Week 7 Storytelling: The Diary of Ka Mattah the Snail

Day 1

Today is the day I begin my travels.  It is a month before Luri Lura Fair, so I must begin my long journey, which is made even longer by me being a snail. The fair is such fun, although it is really more like a giant market than a fair. It will be good to see all of the other animals and the rest of my family.

Day 10

Journey is taking longer than expected. I became delayed when I reached a raging river. I found a way over it, but it set me back two days. Must continue on.

Day 17

Taking a nap under a giant leaf. I think I will eat it when I wake up.

Day 25

I am almost to the large Rubber grove in the forest where all of the animals meet before the fair. I can hear other animals racing ahead. They must be tired from all of that work.

Day 30

If I keep moving all night I will finally be able to make it. I can almost feel the breeze from the groves cool shade.

Day 31

Made it! It is good to see all of the other animals. I am so glad that we all meet here to rest a few days before the fair. I love chatting with everyone.

Day 32

Well I probably did the dumbest thing I could ever think of. Today, for some reason, I challenged the stag to a race… And he said yes! What was I thinking! I can’t possibly beat him in a race. He does need to be taught some respect though. The buffalo, stag, and other animals were all bragging about being the “swiftest” animals in the jungle. I don’t know why you would want to be swift covered in that much sweat!

Day 33

Everyone has begun to head into the fair. I am still annoyed with that stupid stag. He revved me up, that’s what happened. I was fine with the laughter, but when he started showing off by cantering around the grove I just lost it! How think could you be? The whole thing was like an outer-body experience.

Day 34

The other snails approached me at the grove today. They said that they had heard about how the stag and I were to race once the fair was over. Some of them called me foolish, but they are family and they can’t let me lose. We decided that all of us snails would form ourselves into a long line edging the path all the way from the Rubber grove to the finish line at Mount Shilong. If we hide ourselves in the grass no one will be able to see us. We might actually win this thing.

Day 40

Well, everyone has sold his or her wares at the fair. That’s the only way to get into the fair you know: everyone must bring merchandise if they want entrance. I didn’t get to go in this year. The other snails and I decided it would be best if we stayed at the grove and prepared for the race. I guess I better take off this shell and get ready to face the stag. He should be along any minute now. Let’s do this thing!

Day 41

You won’t believe it! I can barely believe it! Snails won! Snails won!!! That race was amazing! As soon as that signal was given I dove into the grass, just as we had planned. The stag ran off towards the mountains. After a little while he stopped and called out my name. One of the other snails hidden along the path answered him, and the stag began to run more swiftly. Again the stag called out for me, and again a snail answered. The stag tore off at a terrific pace. He kept calling out my name only to hear one of the snails answer him each time, and he began running faster and faster until he was panting and quivering from exhaustion!

The stag could barely move his legs. Then, just before he reached the finish line, one of the other snails started yelling, “I win, I win” from the other side of the finish line. Exhausted and shamefully defeated, the stag threw himself on the ground. I guess he had put too much strain on his body because when I got to him he was all green and had this pathetic look on his face. That’s when the stag spit out his gallbladder! It was disgusting, but I didn’t mind. We won! I will never forget the look on his face.  

Snail on Railing (Source)

Author's Note. This story is based off the Indian folktale The Stag and the Snail. It is a story about Ka Mattah the snail and how she challenges a boastful stag to a race and she wins. In the story Ka Mattah does not like that the stag is bragging about being the swiftest animal, and so she challenges him to a race. The snails gather together and decide that the only way to win is if they line up along the edge of the race path, so as to stay hidden and teach the stag not to look down on others simply because they are an insect. During the race the stag calls out for Ka Mattah and he hears a reply. This causes him to run even faster. The stag continues to do this over and over again until he is so exhausted that he can barely move his limbs. Once the stag nears the finish line, one of the snails crosses the finish line and yells, “I have won.” This causes the stag to collapse from exhaustion and sickness, and the stag then spits out his gallbladder.

I chose to write this from the perspective of Ka Mattah because I thought it would be interesting to hear it from her perspective. I was also curious what a snails journey would be like, so I thought it would be fun to include that.

Bibliography. Folk-Tales of the Khasis by Mrs. U. K. Rafy (1920).