Finally, Sanjab obtained a beautiful home in the rainforest. He exclaimed as soon as he settled in it, “How much I love my new home, the rains, the green grass, and the rain puddles.” The rain fell, and Sanjab picked up a pile of nuts, hazelnuts, and acorns, then hid them in a hole and put a handful of them in his mouth. The animals looked at him and whispered, “It seems the new Sanjab is a glutton and will finish our food. Will he stay here for long?” Sanjab cleared his throat at them and asked them in surprise, “Am I a glutton?” Without words, the animals turned around and left the place. Sanjab froze in his place like a piece of ice and felt he was melting with the rain.
Sanjab shook the raindrops off his wet body, shook his tail, and said, “I must explain the matter to them.” Sanjab ran and jumped where the toucan, monkey, and sloth were sitting. He approached them and said, “Hello, friends. Do you know that squirrels collect many fruits?” Before he finished speaking, the animals looked at him with disdain, then left the place. The green forest became black in Sanjab’s eyes. He said, “I can’t remain rejected like this. I must explain the matter to them, but how?” Sanjab leaned on a tree trunk and muttered, “Then I’ll remain in everyone’s eyes like this.” Then he shouted, “I can’t be a rejected glutton.” Then he said, “I don’t love my new home. I’ll leave immediately.”
Sanjab rested his head on the tree, closed his eyes, and his memory went back to the winter gatherings with friends and the grandmother’s voice saying, “Winter parties make friends happy.” He opened his eyes, rose from his place, and exclaimed, “Perhaps winter parties make animals happy.” He took out his pile of fruits from the hole, lit a fire, and set up the fruit sticks. By the river, all the animals sat arguing and conversing. “Look, he’s making a feast for himself. I almost guarantee that the end of our food is at the hands of this squirrel. Let’s go to him and speak to him, either reduce the food or leave.” Suddenly, the animals shuddered. They saw a strange shadow behind them. It was Sanjab’s shadow. He smiled and said, “Come, friends. I prepared a barbecue party for you, a party that makes friends happy.”
The animals were amazed and fell silent for a long time, then withdrew with slow steps. Sanjab returned and sat, lowered his head, and tears flowed. Sanjab wondered, “Why did they go and leave me alone? I’ll remain a glutton in their eyes forever.” After a moment, all the animals returned carrying various fruits and cheering, “A barbecue party that makes friends happy.” Sanjab couldn’t believe his eyes. The animals sat and set up sticks of coconut, cocoa, banana, pineapple, and figs. They brought fish sticks. The animals ate the food and exchanged words. Sanjab coughed, saying, “Ahem, ahem. Actually, friends, what I wanted to say is that I may seem like a glutton to you, but I store food in a hole for winter and in my mouth for times of need.” When the animals looked at each other, they now understood everything.