The Mouse the Frog and the Snake in the Story by Chisi Gilbert - HTML preview

The Mouse The Frog And The Snake In The Story

 

 

Once upon a time in malala village there used to live a farmer who owned a lot of domestic animals. This village headman used to cultivate a lot of crops in his fields. One day after harvesting his crops from the fields he decided to build new barns where he stored groundnuts, Maize and other crops. But in that farmland there lived a mouse which used to eat groundnuts. So, the farmer decided to put a mouse trap in the Path the mouse used. When the mouse discovered the mouse trap he went to notify other domestic animals so that they can help remove the mouse trap. At first the mouse approached the chickens and said, “Chickens we are in trouble! The farmer has decided to put a mouse trap in my path to catch me. What the farmer has done is wrong because he should have respected my rights of eating his groundnuts. Don’t you think so? Iam therefore requesting you to go and push the mouse trap out of my way by using your feet since you are much bigger than me.” Then the chickens replied, “Mouse, What has gone wrong with you in your head? Do you think mice traps are for chickens? Mouse are you not ashamed of yourself by saying we are in trouble! The farmer is right by protecting his groundnuts from you the thief; just stop stealing because what you are doing is not right. You should go in the bush so that you are able to find food for yourself. As for us chickens even though we are being domesticated by the farmer we have learned to find food for ourselves. Why can’t you do the same? We won’t push the mouse trap from your path and just leave us at once.”

 The Mouse Replied back, “Although you have refused you will remember me at last because my problem is equally your problem just as your problem might be my problem too. Please don’t blame me whatever comes afterwards.”

The cock Answered, “Mouse we chickens are self reliant animals so we don’t expect any problem whatever happens to you the thief.” Then The Mouse with sadness went and approached the cattle and said, “Cattle, please Iam requesting you to go and push the mouse trap with your feet out of my path which I use when going to the barns of groundnuts. Since yesterday I never ate my supper; my family is suffering too.”

 The cattle replied, “You backward small animal the mice trap is meant for mice and not cattle. What’s the problem with you mouse? That is being crazy. Since when has cattle been in friendship with you mice just go and mind your business.”

The Mouse replied sadly, “Cattle, today you are able to boast yourselves just because you haven’t seen the outcome of this huge problem. Anyway my last words to you are that my problem is your problem just as your problem is my problem too. Please remember once the problem gets worse you will be affected as well.”

Cattle replied, “Mouse, when things gets tough you must use your brain by coming up with other ideas to sustain yourself with something else. We are not even interested in remembering whatever happens to you.”

The mouse with a gloomy face went to the goats, “goats I have a problem in which the farmer who owns this farm has put a mouse trap in my path. Therefore Iam requesting you to remove it out of my way, you can just go there and bump into it with your feet the problem will be over.”

The goats replied, “Why bother us with your problem just mind your business. We are not ready to stop eating millet therefore just look for another means of pushing the trap from your way.”

The Mouse Replied, “Don’t cry when things get tough, my problem is your problem just as your problem might be my problem too. You will remember me when the words I have spoken come true.”

Goats Replied, “If you have failed to live on this farm, the best way is leave this place by going to another farm. Mouse we also have problems of our on but we don’t come to request for your help therefore the problem of removing the mouse trap from your path is squarely yours and not ours.”

Then The Mouse went to the sheep and said, “Sheep Iam dying of hunger with my family because the farmer has infringed on my rights by placing a mouse trap on the path I use to go to the barns where I get my food specifically his groundnuts. As you know very well that we mice depend on groundnuts for our survival; Therefore Iam requesting you to help me by removing the mouse trap out of my way by kicking it with your feet.”

The sheep answered, “Your request is genuine I understand it but the problem is that I don’t know whether there’s someone watching over the mouse trap or not because if Iam discovered removing the trap I will be killed at once which will be the suffering of my lambs. So my advice is that you look for a stick and push it in the trap and that will set off the mouse trap which will be the end of your problems.”

