They say that in ancient times all the animals in the forest did not allow the frog to pass because it did not have a tail. The frog was offended by the animals and went to the god Nyama to ask for a tail.
The sky god listened to the frog, thought and said:
“I have a well where the water never runs out.” I need a watchman for this well. If you agree to become a watchman, you will get a tail.
“Okay, I’ll keep watch, just give me the tail.” Nyama gave the frog a tail and sent it to the well:
- Get down to business! Keep the well clean so that every traveler can quench their thirst.
The frog went to the well and settled in it.
She was very proud of her tail and her new position.
But one day a drought began. There had been no rain for a long time, and the wells had all dried up. Only one well in Nyama had water. At this point the frog became completely self-important and became arrogant and simply stupid.
When there was no water anywhere, the animals went to Nyama and asked him for water. He sent them to his well, which never dried up.
The buffalo came first to drink. The frog heard that the buffalo was coming and croaked:
—Who goes to muddy the water in Nyama’s well?
“It’s me, the buffalo,” the buffalo answered. The frog responds:
- Get out of here! No water for you! The well has dried up.
The buffalo left without getting drunk.
Then a sheep approached the well, and the frog croaked again:
—Who goes to muddy the water in Nyama’s well? The sheep replied:
- It's me, the sheep.
And the frog screamed:
- Get out of here! No water for you! The well has dried up.
The sheep also left, languishing with thirst.
One after another, a gazelle, a wild boar, a cow and an elephant approached Nyama’s well, and the frog drove them all away:
- Get out! There is no water here! The well has dried up. Finally, everyone in the area became unbearable. When Nyama heard a rumor that his subjects were dying of thirst, he himself went to the well to see what was happening there.
Hearing his steps, the frog croaked:
—Who goes to muddy the water in Nyama’s well? Nyama said sternly:
- It's me, Nyama!
But the frog, out of habit, croaked in response:
- Get away! There is no water here! The well has dried up.
Hearing such words, Nyama became terribly angry. He grabbed the frog by the tail and tore it off. And he drove the frog away.
And the frog was left without a tail.
Now she looks for water everywhere and lives near the water, remembering her best days when she guarded Nyama’s well.
But Nyama constantly reminds the frog how much grief she has caused everyone: frogs are born with a tail, but when they grow up a little, Nyama takes the tail away from them.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru