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Abstract: we look into a Somali legend, in which wild animals
share a prey. A fox distributes in a way that the lion
receives the whole. It involves infinitesimal calculus.

The fox in the somali short stories is always cunny and opportunist.
In this note, we shall show how it does this with math. Here is the story.


The family of wild animals (habar dugaag) once killed a she-camel as a prey.
The lion in this sequel referred to as the king) ordered the "caalle"
(waraabe ?) to distribute the meat in a fair way. The latter announced:
" One half for the lion and the remaining half for the rest of us." The king
punished him and then chose the fox to do the work. The fox declared:
" One half of the camel meat for the king. From the remaining, again one half
for the king and so on." [ Hasha ma bar oo bar, bar indhaweyne libaax.
Badhka haray ma fallar oo fallar, falladh indha weyne libaax ...]


The lion: " When did you learn this fairness and justice."
The fox: " When I saw the injured eye of CAALLE."
[" Dawoy yaa ku baray garniqidaa." " Isha caalle oo gebi ka lulata."]


It is not readily evident that the lion gets the whole camel. But when we
add up his share, we get the following geometric series:
1/2 + 1/4 + 1/8 + 1/16 + ...
A well known fact in elementary analysis (calculus) shows that the series
converges to one (which is the whole camel).

Qayb Libaax, more detailed commentry pertaining to the same Subject......

Hussein Mohamoud Farah, the Taleh Spokesman, aka "Hussein Dhiqleh, is
said to have had pictorial retrospections. No doubt his talents contributed
to the cause of the Dervish movement immensely. The following piece,
"Qayb Libaax", is one of the last recorded poems generated during the
Dervish movement, an era charecterized as a great Somali awakening,
politically and culturally.


In section one, Dhiqleh explains briefly for the Arsi King, Nuuh Muhummud
Daadhi, how a hyena was punished by King lion when the former did not
distribute a prey, "Hal" or "Rati", collectively owned by the animals
according to the latter's wishes.


Qiyaashmaash libaax baa dhurwaa qaybi yidhi soore
Wuxuu yidhi hilbaha jeex bal qabo qoon dhan baan nahaye
Markaasuu qalbabaalihii qoonsadoo dilaye
Dharbaaxuu il kaga qaaday oo hoor ka soo qubay e
Afqashuushle goortuu dhintuu sii qataabsaday e
Qambaruursi iyo oohin buu qoob dunuunucaye


In section two, Dhiqleh relates the second episode of the legendary story.
King Lion instructs a fox "inay taliso qaddaarkeeda". Frenzy descends on her.
He rubs his canine tooth sharply. She gets the point. Using a series of
fractions whose sum, as the count of the fractions goes to infinity, equals
the complete "Rati", the fox concludes "kuu wada qorsheeyay Islaw neefka wada
qaado". Neat she is, was she not?


Dawacuu markaas soo qabsaday sida qisaaseede
Iyadoo qarqari buu ilkaha qoorqabkii xoqaye
Wuxuu yidhi qanjaafula xumay tali qaddaarkaaga
Adeer gacalle qaar iyo dalool iyo leg iyo qawdhihii kuruska
Kuu wada qorsheeyaye Islaw neefka wada qaado


Now, the rest of the animals complain about her unfair "Distribution of the
wealth of the nation". Perhaps this Somali thought contributed to Adam
Smith's "Invisible Hand" philisophy. As they say those who record their
inventions get the first credit. "Innagoo quruun dhana maxaa qado inoo
diiday?", argued the rest of the "Habar Dugaag.


Markaasaa wixii qaday qabsaday qoobab kadafley e
Wax la yidhi qabiil ma leh dayay qaybiyaha aare
Innagoo quruun dhana maxaa qado inoo diiday?


To which the articulate fox responded with:


Qacdii hore haddaan dayay kobtii weerka sii qulushay
Badh baa kuu qisma ah waa wuxuu eeday qaaryar e
Aniguna qudhaasaan ahoo lay qulqulateeye
Duqii noo qab weynaa wakaas qooqa loo dilaye
Qaddaarkii ilaah iyo Rabbaan quud ka sugayaaye
Anigaan qudraba hayn miyaan qumush ka soo waaqsan?
Qudhaydaan u yaabaye miyaan ina qasaarteeyey?


Apparently, as the fox explained, "Badh baa kuu qisma ah" was not a
satisfactory answer in the eyes of King Lion.


Similarly, Dhiqleh was afraid that King Nuuh Muhummud Daadhi may not buy
any justifications why he could not get married to Jamaad Sheekh Cabdulle.
Thus, like the fox, Dhiqleh concludes "Tanna qaata Naadaba rag bay qaac
u shidataaye".


Anna qayb libaax weeye taad igu qasbaysaane
Dadka igu qoslaayiyo kobtaan ka qalbi diidaayo
Qadayeey adduunyo uma socon waad I qaxarteene
Qadankii dariiqiyo haddaan qadimadii waayey
Labadii qofee nagaga hadhay qaafadii dumarka
Tii quruxda roonayd hadday Cali la qooqayso
Qudhoo keliya baa nagu hadhee qalabku yiille
Tanna qaata Naadaba rag bay qaac u shidataaye.


_______________________
I am indebted to 'camelboys aka, Abdirizak Mohamed & Muhamed Hussein' for a discussion on this paper.
It was supported by grants from Somali Research Fund.