6 The elephant's reward
There was a time when the elephant had many oxen. His herd was so large that he became less and less able to look after them himself. So he decided to give the responsibility to others. He chose the spider and the dog. The spider because, the elephant thought, the spider is very intelligent and the dog because the dog is very vigilant. The elephant promised a large reward to each. He divided the herd into three: one part for the spider, one for the dog and one for himself. Each was given an equal number of oxen to look after. The elephant said to them:
- As I promised you, I will reward each' of you. Whether the herd multiplies or does not multiply, whether the oxen live or die, I will reward you. I will not reward you according to the number of oxen added to the herd, but according to the love you have for the oxen. So whether the herd prospers or not, you will be rewarded.
Having said this, the elephant walked away with the herd he had allocated to himself and went far, far away, leaving the two herdsmen with their oxen. The spider said to his companion:
- Did you hear the words of the Boss? He said that he would reward us even if some oxen died!
- Yes," said the dog, "but let's make sure that the herd prospers, that will give us a good name.
The spider smiled and walked away. She thought: the elephant handed over the herd to us without counting it, and then he added that even if some oxen die... ! What an opportunity to fatten myself up! Every two days or every week I will slaughter one. I will feed my family. No more hunger, no more meagre meals, no more worries about life. I will be fat, meaty, heavy and overweight. The spider went to live somewhere in the bush. She built a pen for the oxen and a house for herself.
To be on the safe side, she chose to live alone with her herd, so that she could look after her oxen well, that is to say, serve herself well. The days passed, the weeks and months went by. The cows gave birth, the calves grew, and every week the spider killed an ox. She butchered it and sent a good part of it to her family back in the village.
The wife was amazed that her husband was so determined to feed his family. Meat after meat arrived at the house, first every week, then every day. The spider grew. One day, when she had gone to bring the meat, his curious wife asked him:
- Where do you find, my dear husband, all this meat every day?
The spider got angry:
- Do you want to be full, or do you want to know how far the moon is from the sun? I have oxen, you hear? I have oxen and I can do what I want with them. All I ask is that you fill your belly. But if it's something else you want, then you'll get it, that is, I'll just chase you away.
The spider's wife was silent, but she was not very quiet. And the meat kept coming. Every day was a day of feasting, feasting, eating, etc. As a result, the number of oxen in the spider's herd was decreasing. More than half were killed. The spider had no concern for the herd, neither for its prosperity nor for its health. If an animal looked sick or in poor condition, the spider, instead of treating it, would slaughter it and eat it.
- I am not crazy! To tire myself out to look after a herd that does not belong to me, and why? The elephant spoke of a reward! But in the meantime, I'll start by rewarding myself.
And our shepherd continued to eat well.
Unlike the spider, the dog looked after his herd well. He looked after them, took them to the river to make them eat and drink. The herd prospered and multiplied. The dog never rested. He was so busy with the work of looking after the flock that he began to lose weight. He hardly had time to eat. His wife and children complained that he was so busy and getting thinner every day. One day his wife said to him:
- Listen! Are you the only shepherd in the village? Look at your friend the spider. He is getting fatter. His wife and children are eating well. He's doing well. Can't you do like him? What will the elephant give you for your justice or your love for his oxen?
- Woman," said the dog, "I want to continue to believe in the word of the elephant. I will guard the herd, I will look after it. And so the dog did. The herd had multiplied considerably and the surveillance was becoming more and more difficult. However, the dog did not let up.
One day the elephant arrived. The whole village was on the move. Some complained that he had stayed too long and agreed with the spider.
Others simply wondered what he would offer as a reward to his two shepherds.
The elephant had promised a reward in any case. He had promised the same reward to both shepherds. How was this going to be done? Once things were in order, the elephant set the day of the reward. When the day arrived, the two shepherds turned up. Many people were in the square to witness the event. The elephant then stood up, spoke and said:
- Well, my friends, I promised you a reward. I do not ask you to account for the herd that I entrusted to you. Your reward will be the very flock I entrusted to you. Take it as it is, it is yours forever. I have enough oxen to give you this gift. Let each one have his own herd!
But do you know how many oxen were left in the spider's herd? Very, very few!
 
This story is only a tale, but it reflects the thinking of many people who, like the spider, do not believe that there is a reward for goodness and justice. God has spoken, he has made a promise to every person on earth. He has promised us eternal life if we believe in his Word, if we believe in the One he has sent us, Jesus Christ. He has promised to save us if we are willing to live for him. God fulfils his promise, because what he has promised, he also has the power to fulfil.
No, do not continue to live for yourself, the regret would be too great.