By Melvin Tarlue
I recently listened to Paul Pogba’s interview with Daily Mail Sport, in which he praised his wife, Maria Zulay Salaues, for standing by him and supporting him throughout his 18-month doping ban. He also revealed how some people he once knew began to distance themselves from him because he was no longer the “famous guy” they used to know.
Pogba’s situation reminded me of a folktale from my ethnic group, the Krahn people of Liberia.
The story is about a generous hunter who, every time he returned from hunting, would share whatever animal he had killed with everyone in his town. Because of his generosity, everyone appeared to love him.
One day, a wise elder in the town invited the hunter to his home and said, “My son, kill the animal that will know you.”
The hunter was confused and asked, “What do you mean by ‘kill the animal that will know me’?”
The old man replied, “Go hunting tomorrow, but when you return, cry and tell the townspeople that you mistakenly shot a human being. Then ask them to follow you into the forest to help carry the body back to town.”
The hunter agreed. The next day, he went hunting, killed a buffalo, and came back in tears. He told everyone that he had mistakenly shot someone dead and begged them to come with him to retrieve the body.
To his shock, no one was willing to go with him. The same people who once praised him and enjoyed his generosity now abandoned him in his supposed moment of crisis.
Then the wise elder approached him and said, “My son, let’s go to the forest.”
When they arrived, it turned out the hunter had actually killed a buffalo, not a human. But by pretending to have made a tragic mistake, he discovered the true nature of those he had long cared for.
Moral Lessons:
– True friends reveal themselves in times of hardship.
– Not everyone who benefits from your generosity truly cares about you.
– Popularity and status often attract superficial relationships.
– It’s better to be surrounded by a few loyal people than many fair-weather friends.
– Difficult times can serve as a test of character—both yours and those around you.
– Wisdom sometimes lies in unconventional tests or actions.
– Loyalty and support during adversity are more meaningful than praise during success.
About the author
The author, Melvin Tarlue is a Ghana-based Liberian journalist, Public Relations and Marketing Personality
Watch Paul Pogba’s interview below: