Flappy the Flamingo Pt #2 (Myth of the Chameleon Tree)

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As Flappy’s mother began to tell the story his ears started to perk, his heart started to beat a little bit harder, and he almost couldn’t stay seated due to the excitement he felt. She told him that the journey must start with great care. That anyone to began this journey must complete it. for it they didn’t complete it there would be a grave consequence. She asked him “do you want to know how one goes about getting to the Chameleon Tree?” again his words almost couldn’t be said fast enough “YES!!!” he exclaimed. The first thing that one must do is to get a pack with three special items in it. The 1st thing is a stone of honor, 2nd is a dagger of freedom, and 3rd one must have the rope of strength. Once the pack is full of these items you must head toward the mountains. Now for those of you who do not know mountains are no “walk in the park” for Flamingos. Mountains are the most dangerous place a Flamingo could go, but this did not scare Flappy one bit. He desperately wanted to be pink again. He was ready and willing to do what ever it took, but what he didn’t know was just how difficult it would be. His mother continued with the story by telling him a few things that he would face on the mountains. They myth says that once in the mountains no one can really say what could happen, but that there will be challenges greater then anything one could imagine. One will know when he has reached to top of the mountain when he a Tree. One that is like no other. No one has ever seen this Tree, for this tale is a very old one. They say that once you stand before the Tree that all you have to do is take one of the leaves and eat it, then the very next thing you eat what ever color it is you will turn.
All of this started to sound so over whelming to Flappy to the point he didn’t want to go. He stopped his mother right in the middle of telling the story. He told her that he couldn’t do it and that he would just stay blue forever. Now this was shocking news to his mother, and sad news at the same time. For what she didn’t tell him was that once a Flamingo turns another color his life is shorted. No one really knows by how much it is shortened, but it is and that is a fact. So Flappy’s mother told him these things and told him that he must go on the journey. She knelt down beside him and spoke gently into his ear and told him that she loves him with all her heart and that she wants him to live. That is why he must go. Flappy was filled with strength and hope with the thought of his mothers love. He was ready to go. He jumped up and grabbed his pack and asked his mother where he can find the three items he needed. She told him to go see the oldest of the Flamingos Oupa Sham. He would be the one who would have these items, and if he didn’t then he would surly know where to get them. Flappy quickly kissed his mother good bye and told her that he would return as soon as his journey was completed.
“Oupa Sham…….Oupa Sham!” cried out Flappy. He called out as he approached Oupa Shams house. Now Oupa Sham is 103 years old and doesn’t move very fast. He heard Flappy from the first call but being 103 he doesn’t get in a big hurry for much these days. Finally Flappy sees him and runs up to him telling him the whole story of what happed, and how he must go to the Chameleon Tree to be changed so that he may live. Then he asked him if he knew where he could get the items needed for his pack. Oupa Sham has heard this kind of story before. Being the oldest of the Flamingos and knowing the tragedy of changing colors. Flappy thought that he was the only one that this kind of thing happed to. But in all reality all Flamingos must go through this. See as Flamingos grow up this is not something talked about. Some of them end up eating something to change their outward color, but those that do not change outwardly some where down the line end up changing inside. How that happens is a whole other story. Both changes requires the journey to the Chameleon Tree. Oupa Sham gently and softly told Flappy that he did in fact have the required items he needed for his pack. He told him that he would be right back that he had to go get them. After waiting for 43 minutes (which is an eternity for a Flamingo, especially when there blue) Flappy finally got the three items plus one more that Oupa Sham thought that he would need. Oupa Sham brought him needle of direction. Flappy asked Oupa Sham how this needle of direction is suppose to work. Oupa told him that he must hold this needle in the palm of his hand and wait for the tip to move and point him in the way that he should go. Then he said that Flappy should go on his way now. That he had all that he needed for the journey. As Oupa Sham turned and headed back inside Flappy stood there for a minute to collect himself. This was a lot to take in for such a small little Flamingo. Then Flappy turned toward the mountains and took his first step to a life changing journey.