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Why The Tortoise's Shell Is Not Smooth

This Nigerian folktale explains why the tortoise's shell is not smooth. [1] There was a great famine and the tortoise had not eaten in two months. [2] He convinced the birds to give him wings so he could attend a feast in the sky. [3] However, at the feast the greedy tortoise ate everything himself, angering the birds who took back their feathers, leaving the tortoise stranded in the sky with a damaged shell.

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706 views

Why The Tortoise's Shell Is Not Smooth

This Nigerian folktale explains why the tortoise's shell is not smooth. [1] There was a great famine and the tortoise had not eaten in two months. [2] He convinced the birds to give him wings so he could attend a feast in the sky. [3] However, at the feast the greedy tortoise ate everything himself, angering the birds who took back their feathers, leaving the tortoise stranded in the sky with a damaged shell.

Uploaded by

Concepcion Abratiguin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Why The Tortoise's Shell Is Not Smooth

-Nigerian folktale

The moon had been rising late every night, until it was seen only at dawn.

Nakerekere and her mother sat on a mat on the floor after their supper.

The world was silent, except for the shrill cry of insects, which was part of the night, and the sound
of wooden mortar and pestle as Narieyuru pounded her 'amazigbo'.

Every woman in the neighborhood knew the sound of Narieyuru's mortar and pestle.

Dagberewere had eaten from his wives' dishes and was now reclining with his back against the wall.

But he had recently fallen ill. Low voices, broke out and the sound of singing reached Dagberewere
from his wives' huts as each woman and her children told fold stories.

They painted their bodies with red camwood and drew beautiful patterns on them with "mbiongo".

As soon as he heard of the great feast in the sky, his throat began to itch at the very thought of it.

There was a famine in those days and Tortoise had not eaten a good meal for two moons.

His body rattled like a piece of dry stick in his empty shell.

Tortoise had a sweet tongue, and within a short time, all the birds agreed that he is a changed man,
and they each gave him a feather, with which he made two wings.

Tortoise was very happy and valuable as he flew among the birds, and he was soon chosen as the
man to speak for the party because he was a great orator.

"When people are invited to a great feast like this, they take their new names for the occasion.

Our hosts in the sky will expect us to honor this age-old custom”.

After the kola nuts have been presented and eaten, people of the sky set before their guests the
most delectable dishes tortoise had hot from the fire and in ever seen or dreamed of.
When everything had been set before the guests, one of the people of the sky came forward and
tasted a little from each pot.

But Tortoise jumped to his feet and asked: "For whom have you prepared this feast?"

The people of the sky thought it must be their custom to leave all the food for their king.

The birds gathered around to eat what was left and peck at the bones he had thrown on an all about
the floor.

Some of them were too angry but before they left each took back the feather he had lent to tortoise.

In the end, parrot, who had felt angrier than the others, suddenly changed his mind and agreed to
take the message.

"Tell my wife", said the tortoise, "to bring out all the soft things in my house and cover the
compound with them from the sky without great danger".

so that I can jump down Parrot promised to deliver the message and then flew away.

And SO she brought out her husband's bows, machetes, spears, guns, and even his cannon.

Tortoise looked down from the sky and saw his wife bringing things out, but it was too far to see
what they were.

Tortoise's wife sent for him and he gathered all the bits of shell and stuck them together?.

That is why Tortoise shell is not smooth, as a result of his mischief and gluttony.

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