injera is a kind of flat bread made from tef.

Now read the story

The hyena, the fox and the monkey lived together in one house. One day, they went hunting. They took four cows from a farmer in the village. 

"There is one cow for me," the hyena said, "one for the fox and one for the monkey. But who will have the fourth?" 

"The oldest one can have it," said the fox. 

"But who is the oldest?" asked the monkey. 

"We will find out," said the fox. He looked at the hyena. "When were you born?" he said. 

"It wasn't last year," the hyena said. "Or the year before that. I was born many, many years ago." 

"And when were you born?" the fox asked the monkey. 

"Oh," said the monkey, "I was born on the very first day. It was the day when God made the earth and the sky." 

"You are right," said the fox. "I remember it well. Everyone talked about the new baby, with grey hair. On the day of your baptism, there was a wonderful party. My mother took me to it. She carried a basket full of injera. We ate and drank all day and all night." 

"Then you are the oldest," the hyena and the monkey said, and they gave the fourth cow to the fox.

Exercises for The Monkey’s Birthday

Listen to the story: