Patch Parables

A class writing assignment in these ebbing days of the school year, to come up with some parables:

HOW THE SNAKE GOT STRETCHED OUT

One day in the rain forest, a snake and an ox were having a conversation.

“Oh, Snake, you are lucky. You don’t have to work for Man, who makes my coat sweaty, my horns dull. Your smooth skin and legs shine like the moon,” Ox poured out, hoping to get sympathy.

Snake, enjoying the attention, said, “Yes, I’m very lucky and shiny.”

Ox frowned and called out to the bushes. “Man! I’ve got Snake!” Man jumped out of the bushes and wrapped Snake in a net.

“I will poison your crops and food! I will – ” Snake promised.

A week later, Ox was on his break, eating his lunch when he felt ill. The whole rest of the day and the next, he couldn’t work. Snake, who was forced to work, was angry at Man, so he put poison in Man’s worker’s food.

Man was so mad, he took Snake and with his strength, stretched Snake out so his legs folded into his bod and his smooth skin turned into scales. That’s how the Snake got stretched out.

WHY THERE ARE CLOUDS IN THE SKY

One warm, sunny day, the animals in the forest were tired of sunshine. When they looked up in the sky, there was a blue sky and brilliant bright sun. One strong animal called the Lion gave an announcement: “I will travel to the ancient Arctic and bring shade to our forest!” He left that afternoon.

Five long days later, Lion was in a cold pace. The ground was covered in white … powder? Suddenly he had an idea. Lion took handfuls of the white powder and hurled it with his mighty strength into the sky. Lion took more to bring home.

Once Lion got to the forest, he threw thousands of white powder into the sky to create what is now called Clouds. (That is also why Lion represents the King of the Jungle.)