Come close, children, and hear the tale of Kwame Asante, who learned that truth is both the greatest blessing and the heaviest burden a person can carry.

The Smooth-Talking Trader

In the bustling market town of Adum, there lived a trader named Kwame Asante who was renowned throughout the region for his eloquence, charm, and remarkable ability to convince customers that they needed whatever goods he happened to be selling. Kwame possessed a golden tongue that could make bitter kola nuts sound sweeter than honey, and rough cloth feel softer than silk.

His success in trade came not from offering superior products or honest prices, but from his extraordinary skill at embellishing the truth, crafting persuasive stories, and telling customers exactly what they wanted to hear. Kwame could transform the most mundane items into objects of desire through the sheer power of his creative storytelling and strategic presentation of facts.

“This cloth,” he would say to a hesitant customer, holding up a piece of fabric that was clearly of ordinary quality, “was woven by the finest craftsmen in the northern kingdoms, using techniques passed down through royal families for centuries. The dyes were extracted from rare flowers that bloom only once every seven years, and the pattern you see here represents ancient symbols of prosperity and good fortune.”

Such stories were rarely entirely false, but they were never entirely true either. Kwame had mastered the art of selective honesty—emphasizing certain facts while omitting others, presenting speculation as certainty, and weaving just enough truth into his tales to make them convincing to eager buyers.

The Envious Rival

Kwame’s success in the marketplace had earned him many admirers, but it had also created enemies among less skillful traders who resented his ability to attract customers and command high prices for ordinary goods. Chief among these rivals was a man named Yaw, whose honest but uninspiring approach to trade had left him struggling to compete with Kwame’s charismatic salesmanship.

Yaw prided himself on his straightforward honesty, always describing his goods exactly as they were and pricing them fairly according to their actual quality. He believed that trade should be based on mutual respect and accurate information, and he was deeply frustrated by Kwame’s success through what he saw as deception and manipulation.

“It’s not fair,” Yaw would complain to anyone who would listen. “I tell customers the truth about my goods—their real origins, their actual quality, their fair price. But they all flock to Kwame, who fills their ears with fantastic stories and inflated claims. Honest trade cannot compete with skillful lying.”

As his resentment grew, Yaw began to believe that justice required some kind of intervention to level the playing field between truthful and deceptive traders. He spent increasingly long hours brooding about Kwame’s success and dreaming of ways to expose or punish his rival’s dishonest practices.

The Spiritual Intervention

Yaw’s bitterness eventually drove him to seek supernatural assistance in dealing with Kwame. He traveled to a remote shrine where an ancient priestess was said to have the power to invoke spiritual justice against those who violated ethical principles.

“Great priestess,” Yaw said as he presented his offerings at the shrine, “I come to you seeking justice against a man who prospers through lies and deception while honest traders like myself struggle to survive. Kwame Asante fills his customers’ ears with false stories and manipulative claims, taking advantage of their trust and desire for beautiful things. Surely the spirits must disapprove of such behavior.”

The ancient priestess listened to Yaw’s complaint with an inscrutable expression, neither approving nor condemning his request. “You seek to invoke spiritual justice,” she said finally. “But tell me, Yaw—what is it you truly want? Do you want Kwame punished for his dishonesty, or do you want the advantages that come from his skills?”

The question made Yaw uncomfortable, but his sense of grievance overrode his self-reflection. “I want truth to be valued as it should be,” he insisted. “I want honest trade to prosper and deceptive practices to be revealed for what they are.”

The Curse That Was a Blessing

After considering Yaw’s request for several long moments, the priestess spoke words that would change both men’s lives forever. “Your wish shall be granted,” she said, “but perhaps not in the way you expect. Kwame Asante shall never again speak a lie. Every word that comes from his mouth shall be pure, unvarnished truth.”

At first, Yaw was delighted by this pronouncement. He imagined Kwame’s customers becoming disgusted when they heard honest descriptions of his ordinary goods, and he anticipated the collapse of his rival’s trading business when the power of embellishment was taken away from him.

But as Yaw left the shrine and returned to the market town, he began to wonder whether the priestess’s solution would have the effects he had hoped for. There had been something in her tone and expression that suggested the curse might be more complex than a simple prohibition against lying.

The Immediate Transformation

The change in Kwame manifested itself the very next day when he attempted to conduct business as usual. As he approached a customer who was examining a piece of pottery, Kwame opened his mouth to begin his customary sales presentation, but the words that emerged shocked everyone within hearing.

