THE MONKEY AS SCAPEGOAT

While the ram was drinking in the clearest stream in that forest, the turtle suddenly emerged. The ram was a little surprised and said, “My gosh, you could have killed me, I thought it was the crocodile.” The turtle apologized, “Sorry! But you have to know something, but please promise me that this is just between you and me,” said the turtle hesitatingly. The ram nodded and said, “May my whole herd be cursed should I tell anyone about what you are about to tell me.”

“I got lost the other week and swam to a forest nearby. I decided to get submerged while slowly swimming my way back to this forest until I saw a group of animals having a meeting. I was surprised to see the hippopotamus there and some members of the council of elderly animals. Notwithstanding the danger of getting caught, I tried to get as close as I could get to them and eavesdropped on their conversation. ” The turtle stopped momentarily and looked around making sure that no one else was listening to their conversation. The initial declarations made by the turtle made the ram very curious and told turtle excitedly to continue.

“The hippopotamus told the members of the council of elderly animals that there were problems in the forest where he was sent to oversee and that all those problems happened when the monkey arrived.”

The sheep immediately got the picture. The hippopotamus was trying to cover up the problems he created in the forest by using the monkey as the scapegoat. The ram thought that It may be true that the monkey had misdemeanors of his own but the hippopotamus can never claim that his hands are clean. The two of them are equally guilty for wrongdoings.

“The sad thing,” the turtle continued, “is it seems that the highest-ranking among the council of elderly animals believed him.” The ram could do nothing but shake his head in utter disbelief. The unconfirmed reports that the hippopotamus and the monkey had a “falling out” was seemingly true. And in order for the hippopotamus to be cleared of wrongdoings, he was trying to cover his tracks and pointed to the monkey as the guilty culprit for all the troubles happening in that forest.

The monkey is in deep trouble, with the current state of things, his days in that forest are numbered. The ram was deeply troubled about what the turtle just revealed. He thought it would be unfair for the monkey to be fall guy, the hippopotamus should be made to answer for whatever wrongdoing she did and not pass her faults to the monkey.

The ram thought something ought to be done.

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Chapter 7 – The Hippo Strikes Back