10/40 Window Stories
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Tales from Africa
How the Crocodile Got its Knobbly Textured Skin...
The crocodile originally had a smooth golden skin, and it stayed that way because the crocodile would spend all day in the muddy waters and only come out at night. All the other animals would come and admire its beautiful golden skin.
The crocodile became very proud of its skin and started coming out of the water to bask in the other animals' admiration, even while the sun was shining. He began thinking he was better than the other animals and started bossing them around.
The other animals became bored with his change in attitude and fewer and fewer started showing up to look at his skin. But each day that the crocodile exposed his skin to the sun it would get uglier and bumpier and thicker, and was soon transformed into what looked like bulging armor.
Crocodile never recovered from the humiliating shame and even today will disappear from view when others approach, with only his eyes and nostrils above the surface of the water.
Author Unknown
Why Turtles Live In Water
A Tale from West Africa
Turtles used to live on the land, they say, until the time a clever turtle was caught by some hunters. They brought him to their village and placed the turtle before the Chief, who said, "How shall we cook him?"
"You'll have to kill me first," said the turtle, "and take me out of this shell."
"We'll break your shell with sticks," they said.
"That'll never work," said the turtle, "Why don't you throw me in the water and drown me?!"
"Excellent idea," said the Chief. They took the turtle to the river and threw him into the water to drown him.
They were congratulating themselves on their success in drowning the turtle, when two little green eyes poked up in the water and the laughing turtle said, "Don't get those cooking pots out too fast, foolish people! As he swam away he said, "I think I'll spend most of my time from now on, safely in the water."
It has been that way ever since!
The Grasshopper and the Toad...
Grasshopper and Toad appeared to be good friends. People always saw them together. Yet they had never dined at each other's houses. One day Toad said to Grasshopper, "Dear friend, tomorrow come and dine at my house. My wife and I will prepare a special meal. We will eat it together."
The next day Grasshopper arrived at Toad's house. Before sitting down to eat, Toad washed his forelegs, and invited Grasshopper to do the same. Grasshopper did so, and it made a loud noise.
"Friend Grasshopper, can't you leave your chirping behind. I cannot eat with such a noise," said Toad.
Grasshopper tried to eat without rubbing his forelegs together, but it was impossible. Each time he gave a chirp, Toad complained and asked him to be quiet. Grasshopper was angry and could not eat. Finally, he said to Toad: "I invite you to my house for dinner, tomorrow."
The next day, Toad arrived at Grasshopper's home. As soon as the meal was ready, Grasshopper washed his forelegs, and invited Toad to do the same. Toad did so, and then hopped toward the food.
"You had better go back and wash again," said Grasshopper. "All that hopping in the dirt has made your forelegs dirty again."
Toad hopped back to the water jar, washed again, then hopped back to the table, and was ready to reach out for some food from one of the platters when Grasshopper stopped him: "Please don’t put your dirty paws into the food. Go and wash them again."
Toad was furious. "You just don't want me to eat with you!" he cried. "You know very well that I must use my paws and forelegs in hopping about. I cannot help it if they get a bit dirty between the water jar and the table."
Grasshopper responded, "You are the one who started it yesterday. You know I cannot rub my forelegs together without making a noise."
From then on, they were no longer friends.
Moral: If you wish to have true friendship with someone, learn to accept each other's faults, as well as each other's good qualities.
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The Snake and the Frog...
Some time ago in the African rainforest a baby snake set out to play. As he slithered away his mother chanted words of caution:
"Watch out young son,
For things with claws,
For things with a beak,
For things with strong jaws."
"Claws, beak, jaws. Claws, beak, jaws," Snake Baby replied.
At the same time baby frog set out to play. As he slithered away his mother chanted words of caution:
"Watch out for the hiss,
Watch out for the coil,
Watch out for the squeeze,
They will cause turmoil."
"Hiss, coil, squeeze. Hiss, coil, squeeze," Frog Baby replied.
Baby snake and Baby frog met in the rainforest and played the day away. What good games they played! First they played Leap Frog. Then they played Hide and Hug.
That night Frog Baby told Frog Mama about his fun and the games he played.
"No, no, Frog Baby! Hide and Hug is not a game for you. It is the game of the hiss, coil, and squeeze. Promise you will never play with him again."
Also that night Snake Baby told Snake Mama about his fun and the games he played.
"No, no, Snake Baby! Hide and Hug is not a game for you. Hide and Hug is what you must do. This is the way you get your meals! Promise me you will hiss, coil, and squeeze. It will feel so good and then your belly will become full."
The next day as Frog Baby set out he fearfully recited his words of caution, "Hiss, coil, and squeeze." But as Snake Baby set out his tongue lashed out as he happily sang, "Hiss, coil, and squeeze. Makes a meal for me."
Now we know why frog and snake won't be found playing games together; it is against their nature.