Mouse, “Please sheep look at my stature, what kind of stick can I carry to help me set of the mouse trap? Sheep, learn to solve issues once there still small because once they become big problems, they will engulf even the innocent animals. Remember my problem is your problem; your problem might be my problem too. Once this issue bursts into a big problem you should not worry because you have accepted it.”

Sheep, “Mouse we have got a lot of things to do as well therefore we don’t want other added responsibilities from mice. If you have failed to heed to the advice we have given you then look for yourself.”

Then the mouse approached the pigs, “Pigs I hope you will help me remove the mouse trap out of my way. Iam very hungry I can’t hold anything in my hand.”

The Pig answered, “Iam afraid, man is a clever animal no wonder he is able to tame different animals on this farm. Man has always wanted to kill me for his relish because I have become too fat therefore if he finds me removing the trap out of your way I will be in great problems.”

Mouse replied, “Remember pig to solve problems when there are small, because smaller problem if not solved quickly they turn into big problems. Last but not the least; remember my problem will be your problem.”

Pig, “Mouse you are a liar, how can you shift your problem to the pigs which do not belonged to the family of mice? We have nothing to do with you just go to your family.”

Then the mouse went to the ducks and said, “Ducks I have a problem in which I want you to remove the mouse trap out of my way.”

The Ducks, “Mouse since when have we approached you with our problems? Just use your common sense and remove the mouse trap from your path otherwise you will die with hunger Remember time wasted never returns, I have seen you begging different domestic animals for help, but if you had used your common sense by now you would have solved your problem. I can see that you are shivering with hunger slow thinker, just do something yourself before you die.”

Mouse, “Ducks, you will remember my word in which Iam saying my problem is your problem, your problem might be my problem too.”

Ducks, “Just mind your business we are not mice.”

 

The Quarrel Between The Snake And The Frog:

 

In the evening on the edge of the forest the quarrel arose between the snake and the frog in which the snake accused the frog of having a not caring attitude towards the snake family. So the snake asked, “Frog where were you when my eggs got burnt by the bush fires? When you saw the bush fire coming toward my eggs you couldn’t push them into the tunnel for safety why? What could have been the problem with you sitting and watching as my eggs got burnt. If you say there was no tunnel then you should have pushed my eggs in the water, for sure they would have hatched into smaller snakes today.”

 The Frog replied, “Where did we sign an agreement of protecting each others eggs? Your eggs are just too many for me to push them in the tunnel or stream. From what happened to your eggs just learn not to be careless by leaving them uncovered or hidden when you know quite well that there are a lot of enemies in this forest beside the bush fires.”

The Snake Replied, “Frog, did you mean Iam careless? Apologize frog for using that word.”

Frog, “Apologizing for what? Iam telling the truth that you are careless that’s why your eggs got burnt by the bush fires.”

The Snake With A Frown on his face, “Mind your language you weak animal of the stream, learn to select the words you use to me okay. I have been protecting you in this forest does that mean Iam stupid?”

Frog, “Protecting who? You stupid animal without legs if you are playing I can cut you into pieces for your misleading statements. When Iam looking for food in the forests do you go with me? I can eat you beginning with your long tail.”

Snake angrily, “Frog whom can you cut the body in pieces? Can you manage to cut my tail into smaller pieces and eat them? Those are insults! Frog you are a nobody animal what you are saying is nonsense just hid my word by protecting my eggs when I am not around. Is that understandable?”

Frog, “snake understanding what? What you are saying is utterly useless In fact you have seen for yourself that when I lay my eggs I hide them in the water safe from wild fires and animals. Don’t shift your blame on me if you know that you are going away you should leave your eggs in the tunnel.” The snake replied, “Let me punish you frog for your unkind words. When I catch you I will swallow you alive, Frog you are a very rude creature I hope you will not forget the wonderful lesson Iam going to teach you in your life. From now on learn to be responsible for other creature’s problems.”

