Long ago, in the heart of a peaceful village called Oluma, nestled between red clay hills and lush green rivers, lived a young boy named Tayo. He was known for his curiosity — always asking questions, always chasing butterflies of knowledge.
One day, the village elders announced a terrible drought. The rivers were drying up, and the crops were wilting. The people prayed and sacrificed, but the skies remained silent. Then, an old woman from the edge of the village came forward. Her name was Mama Sewa, the oldest soul in Oluma.
She held out a small, dusty calabash and said,
“This belongs to the spirit of the land. Only the purest of heart can ask it a question and get an answer.”
The strongest warriors and the wisest men tried to speak to the calabash — but nothing happened.
But when little Tayo knelt before it, he asked softly,
“What must we do to save our village?”
The calabash glowed faintly and whispered:
“Restore what was taken. The stream behind the forest holds the forgotten stones. Return them, and the rain will come.”
Guided by the elders and protected by the village youth, Tayo led them through the forest to the hidden stream. There, buried beneath moss and silence, they found three sacred stones once stolen by a greedy king generations ago.
The stones were returned to the village shrine, and that night, the rain came — not in storms, but in a gentle, cleansing downpour that lasted for three days.
Tayo became a symbol of hope and humility, and the wise calabash was placed in the village square as a reminder that sometimes, the youngest voice carries the deepest wisdom.
💡 Moral of the Story:
True answers come to those who ask with humility, listen with intent, and act with courage.
