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[Image Source](https://pixabay.com/photos/chameleon-reptile-animal-green-101106/) 

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In the thick forests of Ogun lived an old grasscutter. It was the oldest grasscutter in that forest and it was respected by all the other grasscutters in the forest. The grasscutter was named Bo and he was the biggest grasscutter in the forest. Many hunters have been after his flesh for most of his life and it amazed every creature in the forest that Bo, despite his age and size, was still moving freely while much younger grasscutters were hanging from sticks in the village market, stretched and dried. No matter how many times, Bo was asked to reveal the secret to his survival, he refused to tell and this bothered the tree snake.

The snake decided to force the mystery out of Bo. To do this, he enlisted the aid of his big cousin, the python. He told the python about Bo's charmed life and how it was to the benefit of all the animals in the forests if Bo revealed his secrets. The python wondered why a small snake that no human would eat was worried about capture but he was curious to see this Bo. He had heard so much about the grasscutter and his tongue flicked in hungry anticipation.

The tree snake took the python on the path to the area of the forest where Bo frequented. The plan was simple; capture Bo and squeeze the truth out of him. As they moved through the forest, all the small animals ran away. They knew the fearsome reputation of the python and no one wanted to be found stretched to death within his coils. After several hours of slithering through the grassy forest floor, the tree snake raised his head and sniffed the air. He nodded and confirmed that Bo was nearby. He nodded his head towards a fat hole beneath an old tree and slithered away to watch from a safe distance. The python watched the hole for some minutes then slowly he squeezed himself into the hole and invaded Bo's abode.

What the python saw was not what he expected. As soon as his full length had passed through the hole, the dark soil and root supported hole vanished and he found himself in a kitchen, a human kitchen. The python panicked and turned this way and that in confusion, but it could not find his way out of the kitchen. It was a trap, he realised and Bo was the bait. He braced himself and prepared to fight for his life.

Bo walked into the kitchen and dropped his cap on the wooden stool close to the fireplace. He walked past the python without any comment and picked the cup on top of the water pot. He opened the pot, drew some water to drink. He drank deeply, belched and turned to look at the python. He smiled and sat down on the stool. The python rose threateningly, trying to frighten the old man before him with his size but the Bo kept on smiling.

"You should never trust tree snakes." Bo said. "They are not warriors like you and me, no. They are spineless cowards who chase after frogs and tadpoles in puddles." He added.

The python was shocked that he could understand Bo. He wondered how a man could speak the animal language and even transform into an animal in the forest. This power was not ordinary. 

"Indeed I'm no ordinary man" said Bo, reading his mind. "Once upon a time, I was a great king. A king greater than every other king." Bo said.

"Greater than the great beast rumored to the earth tremble? The beast that tears animals bigger than himself to pieces and can climb trees with the speed of light?" The python asked.

"The lion?" Bo asked, laughing. He laughed so hard he fell off his stool. The python sprang at that moment, hoping to get his length around Bo's ribs but the old man was prepared. As soon as the python's coils touched Bo, he disappeared.

"As I was saying before that funny interlude, I was the greatest king that ever lived in the whole land. My name was larger than the great hills of Oyo and longer than the great river of Idoma-land." Bo said.

The python turned in the direction of Bo's voice but all he saw was a tiny wasp on the wall. Fear, cold and brittle, touched his heart and in that moment of awful clarity, he knew that his life was forfeit. Bo was no ordinary hunter. He could morph into any form and change into any living thing. He was the chameleon. If snakes could cry, the python would have wept but all he could do was listen and wait for his death to come.

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**<center>Cheers & thanks for reading!</center>**