Frog, “Punishing who? I categorically refuse other responsibilities from you and any creatures living in this forest. I think let me repeat my statement that Iam not ready to be your security guard you backward creature.”

Snake, “Frog you have looked down upon me therefore from now on you have become my enemy wherever I meet you there will be trouble.”

Frog, “I don’t mind whatever you say. I will never be a slave to the snake’s family.”

Then the snake started chasing the frog and the frog started jumping as fast as he could and left the snake by two meters and as the frog kept jumping he saw the mouse trap and went near it and then went the other side of the mouse trap and hid in the grass. When the snake came to the mouse trap he decided to pass in the middle while boasting, “Who blocked my path without asking permission from me the great snake? Let me rest for a while as I look for the footprints of the frog.” Then the snake pulled the mouse trap on one side accidentally and the mouse trap fell on the body of the snake with a loud noise bang.

Snake surprisingly, “What is this? Could this be a snake trap for me? Oh Iam still alive inspire passing through the trap, but I must wait and see who did this. I won’t waste time to strike him if it is a human being because they should give respect to other creatures living in the forest; in fact this is exactly what I was telling the frog to be responsible for my family as well. Now by setting traps like this one does this mean human beings care for other creatures? What would have happened if this trap had injured me severely on my head, definitely my snake family would have suffered greatly especially the young ones.   Let me wait a bit as I can hear footsteps of a human being coming towards this place. What has he been doing during the night, this is time for wild creatures to play and find food to eat.”

When the farmer heard the sound of bang he said, “Listen my wife today the mouse which has been eating my groundnuts has been caught in a trap and Iam so glad the mouse is dead now. Let me go and remove the mouse from the trap. This mouse has really been troubling me for a long time.”

The Wife, “My husband I think it’s dark outside, just go tomorrow when its daylight and see whether it’s the mouse in the trap or not. There are a lot of things crawling on the ground beside mice.”

Village headman, “My dear wife Iam extremely excited over the death of this mouse. For sure it is the mouse which has set off the trap and not something else. I have been having sleepless nights imagining how to catch the mouse which has been eating groundnuts in my barns.”

The Wife, “But how will you see the mouse in the trap since we don’t have a torch?”

The farmer, “Don’t worry my dear wife I will simply use an initiative by letting the grass to see the mouse in the trap how big it is.”

The Wife, “I don’t agree with your initiative, you do that on your own risk.”

The Farmer in his heart, “I don’t know why women fear the unknown, I am glad to be a man making bold decisions.”

Since The farmer knew the place very well so he lit the grass to give him light and started going where he had left the mouse trap. Unfortunately as soon as he reached the mouse trap he bumped his feet on the rock and the light went off as he fell on the trap while his hands touched the snake in the mouse trap. Then the snake raised its head and struck the farmer twice beating him on his forehead. The farmer shouted to his wife saying, “Oh my wife, my wife, I have been bitten by a snake. How I wish I had listened to your advice, who knows the medicine for the snake bite. I don’t think I will survive this snake bite goodbye my wife.”

The Wife started crying as she stood at the entrance of her small house, “I told you my husband not to go outside because it was too dark but you refused. If you had listened to my advice you would be alive today. Anyway I will be missing you my lovely husband for the forty years we have been together in our marriage.”

Then that very night the message went round the whole village that the village headman for Malala village has been bitten by a snake in a mouse trap on his farm.

When the villagers gathered for the funeral they said, “This is a funeral of a rich man which needs a lot of domestic animals for relish because other villagers from our nearest villages are on their way coming to this funeral. So, we need to slaughter a bull and a cow, ten chickens, four goats, four sheep, four ducks and two pigs. The only domestic animal which will not be slaughtered is the dog because he is our security guard.”

Then the adviser to the village headman asked, “But what can we do with the cat?”

