Some people don't know why chameleons move so slowly. Others know, but don't know very well. So here is why.

A long, long time ago, the lion, king of the animals, asked all his subjects to pay a contribution. Each one had to pay 3,000 francs. The hyena was asked to inform the people. On the appointed day, everyone brought the sum indicated. The elephant had the task of collecting the money. Everyone was present. But when the lion took the register and called out the names, he was surprised and angry to find that one of his subjects was missing. It was Gomtioogo, the chameleon, who was not there and who had not paid. The lion roared with anger:

- Let them go and get Gomtioogo for me! What does that mean? I will teach him to make fun of my orders. You, hyena, go and get him for me.

The hyena started off immediately. Gomtioogo, it must be said, was not like the others. He was a proud man who liked to confide in his little chameleon wisdom. He had heard the king's call. He was even present at the vote, only he had kept both hands in his pocket and abstained from voting for or against.

So the hyena found him lying in a hammock of liana, somewhere in the bush.

- Hey there! You little round-eyed beast! Come down and follow me to the king.

Gomtioogo went down and begged the hyena to go ahead of him while he went to get the money from his house.

- Where is he?" roared the lion as soon as he saw the hyena returning alone.

- He is coming, Your Majesty! was the reply.

But Gomtioogo did not return. He had gone off to do his own thing. So the king gave the order to search the bush. Whoever found Gomtioogo should be brought to the Palace to be hanged. There was a great commotion in the bush. Some people rejoiced at the thought of seeing a chameleon hanged. Others were afraid, because if Gomtioogo was not found, all the wild animals would suffer the wrath of the king.

Fortunately, Gomtioogo was found on the banks of a river. Unaware of the danger he was in, he sat by the water and fished calmly.

The hyena grabbed Gomtioogo and his hook, shouting:

- Dirty little fisherman! It's your turn to be fished. Come and see the king.

So Gomtioogo was in the court, in front of the lion, whose gleaming teeth and mane stood out like the teeth of a rake, showing his anger.

- So you, ugly beast with round eyes! Do you think you're better than me or what? You'll pay for that behavior!

Gomtioogo fell to the ground, wept and begged the king to give him time to explain. As he shed real tears, the tears of a chameleon, the lion allowed him.

Gomtioogo spoke up and said:

- Your Majesty, dear lords and colleagues here present, may I be permitted on this splendid sunny morning to share with you the crucial problem which is mine. Believe me, Majesty, dear colleagues and lords, I am only an innocent in this whole matter. I have never heard a word about the said levy. Now, as providence would have it that we chameleons are identical except for our colour, as true as the earth is round, you have confused me with my cousin, who is grey. But I am green. So let me go and get the 3,000 francs now that I know about it.

The hyena admitted that the first chameleon she had seen was indeed grey. So we let the chameleon go. But it was never seen again. The hare was worried and went to ask the tortoise for advice. The tortoise told him that chameleons can change colour depending on where they are and so pass for another chameleon. The hare told the lion. The lion could not believe it. He, a king, would be fooled by a dirty little beast with round eyes! He ordered that he be fetched. Once again, they set out to find Gomtioogo. Two hours later he was found behind a bush watering his garden. But now Gomtioogo was yellow, all yellow. The hyena rushed at the chameleon and slapped it, shouting:

- Naughty little beast with round eyes!

- Why are you hitting me?" said Gomtioogo. Do you know who I am? Let's go and explain to the king.

Now the hare had explained to the lion what the tortoise had said about the chameleon's tricks. Together they prepared a way to catch him.

When the chameleon came to the king’s Palace this time, no one was angry. He explained himself with the same speech, saying that he was yellow while the chameleon who had deceived them that he was going to get the money was green. Then, in a tone full of malice, the lion said:

- Comrade chameleon, I know you are innocent, it was the green chameleon who deceived us. Besides, you are tired, rest in this chair.

Now the chair was green. When Gomtioogo was well settled, he forgot the purpose of his coming and, as usual, took the colour of the chair. When he was green, the lion jumped on Gomtioogo and roared:

- Dirty little beast with round eyes! The chameleon that deceived us was green, and you are green. You will pay dearly!

However, Gomtioogo managed to escape and ran away.

They went after him, but no one could catch him because he ran so fast. It was only by misfortune that he crossed a rice field. He was caught in a trap. He was seized and brought back to the Palace.

Gomtioogo had no time to change his colour. He was given 153 strokes. Then the lion added:

- Gomtioogo! your secret is discovered. You deceived us by changing colour and pretended to be another chameleon. Now go and say goodbye to your family, for the time of your death has come. Gomtioogo left, but in his excitement all he could say to his people was that they should always beware of traps. When he returned, he was hanged.

If you see today that chameleons move slowly, gently, it is not for nothing: it is to avoid traps. They are afraid of being caught like their ancestor Gomtioogo was.

This is the story of Gomtioogo the chameleon, as I was told it one evening in the village. The lesson I learned was that you cannot be a child of God with a double heart. To walk today with God, tomorrow with Satan, to be a Christian on Sunday and to live in a contrary way on the other days of the week. Gomtioogo was deceiving the king. But God sees us. We cannot deceive Him by playing at different appearances. The Bible says: "How long will you walk with a limp on both sides" (1 Kings 18:21). "Choose today whom you will serve" (Joshua 24:15), "for no one can serve two masters" (Matthew 6:24).