ZENDAYAH

One evening, grandma Kinderae sent Zendayah and Culpani to the farm to fetch some vegetables and fruits of their choice for supper.  She instructed the children not to eat any fruit or vegetable while at the farm, especially the garden eggs; they were not to eat anything before supper so that they could eat well during their evening meal.  Excited, the children got a basket each and left for the farm.  They ran, hopped, skipped, and jumped as they went; paying little attention to their environment.  They crossed a stream on the way without realizing it.
At the farm, the sight of the fruits and vegetables suddenly made the children very hungry.  So hungry that they completely forgot about their grandmother’s instructions, and began to pluck and eat the garden eggs. They ate, and ate, the fruits until they were full; their stomachs looking like inflated balloons.  Culpani complaining to Zendayah that he was tired and sleepy, and that he was having stomach upset, found a comfortable spot to sit down for a nap.  Zendayah noticing that it was getting late, suddenly remembered what their grandmother had told them, and realized that they had disobeyed her.  Irritated and angry at herself, Zendayah emphatically said “no” to Culpani.  She reached down and pulled him up to his feet in apparent frustration; ordering that they harvest the vegetables that they were sent to harvest and go home.  The children collected as much vegetables as they could but not enough to cover the base of one basket.  They agreed and promised between themselves to say “no” if asked by their grandmother whether they ate anything while at the farm.
Zendayah and Culpani ran all the way home, stopping only at the stream to wash their hands and faces, and to gargle and rinse their mouths to erase all traces of having eaten the garden eggs.  Well, they did something very wrong while at the farm - they disobeyed their grand mother.  So the stream that they failed to notice on their way to the farm was angry, and had become a swollen, fast, raging river which they must cross in order to get home.  Eyes wide, mouths opened, Zendayah and Culpani were surprised at the volume of water.  They did not remember seeing any such river on their way to the farm, and had no time to process present happenings.  They must get home quickly.  The children were scared; but must stop briefly to meet with the raging river in order to rid themselves of any evidence of their deed; and must also figure out how to go about crossing the river.
A little up the swollen river, was a down bare tree over the river that made for a good bridge, fit for safe crossing.  Zendayah could see the log tree from where they stood.  She also discovered a narrow, winding path leading to it; and realized that if they were able to make it in time to the dead tree bridge; they were going to be able to cross it before it got swallowed by the angry river.  They made it in time. At first, the siblings tried walking across the bridge with Culpani close behind Zendayah; but looking down the raging, roaring river from where they were without any kind of support was really frightening and nerve-racking. So the children decided to sit with their feet astride, over the rough back of the tree bridge.  With Culpani holding firmly around Zendayah’s waist, they dragged themselves along the rough bridge.  Gradually and successfully, the children crossed the river, sustaining only minor bruises between their legs.
Panting as they entered the house, their grandmother who was anxiously waiting for them smiled, and was relieved when she saw them.  The siblings mentioned nothing to their grandmother about the condition of an existing river, and their experience crossing it.  They had no clue that grandma Kinderae knew just about everything that was going on with them, but chose to ignore that aspect of it.  Noticing the amount of vegetables that the children brought back, grandma Kinderae asked if that was all they could find at the farm. The children simultaneously answered “yes, Grandma.”  Grandma Kinderae immediately turned to Culpani the younger, and looking at him straight in the eyes asked: “Culpani, did you eat anything while at the farm, any garden eggs?”  Culpani replied, “no, Grandma.”  She turned and looked Zendayah in the eyes, and asked her the same question as Culpani; and Zendayah like Culpani replied: “no Grandma.”  Then in a low, loving voice, grandma Kinderae turned to kids and said to them: “Guess what my little ones, right now you are full of worms; not food.  Your stomach will continue to grow and swell as the worms grow in you until you answer the question correctly.  Looking at both children, grandma Kinderae cautioned that they think very carefully before answering the question the third time; because telling lies the third time would cause worms to come out of their mouths.  “For the last time Culpani,” grandma Kinderae continued, “did you eat any garden eggs, anything at all while at the farm?”  Culpani nervously frightened and confused, had a serious and difficult decision to make.  He had a pact with his big sister to deny eating any fruits or vegetables while at the farm, if asked.  Was he now to tell the truth, and betray his sister’s love and confidence?  Or was he to tell a lie and bear the consequences and wrath of the worms?  Scared of the consequences of telling a lie yet confused and more anxious about what his sister might do to him in the absence of their grandmother if he told the truth.  Culpani chose to remain in his sister’s favor and he blurted out: “no Grandma, we did not eat anything at the farm, though we were hungry and tired.”  Grandma Kinderae immediately gave each child a cup of water to rinse their mouths.  Turning to Culpani, she ordered him to gargle with the water and spit it out.  Culpani did as was ordered; and seeds from the garden eggs that he had eaten came out of his mouth.  Immediately, long wriggling worms filled Culpani’s mouth so that he was neither able to speak nor close his mouth.
 Zendayah seeing what was happening to her brother went down on her knees, and firmly wrapped her hands around her grandmother’s legs, screaming out in horror: “Grandma! We ate, we ate, we ate the garden eggs; please stop the worms.  The sight of the fruits made us hungry; we were tempted, and we eat.  We are your loving children grandma please do not be angry at us; please do not sent us away.  We could not tell you because we did not want you to be upset at us. We are sorry for disobeying you grandma, and we promise never to do so again.” With that, Grandma Kinderae said to Zendayah: “By telling lies, you disobeyed and disrespected me but because you finally told the truth, you shall receive forgiveness.  Take Culpani back to the river and wash the worms off his mouth.  Only the water from the river can make the worms disappear from Culpani’s mouth.”