The brother to the village headman, “the cat is just too thin and ugly to be slaughtered for relish. Just leave it we shall use it for relish once it gets fat.”

Another Villager Asked, “I can see some doves here, they are very good for relish as well.”

The Brother to the Dead man, “Why waste your energy on small birds like the dove when there are cattle, sheep, pigs and so on. Just leave them we shall use them for relish at a later stage.”

Then after slaughtering domestic animals there was drinking of beer, drum beating, singing and dancing. Mourners from within Malala village and mourners from distant villages became excited arguing with each other, the funeral became like a wedding party.

  Then the domestic animals started mourning silently there relatives who had been slaughtered for relish.

 The mouse came silently and said, “Domestic animals learn a great lesson on what has happened to your relatives today. If you had listened to my request by removing the mouse trap out of my way your relatives would have been alive by now. Do you remember when you rejected my request? Who can now dispute my predictions which I used to talk about since my words have been fulfilled? I emphasized the last words which I said my problem is your problem. Domestic animals learn to be responsible for the weak animals in your environment because when troubles occur they affect innocent animals including stronger animals like the cattle, the sheep and so on the way it has happened today. You told me to mind my own business, are you not ashamed of what has taken place today? All you domestic animals are mourning for your relatives isn’t it. The problem hasn’t singled any animals on this farm which is disastrous.”

The Bull, “I think what you said mouse is true, this is a work up call let us have a meeting of domestic animals and see where we went wrong when we argued against your plan. For sure we are reaping for what we planted when we disobeyed your request. Today every domestic animal is feeling a sense of guiltiness to what has taken place.”

The goat, “If our relatives are dead then what is the use of having a meeting? Let us forget about our relatives their dead, let their souls rest in eternal peace.”

The Male Sheep, “I think it’s high time we come together as domestic animals, we should discuss and find out the root cause for the deaths of our relatives at length. Let us make sure this confusion should not repeat itself again.”

Cock, “I will support the suggestion of the bull perhaps as we come together we may find another way of protecting ourselves from the cruelty of human beings, who knows the human beings might be looking for other domestic animals to slaughter. Having said that let us try to find a common agenda how to iron out our problems among domestic animals living on this farm.”

The Pig, “The goat is right we domestic animals can not overcome the wishes of man, since we are tamed animals by man we should only sacrifice ourselves to die any time whenever he wants to kill us.”

The Sheep, “I think you are mad pig, every creature has the right to life. How I wish I had not left the forest to come and stay on this farm, I really made a very big mistake to leave the bush. The wild animals in the forest do not die like the way our relatives have been slaughtered mercilessly.”

The dog, “I think the meeting is okay, because we should talk about responsibilities for every domestic animal living on this farm. Definitely we must learn to support each others rights on this farm.”

The dove, “I will not take part on your meeting after all I was not affected in anyway.”

Cock, “You can remain if you want you coward bird from the bush. By the way who called you lonely bird to our important meeting of suggestions?”

Dove, “From now on I will regard you cock with your family as my worst enemy. You are a very backward bird who can not fly although you have got feathers and wings.”

The cattle, “Let us hurry up by going to the edge of this farm and hold a meeting while the people are busy mourning for the farmer. If the pig and the goat do not attend this meeting it is up to them.”

Then all the domestic animals including the mouse went to the edge of the farm. Then the cattle asked, “Who is the chair leader of this meeting?”

The Cat answered, “Iam ready to chair this meeting and without wasting time Iam requesting the mouse to start the story.”

The goat interrupted, “The mouse should not tell us about the story which has passed away. We don’t want to be reminded about the deaths of our relatives because they died in pain unexpectedly.”

The Sheep, “Chair leader, I think the goat is mad, we have told him to remain at the farm; But he is following us always and speaking negatively. Please goat leaves this place because you have nothing to offer on this meeting.”

Cat The Chair leader, “This issue can only be solved amicably when we know the route cause of it. After all I am not accusing the mouse of anything.”

