Skip to main content

TORTOISE AND THE PRINCESS WHO WOULD NOT SPEAK

Once there was a king who had a very beautiful daughter, her name was Bola

Bola was enchanting to look at but she had one fault. She had never spoken a word in her life. The king summoned the best medicine men in the land and they brewed various talking potions but none of them worked

As the daughter would still not speak, the king became desperate.. so he made an announcement

KING: Any one who can make my daughter talk, i shall give her hand in marriage to that person and i will offer half my land

The tortoise heard the reward and set out to get it

He bought a bottle of honey and placed it by a bush near where Bola lived while he hid himself. When Bola came by and saw the bottle of honey, she put her hand in it and tasted the sweet liquid. Immediately Tortoise jumped out of his hiding place and grabbed Bola by the hand

Thief!? he cried. ?So it is you who steal my honey and eat it.?

Tortoise then tied Bola with a rope and started to lead her back to the palace singing,

Bola stole honey to eat
Kayin, Kayin
Bola is a cunning cheat
Kayin, Kayin
Bola is a shameless thief
Kayin, Kayin


 To this, Bola sang in response,

Into the wood of the elephant I went with the elephant
Kayin, Kayin
Into the wood of the buffalo I went with the buffalo
Kayin, Kayin
And Tortoise has come to accuse me of stealing honey to eat
Kayin, Kayin


When they got to the palace the king and all present were amazed, Bola who had never uttered a word before was now suddenly singing. This was not a case of thievery but a miracle

How did you do it? ..asked the king

Tortoise: it would seem all she needed was not herbs or talking potions but a motivation to actually speak

The king gave her daughter to the tortoise in marriage and offered him half his land

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

THE STORY OF OLAJUMOKE

Once upon a time in the village of Aiyegberu, there lived a maiden called Olajumoke. She was the most beautiful woman in all the lands As news of her great beauty spread, suitors came lining asking for her hand in marriage but she refused them all. None of them was handsome enough to match her beauty she proclaimed

THE CUNNING TORTOISE & THE ELEPHANT

Once upon a time, a great king ruled the kingdom of Gbogan, after winning several great victories for his people he became ill due to accumulated injuries. All the medicine men in the kingdom and neighbouring kingdoms tried to treat him but to no avail. Finally it was concluded that Ikumejakako, the most dreaded amongst herbalist should be consulted, so the king sent his chief to the evil forest to fetch the man who was once banished for his daring methods