The Tortoise


Home ] Up ]

The Tortoise and the White Bone

The tortoise is an animal that is often mentioned in Nigerian folklores. In fact the tortoise is often referred to as a man. He is regarded both as a hero, a villain, an inquisitive person and a gossiper. He is hated and at the same time loved.

One day as the tortoise was passing through the forest near his home; he saw a bone by the side of the road. He wondered what a white bone was doing there. Several possibilities came to his mind. A dog might have carried it there. It could be a dead man’s bone. It could be a dead animal’s bone. Whatever it is, it was an old bone because it was white and smooth.

He walked away for a few yards, but his curiosity made him turn back to look at the bone again. Then he started talking to the bone.

“Mr. Bone, what are you doing by the side of the road?”

There was no answer.

“I am speaking to you Mr. Bone. Who brought you here?”

There was silence.

“I may be able to help you if you let me know whom you are. Are you from a dead man or a dead animal?”

There was no answer from the bone and the tortoise started to move away. Then the bone spoke.

“Mr. Tortoise, leave me alone and mind your own business. I know you are an inquisitive fellow and that will get you into trouble one day”.

Surprised that the bone could talk, the tortoise said,

“I knew you could talk. Why were you reluctant to answer me? Answer my questions and I will help you”.

The bone relapsed into silence again.

Then the tortoise said to himself:

“This will be good news in the village. I found a bone that could talk”.

He turned round and returned to the village. On his arrival he went straight to the town-crier’s house and said:

“Announce this to the whole village. I found a bone that could talk”

It was announced and the villagers gathered round the tortoise. Some said he was a liar but others said it might be true. Then one man said,

"Show us the bone that could talk".

The tortoise led them to the forest and they all surrounded the bone. The tortoise said to the bone,

“I have brought my friends to hear you talk. Answer my questions and we will help you. We will make you rich”.

His intention was to take the bone home and charge a fee for showing him to curious individuals. But the bone was silent and as much as the tortoise tried to make the bone talk, he failed. Then the villagers pounced on the tortoise and beat him nearly to death for deceiving them.

The lesson from this story is that we should mind our own business otherwise we may get into trouble.

 

Home ] Up ]

© Sanya Oloruntoba: Family Webmaster, 2001 - 2005