Long ago, there were two brothers who shared a deep bond. One day, the younger brother fell gravely ill, and no medicine in the village could cure him. His condition worsened despite his family’s efforts to find help. The older brother was desperate, willing to give up anything to save his sibling’s life.
To help, the older brother gave the villagers his most prized rooster, asking them to use it as medicine for his brother. The rooster was sacrificed, and its blood and meat were prepared according to the village’s traditional healing methods. Slowly, the younger brother regained his strength and health. He was overjoyed and thanked his older brother for his selfless act before returning home.
But soon, something strange began to happen. Feathers and bird-like plumage started to grow on the younger brother’s body, covering his arms and back. Confused and frightened, he didn’t know why this was happening. Seeking answers, he went to the village elders for guidance. The elders examined him and explained that this unusual transformation was a consequence of past unfairness.
The elders revealed that the older brother had previously taken all of his younger brother’s inheritance, including cattle, property, and even a prized rooster left by their father. This injustice had caused a supernatural punishment: the growth of feathers. The elders told him that the only way to reverse the curse was for his younger brother to truly forgive him. They gave him a sacred object called a keleche, a symbol of forgiveness, and instructed him to present it to his brother. If the younger brother spat on it as a sign of forgiveness, the curse would be lifted.
The older brother obeyed the elders and brought the keleche to his sibling, explaining everything as they had instructed. Understanding that his brother had risked everything to save him, the younger brother spat on the keleche as a symbol of forgiveness. Immediately, the feathers fell away, and his body returned to normal.
Not only was the older brother healed, but the elders also restored a pen of cattle to the younger brother to make amends for past losses. The story ends with a powerful lesson: generosity, fairness, and respect for loved ones are essential for harmony and happiness, and that past wrongs can be healed through forgiveness and understanding.