In a village called Getha(a small village but mainly known for the selling of bushmeat) lived a hunter Anthony,his wife Sara who was a petty trader and their only son Stephen.This nuclear family had been known to live in Getha for so long because they had no where else to relocate to due to poverty. Their son,Stephen was taken to their village school though,but had no friends because they did not want a friend who would always beg them for food. Although Anthony and Sara were working everyday,it was only when the travelers or buyers would visit their town once every month that Anthony would receive his money for that month.The money wasn't that small though,but they were able to use it for the first two weeks of the month and the rest of the weeks would be begging for bread till they returned
One day, Anthony decided to go hunting early that day because he wanted to find out what his traps got for him.On his way going,he stood from afar but saw a bird on the ground.He thought that it was one of his traps that caught him but noticed that the bird broke it's leg so was unable to move. The hunter got a little sympathy for the bird and decided to send it home and look after it till it gets well. When he reached home,he showed the bird to his wife and she suggested that they should kill the bird and use it for dinner that day because they had nothing to eat. He convinced her and she later agreed that they should look after the bird and later free it.
After a week,the bird was fully recovered from the injured leg but they wondered why the bird didn't leave but still stayed with them. The bird was still cared for and treated nicely so it also decided to help them in return. One day,the bird went chirping for hours so they went to look at why it was doing so and to their surprise,it laid a golden eggs. When they saw the egg they were all happy and exclaimed "We're rich!". They now understood why the bird didn't leave them but stayed with them. Anthony hurriedly went to the nearest town and got a company that would exchange the gold for money. Now,they were able to buy all their needs and bought another house to live in. Stephen was no longer regarded as a poor boy and now,he had many mates that would even follow him to his house to eat with him. The bird laid a golden egg every month to serve as a reward to Anthony for his love and care he gave to it.
On the first day of the month which the bird laid eggs, Anthony went to town with Stephen to buy new clothes and foodstuff leaving only Sara home. After they left,Sara wondered how the bird lays golden eggs so decided to kill the bird that same day because she thought that,the bird will lay today so it must have prepared many eggs but feels so lazy to lay all so it lays only one every month and keeps the rest to itself. Sara then took a knife and killed the bird by cutting it's stomach into two parts but amazingly found no egg in the stomach of the bird,Sara got shocked and started wondering how she could fix this. She sat down thinking and thinking till Anthony and Stephen came home. They saw Sara sitting down not even realising that they were home. The husband then tapped her on the shoulder and asked for the golden egg.Sara didn't know how to explain what she did not knowing that,her husband took a loan worth that same gold from a company. She explained everything to her husband and child and they all got disappointed in her.That night they all cried and she'd tears in memory of the bird.
The next day,they company sent representatives so Anthony's house to collect the gold. Anthony told them that he had no gold so the company had no choice than to cease the house and properties they had. Anthony and his family came back to where they started and resumed their previous jobs.Sara then said to herself
Sara:"If only I didn't kill that bird and had waited a little more,this wouldn't have happened. It's true,be content with what you have in every situation and it pays to wait"

© Michael®