A hunter went for hunting in the jungle. He saw a snake pressed down by a big stone. The snake was crying for help but nobody was ready to help him.
When the snake saw the hunter coming towards him, he cry the more for the hunter to help him. The hunter was filled with pity for the snake and rolled away the stone.
When the snake was free, he turned around and attacked the hunter. The hunter ran and ran until he meet the horse on the way. The hunter pleaded with the horse to judge his case with the snake.
"Please horse, judge my case between I and the snake, let me know what wrong I have committed" the hunter panted.
"What happened?" the horse asked.
"I was passing by, near the Obulu mountain. I saw the snake trapped down by a big stone. The snake was crying for help but nobody was ready to help him. I was filled with pity for him and I rolled away the stone to set him free; only for him to turn around to kill me!", the hunter narrated.
"Is that true?", the horse asked the snake.
"Yes Mr. horse", the snake replied angrily.
"Mr. Snake", the horse began. "This so called man is a wicked animal. Imagine as big as I am, man is never afraid of me. He will tamed me, tied my mouth with iron and ropes, I'll be bleeding from nose to mouth, he'll not care. Now it is time for him to pay for his wickedness. Mr. Snake, go ahead and strike him dead".
The hunter took to his heels as the snake followed him angrily. The hunter ran and ran until he meet the monkey smoking a pipe. The hunter rushed to the monkey almost throwing him down from where the monkey was sitting on a bench.
"What is the matter with the two of you?", the monkey asked agitated.
"It is the snake", the hunter panted.
"So tell me what is going on that you guys has to disrupt my smoking time?!" the monkey asked settling down on his bench.
"I went hunting and saw the snake trapped by a very huge stone, the snake was crying for help but nobody wanted to help him. I was filled with compassion and rolled the stone away which was almost killing him, only for him to turn around that he'll kill me", the hunter narrated.
The monkey turn and give the snake a keen look.
"You see this man?" the monkey asked the snake pointing his pipe at the hunter.
The snake nod his head repeatedly.
"Me and man are brothers, but he did not consider me good enough to be his brother. He call me a monkey and treated me like a plaque. I don't want to have anything to do with him; so if you don't mind, swallow him immediately", the monkey said puffing smoke in the air.
The man took to his heel and the snake followed him with much vigour. The hunter ran till he became tired while the snake gets closer to him. The hunter fail down on the ground and started crying as the snake was about to swallow him, the Dog was passing and saw what was about to happen.
He asked the snake what the offense of the hunter was.
The man quickly narrated what happened to the Dog and asked the Dog to judge between him and the snake what wrong he committed.
"Is that what happened?" the Dog asked the snake.
The snake nod his head in agreement.
"Alright, lets go to the place where this all began before I judge who is right or wrong", the Dog said.
The hunter, snake and the Dog all headed to Obolu mountain. They reach there at dawn.
"This is where it all began", the hunter said pointing to a big stone on the ground.
"Ok Mr. Snake, lie down the way you were laying before the hunter help you out", the Dog told the snake.
The snake stretched himself to the exact position that the stone trapped him.
"Ok hunter, rolled the stone back as it was before you rolled it away so that I can conclude this case and go home. My lovely wives and children are waiting for me at home", the dog said wagging his tail.
The man pulled back the stone on the snake neck as it was.
"This was how it was before I free him", the hunter said to the dog.
"Shikina", the dog said. "You can go home now, if he can't free himself, let see who will come and help him".
The man was amazed at the wisdom the dog displayed. Since then, man and dog has become best of friends.
WISDOM LINE: Your best friend is the one who stands by you when others have turn their back on you!
