Once upon a time, a female crocodile settled on the bank of a river. One evening, as she strolled along the shore, she discovered some eggs lying in a nest, partially covered. She marveled at their freckled beauty, wishing they were her own.
When she returned home, she mentioned her find and sought help to decorate her eggs. She was directed to Mr. Tortoise, who was renowned for his skill in decorating eggs.
Thanking her neighbours, she hurried to Mr. Tortoise’s house. Upon meeting him, she said, “Mr. Tortoise, I heard you are excellent at decorating eggs.”
“Oh, my fair lady, no one around here can match my skill,” Mr. Tortoise replied, flattering her. “Egg-decoration is my specialty, especially for a fine crocodile like you. By the time I finish, you won’t recognize them.”
“How wonderful! I didn’t know we had such a talented artist here,” she responded ecstatically.
“Actually, I live across the river and am just visiting a friend. But I can do the work before I leave.”
“Oh, how lucky I am that you are here now!” said the crocodile.
“But there are conditions you must meet before I start,” Mr. Tortoise said.
“Whatever conditions you have, I will comply. Go on, I’m all ears,” the crocodile replied.
“First, you need to provide the following items: a pitcher of palm-oil, powdered pepper, salt, and a sizable shard of a broken clay pot,” said Mr. Tortoise.
“Second, the job will take nine days. During this period, you must not come to my workplace until I am done and gone.”
“Yes, I promise,” replied the crocodile.
“Finally, you must arrange reliable transportation for me so I can leave immediately after I finish.”
“I will have Ábáji-Ọ̀wálà, the fast Monitor-lizard, take you across the river,” she suggested, but Mr. Tortoise objected.
“No, no, no. I will not trust that reckless, over-speeding lizard to crash me into some rock in the middle of the river. Do you want to kill me?” Mr. Tortoise argued.
“Okay, then, let Ábáji-Ùjetí take you. But, be careful; he is hard of hearing,” the crocodile pointed out.
“I don’t mind. In fact, I prefer the deafness of a careful driver to the recklessness of a fast one,” replied the Tortoise, and they both laughed.
Their negotiation settled, Mr. Tortoise began working the next day. He made an open fire, placed the shard on top and poured palm-oil into it. Breaking an egg, he spiced it with salt and pepper and poured it into the heated oil, producing a loud hissing sound. The cunning tortoise feasted on the crocodile’s eggs, one after another, then left in his arranged transportation.
No sooner had they begun their journey than Madam Crocodile, suspecting foul play, ran to the Tortoise’s work-place. She found the broken shells of her precious eggs scattered around the still-active fire. Livid with rage, she shouted after the Deaf Monitor-lizard. Mr. Tortoise heard her but kept silent until the Monitor-lizard, despite his deafness, mentioned hearing his name.
“She’s warning us of a threatening storm and advising you to increase speed,” Mr. Tortoise lied.
The driver obeyed and quickly rowed Mr. Tortoise ashore. Unluckily for him, Madam Crocodile spotted him and, in a fit of fury, smashed him against a stone, scattering his shell to smithereens. His faithful wife, Ayibo, gathered the bits and pieces of his shell, piecing them together into a scraggy whole.
Takeaways:
- Never trust someone you hardly know with your precious possessions.
- What you sow is what you reap. When you sow the wind, you reap the whirlwind.
