Once upon a time
There lived a successful horse in an impoverished jungle
Horse was a farmer whose sweats
…had watered his farms for years
He tired not in tilling, ploughing and planting
And complained not in weeding, protecting and harvesting his crops
His success drew many animals to him
He was the most praised and loved animal
…in many jungles
II
Many animals stooged to Horse for freebies
Others revered and worked for him to expand his farms
Whereas many were jealous of him,
Sloth’s jealousy surpassed them all
He told his neighbors
“I live in a better jungle
There are many arable lands
The rivers are kind to our lands
And the seasons favour us
I will farm and get better yields than that Horse”
III
Sloth got the chief of his jungle
…Lion
To give him hundred plots of land
Promising to make the Lion Jungle more famous
…and richer than the Horse’s
Lion, knowing Sloth, added a clause:
“Should you fail in this quest
You will be killed to pacify the jungle
To serve as deterrent to others
…who might have deceptive intentions”
Sloth agreed
IV
Sloth began his farm with determination
…never before seen in Lion Jungle
And got many animals to help him
But after the ploughing and planting
He began to complain of inadequate sleep
And sore joints
He slept most days and nights
Even as weeds overtook his farm
Some of the animals told him about the weeds
…destroying his farms
But he kept insisting
“The initial hardwork will suffice
I am no sky to give rain nor sunshine
Neither am I air to feed pores on my plants”
Pests followed the scent of his farm
…and settled on it
V
After four months
Sloth called harvesters to his farm
Inviting eyes of the jungle to come see
…how well his farm had become
When they got there
The farm had turned into a forest of weeds
…and thorns
Manned by pests
Lion King got furious
And tore Sloth into pieces
Only sparing his family because they had fled
…after ploughing
Citing body pains and sore joints
That is why promises made out of jealousy
…only need ears of four walls
Amoafowaa Sefa Cecilia © November 2, 2020
Mum Cee 