Mr Chameleon Is Transformed Into A Boat

This tale has been adapted from the original for readability:

One day Spider, Lizard, and Chameleon met on the road. They wanted to go to Freetown, but none of them had a boat to carry them, so they argued about which of them should become the boat. In the end they decided it would be Chameleon, because his body could pass for one. Chameleon agreed and said, “I’ll turn over. When I lie flat, you two sit on me.”

Spider said, “All right.”

When Spider and Lizard climbed on, Chameleon told Lizard to take the oars. Lizard gripped them between his toes and began to row, and off they went. Spider sat as captain, steering, while Lizard did the pulling.

After a while they reached a stretch where rocks were everywhere. Spider kept steering them straight into the stones, time after time, so Chameleon was scraped and bruised along the bottom. At last Chameleon, worn out, asked, “Have we arrived yet?”

Spider said, “Not even halfway.”

They came close to a huge rock, and Lizard pulled hard. Chameleon’s back ground against the stone and he cried out, “Hey, my friends, I don’t like what you’re doing to me today.”

Spider put on a sorry face and said, “Hush now.”

Chameleon lay still again, and Lizard kept rowing until Chameleon asked, “Why is the place so far?”

Spider said, “It isn’t far now, we’ll be there any moment.”

They went on until they could see the town ahead. Chameleon asked again, “Friend, have we arrived?”

Spider said, “Look, the town is there.”

Chameleon said, “I’m not asking if I can see it. I’m asking if we’ve reached it.”

Spider only repeated himself, and Chameleon grew angry. “I’m coming out from under you this minute,” he said, “and you can both swim for yourselves.”

Spider begged and begged until Chameleon agreed to carry them a bit longer. At last they drew near the shore again, and Chameleon asked, “Have we reached it now?”

Spider said, “Yes.”

Chameleon asked, “Shall I turn over?”

Spider said, “Not yet, come a little closer.” When they were right by the shore, Spider said, “Turn over now, we’ve reached Freetown.”

And that is why, to this day, Chameleon moves so slowly and carefully, as if he is still sore from being knocked against the rocks.