Then the mouse stood up and said, “My friends domestic animals.”

The sheep interrupted, “Mouse, give respect to the big animals like the cattle, the goats including me remember that we are different in size.”

The cat, “Continue mouse, narrate your story the beginning of the massacre of domestic animals.”

The Mouse, “Dear domestic animals, I was near the mouse trap thinking what method I should use to remove the mouse trap out of my way. Then I saw the frog jumping very fast coming towards the mouse trap. I got scared and hid in the tall grass near the mouse trap then I saw the big snake following the frog at high speed as well. The snake came to the mouse trap entered into it thinking it was a small hut. The snake wanted to rest in the mouse trap. The snake pulled the mouse trap setting it off with a loud noise as it fell on the body leaving the head outside the mouse trap. The owner of the farm wanted to catch the mouse when it was too dark and the light from the grass he was carrying went off after bumping his feet on the rock near the mouse trap. Then the farmer felt his hands touch the snake in the mouse trap. Surprisingly he tried to catch the snake by accident but the snake shook itself and striked the farmer twice on his forehead he cried bitterly and stayed shortly then he died. I was very sorrowful to see an innocent farmer dying for his crop which he had planted I think I will end here unless others would like to contribute something else.”

The Sheep, “Before the chairman comes in, the mouse was wrong because if he had followed my advice of pushing the stick in the mouse trap before the snake arrived at the trap our relatives would have been alive by now.”

Mouse, “Sheep look at my size, which kind of stick can I carry and push it in the mouse trap? A few minutes ago you said I should not refer to you as friends because you are larger than mice.”

Duck, “I have taken a point in what the mouse is saying. It’s not possible for a mouse to disturb the mouse trap with a stick.”

The Bull, “I think the sheep was wrong because he refused to help the mouse push the mouse trap, after all the sheep had a very wonderful idea which he never implemented.”

The sheep, “The cattle is very clever how can I involve myself in this problem? Because before the mouse approached me he presented his problem to the cattle who refused to help him. ”

Cat The Chair leader, “Domestic animals Iam really surprise because the Bull is accusing the sheep of wrongdoing while the sheep is also accusing the cattle of irresponsibility for failing to help the mouse therefore Iam in a dilemma not knowing who is to blame between this two domestic animals.”

Pig, “chairman, I think this issue is a bit complicated but we must not accuse the bull or the sheep because the route causers of this problem is the mouse, the frog and the snake. We have heard from the mouse excluding itself saying the problem was between the frog and the snake. So in my on view let us ask the frog and the snake to be present so that they tell us the route cause of their problem.”

The Bull, “In my on view the mouse, the frog and the snake were wrong and they need to be punished for what they did.”

The Cock, “We have not come to punish anybody here but to find a solution to the problem which has arisen on the farm.”

The Duck, “How can we solve this problem without punishing the culprits.”

Cat The Chair leader, “Why should we involve forest animals among us domestic animals because as far as I know the snake and the frog live in the forest.”

Duck, “Chairman, we won’t solve anything here without this two evil creatures to come and explain how their problem started. The solution to this problem is the presence of this two stupid animals whether we like or not.”

The Pig, “Don’t be rude duck to the frog and the snake. The snake is very dangerous; it may strike you if it hears you.”

The Duck, “Pig, The snake cannot much with me the duck; it’s not possible for the snake to kill me. I am a bird above all the problems.”

The goat, “The snake and the frog were wrong for not solving their problem peacefully on their habitat. Therefore let us try to call them so that we hear the side of their story.”

Cat The Chair leader, “Before we call the snake and the frog I want to know from the mouse why he predicated the coming problem? Mouse did you know anything about the defenses between the snake and the frog?”

The mouse, “Chair leader, you are asking tough questions as if I were there, I never knew anything what transpired in their habitat. What I said was just prediction although what I said came true. In fact I was out of fence watching the enmity between the snake and the frog near the mouse trap as I was trying to come up with an idea how to remove the mouse trap out of my path.”

