Story 1: THE GREEDY KING

Chapter 1: THE MAGICAL TREE 

Long ago, in a faraway land animals and humans lived together in peace and harmony but everything changed when the King Rufus ascended the throne.

King Rufus was a greedy and wicked king who thinks that animals has no right to participate in the kingdom affairs, with that thought in mind King Rufus exiled all the animals to live in the forest.

The kingdom reigned in tyranny under King Rufus but the King wasn't as lucky as he thought for he was a mere mortal. He fell sick!

The illness of the king spread far and wide and all were glad.

King Rufus had no heir and by tradition, the king have the power to choose his successor.

King Rufus then announced that whoever he is going to make the king must be strong, powerful and above all, he must be very rich.

The kingdom was in an uproar as everyone tried to best each other and showcase their wealth.

In that same kingdom lived a very poor hunter named Ajebor. Ajebor lived alone in his detached hut and had no family. Every morning he always set out to the forest in hope of catching any meat but today was Ajebor's unlucky day, but was it really unlucky?

On that day, Ajebor, like always arranged his tools he uses for hunting and set out in the morning. Now the animals have long been looking for an opportunity to teach him a lesson for his continuous hunting of them so they decided to lay an ambush for him using two of the most poisonous snake.

Ajebor walked down the path he set his trap on but was surprised to see that he caught nothing today. So he decided to hunt. Unknowingly, due to his resolute nature he walked deeper into the forest expecting to catch some unlucky animal unawares but today he was the unlucky animal.

The animals, at the signal of their leader the monkey, dived out from where they have been hiding and threw the snakes at him.

In shock, Ajebor tried to dodge but was too late as the snakes already sunk their fangs in his hand and leg. With an adrenaline rush, he grabbed both snake and threw them away as he ran for his life. He could only go a bit far as the snake venom spread and weakened him.

At a point he could no longer run so he sat down close to a little tree. Seeing this tree he was relieved as the tree was said to have medicinal properties but due to it been located deep in the forest, most people don't go for it.

Ajebor failed to notice it but this tree was slightly different from the one he knew, this tree was special. It has been blessed by the goddess of the forest to grant someone their heart desire and at that time Ajebor desire was to survive and get rich.

Ajebor plucked a leaf from the tree and applied it to his injuries which instantly healed and he became well. In shock Ajebor jumped up and stared at where the bite was but he couldn't find any mark.

Uncertain if the leaf had been the healer, he plucked another but this time it wasn't didn't heal anything but instead money rained on him like water. It was like a dream as Ajebor saw the cowries called money raining on him. In excitement and joy he kept on plucking and the cowries kept on raining on him. When he got satisfied he stopped and looked at the sea tree was special. It has been blessed by the goddess of the forest to grant someone their heart desire and at that time Ajebor desire was to survive and get rich.

Ajebor plucked a leaf from the tree and applied it to his injuries which instantly healed and he became well. In shock Ajebor jumped up and stared at where the bite was but he couldn't find any mark.

Uncertain if the leaf had been the healer, he plucked another but this time it wasn't didn't heal anything but instead money rained on him like water. It was like a dream as Ajebor saw the cowries called money raining on him. In excitement and joy he kept on plucking and the cowries kept on raining on him. When he got satisfied he stopped and looked at the seaof money at his feet.

At that moment he had a thought, "I am the next king!!!. The king said someone who is strong, powerful and rich will ascend the throne. I am powerful and strong and now I am rich, much richer than anyone in this kingdom...Oh... Yes!!!!! I am going to be the king!!". Ajebor screamed in his mind.

Then another problem surfaced in his mind; "How should I take this home?". He thought , as he thought went deeper an idea struck him.

"Hmmm, when I was injured the leaf healed me. Other than the injury I have always wanted to be rich... This leaf gave me what I wanted so maybe ..... Ah, let's see". He said as he made a wish.

" I wish I had something I can use to take this money home". Immediately he said that he plucked a leaf and as he guessed a bag fell in front of his.

"Wo hoo..!!! Yes!!!!". He jumped excitedly and began stuffing the money inside the bag. The bag was small in size but Ajebor soon noticed that it never seems to get full.

It was a long time before he stuffed all the money into the bag and he ran at lightning speed to his house but unknowingly to him someone had been watching his every move.

It was the crafty , cunning and wise tortise, Aram.

Now Aram like most tortise was lazy and slow. He hated doing any jobs as a resulthe was cast off from the rest of the animal community in the forest and lived alone. He was wandering about looking for what to eat when he came across this hunter.

In shock he watched the hunter repeatedly pluck the leaf and money rains, he watched him wish for the bag and got it. Aram was in high clouds. He anxiously waited for the hunter to leave and then walked to the tree.

Having watched what the hunter did, Aram wished for a gold brick then he plucked the leaf and just like the hunter, the gold brick fell and that made his blood rush.

Aram, the tortise then decided to build a house bear the lead so he can have easy access to it. So he wished for a little hut that will be built close to the tree but itmust be invisible to others but visible to him.

....

After the hunter, Ajebor got home he dumped his old things and called a few people to renovate his house, not that he is going to need it after becoming king, he just need to make a show to let the world, especially the king, to know he is rich.

Ajebor was the new topic in the kingdom. Every household and every person talked about him and wondered how he made it so big.

The whispers and talks got to the king's ears and he invited Ajebor over. He was pleased with what he saw as Ajebor dressed in a golden robe and adorned hisbody with gold necklaces.

The king without delay pronounced him as the new heir to the throne.