In a village nestled between two mountains, there was a well. This wasn’t any ordinary well—it had the purest water, and those who drank from it felt invigorated and refreshed beyond belief. But there was a catch. The well was guarded by Allo, a massive alligator with sharp teeth and a formidable presence.
Anansi, the clever spider, had heard of this miraculous well, and he desired its water not for its rejuvenating properties but to show off to other animals that he had outsmarted the alligator.
One day, he approached the riverbank, acting weak and feeble, almost on the verge of collapsing. Allo, the alligator, saw this and asked, “Anansi, what ails you?”
“I am so thirsty,” Anansi croaked, “I have searched high and low for water, but found none. I fear I won’t make it.”
Allo, knowing the well’s water had healing properties, felt pity for Anansi. “I will let you drink from the well,” he said, “but promise me you won’t tell anyone about it.”
Anansi nodded weakly, and with Allo’s help, he drank from the well. The transformation was immediate! Anansi became lively and energetic, his eyes gleaming with mischief.
Thanking the alligator, Anansi quickly spun a tale across the forest, telling all animals about how he tricked the alligator. However, news traveled quickly in the forest, and soon Allo found out.
Betrayed and hurt, Allo approached Anansi, “Why did you break your promise?”
Anansi, caught in his arrogance, replied, “I am the master trickster! It’s what I do.”
Allo nodded, “Remember, Anansi, water flows freely, but trust, once lost, leaves a land parched.”
From that day on, Anansi could never approach the well again, and though he was revered for his wit, the animals of the forest also remembered his betrayal.
Moral: Trust is a treasure, and once lost, it’s hard to regain.