A man went into the forest, chopped firewood, and brought it back.
Then another load, and another.
His dog slept the whole time.
Night came, and the man kindled a fire. The dog lay down by the fire, but then he got up. "Not hot enough!" he barked. "More wood! Wood! Wood!"
The chicken started clucking, "Lazy dog! Lazy-lazy-lazy-lazy dog!"
"You ill-omened chicken!" the dog howled. "I hope he wrings your neck!"
Then the man beat the dog. "I built the fire; not you, and not the chicken!" he shouted. "Now let me enjoy my fire in peace and quiet."
Inspired by: "The Story of the Fowl and the Dog" in Lamba Folklore by Clement M. Doke, 1927.
Notes: You can read the original story online. The dog is "mbwa" and the chicken is "nsumbi." It's not entirely clear in the story if the man understands what the animals are saying. I opted for the idea that the didn't understand the words; he just heard them making noise.
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