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Once upon a time, the entire world was hit by a great
depression. Hunger was all over the land. There was no food to eat, and all the
people including animals became lean and hungry.
After awhile, the bigger animals carefully planned how to
combat the prevailing famine and hunger. Unlike other animals however, the Dog
was looking unruffled and well fed. The Dog’s skin was shinning—the hair
was very fluffy and fully brown. In fact, he had no traces of kwashiorkor, which
was visible on the faces of other big animals.
One of the animals who felt the pangs of the hunger spreading
all over the entire land was the Tortoise. As small as the Tortoise was, he
still did not find something to eat. But the Tortoise was quick to notice that
the Dog was not feeling a pinch of the hunger.
“Why is the Dog’s body ever-shining. Why is it that the
Dog is always having a protruding stomach, while we are getting thinner
everyday?” the Tortoise asked himself silently.
He then decided that he would quickly ask the Dog these
questions; perhaps he too may be able to fight the famine.
The following day, the Tortoise left his home and headed for
the abode of the Dog. Dressed in a big garment that revealed his lean and hungry
look, the Tortoise, walked on, aided by a walking stick. The Dog, who had just
eaten a sumptuous lunch, was still picking his teeth with a broomstick when the
Tortoise arrived. His appearance confirmed to the Tortoise that the Dog was not
feeling the heat of the famine.
“How are you Mr. Dog?" asked the Tortoise.
“I’m fine. I hope you are not here for your usual gossip
and mischief,” said the Dog.
“Mischief? How can someone engage in any mischief and
gossip with this kind of famine?" asked the Tortoise.
He spoke dejectedly, appealing to the Dog that he was very
worried about himself and not out to make any mischief.
“Why are you here? I know you have not visited me
for a long time." asked Mr. Dog.
“I am sorry; I have to ask you something which has been
bothering me. Please, I beg you in the name of the Almighty, do not lie to
me.” The Tortoise fell at the feet of the Dog, pleading; “Where do you get
all the food you eat despite this famine in our land?
“Food? Who told you I have any food? Me? food? I have said
it… Tortoise, you are at it again!" stammered the Dog.
“In the name of your forefathers, I beg you Mr. Dog, please
tell me. Look at me, lean, fagged-out and almost dropping dead. Do you want
me to die of hunger?" asked the Tortoise passionately, holding the Dog’s legs
and preventing him from leaving.
The dog pitied the Tortoise, as mucus dripped from his nose.
After a moment, the Dog changed his mind, and asked the Tortoise to sit down.
“I will tell you the secret. But make sure you do not tell
anyone. If you do, I will deny it.” The Dog then told the Tortoise how he had
been able to weather through the storm of the famine,
The Tortoise was shocked after hearing the Dog’s stories.
But he concealed his shock, and both of them agreed to meet at a particular spot
where two rivers met ten kilometers outside their village. The eager Tortoise
was the first one to arrive at the confluence of the rivers. When the Dog
finally came, the two of them journeyed to a farmland, about two kilometers
away.
“This is where I get my food. I come here secretly and get
all I want. But as I have warned you, do not let anyone know,” the Dog warned
showing the Tortoise the extensive farm where he always plucked fruits and food.
The Tortoise was awestruck. He looked at the extensive farm
and ripe fruits. His eyes almost popped out. He began to harvest the fruits as
quickly as he could. When the Dog had filled a small bag, he hung it on his
shoulder, but the Tortoise was still plucking, trying to fill the other bags he
had concealed from the Dog.
“Let’s go quickly before the farm-owner arrives,”
warned the Dog.
“I’m coming; let me quickly fill the other bags,” said
the Tortoise as he rapaciously plucked the fruits.
The Dog carried his own bag and quickly left the farm. When
the Tortoise noticed the Dog was on his way out of the farm, he asked the Dog
not to leave him alone. Instead of being satisfied and abandoning what he was doing,
he kept plucking until the farmer arrived and caught him right inside his farm
with six full bags of fruits.
