Once, there was a mother with three children: Janmfen, Ti-bouch, and Gwovant. One day, the mother fell ill and passed away, leaving her children with no one to care for them. Hunger struck, and they found themselves starving. Deciding to leave their home in search of food, they each packed a small bundle and set off. They walked and walked, their hunger growing stronger with each step.
After a while, they came across a garden with a beautiful tree full of yellow oranges. Without saying a word, they approached the tree. Janmfen turned to her brothers and said, “I will climb the tree and pick all the oranges. We’ll gather them, and when I come down, we can divide them so each of us can eat as much as we want.” Her brothers agreed, saying, “That sounds good!”
Janmfen climbed the tree and picked all the oranges. Meanwhile, Gwovant began collecting them, eating one after another. He didn’t stop, even eating the peels. Ti-bouch watched in silence, wishing he could eat too, but the oranges were too big for his small mouth. Poor thing! He couldn’t do anything. Gwovant continued to eat, leaving not a single orange behind.
When Janmfen finally came down, she was shocked. “What happened to all the oranges?” she asked. Ti-bouch answered, “Gwo Vant ate them all.” Janmfen turned to her brother in disbelief. “Oh, Gwo Vant! How could you do this to us? You didn’t even leave a single peel for me?”
As the situation grew worse, Gwovant, with his bloated stomach, could no longer speak. He was so full, he looked sick. His stomach had swelled up so much that it resembled a drum. Then, suddenly, “Boom!” Gwovant’s stomach burst, sending pieces flying. Some of the pieces hit Janmfen.
What happened next? Both of Janmfen’s legs broke when she fell. She suffered a severe injury and died. Ti-bouch, feeling both sorrow and amusement, wanted to cry, but instead, he burst into laughter. Poor Ti-bouch, his mouth stretched wide in a grin. He kept laughing until he lost consciousness and collapsed to the ground. Death soon claimed him.
And so, the three children, left without their mother, vanished from the world.
Context and Lesson:
“
This is a Haitian folk tale that illustrates the consequences of greed, selfishness, and the lack of consideration for others. The children, facing hunger and despair after their mother’s death, find themselves in a situation where food is available in abundance—yet their actions lead to their tragic end.
Janmfen, the most practical one, tries to take charge by climbing the tree to collect the oranges, but does not anticipate the greed of her brother, Gwo Vant, who eats everything without leaving any for others.
Gwo Vant‘s insatiable hunger and complete disregard for others result in his stomach bursting—a physical manifestation of unchecked gluttony.
Tibouch, the youngest, is unable to do anything and ends up suffering the same fate as his siblings due to their lack of cooperation and care for one another.
The story teaches a moral lesson about selfishness, the dangers of greed, and the importance of sharing and looking out for others, especially in times of need. It also highlights how unchecked desires can lead to one’s downfall, and that it is important to think of others, even in challenging situations.
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