How the Snake Lost his Legs

In the story of How the Snake Lost His Legs, a fable by Chrigi-in-Africa, Ranger of the San Clan, the moon is portrayed as a sympathetic deity who looked into the future, and saw that a terrible drought was impending...

Moon called out to Mantis, warning him “You must take your wives and children and all the birds and animals and move from this place of plenty, for soon there will be nothing here but a desert.”

So Mantis spread the word throughout the land. All the animals stopped what they were doing, packed up their belongings, and trekked off to other places with plenty of water and greenery.

Thus, all the animals moved away... except for Snake, which in those days had legs like the other animals. Snake, being a lazy and quarrelsome character, did not believe Mantis.

“I will stay here,” he mockingly replied to Mantis. “Your so-called 'drought' does not worry me!”

Soon after, the rain ceased to fall. The grass begin to shrivel, the ponds dried up and all the fat little frogs hopped away. Hungry now and very thin, Snake decided to follow the other animals.

But by then, the rain-less land had become a desert covered with shifting sand dunes. With every step he took, Snake sank deeper into the loose sands. The more he struggled, the less progress he made.

As night fell, Snake cried out in desperation: “Oh Moon, I am ashamed of myself! Please save me from the blazing sun and hot sand, and I promise you I will change my ways.”

Moon took pity on the forlorn creature. In a moment, Snake found his legs had shrunk away! Upon his gleaming stomach skin, he glided easily across the hot sands without sinking into them as before.

Whether the snake really did change his ways when he had found his way out of the desert, we are not told... but in view of the general feelings about these reptiles, I think it is doubtful!

(adapted via Gateway Africa)

(images via Chris Eason and Cape Cod Times)