The Serpent
One day E was walking through the garden picking a variety of fruits and putting it in her basket.
She ventured into a part of the garden which she had never visited and discovered a new fruit. This fruit was large and black with white spots. She squeezed it and it felt juicy, as she was examining the fruit the serpent slivered from out of a nearby bush rustling some dried leaves; making a loud sound.
This startled E and she gasped audibly.
“Don’t mind me just the big scary snake going about my business!” Said the serpent sarcastically. ”And you don’t want to be eating that fruit, it’s poisonous.” The serpent added as it wriggled away.
E quickly dropped the fruit and rushed home.
When she got home she presented her basket to her father A, he was glad to see her but concerned.
“Where did you get all this?” He asked.
“The far end of the garden”, she replied.
“Oh no child! You must not venture to the far end of the garden, there are poisonous fruits and wild scary beasts out there.”
“I think I saw them” she said. “I picked the fruit but a scary snake told me that it was poisonous so I left it and came home.”
“You saw the serpent?” Said A.
“Yes”, she replied.
“No good will come from talking to that cursed beast, you must avoid it at all cost.”
“But wasn’t it right?” E said.
“No! It must have been playing some trick, that deceitful beast only lies.”
“You should listen to me! Don’t eat any fruit that’s larger than your palm and has black with white spots!”
“But…” E stuttered.
“But nothing, of to bed now” commanded A.
So this, little E did.
Some time later E was wondering through the garden, she got bored and decided to once again visit the far end which she hadn’t fully explored.
While there she stumbled upon a magnificent tree with brightly coloured ripe fruit on it, however underneath the tree was the same fruit but it was dark and decaying on the floor.
E kept her distance and observed that the serpent was under the tree eating the fruits that fell.
She approached the snake cautiously and said.
“Thank you Mr. Snake for telling me that fruit was poisonous, if it wasn’t for you I would have surely ate it and died.”
“Your welcome young child” said the snake as it started to crawl away.
“Wait!” She shouted, “is this fruit poisonous as well?”
“No child”, replied the snake, “this fruit is the most healthy and sweetest in the garden.”
“If it’s as good as you say, would you like me to pick a ripe one from the tree for you? As a repayment!” She suggested.
“You would do that for me?” Said the snake.
“Yes!” Said E as she picked the best one she could find and fed it to the snake.
“Thank you kind child” said the snake “I have never tasted something that pleased me more.”
“Ever since I gave up meat to only eat the fruits of the garden this has been my favourite meal.”
“Why did you give up meat?” E asked.
“I was much different back then” said the snake, “not only did I kill and eat meat but I was arrogant and deceitful; I needed to change.”
“You should tell people of your change” said E “My father thinks you still are that arrogant and deceitful snake.”
“Come back to our house for dinner and he will surely see that you are different.”
“Your father will not receive me well” said the snake.
“We will bring these fruits as a gift and he will surely be delighted.” Said E adamantly.
As she grabbed up the snake put it on her shoulders and headed for her home.
While running home together the snake yelled “watch out child! On the floor in-front of you is a pile of BS.”
E quickly adjusted her stride and jumped over it.
They soon arrived at E’s house where they could hear a commotion, they entered the house and saw A frantically looking for something, he was so distracted he didn’t even notice E and her guest.
E put down her new friend and approached her father. “I’ve brought a guest.” she said to him.
“Have you seen the key E?” He asked her still frantic, ignoring her statement. “What key?” she replied.
“The key given to me by G. G’s coming for it but I have lost it, if I don’t have it when G gets here G will be furious.”
“I keep it on this high shelf so no one could accidentally confuse it with any other.”
“ I haven’t seen it” said E “but we’ll help you look.”
“We?!” Said A
Finale noticing her guest.
“What are you doing here serpent, you are not welcomed in my house after what you did to my parents” said A.
“But I have changed” said the serpent.
“He really has!” Added E “The snake saved the life of your only daughter you should be thanking the snake.”
“I don’t care and have no time for this, as you can see I’m busy; please leave my house and never return.”
E was distraught at her father’s decision.
“I will go and never return” said the snake “but before I do I will give you this key, I found it on the floor; it must have fell from your high hiding spot.”
A was stunned, he quickly apologised and showed gratitude to the snake.
“Please stay as my guest, I will speak of this good deed and your change in character to all who think otherwise” A added .
G arrived to collect the key, noticing the unexpected guest. A told G of what happened and G thanked and rewarded all involved for completing the task.