The Bull, “dog on which side are you. You have been silent for a long time who could be wrong is it the snake, the frog or the mouse.”

The Dog, “The mouse is hundred percent innocent because he was just a spectator what was happening between the snake and the frog. Having said that my only worry is how the cat is looking at the mouse suspiciously. Let me make my self clear if the cat will attempt to attack the mouse then I will likewise attack the cat fiercely. I am predicting already about the confusion which is about to develop among domestic animals.”

The Duck, “Dog, you are not answering the question the way it’s supposed to be answered. Domestic animals need a straight forward answer, who was wrong among the three animals.”

The Dog, “I have stated my clearly by saying the snake and the frog were wrong but the mouse was innocent because he was only watching what was happening between the snake and the frog. In my own view strong or powerful animals should stop oppressing and weak animals; we have heard for ourselves how the snake wanted to suppress the frog when the frog refused a small war begun which has affected us at the farm when the snake later struck our boss the farmer. Lastly, I think the bull can help solve this problem since he is the largest domestic animal where we have gathered here. Therefore I am giving the chair to the bull.”

Cat The Chair leader interrupted, “What is wrong with you dog? Are you not aware that Iam the one on the chair?”

The Dog Answered Rudely, “This position doesn’t fit you cat, it is supposed to be for the bull the largest domestic animal. If you are angry with my words then do whatever pleases you right now.”

Then the frog answered in the grass, “I won’t take part in your meeting because you are domestic animals. I am not a domestic animal so excuse me from your meeting which can not solve anything.”

Then the snake crawled slowly where the frog was hiding and said, “Frog, you thought you are a clever animal isn’t it? I am commanding you to go where the domestic animals are having their meeting. Then after you have explained the origin of our problem I will kill you at once. If you fail to match right now I will pronounce judgment on you instantly, Iam not joking okay.”

The frog with shivering went where the domestic animals were gathering. The domestic animals clapped for the snake for using his wisdom to bring the frog to that important meeting.

Cat The chair leader, “Frog welcome to our important meeting. We domestic animals on this farm you are looking at have gathered here to iron the differences which led to the death of the farmer who used to look after us. Therefore frog tell us if you have a problem with the snake.”

The Frog, “Chair leader, the snake told me that once I explain everything in details then he will kill me instantly. Therefore let the snake tell the beginning of the story.”

Cat The Chair leader, “Welcome snake to our meeting of domestic animals. Actually we have called upon you to help us domestic animals solve our problem which you have already heard from the mouse.”

The Snake, “The problem I had with the frog is similar in which the frog refused to be responsible for the safety of my eggs which got burnt by wile fires. Therefore I wanted to punish the frog that is when I came across the mouse trap without knowing and set off the mouse trap as I was trying to stretch myself. In anger I had to bite the farmer who came to see the mouse in the trap.”

The Bull, “Who should be blamed from what the snake has explained?”

The Sheep, “It’s the snake because nobody has the right to force another animal concerning responsibilities. Beside that why did the snake strike an innocent farmer who was looking for the mouse? To me that sounds strange, the snake should have left the farmer alone while hiding in the mouse trap after all the light had gone off.”

The Snake Interrupted, “I had all the rights to strike the farmer on his forehead because he disturbed me in the mouse trap remember it was in the night.”

The Ducks, “The frog was right to refuse other added responsibilities just as you domestic animals refused to help the mouse to remove the mouse trap out of his way when he requested you to do so.”

The Snake Angrily,”The frog was wrong for disobeying my orders. I pleaded with him to be responsible with my affairs especially on the issue of protecting my eggs whenever I was not around.”

The Duck, “Snake, you have no right to force the frog to protect your eggs whether you are around or not. Therefore you have got the case to answer.”

Cat The Chair leader, “Domestic Animals, how do we solve this problem which is self explanatory. The snake has been found with a case to answer beyond