The big tree has fallen

One day, dark clouds descended on the village of Zambodia…..The tree had fallen….It was a gigantic one…..the one that proudly stood at the heart of the village and towered above other trees as it defiantly soared into the clear blue skies…..

Each day that went by…..the villagers of Zambodia flocked to the tree enmass…..for it provided not only shelter…..Every treasure one would think of to please body and soul….. exotic fruits, natural honey, mouth-watering caterpillars and a variety of game, hard wood, herbs, the tree was the source. For quite some 7 donkey years, the tree was the bloodline of the village.

Alas! The big tree was so trusting that it was blinded to the shoddy characters surrounding it……these came in different shades and hues – draculas, hyenas, serpents, jackals and vultures!

Whenever the big tree released resources for the benefit of the village, the draculas, hyenas, serpents, jackals and vultures deposited the bulk of it in their pockets and apportioned a pittance to the villagers.

As the years went by, the tree was sapped of its energy……it could barely stand. However, even as it dawned upon the draculas, hyenas, serpents, jackals and vultures that the tree was well past its shelf life, they kept egging it on and propping it up for obvious reasons – sucking it dry and eating its fruit! This became a daily routine; it didn’t matter what time of the day – morning, afternoon or evening!

As the day replaced the night, and vice versa though….it became as clear as glass the tree could hardly stand. Time was fast running out.

One quite evening as the villagers tried to compete with the dead, the usual suspects – draculas, hyenas, serpents, jackals and vultures gathered around the tree. They emitted guttural sounds hitherto unheard of in the village that echoed into the night for miles and miles on end. As some draculas, hyenas, serpents, jackals and vultures performed a macabre dance around the big tree, others prostrated themselves flat on the ground and rolled till eternity….

The big tree had fallen……the draculas, hyenas, serpents, jackals and vultures didn’t want anyone near the big tree – including the village headman; for it was said there was more treasure hidden under the big tree…..

As the village headman decreed that the tree must be prepared and taken away where other similar trees are concealed within 7 days, the draculas, hyenas, serpents, jackals and vultures were obviously livid! They immediately issued warnings that no one should dare stray anywhere near the big tree as the villagers of Zambodia watched in utter shock and disbelief….

Prince Bill M Kaping’a
Political/Social Analyst