A long time ago, in a small village, there lived a young Snake-Lizard and his mother. They were poor but hardworking. Every day, Snake-Lizard helped his mother with chores and brought food for them to eat.
One day, Snake-Lizard went to the farm and harvested seven baskets of vegetables. He carried them home happily and gave them to his mother to cook.
“Mother, please cook all these vegetables so we can eat,” he said.
His mother agreed. She chopped the vegetables, put them in a pot, and cooked them over the fire. But when she finished cooking, only three baskets of vegetables remained.
Snake-Lizard was shocked. “Mother, where are the rest of the vegetables?”
His mother smiled and said, “My son, when you cook vegetables, they shrink and become smaller.”
But Snake-Lizard did not believe her. He thought his mother had eaten the missing vegetables. He became angry and decided to find out the truth in a cruel way.
“If you are lying, then you do not deserve to live,” he said. And with that, he killed his mother.
After burying her, Snake-Lizard went back to the farm. He picked another seven baskets of vegetables and cooked them himself. When the food was ready, only three baskets remained.
Snake-Lizard was shocked and full of regret. He now realised that his mother had told the truth. But it was too late. He had killed his own mother because he acted without thinking.
From that day on, Snake-Lizard lived with sadness and guilt. His mistake became a lesson to others in the village.
Moral
This story teaches us the importance of patience, wisdom, and not making quick judgments.
Reference
- Africa Business Radio. (2023, June 2). The Snake and Lizard Fable In Igbo Folktale.
