In the village of Umuocha, there lived a woman named Ada. Ada was known for two things—her fiery temper and her legendary goat soup. No one in the village could cook goat soup like Ada. The rich aroma alone could make even the proudest chief stop and beg for a taste. One sunny afternoon, Ada prepared her special soup, stirring the pot with pride as the scent filled the air. Nearby, her neighbor Obinna, a man who loved food more than his own shadow, sniffed the air and grinned. "Ah! Ada’s goat soup!" he said, rubbing his belly. "Today will be a good day!" Obinna, being a smooth talker, strolled over to Ada’s hut with his most charming smile. "Ada, my good friend," he said, "that soup smells like heaven itself! You must let me taste just a little." Ada, who was in a good mood, laughed and said, "Obinna, you and your sweet words! Fine, I will give you one bowl, but just one!" Obinna clapped his hands in excitement and sat down, waiting eagerly. But when Ada turned to fetch the bowl, Obinna’s eyes grew wide with greed. The pot was full, steaming, and calling his name. Before he could stop himself, he dipped his hand into the pot and snatched a big piece of meat! Just as he was about to swallow it, Ada turned around and gasped. "Obinna! You thief!" she shouted, grabbing her wooden spoon. Obinna jumped back, the meat still in his mouth. "I was just testing it for you!" he mumbled, chewing quickly. Ada’s face turned red with anger. "Testing it? With your whole hand inside my pot? You are a greedy man!" She swung the spoon, but Obinna ducked, and the spoon hit her own clay pot, cracking it slightly. The soup began to drip, and Ada’s anger doubled. "Now look what you’ve done!" she screamed. Obinna, knowing he was in trouble, tried to run, but Ada was faster. She grabbed his shirt, and the two began to wrestle right there in the compound. Children playing nearby stopped to watch, laughing at the sight. "Fight! Fight!" they chanted, clapping their hands. The noise attracted Mama Nkechi, the village gossip, who came running with her hands on her hips. "What is happening here?" she demanded. Ada pointed at Obinna. "This thief stole my meat and broke my pot!" Obinna shook his head. "It was an accident! She attacked me first!" Mama Nkechi, always eager for drama, folded her arms. "This is serious! We must call the village elders!" Before long, the news spread like wildfire. The village drummer started beating his drum, calling everyone to the square. Chief Okonkwo, the oldest and wisest man in Umuocha, sat on his stool, frowning. "Why are we gathered like this?" he asked. Ada stepped forward, still holding her cracked pot. "Chief, Obinna is a thief! He stole from my pot and ruined my soup!" Obinna protested, "I only wanted a small taste! She is overreacting!" The villagers murmured among themselves. Some sided with Ada, saying Obinna was too greedy. Others laughed, saying it was just a piece of meat. Chief Okonkwo scratched his head, thinking. Then, he had an idea. "Since this is about food, let us settle it with food!" he declared. "Obinna, you will cook your own goat soup and give half to Ada as payment. If your soup is better, Ada will apologize. If hers is better, you will work in her farm for a week!" The crowd cheered. It was a fair judgment. Obinna, who had never cooked anything in his life, panicked. "But Chief, I don’t know how to cook!" Ada smirked. "Then you should have thought of that before stealing!" The villagers laughed. Obinna had no choice. He went home, gathered ingredients, and tried to cook. But his soup was too salty, the meat was tough, and the smell was nothing like Ada’s. When he brought it to the square, even the village dogs refused to taste it. Ada, on the other hand, proudly presented a fresh pot of her soup. The moment the lid was opened, everyone sighed in delight. Chief Okonkwo tasted both soups and immediately declared Ada the winner. "Obinna, your soup tastes like the bottom of a dirty river!" he said, spitting it out. The villagers roared with laughter. Obinna hung his head in shame. "Fine, I will work on Ada’s farm," he muttered. For the next week, Obinna toiled under the hot sun, planting yams and weeding Ada’s crops. Ada, watching him sweat, couldn’t help but laugh. "Maybe next time, you will ask before stealing!" she teased. By the end of the week, Obinna had learned his lesson. He apologized sincerely, and Ada, being kind-hearted, forgave him. To celebrate their peace, she cooked another pot of goat soup and invited the whole village. Obinna, now wiser, waited patiently for his share. As they ate and laughed together, the children danced, and the village drummer played a happy tune. From that day on, Obinna never stole food again—though he still begged Ada for soup every chance he got. Both Ada and Obinna are in their late 20's