Very early the next morning, Lion called Elephant, Leopard and Wolf to an urgent meeting; and told them how Fox had failed to show up to be eaten even though his name was first on the list. The other animals were also very surprised and they immediately sent for Fox
“Why did you fail to come to be eaten?” they angrily asked him; and Fox dropped to his knees and pleaded .
“May you all live long, and I pray that the hunters will never kill any of you. Forgive me, I meant no disrespect. How could I disrespect you when you have placed me in such a position of honour amongst all the other animals? How can I forget the great honour of being appointed to prepare the kings food register? But look at that Mahogany tree yonder that is where I live. Now look at the tallest Iroko tree near the Mahogany,; that is where I found four animals just like you all just yesterday, a lion, an elephant, a leopard and a wolf.
“And as I was coming to be eaten, they stopped me and ordered me to return home, and I am sure they have been doing the same to all the other animals in the forest. And I say that until you remove them from this forest, there will not one single animal come to the king to be eaten.”
Now the four animals were surprised to learn that there were any other in the same forest like them. “Is it really true that there is another lion? The Lion asked greatly worried.
“Truly there is another; exactly like you” Fox assured. “Are you certain there is one?” Lion again asked, realising that competition would mean that he would have to work harder than before for his food.
“I swear by my mother”; Fox replied “But one thing that I notice is that even though they are as big as each of you they do not look as strong; because several times they have chased me and have never been able to catch me. I have no doubt in my heart that if you engage them in a fight, you will overcome them, and once you have killed them, all the other animals will joyfully take their turn to come to the king to be eaten.
The Fox had been so convincing and there was no doubt that he was telling the truth. And so the four animals rose and followed him to the place where the other trespassers were to be found.
Fox led them to a large and deep well, which was full of water, and when they got there Fox pointed at the water.
“Look in there and you will see the animals that I spoke of” he said to them.
And when the four animals looked, they saw their reflection, but they thought they were looking at four animals that looked exactly like each of them. They bared their teeth and snarled and the reflections did the same; they wagged their tails and so did the reflections:
“Let’s go get them” Lion roared; and they all jumped inside the deep well and there perished.
TORTOISE CATCHES AN ELEPHANT
A long time ago when animals and men lived together there was a great king who ruled over a great town, and his name was Gudu. Now King Gudu was so great and popular that people came from all over every morning to fall on their face before him and say to him: “Gudu Omo Orisa” , which meant Gudu – son of the gods . This greeting remains today as “Good morning sir”.
And there was a time when the king became very ill, and it was feared that he would die. All the medicine men from far and wide tried to heal him with no luck, and the king at last sent for Ikumejakako, the dreaded Babalawo who lived in the evil forest.
“What do you see o great healer?” the king weakly asked, after Ikumejakako had examined him; but the Babalawo only shook his head sadly.
“It is a very terrible disease “, he said at last. “Indeed you have less than seven days to live unless you drink a magic potion which only I am able to make. But the magic potion is made from the heart of a live elephant”
And King Gudu sorrowfully wondered where he would find a live elephant. He could send hunters into the forest to kill an elephant, but who was it that could bring a live elephant to the palace. So the ordered it to be announced everywhere that anyone who would bring the king an elephant within five days would get half of his kingdom and his beautiful daughter, Wundia as a bride.
And Ijapa the tortoise heard of this and came to the king.
“I will bring you an elephant”, Ijapa said to the king. And in spite of his illness the king laughed and so did all the people with him in the palace.
“You will bring me an elephant? Why, you are no bigger than an elephant’s foot. Go away you foolish jester”, the king said. But Ijapa did not leave.
“Half of your kingdom and your beautiful daughter Wundia for my wife; will that be my reward if I bring you an elephant? Ijapa asked.
“Certainly but why waste our time; you certainly have no hope of doing this”, the king was getting angry now.
“Am I allowed one request then before I go away?” Ijapa again asked; and the king waved his hand impatiently.
“May I ask that a deep pit be dug at the gate of the palace; deep enough to trap an elephant. And when you have done this you must cover it with mats and place a throne as good as yours right in the middle. If you do this I promise to being your elephant tomorrow “
And because King Gudu was very ill and so desperate to be well again, he commanded that the pit be dug.
“True an elephant is big but I am cleverer.” said the tortoise as he went away.
When he got home, Ijapa fried some delicious akara ; he then set out for the forest in search of an elephant. For several hours he wandered through the forest looking and looking until he finally found an elephant resting under a tree.
” What are you doing here…haven’t you heard the news?” Ijapa said to Elephant.”
“What news?” Elephant was certainly confused.
“The king is dead and since there is no animal as big as you, it has been decided to make you king over all – men and animals included”, Ijapa flattered..
”Me a king? I am sure that cannot be true; I am too fat awkward and ugly “Elephant laughed.
“But everybody thinks otherwise”, Ijapa told him “Look I have brought some akara. They are already preparing a feast for you, and I got these from the kitchen”
And so Elephant ate one of the akara, and then more.
“They are delicious”, he trumpeted
“There is more at the palace waiting for you”, Ijapa laughed.
And so they both set off for the town and as they walked along Ijapa gave Elephant more akara.
Now Tortoise had already arranged for some singers and musicians to raise a song when they see him approaching with Elephant, and as soon as they saw him from afar off they started to sing:
“King Elephant is coming
King Elephant is coming”
And when Elephant heard the song, he danced happily all the way to the palace. At last the throne was in sight and Elephant hasted towards it and to be crowned king. And as he came nearer the throne the ground gave way and he plunged into the deep pit that had been dug for him. He trumpeted in fear and tried to get out, but in vain, and was in a moment killed.
Ikumejakako the dreaded Babalawo made a healing potion from Elephant’s heart and King Gudu lived for a long time thereafter. Ijapa Tortoise was given half of the kingdom and also the beautiful Wundia, King Gudu’s daughter for wife.
WHY THE CHIMPANZEE SWINGS FROM TREES
It was usual in those days that the animals had a court where difficult cases