STORY 2: The Man Who Lied.

Long ago, in a faraway land in Afraci was a prosperous village called Iso.

The people of Iso were hardworking and dedicated people who had large farms, the greatest hunters the strongest men and from generation to generation the people of Iso taught their children and their grandchildren the value of being hardworking.

If someone said; " Where can I find a very hardworking person", without a doubt anybody around Afraci would say "Iso, everybody there is hardworking ". But there was a person who defied this believe, his name was Ado.

 Ado was an orphan who lost his parents

to a plague when he was ten. He grew up alone in his family's little hut. His parents left him a huge plot of farmland with many food crops and money . Due to all this Ado grew up lazy and weak. He spent years depending on his parents wealth and never bothered to work for his own and this made the people of Iso look down on him.

Ado spent the next seven years living a life of luxury but all soon went down as his money ran out.

"What do I do?". Ado thought as he sat in the parlour of his hut. "I don't know any skills or handiwork, what should I do?".

Ado thought for many hours before he finally came up with a plan.

"Yes, this might work. The plague is ourvillage's weakness, I can use that to my advantage ". Ado walked into his room and began preparing the things he needed for his new plan.

Days later, Ado has set his plan in motion. He bought a white hat, a white table and chair , a white pair of shoe and also a white garment. He went to one of the abandon houses in the village and he arranged these things there.

He went to his backyard and took some wood ash, he grind them and added a few drops of the local scent leaf water and mixed it with the ash. He mixed them together and took them to the abandoned hut.

He put the mixed ash which he called "salt of life" in a white native pot and put iton the table.

Then Ado pretended to be sick, he went round the village claiming he had caught the disease that killed his parents. He disguised himself with different paints and everybody thought he was really sick.

Ado continued this charade for two weeks, he bought different types of herbs from the medicinal doctors but according to the people of Iso, nothing worked.

Everyone thought he was going to die when mysteriously, the next time people saw him, he was looking very healthy.

Everyone was shock and surprised. "How did he get well? Did the herbs work?". This was what people thought. So they all asked him and he had one answer forthem; "I saw the angel, he gave me the "salt of life".

"Angel? Salt of life?", everyone was confused. They asked him how and where he saw this angel.

"I was in my hut when I heard a voice, calling me, telling me to come and as you all know I was very weak and couldn't even walk properly but at that moment I felt a strong force and I suddenly found myself in the abandoned hut close to the river".

"There was where I met the angel and he healed me with this "salt of life".

"Really? Lead the way Ado, show us this angel let us also take from this "salt of life". Ado let them to the abandoned hut and told them to wait outside.He went inside the hut and came out few minutes later. ",I have spoken to the angel and he said to me that I will be his mouthpiece, that anybody that wants to come inside must pay the fine of two cowries".

"If he is an angel what does he need two cowries for? Does angel need money?".

Someone from the crowd asked and the rest nodded in agreement.

Ado smiled and replied; " The angel said he can give you for free but humans don't value something unless they pay for it so you have to pay the cowries or you can leave and miss a chance to prevent yourself from disease".

Everyone was in doubt but one of them decided to try. He paid the cowries andAdo led him inside.

When they walked in the man saw that the place was still dusty and unkempt but in the middle of the room was a collection of white things.

"Where is the angel?", He asked Ado in confusion.

"Can't you see him there?" Ado said pointing at the white things.

"All I can see is a white chair that has a cap on the top and a garment on it, a white pair of shoe on the end of the chair and a white table with a white pot on it". The man replied.

" That is the angel, you can't see him because he is a spirit but you can see hisclothes and the things he own". Ado explained.

" If the angel is a spirit how did you see it?".

"That is because the angel choose me to serve him, only I can see him".

"So where is this " salt of life?".

Keeping quite for some seconds Ado then reply, " He said you should close your eyes and dip your fingers in the pot and take what is inside in a pinch and put it in your mouth".

The man walked closer to he table and did as he was told.

"Remember, no matter what do not open your eyes". Ado told him, then he use anhandfan to create a wind effect.

The man was a little scared and he said, " I feel it now, I can feel the wind".

"Yes, that is the angel blessing you now all you have to do is go outside and tell everyone that you have seen the angel and that it is real. Then make sure you always come back every month to renew your blessing with this "salt of life ". Ado said and ushered the man out.

The man went out and did as Ado told, " I have seen the angel, it is real. I felt the blessing and tasted of the "salt of life ". Everyone was shocked and they believed in what the man said.

So one after the other, the people lined up and they bought a pinch of the "salt of life"believing the lies Ado told. Soon the news spread to the whole village and everyone bought from Ado.

Ado was very happy that his plan was coming to pass. A few months later Ado no longer grind ash instead he just buy salt from the neighbouring village, mix them with scent leaf water and when the people asked why it tastes different from before he just laughed it off and replied; " The angel says everyone has been faithful so he decided to upgrade the blessings".

The people, like before believed in his lies but it must be known that the thief may enjoy for a long time but one day the truth will be known and that day for Ado wasn't far away.

