How The Chameleon Became A Teacher

Alligator and Chameleon were friends. Alligator lived at the bottom of the lake. He was fond of sunbathing,
and every day he would come out of the water and lie on the shore. Chameleon would join him, and together
they would send peals of laughter soaring through the air, as if they had not a care in the world.
Occasionally, they would be seen lying close together, nodding as though the fate of the whole world hung
upon the outcome of their consultations. They were very good friends.
One day, as they were about to go their separate ways, Alligator extended an invitation to Chameleon.
``Come to my house at the bottom of the lake. My wife, my children and I will treat you to a delicious dinner.''
They agreed on a time and a day and went their separate ways.
On the appointed day, Chameleon came to the shore carrying a stick. While he was waiting, Alligator had
called his wife and children together, and said ``Chameleon, whom I have befriended, is coming to see us.
He will be our special treat this afternoon. Oh, you can't believe how tasty chameleon meat is,'' he said,
smacking his jaws and rolling his eyes.
Then there was a great disturbance on the face of the water, and Alligator came splashing into view, his
gigantic jaws wide open. Chameleon had thrown his stick into the water as though to test his friend.
Believing Chameleon had jumped in as he had instructed, Alligator lunged forward and closed his gigantic
jaws over the stick with a blood-curdling sound. Fleeing in terror, Chameleon left the shore and climbed into
the trees and took on the color of the leaves. ``What would have become of me if i hadn't thrown in my
stick,'' he cried. ``Had I jumped in as my friend instructed me, I would have ended up at the bottom of his
stomach, instead of a guest at his house.''
Chameleon became a teacher of prudence and wisdom -- he always walks slowly, thinks long and hard
before putting a foot forward, and always takes on the local color, wherever he happens to be.
Moral: Caution is the mother of safety.
Mama, Raouf and Mary Romney > Pearls of Wisdom: African and Caribbean Folktales.