In 1652 Dutch settlers arrived at the Cape of Good Hope, at the south end of Africa. Over the years their language changed a good bit, into Afrikaans.

In 1795, and again in 1806, the English took over the colony (by force of arms!) and English became the official language.

Today everybody in South Africa can speak Afrikaans, and English, and various other communities in this Rainbow Nation speak their own languages as well: there are 11 official languages in toto.

The story is in Afrikaans. It is my paraphrase of a story in Sangiro’s Op Safari. Translation:

*The Missionary and the Native *

The native swallowed the story of Daniel and the Lion with difficulty.

But when he heard the story of Jonah and the Whale, it was too much.

“Now I don’t believe that about the lion either!”, he said.