Close to the village’s edge stood the Tree of Generosity. It was said that this tree bore fruit only for those who genuinely needed it. The fruits were not ordinary; they had the power to alleviate any sorrow, hunger, or pain.
Anansi, intrigued by the tree’s powers, wished to hoard its fruits for himself. So, he devised a plan. He would feign extreme hunger and sadness, hoping the tree would offer its bounty to him.
Day after day, Anansi sat under the tree, pretending to weep and showcasing his false desperation. But the tree remained barren, no matter how much Anansi exaggerated his act.
Meanwhile, a humble bird with a broken wing rested on one of the tree’s branches, genuinely in pain and unable to find food. To the bird’s surprise and Anansi’s astonishment, the tree bore a single, glowing fruit, which dropped directly into the bird’s beak. The bird’s wing mended instantly, and it sang a joyful tune before flying away.
Anansi, feeling frustrated and a bit foolish, pondered over his failure. As he sat in reflection, the wise old Tortoise approached him.
“The Tree of Generosity doesn’t respond to deceit,” Tortoise explained. “It senses the heart’s true needs. Your desire was born from greed, not genuine need.”
Anansi felt a pang of guilt and realized the error of his ways. He thanked Tortoise for the lesson and decided to help those genuinely in need, hoping to bring them to the tree.
From that day on, Anansi became a beacon of assistance in the village, guiding those in genuine distress to the miraculous tree. He had learned that true generosity lies in understanding and addressing the needs of others, rather than exploiting them for personal gain.
Moral: Genuine needs and heartfelt intentions can’t be faked, and true generosity is selfless.