The mouth of the cave was dark, so Mbali lit her oil lamp and walked further in. She had no idea how long she was walking before she saw a dim light at the far end of the cave.

“There it is!” she gasped, looking at her shoulder for the chameleon only to find it missing. She frowned but continued running toward the light. What she found surprised her—a cozy room with a dining table at the center, full of treats. At the head of the table sat a beautiful young lady.

“Hello, little flower, I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Are you the Jealous Witch?” Mbali asked, ready to flee at the first sign of danger.

“Indeed I am,” the witch smiled at her. “Will you not have a seat? I know the journey here was not an easy one.”

“I’m here for my friend Navi. What did you do to him? Give him back!” she demanded.

“Navi is right here, before your eyes,” the witch told her, eyes crinkling in amusement. Mbali looked around the room, searching for her friend and not seeing him.

“You’re lying! Navi is not here. If you’ve hurt him—” Before Mbali finished talking, there was a flash of light, and in place of the witch, Navi now sat.

Excited, Mbali ran to her best friend and hugged him close to her chest. “Navi! I’ve missed you so much. Did that witch hurt you? Let’s go home before she comes back!”

Navi laughed at her. “The witch didn’t hurt me. I told you, didn’t I, that I’d always be by your side?” Another flash of light came, and in her hands was the chameleon instead of Navi. Another flash, and the witch stood in front of her.

“What—I don’t understand,” Mbali looked up at the witch, who picked her up and sat her on her lap.

“I am Navi, and I am the chameleon, and I am the Jealous Witch.”

“But you took my parents away! Why would you befriend me?” Mbali cried.

“Those are lies spread by people, dear. People have always been afraid of those who are a little different from them, like you and me. Because I have all this power, they called me a witch and told the world that I am evil and chased me up here.”

“But what do you want with me, and what happened to Mama and Papa?” Mbali asked.

“I’m afraid they’re never coming back. They were taken away by some bad men in the village. You’ve seen it for yourself, little one. Sometimes those who look scary and evil are actually kind-hearted and good, like the alligator and lion who helped you. And sometimes, men and women who look beautiful, gentle, and kind are just hiding their darker nature. This is a lesson I wanted you to learn on your journey. Now come with me.”

Mbali took the witch’s hand, and they were suddenly in the city again. “Take off your glasses, Mbali, and tell me if you see things any differently,” the witch told her.

Everything looked the same even without her glasses. The city was still loud, bright, and busy. The people were still scary, but none of them were actually hurting each other. Mbali was still afraid, but not as much as she had been before.

“It’s not so bad out here, is it? Being alone is good once in a while, but there are things you can never do on your own. That is why it is good to form bonds with others.”

“Is that why you tricked me?” Mbali asked.

“Yes, I wanted you to make more friends. But I also wanted you to visit my home. It gets lonely up in the mountains by myself.”

“Do you want me to live with you?”

The witch shook her head. “You can still live in the forest, as long as you promise to come visit me and continue making new friends outside the forest. Promise?”

“Promise,” Mbali agreed.

[THE END]