“This pot,” Kwame heard himself saying, though he had intended to describe it as a rare ceremonial vessel, “was made by my cousin’s wife last week using clay from the riverbank behind her house. She’s not particularly skilled at pottery, and you can see that the rim is uneven and the glazing is somewhat sloppy. I’m hoping to sell it for twice what it’s worth because I need money to pay debts I’ve accumulated through poor financial planning.”

The customer stared at Kwame in amazement, uncertain whether this unexpected honesty was some new and clever sales technique. Kwame himself was horrified by what he had just said, unable to understand why such damaging truths had poured from his mouth instead of his usual persuasive descriptions.

The Spreading Revelation

As the day continued, Kwame discovered that he was completely unable to speak anything but absolute truth. When customers asked about the origins of his goods, he found himself providing detailed and unflattering accurate accounts of how he had acquired them. When they inquired about quality, he was compelled to point out every flaw and limitation.

“These beads,” he told a woman who had been interested in purchasing a necklace, “came from a trader who was desperately trying to get rid of them because they’re made from inferior materials that tend to crack and fade. I bought them cheaply because I thought I could convince someone they were more valuable than they actually are.”

Word of Kwame’s strange new honesty spread quickly through the marketplace. Customers who had grown accustomed to his elaborate sales presentations were fascinated by this radical change in his behavior. Some assumed he had suffered some kind of mental breakdown, while others wondered if his brutal honesty might actually be a more sophisticated form of deception.

The Unexpected Consequences

To Yaw’s surprise and dismay, Kwame’s business did not collapse as expected. Instead, something remarkable began to happen. Customers who heard Kwame’s unflinchingly honest descriptions of his goods began to trust him in a way they never had before.

“Finally,” said one longtime customer, “a trader who tells us exactly what we’re buying. Even if these goods aren’t perfect, at least we know exactly what to expect from them.”

Others appreciated Kwame’s new transparency about pricing and profit margins. “It’s refreshing to know that you’re making a fair profit,” said another customer. “Your honesty makes me feel like we’re engaging in fair trade rather than trying to outsmart each other.”

As word spread about the trader who could not lie, people began traveling from distant villages specifically to do business with Kwame. They valued the certainty of knowing exactly what they were purchasing and the peace of mind that came from dealing with someone who was incapable of deception.

The Personal Struggles

However, while Kwame’s involuntary honesty was proving surprisingly beneficial for his business, it was creating severe difficulties in his personal life. His inability to speak anything but truth made social interactions extremely challenging and often painful.

When his wife asked if her new dress was flattering, Kwame found himself saying, “It makes you look heavier than you are, and the color doesn’t suit your complexion at all.” When neighbors inquired about his opinion of their children’s behavior, he was compelled to share observations that, while accurate, were deeply hurtful and socially inappropriate.

The compulsive truth-telling extended to every aspect of Kwame’s communication. He could not offer polite pleasantries, diplomatic evasions, or tactful omissions. Every thought and observation that passed through his mind emerged from his mouth with brutal clarity, regardless of the social consequences.

His relationships with friends and family began to suffer as people grew tired of hearing uncomfortable truths they had not asked for and did not want to confront. Kwame found himself increasingly isolated, as others learned to avoid conversations that might elicit his involuntary honesty.

The Deeper Understanding

As weeks passed and Kwame struggled to adapt to his condition, he began to develop a deeper understanding of the role that small lies and tactful omissions play in human society. He realized that what he had previously dismissed as simple dishonesty often served important social functions—protecting people’s feelings, maintaining harmony, and allowing relationships to flourish despite human imperfections.

The complete absence of diplomatic flexibility was proving to be as problematic as excessive deception had been. Kwame discovered that pure truth, delivered without consideration for timing, context, or emotional impact, could be as damaging to relationships and community harmony as deliberate lies.

He also began to understand that his previous approach to trade, while dishonest, had provided customers with something they valued—stories, dreams, and emotional connections to the goods they purchased. His elaborate descriptions had allowed people to feel special and important, even if the underlying facts were embellished.

The Quest for Balance

Recognizing that his condition was causing as many problems as it was solving, Kwame decided to seek help from the same priestess who had cursed him. He traveled to the remote shrine, hoping to find some way to modify or lift the compulsion to speak only truth.

“Wise priestess,” Kwame said as he approached the altar, “I have learned much from the curse you placed upon me, and I understand now that my previous dishonesty was wrong. But I have also discovered that absolute honesty, without consideration for context and consequences, can be equally harmful. Is there no middle path between deception and brutal truth?”

