Fufi

'Fufi' is a warm, humorous anecdote from Trevor Noah's memoir 'Born a Crime'. Through the story of his beloved dog, Noah shares a valuable childhood lesson about love, freedom and letting go.

The cats and the two puppies

After moving to Eden Park, Trevor's mother brought home two black cats, but superstitious neighbours killed them, scrawling 'Heks' (Witch) on the wall. Some time later a lady gave the family two puppies, whom his mother named Fufi and Panther. The two 'sisters' both loved and fought each other.

Fufi was beautiful but seemed 'dumb', she never came when called, while the smart Panther always did. Only years later, when Fufi died, did a vet reveal the truth: Fufi had been deaf all along, and the clever, hearing Panther had secretly been guiding her deaf sister all their lives.

Fufi's secret life

Fufi, whom Trevor 'raised' and loved dearly, 'like a bicycle, but with emotions', was also a little rascal. Every day she would scale the five-foot backyard wall and roam the neighbourhood, returning to wait outside the gate. One holiday Trevor secretly followed her on his bicycle and discovered she went to another house, where a boy called her 'Spotty' and believed she was his own dog.

Heartbreak and the lesson

Trevor was heartbroken and felt betrayed, crying, 'Why are you stealing my dog?' The other family, thinking Trevor was the thief, locked Fufi in; eventually his mother had to pay a hundred rand to get Fufi back. Trevor sobbed all the way home 'because Fufi loves another boy', but his mother told him firmly that Fufi still loved him and to 'get over it'.

In time Trevor understood that Fufi 'wasn't cheating' on him, she had 'no malicious intent' and was 'merely living her life to the fullest'. From this 'first heartbreak' he learnt a lesson that shaped all his later relationships: 'You do not own the thing you love.'