God sent Chameleon to the people with a message: you will live again after death. God chose Chameleon because he told the truth, unlike Weaverbird, who wove lies.
Along the way Chameleon kept saying, "I was told... I was told..." to remind himself of God's message.
When he reached the people, Chameleon said, "I was told..." but Weaverbird swooped down and interrupted. "What did God tell us? God told us: you will die, perishing forever."
The people believed Weaverbird.
Chameleon said, "We were told: you will live again after death."
But the people believed only the first message they heard.
Inspired by: "The Origin of Death" in African Folktales by Paul Radin, 1970.
Notes: You can read the original story online. This is an Akamba story. In the original, the magpie persuades the people to believe the first speaker.
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