Collected Moments of Survival

There are moments in the African bush when you realise you are no longer the observer. Something far more powerful is watching you back. I was driving slowly through Kruger National Park , scanning the bushveld, when I noticed sudden movement on the ground. A large shadow swooped low — a Martial Eagle had struck and taken down a White-faced Whistling Duck . The moment lasted barely a second, but the intensity of it lingered like the echo of thunder. The eagle’s talons clutched the duck, and for a heartbeat the bush was still. Then it saw me. Time seemed to slow. My heart beat in rhythm with the flapping wings as the eagle lifted from its kill, massive wings stirring the warm air around me. It flew to a nearby tree and perched there, watching. Its eyes — sharp, calculating — followed every tiny movement I made. The pale duck lay frozen below, the prize of a hunt that could be lost in an instant. I felt a shiver run down my spine. The raw power of the eagle, its commanding presence...

  While out searching for gambroo (a wild plant resembling a cucumber) a group of sisters of the desert came across a wily old Mantis. Knowing that children are curious and could possibly try to capture him the old Mantis used his magic powers to transform himself into a Hartebees. The Mantis also knew that these children would not be carrying knives and therefore would not be able to dismember his body with the flint knives that they knew how to fashion out of stone.   However, when the children straw him stretched out on the sand they saw that his horns were turned backwards. They jumped for joy at the sight of this great animal just lying there and knew that there would be great celebration that night if they took home the meat. The older children had learned how to strike the stone in just the right way to make a knife and they set about it with great fervour.   As they were skinning the Hartebeest the Mantis snatched back his skin and the children had to work togethe...