Why Mosquito Keeps Buzzing

A Tiny Lie

One hot morning, Mosquito flew through the forest looking for someone to talk to. Mosquito liked talking very much. The problem was that he did not always care if his words were true. He found Iguana resting under a tree. Iguana was calm and proud, and he enjoyed quiet. Mosquito landed near his ear and said, "Friend, I saw something amazing. A farmer has planted yams so huge that one of them is bigger than you are." Iguana lifted his head slowly. "Bigger than me?" he asked. "Much bigger," said Mosquito. He buzzed in a circle, enjoying his own story. "I think even two iguanas together would look small beside it." Now Iguana knew Mosquito often made foolish claims, but the words still felt rude. He did not want to hear any more. So he pushed little sticks into his ears and walked away without another word. Mosquito laughed and flew on. To him, it was only a joke, only a small lie tossed into the morning air. He did not know that the lie had already started moving through the forest like a stone rolling downhill.

The Trouble Begins

As Iguana walked with sticks in his ears, Python came along the path. Python greeted him kindly, but Iguana did not answer. Python greeted him again, louder this time. Still Iguana said nothing, because he could not hear. Python became worried. "Why does Iguana ignore me?" he thought. "Perhaps he is angry. Perhaps there is danger ahead and he is too proud to speak." Python slid away from the path and hid in the tall grass. Just then Rabbit came running by. Rabbit saw the grass moving and caught a quick, shining look at Python’s scales. "Snake!" Rabbit cried. Rabbit jumped high, then ran straight into Crow’s bush. Crow burst into the air with a loud caw. Crow’s sudden cry frightened Monkey, who was gathering fruit above. Monkey shook the branch hard. Fruit rained down. The fruit hit small animals below, and they scattered in every direction. The whole forest began to tremble with noise. Far away, Owl looked down from a shaded tree and thought, "Something terrible is happening. I must stay alert tonight." But Owl had not seen the beginning. Owl only saw fear spreading from animal to animal.

Fear Grows Larger

By evening the forest was full of stories. Rabbit told Deer, "Python attacked from the grass." Crow told Antelope, "I heard a cry of danger." Monkey told anyone who would listen, "Animals were running everywhere. I know something bad was near." Each animal added a little more fear. No one said, "I am not sure." No one stopped to ask what had really happened. Even Iguana, when he finally took the sticks from his ears, saw the frightened faces and said nothing because he was embarrassed. That night Owl went hunting. Usually Owl moved with care and patience. But the day’s fear was still heavy in his mind. Every rustle sounded dangerous. Every shadow looked strange. At one nest, Owl heard a small movement. He thought, "Maybe this is the enemy the others feared." He struck too quickly. When moonlight touched the nest, Owl saw the truth. He had killed his own little owlet. The forest fell silent with sadness. In the morning, the animals gathered. "How did this happen?" they asked. "What began all this confusion?" Now the chain of trouble had become serious, and someone had to answer for it.

The Truth Comes Out

The animals spoke one by one. Owl said, "I hunted in fear because the forest was full of alarm." Monkey said, "I was frightened by Crow’s cry." Crow said, "I flew up because Rabbit crashed into my bush." Rabbit said, "I ran because I saw Python hiding in the grass." Python said, "I hid because Iguana would not answer me." At last all eyes turned to Iguana. He looked down and said, "I put sticks in my ears because Mosquito told me a foolish lie and I did not want to hear his voice." Then the animals called for Mosquito. Mosquito came slowly. His wings were still, which was rare for him. "Did you begin this?" they asked. Mosquito looked at Owl, who stood beside the empty nest. He looked at Iguana, at Python, at Rabbit, at Crow, at Monkey. A very small lie did not seem small anymore. "Yes," Mosquito whispered. "I told a story that was not true. I wanted to laugh. I did not think about what might happen next." The forest listened. Even the leaves seemed quiet. A joke had become grief. Now the animals had to decide what should happen to the one who started it.

Why Mosquito Buzzes

The animals were angry, but they were also wise. They knew they could not bring back the owlet by shouting. So they gave Mosquito a punishment that would last much longer. "From now on," they said, "you will never feel easy when you come near others. You will not speak boldly in the open as before. Instead you must go close to ears and ask in a thin, nervous voice, 'Are they still angry with me? Are they still angry with me?'" Mosquito tried to protest, but his own wings began to shake. Out came the sound: "Bzzzzz." Since that day, Mosquito has flown from person to person and from animal to animal with the same worried song. He cannot speak in a strong, clear voice anymore. He only buzzes near our ears, as if asking a question he is afraid to hear answered. And people wave him away because they know what that buzzing means. It means that carelessness can travel far. It means a lie, even a tiny one, can knock against one life, then another, then another, until the whole forest feels it. So when Mosquito comes close in the night and hums by your ear, some old storytellers smile and say, "Listen carefully. He is still asking whether everyone has forgiven him."