The Greedy Python| African Folktales| My Sasun African Market

Once upon a time, there was a python who lived in the African savanna. He was very greedy and always wanted to eat more than he could swallow. He would roam around the grasslands, looking for prey of all shapes and sizes. He did not care if the animals were big or small, fast or slow, young or old. He just wanted to fill his belly with as much meat as possible.

One day, he came across a herd of zebras grazing near a waterhole. He saw a young zebra who had strayed away from the rest of the herd. He decided to make it his next meal. He slithered quietly behind the zebra and coiled himself around it. The zebra tried to kick and bite, but it was no match for the python's strength. The python squeezed the life out of the zebra and opened his mouth wide to swallow it whole.

But as he was about to gulp down the zebra, he saw another zebra nearby. It was bigger and fatter than the one he had caught. He thought to himself, "Why should I settle for this small zebra when I can have a bigger one?" He let go of the zebra he had killed and quickly moved towards the other one. He wrapped himself around the second zebra and repeated the same process. He killed it and prepared to eat it.

But as he was about to devour the second zebra, he saw a third one. It was even bigger and fatter than the previous two. He thought to himself, "Why should I settle for this medium zebra when I can have a larger one?" He let go of the zebra he had killed and swiftly moved towards the third one. He coiled himself around the third zebra and repeated the same process. He killed it and got ready to eat it.

But as he was about to consume the third zebra, he saw a fourth one. It was the biggest and fattest of them all. He thought to himself, "Why should I settle for this large zebra when I can have the largest one?" He let go of the zebra he had killed and rapidly moved towards the fourth one. He encircled himself around the fourth zebra and repeated the same process. He killed it and aimed to eat it.

But as he was about to ingest the fourth zebra, he heard a loud roar. He turned his head and saw a lion standing over him. The lion had been watching the python's greedy actions and decided to teach him a lesson. He said to the python, "You are the most foolish and greedy creature I have ever seen. You have wasted four zebras that could have fed you for a long time. Now you will pay for your greed with your life." He pounced on the python and bit his neck. The python tried to fight back, but it was too late. He had lost too much energy and blood from killing the zebras. He died in the lion's jaws.

The moral of the story is: Greed is the root of all evil. Be content with what you have and do not waste what you do not need.