During the drought, when the whole forest was starving, a wild mouse found a strange hut on the edge of the village. Behind this hut was a small door hidden in the leaves. Every night, when the moon rose, the door would open by itself and the fragrant aromas of yam, palm oil, and roasted corn would come out.
The wild mouse watched very carefully. One evening, when no one was around, he entered through the door. Inside was a storehouse that was automatically refilled in the morning. He ate his fill, stuffed his cheeks with food, and left before the sun rose. He went there alone and silently all night.
But greed overcame his caution.
One night, the wild mouse also invited the lizard and the squirrel. He warned, “Don’t say anything, take only as much as you can carry.” They agreed. When he got inside, the squirrel laughed at the magic. The lizard started touching everything. This noise angered the spirit of the house. Suddenly the door slammed shut.
It was morning, but the door did not open.
The villagers heard scratching and crying from inside. When they broke the hut, the wild mouse was trembling with fear, the lizard was silent with fear and the squirrel was embarrassed. That barn was empty and that secret door disappeared forever.
From that day on, the wild mouse repented of secrets. He understood too late that some doors open only to the disciplined and are closed forever to the greedy.
Moral lesson (consequences):
Convenience obtained without restraint becomes a trap.
Secrets bear the fruit of patience, not noise.
Greed turns opportunity into loss.
