At the very beginning of the world, the Creator sent humans to earth. The Creator had determined that all humans had to die at some point, but what was to happen to them afterwards? He decided to ask the people themselves. "Think about it carefully," he said to the people, "and send me a messenger to tell me your decision. Then let it happen as you have wished."

The people gathered and began to deliberate: "The dead should be sent back to earth after a while," said some.

Others thought: "Those who are dead should stay that way."

So it went back and forth and they could not agree. So those who were in favor of eternal death sent a goat as a messenger. The others, however, sent a dog because they thought: "The dog obeys better and will be quicker to communicate our wish to the Creator."

And indeed, the dog immediately ran off. But the goat wasn't slow either, so they said: "Let's stop the goat, otherwise it will end up being faster than the dog". They lay in wait for the goat and injured its leg so that it could only limp along slowly and the dog was far ahead of it.

At lunchtime, the dog passed a house and saw a woman stirring a large pot. He was very hungry and thought: "If I wait here for a while, the woman will surely give me the leftovers to eat." He sat down next to the pot and waited patiently.

In the meantime, the goat was also looking for something to eat. She found some grass by the side of the path, satisfied her hunger and limped bravely on.

The dog had to wait a long time before he finally got something to eat. It was already late afternoon when he set off again.

In the meantime, the goat had arrived at the Creator and delivered the human's wish.

"Good," said the Creator, "then let it be as the people wish. When they die, they will be dead forever."

It was already night when the dog finally reached the Creator to share his message, who said: "The goat was already here many hours ago and has communicated the wish that people will not return to earth after their death. It is now destined to be so."

The dog began to plead, howl and whine, but it was no use. From that day on, people did not return to earth after their death and this is still the case today.

Märchen aus Togo, Fassung Djamila Jaenike, nach: Sylvia Schopf, Wie der Tod in die Welt kam, Mythen und Legenden der Völker, Freiburg/Basel/Wien, englische Fassung Lysander Jaenike © Mutabor Märchenstiftung