When animals appeared on earth, they were much larger than they are now. In those days it was the iguana that was poisonous, not the snake.
The largest species of iguana - Mangun-gali, which even now has over one and a half meters from tongue to tail, because of its poison, struck terror into all the inhabitants of the earth.
His favorite food was the meat of the Daen, which he killed in large numbers. He caused such devastation among them that at last all the tribes gathered in council to discuss how best to put an end to the general extermination.
The meeting was already coming to an end, and the tribes could not come up with a plan to save their Daen relatives.
When they were already leaving, Uyu-bu-lui - the black snake - came to the watering hole and asked what they were talking about. Dinevan-emu told him that Mangun-gali was so merciless towards the Daens that their entire race would soon be exterminated.
Bora Kangaroo said:
“Many of us are as strong as Mangun-gali, and even stronger, but we cannot fight him. He will kill us with poison, which he carries in a secret bag, and we will die like our Daen relatives. Some of us have relatives among the Daen, and we don't want to see them all killed. But we don’t know how to stop the extermination.
- I also have relatives among the Daen. They must be saved,” said Uyu-bu-lui.
- But how? - asked the others. “After all, we are almost all their relatives.”
“After all, Mangun-gali himself is both their and my relative,” said Mudei the possum. “However, this does not prevent him from killing them.” He kills everyone without distinction.
“I tell you that I will save the Daens from Mangun-gali,” said Uyu-bu-lui.
- But how? - everyone asked in unison.
“I won’t tell this to anyone.” I will have a poisonous bag of Mangun-gali before the Yi sun retires tomorrow.
“If you fight him, the sun of Yi will not have time to hide behind this group of eucalyptus trees before you will lie dead from the poison that Mangun-gali carries.”
- Am I talking about fighting? Is there no other means to achieve the goal other than struggle? I won't fight him and I'll stay alive. Mangun-gali won't kill me.
With these words, Uyu-bu-lui crawled away between the trees surrounding the pond where the tribes had gathered. He knew that only cunning would lead to victory, because Mangun-gali was larger and stronger than him, heard better and moved faster. In addition, he had a bag of poison. True, Uyu-bu-lui had one advantage: Mangun-gali had not known defeat for so long that he could become carefree and less suspicious.
Uyu-bu-lui decided to act this way. He will wait until Mangun-gali is satisfied with his favorite food. Then he will follow him until he goes to bed after the feast. It was supposed to happen the next day.
Having thought about all this, Uyu-bu-lui headed to the Mangun-gali camp and went to bed here. The next morning he saw Mangun-gali go hunting. He followed him at some distance and saw how he suddenly attacked three Daen, killed them and ate the tidbits, taking the rest of the meat with him. Uyu-bu-lui went after him and saw how he ate some more, lay down and fell asleep.
“This is an opportune moment,” thought Uyu-bu-lui, creeping into the Mangun-gali camp. He prepared to raise his bundi club to crush Mangun-gali's skull, but thought: “First I must find out where he stores and how he uses the poison. And when I have this poison, all the tribes will fear me as much as they fear him.” He sat down and began to wait for Mangun-gali to wake up. He did not have to wait long; Mangun-gali slept restlessly. Feeling that someone was near him, he woke up and looked around. Not far away he saw Uyu-bu-lui. When Mangun-gali rushed towards him, Uyu-bu-lui exclaimed:
- Wait! If you kill me, you will not know anything about the plot that the tribes are plotting against you.
- What conspiracy? What can the tribes do to me? Have I not killed many of the largest tribe in order to fear others?
“If you knew their plot, you wouldn’t need to be afraid of them.” But now your life is in danger.
“Then tell me about this plot.”
“I was going to do this, but you wanted to kill me, although I did not harm you.” Why should I save your life?
“If you don’t tell me about him, I’ll kill you.”
“Then you yourself will be killed, since the other will not warn you.”
“Tell me about the conspiracy, and I will spare your life and the lives of the people of your kind.”
- How do I know that you will keep your word? You promise a lot, but will you keep your promise?
“Ask whatever you want, and I will give you everything, as long as you believe me.”
“Then let me hold your bag of poison.” Only then will I feel safe. Only then will I tell you what was planned at the reservoir where the tribes gather. Everyone said that the Daens would be saved and your end was inevitable. This will happen if you do not find out the details of their plans.
Mangun-gali said, let Uyu-bu-lui ask for any other thing, but he will not give his bag of poison to anyone.
- Oh so! You asked me to name what I want. I did it. But you don't give me what I want. Well then. Let you have a bag of poison, and I have the secret of a conspiracy.” And the snake pretended that it was going to crawl away.
- Wait! - cried Mangun-gali, deciding to find out about the conspiracy at all costs.
“Then let me hold the bag of poison.” In vain Mangun-gali tried to convince Uyu-bu-lui
name other conditions - he had to agree. He took out a bag of poison from his mouth, but tried to intimidate Uyu-bu-lui:
- Touching the bag will poison someone who does not know how to handle it. I will put it next to me while you talk about the conspiracy.
-You don't want to do what I ask. I’ll leave,” and Uyu-bu-lui moved away.
- No no! - exclaimed Mangun-gali. - Here, take it.
Taking on an indifferent look, Uyu-bu-lui took the bag and went with it to his previous place at the edge of the camp.
- Now tell me quickly about the conspiracy! - exclaimed Mangun-gali.
“Here he is,” said Uyu-bu-lui and stuffed the bag of poison into his mouth. “Here he is.” Someone had to take this bag from you so you couldn't hurt the Daen anymore. I vowed to do this before Sun Yi went to rest tonight. I could not and did not try to do this by force. I used cunning, and the cunning achieved its goal. Now I will go and tell the tribes about this.
Before Mangun-gali realized how he had been deceived, Uyu-bu-lui disappeared.
Mangun-gali rushed after him, but before that he had eaten so much that he caught up with Uyu-bu-lui only when he had already told the tribes what he had done.
“Give us the bag of poison so we can destroy it,” the Daens told him.
“No,” objected Uyu-bu-lui, “none of you will get it.” It belongs only to me, and I will keep it.
“Then you will never live in our camp.”
“I will come to your camps whenever I want.”
- We will kill you, you are not as strong as Mangun-gali.
- But I have a bag of poison. Whoever interferes with me will die. And Uyu-bu-lui left, taking a bag of poison. And Mangun-gali began to tell the tribes about how he had been deceived.
Since then, not iguanas, but snakes have become poisonous, and there is constant enmity between them; when they meet, they always fight. But even with a poisonous bag, snakes cannot harm iguanas. Mangun-gali was a great virinun and knew a plant that neutralized poison. As soon as the snake bites the iguana, it runs to this plant, eats it and escapes from the harmful effects of the bite. This antidote is the secret of the iguana genus. It was left to the clan of Mangun-gali, who lost his poisonous bag due to the cunning of the black snake Uyu-bu-lui.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru