Once upon a time, there was a small village of animals. Zé the Panther was its leader. She owned the largest field of cola nuts. Some animals said: “How beautiful his field is!” Others proclaimed her bravery: “Zé is a tireless worker!”. Zé the Panther was especially a feared animal. She was mean. In the animal village, everyone wanted to taste pretty cola nuts but they lacked courage. Zé would have killed them. Kulu the Turtle had an irresistible desire for these delicious nuts. She dragged herself to the edge of the field to observe the nuts that were adorning before our eyes. When the harvest time arrived, pretending to go on a trip, Kulu made a long detour and discreetly entered the field. She tasted a juicy nut. Then a second one. She came back every day and enjoyed many nuts. One day, Zé gathers his family to help him harvest her field. She didn’t want her nuts to be stolen from her. When she entered the field, she noticed with surprise that a large part of the nuts had disappeared. In rage, her tears flowed. She shouted :
– « Oh woe! Who dared to steal my cola nuts ? »
His cry was so loud that the fruits fell from the trees. The terrified animals ran towards her. The elephants ravaged the fields in their path. The hippos, the lions did the same. General panic! The spider arrived and said :
– “Majesty, may your anger spare us. I don’t know what made you angry but grant your forgiveness.”
– “Majesty, said the elephant, the one who tasted so many nuts certainly hasn’t finished chewing them yet. Let everyone open their mouths to see.”
The animals were all lined up with their mouths open. The goat was still ruminating its herbs when the lion checked its mouth. He saw the sign of her guilt there and she was accused of theft. Discreet, the turtle acted as if nothing had happened. But at the moment when Zé the Panther wanted to jump on the goat, the elephant that was retreating walked on the turtle that regurgitated two nuts. Accused in turn, the turtle denied and insisted on the guilt of the goat. Frantic, the latter asked Zé the panther to check the paw prints in her field. The lion went around the field on Zé’s orders and came back like an arrow. He said to Zé :
– “Majesty, I only saw the traces of your paws and those of the turtle in the field”
Ze the Panther rushed furiously on the turtle, took it in his mouth and threw it onto a large tree. This is how the beautiful smooth shell that covered it cracked superficially. As for the goat, it was released. As a lesson, Zé asked the turtle to replant his field of colas, monitor it and put it back as it was. And that’s what Kulu did. Once the new field was harvested, Kulu asked Zé for forgiveness. Zé took the most beautiful of the nuts and offered half to Kulu. And that’s how the panther and the turtle became good friends. Since then, it has been said that : “Cola only breaks to seal friendship.”
Source: Tv5Monde Africa