A FOLKLORE FROM OSUN STATE.

One day the tortoise decided to take a stroll after having a cool drink of palm wine.
As he walked along a narrow track road, he came face-to-face with the elephant.
“Out of my way! You puny little ant!” the elephant said.
“Ajanaku, address me with my due respect. Your pompous nature has gone into
your head” said the tortoise.
“Humph! Said Ajanaku, the elephant and stamped his great foot on the ground
with a loud thud.
“Don’t you know I’m the strongest animal in the whole kingdom?
Respect my foot” said Ajanaku.
“A very fat animal yes, but are you the strongest? I doubt that very much” said the
tortoise. With that the elephant uprooted a big tree and threw it far. “Do you still
doubt my strength or do I have to tear the whole forest for you to see? He asked.
“No, not that, that will only display brawns and not brains. I hereby challenge you
to a tug of war by noon tomorrow. Call every one you know to witness your
defeat. If you can pull me the little hill beside the river, then you are indeed as
powerful as you claim to be”.
“I accept,” boomed the elephant “I will not only pull you down, I will hurl you a
hundred miles!” He proclaimed as he walked away.
Now, the tortoise started thinking “oh my! What have I gotten myself into? My
big mouth and me! How do I hope to win a tug of war with Ajanaku? I must have taken too much palmwine and it started to make me run my mouth!” I better drink
some water to clear my head before I run into more trouble.” So the tortoise
stopped by the river side to get a cool drink to clear his head. Suddenly, a loud
splash and all the water turned muddy “who is that misbred nuisance” can’t you
see I’m trying to take a drink? The tortoise shouted.
“Ha! Ha!! Ha!!! Bald old tortoise! Can’t you see I’m trying to take a swim? It is I,
Erinokun the hippopotamus I own part of the river. So, I have all the right!” The
hippo said.
“Will you stop splashing about you big-for-nothing buffon before I get mad at
you!” the tortoise said.
“Ha! Ha!! You will have to drag me out for that and as you can see, that is
impossibility!”
Now an idea clicked in tortoise’s mind and he said, okay then tomorrow by noon, I
will come with a rope and I will drag you and if I don’t then, I owe you an

apology.

 I will be waiting but mind you, no hippo had ever been dragged out of the river, I

would rather drag you in!. Erinokun said as it swam on.

The next day, the tortoise got two very strong ropes and waited for Ajanaku just

down the little hill by the river-side Ajanaku came strolling down amidst cheers

from other animals who had gathered to watch.

The tortoise gave Ajanaku one end of a rope and told him I will go over on hill

with the other end and if you hear ‘pull’ you better pull with all your might or

else!.

“Or else what? You pull me up? Insult! Give me the rope and when you are ready

tell me”.

The tortoise now went over the hill the other side and called out to hippo

“Erinokun, I’m ready for the challenge Erinokun raised his head from the water

and caught the rope the tortoise threw at him with his mouth. I will go on top of

the hill and when I shout ‘pull’ you can pull me down the hill”.

So, the tortoise went up the hill this time and tied the two ropes together, he hid

behind a rock and shouted ‘PULL!!’.

The two beasts heard him and start pulling. At first they only gave the rope a little

tug, then when they knew it wouldn’t budge, they gave a little heave. When that

didn’t work, they started pulling and even tried walking backwards. In no time,

Ajanaku the elephant started sweating while Erinokun, the hippo, was snorting.

They both exerted themselves while the tortoise was eating kolanuts behind the

rock he was hiding. They pulled and pulled. After a long time, the elephant gave

up his pride and said “Enough!” he threw down the rope and stomped away in

disgrace, the tortoise now went to the hippo and said “Oh! I see I can’t pull you

out of the water so from now on I will take my drink down the river”.

“No! no, tortoise you,ve earned my respect I now see you are a strong one and I

apologize for my rudeness. You have the freedom to drink from here whenever

you please my friend.”

So the tortoise walked away feeling ten times taller and he said to himself “Really

there is strength in wisdom!.”