“Ha ha…you are in trouble. So, you are the one who had
been plucking my fruits, reaping my sweat. You are done for,” shouted the
farmer.
“Please…do not tear me apart yet. Be gentle with me.
It’s not only me who is involved. I… I… am… with, the Dog was with
me,” he stammered revealing the Dog’s secret. The farmer was very annoyed.
He was also happy that he had finally caught the person responsible for the
theft of his crops. As he led the Tortoise to the king’s palace to face the
theft charge, the Tortoise claimed he was innocent.
“It’s the Dog who did it!" screamed the Tortoise on the
way to the palace. When they finally got to the palace, a crowd had gathered
round the Tortoise shouting; “Thief! Thief!! The king came out amidst the
uproar and was briefed about what had happened.
“Is it true that you were caught in the farm stealing
crops?" the king asked the Tortoise.
“I was not alone…the Dog took me there… I was not
alone,” stammered the Tortoise.
“Then we must get the Dog!" ordered the king.
The palace officials then went to the Dog’s house. They met
his wife, who informed them that the Dog had been sick.
“He has been vomiting. He cannot even eat, and that was why
I went to the farm to pluck these medicinal leaves,” said the Dog’s wife.
Peeping through the window, the palace officials saw the Dog on the sick bed.
The hefty palace men left the Dog alone and went to the palace to tell the
mammoth crowd and the king that the Dog was ill.
“You have to go back and use a stretcher to bring the
Dog here. We are not convinced. We have to see him truly ill,” The king
hollered.
Shortly after, two hefty men were dispatched to rush to the
Dog’s house and bring him to face the music. The men soon got to the Dog’s
house. They met the Dog’s wife at the door carrying some local herbs and
medicine.
“The king wants us to bring your husband to the palace at
once!" They screamed.
“My husband? I told you before that he has been sick for
the past three days. He has malaria, and you can see he is sick,” The
Tortoise’s wife tried to protect her husband, but the palace guards caught him
and carried him towards the palace on a stretcher, accusing him of being the
culprit.
When the guards got to the palace, they placed the stretcher
down and guided the “ailing” Dog to his feet.
“He is not sick!" the Tortoise shouted.
“Let him present his own case! The King pleaded.
After the Dog had been briefed about the Tortoise’s
confession, he shook his head and feigned ignorance. Just as he opened his mouth
to talk, he vomited. Those who had watched him closely waiting for his defense fled. But a few others claimed the dog could be pretending.
“Allow him to talk now,” pleaded the king, who has begun
to doubt if the Dog was not truly sick.
When the Dog opened his mouth the second time to speak,
another long vomit spilled from his mouth.
“I’ve been sick for three days… I have been on the
bed," muttered the Dog, who had rubbed ointments on his face making him look
sickly.
Before the king could say a word further, the Dog collapsed
and was rushed on the stretcher and taken away. The king was so angry. And the
villagers were incensed too. They began to abuse the Tortoise for lying about the
Dog. They called on the king to give him a bigger punishment. The tortoise was
put in the middle of the palace square to receive his judgment.
“He should be given twelve strokes of the cane on his body,
which will be incised and peppered!" ordered the king. Besides, he sentenced the
Tortoise to one month imprisonment. After the Tortoise had been thoroughly
flogged, the villagers went home.
Two days afterwards, the Dog called in his wife to
celebrate his luck at the king’s palace. He took time to thank his wife, who
stood by him during his trying period. It was his wife who told him how he could
trick the villagers and get out of trouble. The Dog’s wife actually gave him
two eggs, which he hid in his mouth before he was carried to the palace by the
guards. And each time he vomited, he actually crushed the eggs hidden in his
mouth and spilled out the yolks.
Exercises
- What lesson did the story teach us?
- Who are the two major characters in the story?
- If you are the Dog, will you justify your intention to steal?
- Do you think nemesis will catch up with the Dog in the future?
©2004 StoriesByEmail.com
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