Tami, the mouse was rummaging through the fallen leaves, scampering up
and down little trees and searching through dirt as he forages for his lunch.
There were so many insects and nuts in the neighborhood, and Tami was
having a field day stuffing himself.
In his excitement, he temporarily forgot his natural alertness and caution,
which have saved him in many a dicey situation in the danger rife forest
where he lives. As he was chasing a particularly jumpy grasshopper, he
burst out through an undergrowth and wham into the paws of Zimba-the
great lion king of the animals.
The wily little mouse realized with a great failing of the spirit that this is
death staring him in the face. He has to do something and quick.
He bowed his head in reverence to the lion.
Oh, king, oh, mighty one. I was around the vicinity, and I noticed you trying to
have your well deserved rest, but these pesky little insects keep disturbing
you, so decided to drive them away, so that my king can have a
comfortable rest.
The lion nodded his head and smiled mischievously.
‘And you didn’t know that I am hungry too and you are also going to be my well deserved
lunch’ He told the scared little mouse.
‘Ha ha ha ha, oh majestic king, you have a great sense of humour. That is why
you are our king. Who can think that you, in all your mightiness and royalty,
will eat a puny, bony, undernourished, dirty, smell runt like me. Ha ha ha,
that is unthinkable’.
That got to the lion. He blinked once, twice, but I was hungry, and I got to eat
something’ he insisted.
Tami immediately capitalized on the lion’s momentary indecision to press
his case.
‘Yet, oh great king, you have to eat something that befits a king, not a
thing like me. And anyway, if you oh king eat all your loyal subjects like me,
who then will you rule over, who will be your loyal subjects, who will you
send on errands, who will drive away your enemies like those cheeky little
insects.
The lion nodded his royal head in total agreement. He is quite impressed
by the witty, little rodent’s renditions, all in a bid to save his life. He decided
to exhibit his power as the king and set the mouse free.
‘I am letting you go free, not because of your flippant lies, but because you
little runt has some nerve. You did not squeal nor snivel.
And he let the mouse out of his clutches. The tough little mouse bowed to
the lion and said The power of a king is not to kill, for any wretched little
beast can waste another life, but the main power is giving life, exercising
mercy and granting pardon and life to people whom he easily could have
killed. Only the king possesses that. I am grateful to you for your kindness
today, and I Tami always paid back my debt’ he concluded puffing out and
punching his little chest.
The lion waved his great paw, and Tami dived and immediately disappeared
into the undergrowth.
One evening, some weeks after Tami’s encounter with Zimba, while the
normal activities in the animal community were going on, and the air was
suddenly rent by an earth shaking roar.
Every creature within the vicinity froze in its track. The insects and the
birds quit chirping noisily, the chewing, munching, and rummaging animals
all went rigid. Those chasing the others, both predator and prey all froze
in motion – all senses alert.
Suddenly, there was another frightening roar. This broke the tension. This
time all the animals took flight in different directions, for safety.
Whatever was releasing these ear piercing roars is a sure threat to animal
life. Every one of them promptly found a hiding place and dived into it.
Tami, who was munching a nut when the first roar occurred, had frozen with
the nut clutched in his paws. At the second scream, he had darted sharply
into an underbrush. All senses tingling, head, darting from one direction to
another, eyes round and wide open and ears functioning in all directions to
detect the source of the threat.
It was in this state of utter alertness that Tami heard a noise that sounded
like a groan or a moan, indicating that someone is in pain.
Then there was a third thunderous roar, after which there was relative quiet.
But Tami continued listening. Once again, he heard the semblance of some
one in. Tough litle Tami decided to investigate. He started creeping towards
the direction of the roars. As he gets closer, the moans and groans get quite
distinct and audible. At last, he emerged in a clearing, and to his surprise
there was Zimba, the great lion rolled over on his back, his legs waving
frantically in the air. The sight left the little mouse confused. What is going
on here?.
Tami watched the king of the animals in this humbling position for some
time, for it is obviously he that was roaring and moaning alternatively, all this
while.
Eventually, Tami decided to announce his presence. Maybe there is
something he could do in the circumstance.
He coughed loud enough for the lion to hear. With the speed for which he is
reputed, the lion was on his feet, and immediately he screamed in pain and
jerked his front right foot off the ground.’ Who are you? What are you doing
here?’ he screamed at the mouse.’ Come on, get out of here’
But Tami is unimpressed. He knows that the big man is in trouble.
What is your trouble?’ He asked Zimba
Zimba jerked round.
‘Are you still here, you little pest? Come on, get lost’
You are in pain, can I help? The insistent Tami stayed on.
‘And what do you think you can do?’ Zimba tactfully conceded.
‘Tell me first, then we will see’.
Zimba considered him for one moment, then he apparently made up his
mind and stretched out on the ground. He presented his front right paw to
the mouse. The paw was all swollen and bloody. A great thorn is sticking
out of it.
With the dexterity and deftness with which the mouse has been reputed to
steal, he easily removed the offending thorn from the lion’s paw. To the
lion’s great relief. He was very grateful and thanked the brave little mouse
profusely.
‘One for me, one for you’. Tami said
‘One good turn deserves another, eh?’. Zimba said smiling, impressed by
the gallantry of the brave little mouse.
Yes, live and let live’ Tami concurred as he disappeared again
into the undergrowth.
Moral: Be good to people under you, one day they will pay you back with
some goodness
