The
Spider in the Honey Tree
There
was once a young girl from a village far way who had a special talent
for finding the very best foods in the bush. Her oranges were just a
little sweeter, her plums just a little larger, and her bananas had
just a little more flavor. Everyone wondered where she located such
delicious fruits. But, nobody ever asked the girl about her secrets of
the bush. That is, nobody asked her after they heard the story about
Spider and this young girl.
One day Spider asked this young
girl to help him look for food. He was too lazy to work for himself and
was sure he could trick this girl into sharing her secrets. He didn't
know how clever this girl could be.
"Little girl, nobody
finds fruits as sweet as yours," cooed the spider. "Will you please
take me with you when you go looking in the bush?"
"I've never done that before," replied the girl.
"It would mean so much if you could do it one time," pleaded Spider.
"Well, I suppose I can do it just once," agreed the girl. "Do you
promise to keep my secrets?"
"You can trust me," promised the lazy spider.
"What do you like to eat?"
"Well, I like plums and bananas, of course, but I especially love
honey."
"I think I can help you," grinned the girl.
Spider couldn't believe his luck.
The
girl lead Spider along the path into the bush. She took him down trails
into areas where people rarely ever go. Spider grinned because he knew
he was about to learn her secret places for finding the very best food.
After learning this, he would never again have to work hard for good
food.
"This plum tree," explained the girl, "does not have
much fruit so most people ignore it, but its plums are the sweetest
ones in all of the bush."
Now Spider was just as greedy as he
was lazy. As soon as the young girl showed him the secret plums, his
eyes became wide and his mouth began to water. Then, Spider shoved the
little girl into the bushes. He rushed past her and climbed up into the
tree. Then, he ate every single one of the plums. He didn't even leave
one plum for the little girl. And, he didn't even say thank you!
After
his feast, Spider rubbed his very full belly and thought, "This is the
best day of my life! What a great idea! I can't believe she showed me
where her plums are found. I wonder if she will take me to any bananas?
She must be very foolish."
Spider looked down at the girl with his biggest smile and she asked
politely, "Do you want any of my special bananas?"
He raced down out of the tree before the girl could change her mind.
The
girl continued down the path showing Spider her secrets of the bush.
They walked further down the trail into areas where people rarely ever
go. "Over here is a small patch of the very best bananas," declared the
young girl. Again, as soon as Spider learned the secret, his eyes
became wide and his mouth began to water. Again, he shoved the little
girl into the bushes. He rushed past her and climbed the banana plants.
He ate every single one of the ripe bananas. Again, he left the young
girl with nothing -- not even one banana. And once again, he didn't
even say thank you!
His belly was so full, but Spider was not
satisfied. He wanted to learn more of the secret places of the bush. He
thought to himself, "This girl is really foolish. But, as long as she
guides me, I will continue to eat all of her food."
Again,
Spider looked down at the little girl and smiled. Once again, the young
girl looked up at Spider and politely asked, "Are you too full or would
you like to find some honey?"
One more time, Spider rushed out of the tree and followed the girl down
the trail before she had a chance to change her mind.
The
young girl guided Spider deeper and deeper into the bush where people
rarely ever go. "Over here," she instructed, "is a very special tree.
Deep inside a small hole is the most delicious honey in all of the
bush."
Now this girl was not nearly as foolish as Spider
thought. She had a plan to teach this greedy spider a lesson. She
remembered that Spider loved honey and was not surprised at all when
his eyes became wide and his mouth started to water. She also wasn't
surprised when he shoved her into the bushes, ran past her, climbed up
the tree, and squeezed into the hole. Again, he ate all of the sweet
golden honey, sharing nothing with the young girl. He didn't even share
one drop. And once again, he didn't even say thank you.
When
Spider had eaten his fill, he tried to climb out of the tree but he
couldn't get out the hole. His stomach had grown too large. He was
stuck!
"Help me, young girl," cried the spider. "I cannot get out of the
tree!"
"You wouldn't be stuck if you hadn't been so selfish," scolded the
girl.
"I'm sorry for what I did! Please call for help," cried Spider.
"I am not as foolish as you think. You aren't sorry for what you did.
You are only sorry you are caught in the tree."
"No,
you're wrong," lied the spider but in his heart he knew she was right.
He had enjoyed every minute, every bite of food, as long as he thought
he was tricking the young girl. He never expected his idea to turn into
such a problem for him. "Please call for help! I am trapped!"
Finally,
a smile crossed over the little girl's face and she said she would do
as the spider asked. She cried for help -- as softly as she could,
"Help! Help! The foolish spider is caught inside the honey tree. Help!
Somebody come and help this greedy spider!" Of course, nobody could
hear her whispers for help. And, nobody could hear Spider's cries from
deep inside the tree. They were too far into the bush where people
rarely ever go.
Finally, the little girl looked up at Spider
with a clever grin. "Good bye, Spider, I am going to get some huge
oranges for my family. If you want to eat some, just follow me there."
She waved to him as she left to go down the trail.
A folktale of Liberia collected by Peace Corps volunteer Philip Martin