The Farmer and the Two Friends🌽

There was a farmer called Nnamdi. He planted the biggest yam farm in the village. Every season his yams would be huge.

Two of his friends, Emeka and Chinedu, were jealous.

One `Ezi ụtụtụ`, Emeka came to the farm.
*Emeka:* `Nnamdi, your yams are looking small this year o.`
*Nnamdi:* _smiled_ `Ezi ụtụtụ my brother. Daalu for checking on me. Chukwu go do am.`

Later that `Ezi ehihie`, Chinedu came.
*Chinedu:* `This farm work is too much. You go even sell them?`
*Nnamdi:* `Ezi ehihie. I meela nke ọma that you came to visit. Make we pray. It will sell.`

At harvest, Nnamdi’s yams were the biggest again. The king bought all of them for the festival. Nnamdi made plenty money.

He called both friends. He gave Emeka 3 tubers and Chinedu 3 tubers too.
*Nnamdi:* `I meela for being my friends. Even when you doubted me.`

Emeka was ashamed. `Nnamdi, I was talking bad about your farm.`
Chinedu too said: `I didn’t think you go make am.`

Nnamdi replied: `That’s why I greet you every time. Ezi mgbede. Ezi ụtụtụ. Because words can build or break. I chose to build.`

From that day, Emeka and Chinedu started helping on the farm. Next season, all three of them harvested big.

The village people said: `See what "I meela" and respect can do.`

*Moral:* The way you talk to people in their small season determines if they’ll remember you in their big season.

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