Jomo was a merry old man who came from a remote village in Africa. He once wanted to go to the city and feel the pulse of the people and the place. So he walked for many days. Then he saw new houses and faces. He smiled with them.
"What are you looking for?" Asked some of them.
"I want to rest for a while and tell you something special." Said Jomo.
"What's that something special?" They asked Tomo.
"First I need to rest. Then I want to eat something. Then I will tell you something special."
Those who heard Jomo wanted to know that something speical. SO they treated Jomo so well.
"I don't have any money. I can only talk."
"What do you want to talk?" They asked.
"I want to tell you something special."
So some people gave him money. Some others gave him food. There were people who gave him lodging and looked after him. But all of them were inquisitive. They wanted to know the 'something special' he desired to talk. So they studied his ways and manners and posed the question.
"What's that something special that you wanted to tell us?" Asked some people. Jomo looked at them and just asked:
"Don't you know what I am going to say to you?"
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The people looked at each other.
"No we don't know." responded some of them. Then Jomo calmly asked.
"So how can I talk to you?"
Once again the people looked at each other. Some of them felt as if a prophet had come to see them.
"Don't you know even the slightest thing about what I am going to tell you?"
"No."
Then go home and think about the special thing I am going to tell you. Just think it for one whole day."
Listening to what Jomo said, people went home. Some of them invited Jomo to dine at their places.
Some others gave him accommodation eagerly waiting to hear the special thing Jomo is going to say.
In this manner Jomo was able to rest for one more day.
The following day dawned. The people gathered to hear the very special thing Jomo is going to say. They asked Jomo in a polite manner.
"Please tell us the very special thing you want to say to us."
"Good people, do you know what I am going to tell you?" Tomo asked.
As they were tired of Jomo's manners, they all said: "Yes."
"Oh I am happy you all know it then. So why should I tell you what you already know?" Go home and think about this again." That was the verdict of Jomo. The people who gathered were perplexed. He managed to rest one more day with them, while people were planning what they should do.
Some people were angry. Some others pardoned Jomo thinking that they have failed to perceive what Jomo had said either directly or indirectly. But the consensus of opinion was that they were tired of giving him food and lodging. So far Jomo had failed to come out with the very special ting he wanted to say.
The people silently came out with a plan. When they met Tomo the following day, he asked usual question from them.
"Good people, do you know the special thing I want to tell you?"
Some people said, "yes", while other said "no". Jomo faced the dilemma. He knew that he cannot continue his trick with the people. So he just looked at them and said.
"My good people, those who know what the special thing I want to say should reveal it to those who said no. Now please let me go home. Thanks for hosting me. May god look after you." But there were opinion leaders angry with Tomo. They told the others.
"This is really a funny man." Then some other said: "Perhaps he is too intelligent that he cannot express the very special thing to us."
Jomo waited patiently like a prophet looking at the faces. At last people found what to do.
They had a send off party where they gave him food to eat. Then they made Jomo go away.
"Enough is enough," Said the people.
"What Jomo has to say could not be so special."
Jomo slowly walked down the street.
"They are really great people. They are friends what else can one expect from good people?"
That, he thought, is a very special message he takes home.
(Retold from an African folktale)
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