Ti-Soufri had lost both her mother and father, leaving her to live with her godmother. Despite her young age, she was responsible for many tasks—fetching water from the spring, gathering firewood, lighting the fire, cooking, and handling all the household chores. Her godmother assigned her these duties, and in return, she was given only scraps of food. Yet, Ti-Soufri endured all these hardships without a single complaint.
One day, when her godmother left the house, Ti-Soufri was left to cook, wash the dishes, and do other chores. While tidying up the house, she noticed a basket containing three ripe, beautiful oranges. Their beauty made her mouth water, and she thought to herself, “I haven’t eaten anything all day, not even a grain of salt. These three oranges look so delicious, I should eat one.” She took one, ate it slowly, and tucked the seeds into her hair. Then, she continued with her chores.
When she finished, she sat down to wait for her godmother’s return. When the godmother came back, she noticed that one of the oranges was missing, and only two remained. She grabbed Ti-Soufri by the hand and demanded, “Who took the orange from the table?” The girl responded, “It was me, godmother. There were three oranges. I ate one and left two for you.” In a fit of anger, the godmother began to beat the poor girl and, in addition, hurled cruel words at her before throwing her out of the house.
“Go find the orange and bring it back when you return,” the godmother ordered. Heartbroken, Ti-Soufri cried, “How will I do that? I don’t have any land, no orange tree. Where will I find another orange to bring back?”
While running, Ti-Soufri passed the cemetery where her mother was buried. She stopped in front of her mother’s grave and cried out, “Oh, mother, you were the only one I had, and now you are gone. You knew the suffering you endured to bring me into this world. Look at the pain I’m in now. I have no money, no land, no possessions. Please, don’t let me die like this. Please help me, I can’t return to my godmother without the orange.”
As she wept, tears flowed freely. The day passed, and as darkness fell, the little girl collapsed from exhaustion and fell asleep beside her mother’s grave. She slept so deeply that it seemed as though all her troubles had vanished. The next morning, when she awoke, the sun was high in the sky, and to her amazement, an orange tree had sprouted from the ground where she had been crying. One of the seeds from the oranges she had eaten had grown into a tree.
In that moment, a song filled her heart:
“Little orange tree, grow, grow, little orange tree!
Little orange tree, grow, grow, little orange tree!
My godmother is not my mother, little orange tree, grow, grow, little orange tree!”
Like a flash of lightning, the tree grew quickly, and the girl’s heart filled with joy. She sang louder:
“Little orange tree, bloom, bloom, little orange tree!
Little orange tree, bloom, bloom, little orange tree!
My godmother is not my mother, little orange tree, bloom, bloom, little orange tree!”
Soon, the tree blossomed, filling the air with the fragrance of its flowers. The tears in her eyes dried, and a big smile appeared on her face as she sang even more:
“Little orange tree, bear fruit, bear fruit, little orange tree!
Little orange tree, bear fruit, bear fruit, little orange tree!
My godmother is not my mother, little orange tree, bear fruit, bear fruit, little orange tree!”
Before long, the tree was full of large, beautiful oranges, so sweet and juicy that they made Ti-Soufri extremely happy. The tree wasn’t too tall, so she easily picked three beautiful oranges—one for her mother, one for her father, and one for herself. Then, she picked three more to take back to her godmother.
With joy in her heart, Ti-Soufri ran back to her godmother’s house. When she reached the porch, she heard her godmother’s voice: “Where have you been? Did you want me to search for you all night?”
“I went to find the oranges, godmother.”
“Where did you steal them from? You have no money, no orange tree,” the godmother retorted.
But Ti-Soufri was no longer afraid. She confidently answered, “In front of me, my little orange tree grew. In front of me, my little orange tree blossomed. And in front of me, my little orange tree bore fruit.”
Her confidence enraged the godmother. She became furious and grabbed Ti-Soufri by the ears. But before she could touch the oranges, she fell off the porch and never got up again. Like Ti-Soufri’s parents, the godmother passed away.
After her godmother’s death, Ti-Soufri inherited everything—her house, land, and all her possessions. Every week, Ti-Soufri went to the market to sell a basket of oranges from the magical little tree, which she alone knew the secret to.
Context and Lesson:
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This story is a traditional Haitian tale that carries several important lessons:
Endurance and Patience in the Face of Hardship: Despite all the abuse and neglect, Ti-Soufri endures without complaint, showing resilience. Her patience and work ethic lead to eventual rewards.
Kindness and Justice: The story suggests that the oppressed, like Ti-Soufri, may eventually find their own path to justice and prosperity. While her godmother is cruel, Ti-Soufri’s perseverance and connection with her deceased mother (symbolized by the orange tree) leads to her own success.
The Power of Hope and Faith: Ti-Soufri’s belief in her mother and in the possibility of change (symbolized by her prayer and the sprouting of the orange tree) shows that hope, faith, and action can bring unexpected rewards.
The Downfall of the Wicked: The godmother’s greed and cruelty lead to her downfall. This part of the story reinforces the idea that evil actions, especially those toward vulnerable people, will eventually lead to one’s destruction.
In summary, the story teaches the virtues of patience, hope, resilience, and kindness, while also illustrating the downfall of cruelty and greed. It highlights the idea that those who suffer through unjust circumstances may find their way to a brighter future, often through perseverance and a deep connection to their roots.
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