The princess of Iso fell ill, she had thedisease and all medications prove ineffective and she couldn't be healed. One of the palace guard told the king, " My Lord, I know of something that might help the princess".

"Speak!", the king said exhaustively.

"There is a man in this land, Ado and he had seen an angel who heals people with the "salt of life ". The guard said.

"The salt of life?" The king asked.

"Yes, according to him it was brought by the angel and it heals people, why don't I call him your highness to bring us the salt of life".

"At this point I can try anything, call him at once!". The king said.Yes, My lord".

It was evening when the guard went to Ado's hut and told him he was being summoned by the king to save his daughter.

"I need to save the princess?"

"Not you, the angel and his "salt of life".The guard replied.

"Okay! Tell the king I will be at the palace tomorrow ".

"Not tomorrow, today. The king summons you now".

"If you want the salt of life you can only get it tomorrow, I need to ask the angel for his permission ".The guard had no choice but to leave.

"Oh no! This is bad, if I try to heal the princess everyone will know that it was fake. What should I do?.......". Ado paced about his hut as he wondered what to do next .

"Should I say the angel has left?? No! No one will believe me,.....Ah!!! Yes!!!! I should run away, with the money I have now I can start up again somewhere , if I stay and the people finds out that I cheated them of their money I might end up dead or worse". Ado agreed with this thought.

He began packing his bags and essentials. He waited until nightfall before he left the hut for the river. The village rivers always have a boat at the river bank for transport.Ado ran cautiously to the river, he got on the boat and set sail for the neighbouring village.

The next day the guard came to the house in the morning, he knocked and knocked but got no response so he entered the house. "Ado! Ado!", he called but couldn't hear the sound of anyone being in the house. So he went and checked the rooms.

He saw that everywhere was unkempt and there was no signs of Ado. Seeing the clothes and things scattered on the ground the guard had one thought , "he ran away!!".

In a hurry, the guard ran to the palace and told the king that Ado ran away and at the same moments they saw a crowd of villagers coming towards the palace. Some were crying others were leaping andcrawling.

"What is going on?". The King asked as he stood up.

One of the villagers step forward; "Your highness, majority of the town people has fallen sick and there is no treatment working on them".

"I thought there was a miracle healer , where is he?".

"Hmmm.....Your highness, we are not so sure about that anymore. We went to the hut today in hope of seeing the angel.and healing ourselves but we couldn't find Ado who usually usher us in. Then we went in ourselves and did as we usually do but this time, nothing happen.. Usually after taking the "salt of life ", we will feel a coolingwind on our body but today, there was no such thing so we tried touching the angel but we couldn't feel anything there. So, we broke the pot and behold it was just cooking salt on the inside of the pot, no added materials . All these made us wonder if Ado was indeed lying ".

"Hmm, my guard just went to jus house now and it seems he ran away. He ran away after I told him to come heal the princess today. Guards! guards!". The king bellowed.

"Yes, your highness!".

"Go to the surrounding villages and make sure you find this Ado and bring him to me".

"Yes, your highness".Also, send a message to the village kings and tell them I request of their royal physicians".

"As you command, Your Highness".

The guards left immediately. The king told the people to all stay at the palace garden and he asked the maids to serve them some of the royal herbs and food.

They all waited for the guards to arrive. Two days past and the sick people were on the verge of death when the guards came back with a worn—out looking Ado and some other people, who were physicians.

The King immediately told the physicians to get to work and one of them was directly to the princess. Ado was thrown into prison.Days later, a trial was held for Ado.

"Ado! You have been accused of theft, attempted murder and fraud. This is the first time a case of fraud have been heard in this village, your parents were hardworking people before they died and everyone expected you to be the same but no, you choose the easy way and almost cost the death of so many people".

"The other village physicians confirmed that it was because of the people continuous intake of your "salt of life" caused their illness. What was in this "salt of life Ado?". The king asked.

"Your Highness, my people I.....I am so sorry for everything I did. The "salt of life" con.....con...con..."

"Can't you speak!!!", one of the village elders bellowed.

"It contained wood ash and scent leaf water".

"Eyeeeeeeeeee!!", the people exclaimed.

"But I later changed it to just salt and scent leaf water ". Ado said as he cast his head down in guilt.

"So, the angel was fake then?".

"Yes, there was no angel. I bought the clothes with the last of my inheritance and fooled everyone ".

"You are despicable!", one of the villagers spat.

"I apologise for everything and I know you all might not forgive me but I will accept any punishment and learn from my mistake".

"Ado, for all you have done you deserved to be killed,... but in honour of the contributions your parents made when they were alive, you are sentence to five years imprisonment with daily community service ".

"May the King live long!", someone from the crowd said.

"Isė"....The rest echo.

So Ado spent the next five years in prison and was a changed man when he was finally released. He had learnt that, it is better to work hard than to be lazy.Laziness leads to idle mind which is the devil's workshop.

 ☆☆☆☆☆☆THE END☆☆☆☆☆☆