Chapter 1
The Death OF The Farmer
Once upon a time in Malala village, Northern Zambia, there lived a farmer who owned a lot of domestic animals. This farmer 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 would store groundnuts, maize and other crops. But in that farmland, there lived a mouse which used to eat his groundnuts. So, the farmer decided to put a mousetrap on the path that the mouse used to pass. When the mouse discovered the mousetrap, he went to notify the other domestic animals so that they could help him remove the mousetrap.
At first the mouse approached the chickens and said, “Chickens we are in trouble! The farmer has decided to put a mousetrap on my path to catch me. What the farmer has done is very wrong because he should have respected my right to eat his groundnuts. Don’t you think so? I am therefore requesting you to go and push the mousetrap out of my way by using your feet since you are much bigger than me.”
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 even ashamed of yourself by saying we are in trouble! The farmer is right in 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 learnt to find food for ourselves. Why can’t you do the same? We won’t push the mouse trap from your path, just leave us at once.”
The Mouse replied back, “Although you have refused my request, you will remember me one day, because my problem is equally your problem just as your problem might be my problem too. Please don’t blame me whatever happens next.”
The Cock answered, “Mouse, we chickens are self-reliant animals. So we don’t expect any problems from you or the farmer.”
Then the Mouse went away with sadness in his eyes and approached the cattle and said, “Cattle, please I am requesting you to go and push the mousetrap for me with your feet out of my path which I use when going to the barns of groundnuts. Since yesterday, I have not eaten nor my family.”
The Cattle replied, “You backward and stupid animal. The mousetrap 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 own business.”
The Mouse replied sadly, “Cattle, today you are able to boast 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 that once the problem gets worse you will be affected as well.”
The Cattle replied, “Mouse, when things get tough, you must use your brain by coming up with other means to sustain yourself with. We are not even interested in knowing whatever will happen to you.”
The mouse with a gloomy face went to the goats, “Goats, I have a problem, the farmer has put a mousetrap on my path. Therefore, I am requesting you to remove it out of my path. You can just go there and set it off with your feet, and my problem will be over.”
The Goats replied, “Why bother us with your problem, just go and deal with it yourself. We are not ready to stop eating millet. Therefore just look for another way of pushing the trap from your path.”
The Mouse replied, “Don’t come crying to me when things go bad for you, my problem is equally your problem, just as your problem might be my problem too. You will remember these words I have spoken.”
The Goats replied, “If you have failed to live on this farm, the best you can do is to leave. Go to another farm. Mouse, we also have problems of our own. You don’t see us coming to you for help. Therefore the problem of removing the mousetrap from your path is squarely yours and not ours.”
The mouse went away to the Sheep and said, “Sheep, I am dying of hunger with my family because the farmer has infringed upon my rights, by placing a mousetrap 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 I am requesting you to help me by removing the mousetrap out of my path 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 mousetrap or not, because if I am caught removing the mousetrap, I will be killed at once. This will lead to the suffering of my lambs. So my advice is that you look for a stick and pick the mousetrap with it. It will set off the mousetrap. This will be the end of your problems.”
The Mouse, “Please Sheep, look at my stature, what kind of stick can I carry to help me set off the mousetrap? Sheep learn to solve issues once there are still small because once they become big, they will engulf even the innocent animals. Remember my problem is your problem, just as your problem might be my problem too. Once this issue bursts into a big problem, you should not complain, because you have accepted it.”
The 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 another way yourself.”
Then the mouse approached the pigs, “Pigs, I need your help in removing the mousetrap out of my way. I am very hungry; I can’t even hold anything in my hands.”
The Pig answered, “I am afraid, man is a clever and dangerous animal. No wonder he has been 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 path, I will be in great problems.”
The Mouse replied, “Pig remember to solve problems when there are small, because smaller problems if not solved quickly, they may turn into big problems. Last but not the least; my problem is equally your problem.”
The Pig, “Mouse, you are a liar, how can you shift your problem to the pigs which do not belong 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 mousetrap out of my way.”
The Ducks, “Mouse, since when have we approached you with our problems? Just use your common sense and remove the mousetrap from your path otherwise you will die from hunger. Remember, time wasted never gained. 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. ”
The Mouse, “Ducks, you will remember my words, my problem could be your problem, your problem might be my problem too.”
The Ducks, “Just mind your business we are not mice.”