The hungry ant and the big bean

The adventurous journey

       Although I was scared when I began the journey, I became so confident in myself. I believed that no matter what happens on the journey, I shall return with a good result. I asked the spirit of my 'dead' family to be with me.

Still scared, I thought of something to allay my fears with. My mum once told me that whenever I was alone and wanted to overcome my loneliness and fear that I should start whistling. I tried applying that ideology in this situation. I still may be afraid so for that, I whistled my mum's favorite tune and I felt brave for that moment. It might have been not because the trick worked but because it made me remember my mother. And so, I kept moving, and I passed many hilly places and bushy places. I hoped to get to the village square. And I was going to get there despite the fact that I was slow and had a long way to go.

I have not gone far when a hawk that has been flying around above me just landed in front of me. I looked at it from head to toe. It had a very beautiful face and well built stature. I remembered my mum's superstitious belief that looking totally into the face of a very beautiful stranger caused bad luck but I couldn't help admiring this hawk. I saw it as an ordinary belief but somehow, I began to believe her. That moment, the hawk bent it's head closer and opened it's sharp, scary beak as if to eat me. Oh my God! I ran for my life . I was so scared as I felt running was no point because it was faster than I. So, I had to hide for the main time. I hid behind a heap of sand and the hawk could not see me anymore and it flew away back into the sky. I felt relieved.

I came out pondering on what just happened and compared it to my mum's superstitious belief. She might be right but I still doubted her. How will I see some one so beautiful and avoid admiring him/her simply because he/she is a stranger? Maybe the Hawk's incident was just a coincidence. I forgot about it and moved ahead.

I kept wondering when I would ever reach the village square. Already I could hear some noise from my Belly as a result of hunger. It was as if I would collapse that very moment. I was then walking like an intoxicated ant. I walked unconsciously. However, I came back to my senses when I saw a huge dog running towards me. Every step that it took was so menacing as if it could break down rocks. It's eyes were so huge that I wondered if they saw me. I had to stop moving and pretended to be dead. But I realized that it actually did not see me. It just passed me and I was lucky that it didn't March me accidentally. In a short while, it was miles away and I wished I was that fast. I could've reached the village square. But, I felt lucky that it didn't see me. Then, I heard another foot steps this time coming from a man who held a g*n in his hand. He was running as if to meet up with the dog that just passed. I imagined him pulling the trigger and my tiny body blasting away. But just like the dog, he just passed me. As he ran forth shouting, "Bingo! Bingo!!" I knew he was a hunter going hunting with his dog. Now, I held my heart in the palm of my hand as I knew not what would be the next thing to meet me. This journey was a very dangerous and a tiresome journey.

I was walking with great fear and that seemed to weaken me the more. It was as if anything could attack me, even an angel. That moment, I felt dehydrated and began to stagger weakly. I suddenly slumped and closed my eyes. I remembered seeing a wasp that was flying towards me before closing my eyes. I left myself to fate as I already believed that I was going to die. I thought it would eat me up. Then, the coolest hands ever tapped my back and I opened my eyes. The wasp was a girl and she had a very beautiful face. This time, I was too tired to remember mum's superstitious belief.

She spoke nicely, "hey, little ant, are you alright?" I told her, "I'm very thirsty that I can not move." She said, "you are very close to the spring. Let me take you there so you can have a drink." She lifted my arm and placed it across her shoulder and she helped me up and this enabled me to Walk towards the spring. As we reached there, she dropped me at the foot of the spring and said, "happy drinking. Goodbye." I replied, "thank you very much." I stared at her as she flew away. I wished I would see her again.

                             Just as I was about to step on the spring, my mum's superstitious belief Came back to my head and my heart flew. I had not only looked into the face of the beautiful stranger. I also spoke with her and she led me to this spring and I was about to step on it. What would be my own bad luck? I began to wonder what she meant by, "happy drinking." Was it an invitation to face my doom? Was she sincerely wishing me well or was she laughing at my upcoming fate? I was scared of the bad luck that would befall me. Maybe, if I entered the spring, I would be devoured by hungry crocodiles or I would drown as easy as it is to eat. But, I put the foolish belief aside and considered my fore-predicament. Would I because I looked at a beautiful stranger die of dehydration? After all, the stranger's kindness would not mean bad luck for me. I encouraged myself and jumped into the spring and I drank a good quantity of water. Then, I felt renewed. A new aura of strength arose in me. 

That moment, I heard the village Bell sound, "Gbom! Gbom!!" Then, I realized that I was close to the village square where I would find food. Right that moment, I heard the villagers'rhyming singing voices chanting good songs and I felt like dancing there in the spring. But I had to get up and get there.