The priestess studied Kwame carefully, observing the changes that his experience had brought about in his character and understanding. “You have indeed learned much,” she acknowledged. “But tell me—what is it you seek now? The return of your ability to lie, or the wisdom to use truth appropriately?”

The Moment of Choice

Kwame considered the priestess’s question carefully, recognizing that it touched on fundamental issues about the kind of person he wanted to become and the kind of life he wanted to live. He could ask to have his condition removed entirely, returning to his previous ability to embellish and manipulate truth for personal advantage. Or he could seek a different kind of transformation that would allow him to navigate the complex relationships between honesty, kindness, and social responsibility.

“I want to learn to speak truth in a way that serves others rather than just serving myself,” Kwame said finally. “I want the wisdom to know when complete honesty is helpful and when it is harmful, and the skill to communicate truthfully without causing unnecessary pain or damage.”

The priestess smiled at this response, recognizing that Kwame had truly understood the deeper lessons his experience was meant to teach. “That wisdom,” she said, “cannot be granted by spiritual intervention. It must be developed through practice, reflection, and genuine concern for the wellbeing of others.”

The Gradual Liberation

Over the following months, the priestess worked with Kwame to modify his condition gradually. Rather than simply removing the compulsion to speak truth, she helped him develop the ability to choose when and how to express the truths he perceived.

Kwame learned to pause before speaking, considering the impact his words would have on others and the purpose they would serve. He developed skills in delivering difficult truths with compassion and timing, and in finding ways to be honest without being cruel or unnecessarily harsh.

His transformation was not instant but gradual, requiring constant practice and frequent mistakes. But as Kwame grew more skilled at balancing honesty with kindness, his relationships began to heal and his reputation evolved from that of a man cursed with brutal honesty to one blessed with trustworthy wisdom.

The New Reputation

In time, Kwame became known throughout the region not just as an honest trader, but as a wise counselor whom people sought out when they needed truthful but compassionate advice. His experience with involuntary honesty had taught him to value truth while understanding its proper application.

His trading business continued to prosper, but on a foundation of genuine trust rather than manipulation. Customers knew they could rely on Kwame’s descriptions and recommendations, and they appreciated his ability to help them make informed decisions without making them feel foolish or inadequate.

Kwame also became a teacher and mediator, helping others navigate conflicts that arose from miscommunication, deception, or the misuse of truth. His unique experience had given him insights into the complex relationships between honesty, trust, and social harmony that few others possessed.

The Rival’s Realization

Yaw, who had initiated the spiritual intervention that transformed Kwame, watched these developments with growing awareness of his own motivations and character. He came to understand that his resentment of Kwame’s success had been driven more by envy than by genuine concern for ethical trading practices.

Observing how Kwame’s involuntary honesty had eventually led to greater success and respect, Yaw realized that his own straightforward approach to trade had been honest but not necessarily wise or effective. He had failed to develop the skills needed to communicate the value of his goods persuasively while remaining truthful.

Inspired by Kwame’s transformation, Yaw began working to improve his own approach to trade and communication. He learned to present his goods honestly but attractively, to build relationships with customers based on trust and mutual respect, and to find success through skilled and ethical practice rather than through seeking supernatural intervention against his competitors.

The Lasting Legacy

The story of Kwame’s transformation spread throughout the region, becoming a teaching tale about the proper relationship between truth and social responsibility. It reminded people that both excessive deception and brutal honesty could damage relationships and communities, while wise and compassionate truth-telling could build trust and understanding.

Kwame’s experience became a model for ethical communication that balanced honesty with kindness, accuracy with consideration for others’ feelings, and truthfulness with appropriate timing and context. His story showed that the highest form of honesty involved not just speaking truth, but speaking it in ways that served the highest good of all involved.

The Eternal Teaching

Today, when Akan storytellers share the tale of the man who could not lie, they emphasize that truth is a powerful tool that must be used with wisdom and compassion. The story teaches that complete honesty without consideration for consequences can be as harmful as deliberate deception, while truthfulness combined with kindness and good judgment serves both individual and community wellbeing.

The tale reminds us that the goal of honest communication should not be simply to avoid lying, but to use truth in ways that build trust, understanding, and positive relationships among people.

Most importantly, the story shows that personal transformation often comes through experiencing extremes that teach us the value of balance and moderation. Sometimes we must lose our ability to choose in order to learn how to choose wisely.

So remember, children: truth is like a sharp tool—it can build or destroy depending on how skillfully it is used. The wise person learns not just to speak truth, but to speak it with love, at the right time, and in ways that help rather than harm those who hear it.