Question

How does the narrator father decision to keep the goats affect chief mshlanga people

Answer 1

In the end of the short story "The Old Chief Mshlanga", the girl's father decides to keep the twenty goats that trampled down his land. This decision deeply affected Chief Mshlanga's people, since these goats belonged to them, and not having them would mean that they would go hungry when the dry season begins. Thus, it was selfish from him to keep the goats.

Answer 2

Answer:

Mshlanga people would go hungry because of the narrator's father's  decision to keep the twenty goats.  

Explanation:

At the end of the story, one-night narrator's "father's big red land was trampled down by small sharp hooves, and it was discovered that the culprits were goats from Chief Mshlanga's kraal." Since this "had happened once before, years ago" the narrator's father calls for the damage to be paid. When Chief Mshlanaga shows his inability to pay the damage, the narrator's father decides to keep twenty goats who trampled his land. Though the Chief said that his people cannot afford the "lose twenty goats all at once," he is not moved rather very selfishly and arrogantly he says,

" At last my father stated finally :"I'm not going to argue about it. I am keeping the goats."

The old chief flashed back in his own language: "That means that my people will go hungry when the dry season comes."

" "Go to the police then," said my father, and looked triumphant."