Best Friends Forever

A mouse and a frog were friends. Every morning the frog would hop out of his pond and go
to visit his friend who lived in a hole in the side of a tree. He would return home at noon.

The mouse delighted in his friend’s company unaware that the friend was slowly turning into
an enemy. The reason? The frog felt slighted because though he visited the mouse
everyday, the mouse on his part, had never made an attempt to visit him.

One day he felt he had been humiliated enough. When it was time for him to take leave of
the mouse, he tied one end of a string around his own leg, tied the other end to the
mouse’s tail, and hopped away, dragging the hapless mouse behind him.

The frog dived deep into the pond. The mouse tried to free himself but couldn’t, and soon
drowned. His bloated body floated to the top.

A hawk saw the mouse floating on the pond’s surface. He swooped down, and grabbing the
mouse in his talons, flew to the branch of a nearby tree. The frog, of course, was hauled out
of the water too. He desperately tried to free himself, but couldn’t and the hawk soon put
an end to his struggles.

In Africa they have a saying: ‘Don’t dig too deep a pit for your enemy, you may fall into it
yourself’.

he Tortoise and the Elephant

There was a great King who ruled in the village of Gbogan a long long time
ago at a time when animals could talk. The King took very ill for a long period
of time and was at the point of death. After several attempts by medicine men
from within the kingdom to heal the king failed, ?Ikumejakako?, the dreaded
herbalist who dwelt in the evil forest was consulted. He examining the king
and pronounced that the king would have to take a special brew made of
elephant body parts or die within seven days.

The King and his chiefs wondered how they would capture a big and
dangerous animal like an elephant. The king after consultation with his chiefs
made an announcement throughout the kingdom that anyone who would
capture an elephant within seven days would get half of the kingdom and his
beautiful daughter as a bride.

The tortoise came forward to accept the challenge. He made a request of the
King, that a very deep pit be dug and that the pit should be concealed with
raffia and mats and that a throne fit for a king should be set on top of the pit.
The tortoise made some ?akara? balls (bean cakes) and set out into the forest
in search of an elephant. The wandered through the forest making enquiries
of his fellow animals until the third day when he stumbled on an elephant
resting under a tree??.

Tortoise: Elephant, what are you doing here?haven?t you heard the news?
Elephant: What news? Do not disturb my siesta tortoise, I do not like gossip
Tortoise: I don?t believe my eyes, a whole King, resting in the forest under a
shade!!
Elephant: A King, what King?
Tortoise: YOU!! The king is dead and the elders have decided to make you
king over the people.
Elephant: (roars with laughter)?.you must be a joker tortoise, who would want
to make an old ugly elephant like me a king?
Tortoise: There is no time for explanations, preparations are already at an
advanced stage in the kingdom for your coronation, we must make haste, see,
I have proof (he brought out one of the akara balls and handed one over to
the elephant) This akara is only a small part of the delicacies being prepared
for your coronation.
Elephant: (putting the akara into his mouth) Hmmmmm?.this is
delicious?really delicious it must be true, lets make haste.

And so the tortoise led the elephant all the way to the village handing out the
akara balls to him at intervals and singing popular coronation songs to him all
the way.

As the tortoise and the elephant approached the palace, news of the capture
of the elephant spread like wild fire, everybody came out of their houses and
started following the duo to the palace joyous and joining in tortoise?s songs.
This all created an atmosphere of festivities reinforcing the belief in the
elephant’s mind that he was to be made king.

Elephant: Your story must be true. The people are really joyous to see me.
Tortoise: You know I wouldn’t lie to you, can’t you see them singing that your
reign shall be long?

As the throne finally came into sight, the elephant lumbered into it majestically
amidst dancing and singing. He sat on the throne and instantly the ground
gave way beneath him and he fell into the pit. The king’s warriors immediately
descended upon him with spears and clubs and butchered him. Once the king
had taken a sip of the elephant broth made for him, he became instantly well
and fulfilled his promise towards the tortoise.

Why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears

If you live in the rain forest climates of West Africa, you will be very familiar
with the buzz of the mosquito in your ears on hot humid evenings. Even if
there?s only one mosquito and only one person in an area as large as a
football field, the mosquito always seems to find that person?s ear and buzz in
it. If you?ve slapped yourself in the face because of a mosquito, you know
what I?m talking about. Here?s the story that explains the mosquito?s
attraction to the ear.

A very long time ago when Ear was a beautiful woman and ready for
marriage, there were several suitors wooing her. There were big creatures,
there were small creatures. There were fast and sleek creatures and there
were slow ones. But they all professed their love for Ear and demonstrated
their skills ? and there was such an impressive array of skills that Ear had a
difficult time making a decision. Then along came mosquito.

?I would like you to be my wife?, proposed Mosquito.

Ear was so offended by this affront. ?Look around you!? she cried. ?Of all the
people and creatures in the whole world, what makes you think I can entertain
such a thought?? Ear was distressed. ?Marry you?!!? she continued. ?You
will be dead before the week is over. You?re not strong, you?re weak and I
will never marry you!?

Ear was exhausted from this tirade and she fell into her seat, fanning herself
vigorously like she was trying to get any image of Mosquito out of her head.
Meanwhile, Mosquito was really hurt by all that Ear said. It was very
embarrassing to be talked to like that in front of all the other creatures who
were whispering to each other and giggling. Apparently, they all agreed with
Ear. ?Dead before the week is over,? thought Mosquito as he slunk away.
?We?ll see about that.?

And from that day forward, whenever Mosquito sees Ear, he flies up to her
and says ?Emi re, mi o ti ku?, which in English means ?Here I am, I am not
dead.?
But who did Mosquito eventually marry? And how did she get attached to
either side of Head? That?s another story I would like to hear.

The three brothers and the pot of

porridge
Three brothers were traveling through the dense rain forest jungle. They had
been traveling on foot for almost a full day and night was falling. They needed
a suitable place to rest for the night, a place where they would be safe from
prowling animals of the night.

They were in luck because before darkness fell, they spotted a little isolated
hut in the distance. When they arrived at the hut, they met a kindly old woman
who invited them in and offered them a place to spend the night.

The old woman offered them some porridge which she was cooking in an iron
pot over some firewood. The brothers declined for they were very exhausted
and also did not want to impose on this old woman who living alone, had
cooked enough porridge only for one person.

The old woman gave them some mats and showed them into a room where
they could lay down and have a good nights rest. Soon, the entire hut was
dark and everyone in it was asleep.

Sometime in the night, the youngest of the three brothers woke up and he was
very hungry. His older brothers had declined the offer of some supper and he
had just gone along, but he was really hungry. So he went out into the kitchen
to see if any of the porridge remained and indeed, there was enough porridge
in there for one person. It appeared that the old woman had not eaten any of
it, she must have been keeping it for the next day. It wouldn?t harm anybody if
he ate just a little bit of it, and it would certainly do him a lot of good. So he ate
a little bit. Then a little bit more, and even more until it was all gone. Realizing
his folly, he decided to cover it up and went out to pick some stones to put in
the pot. He hoped the old woman would not notice.

The three brothers were up early the next morning to continue on their
journey. They bade farewell to the old woman and thanked her for her
kindness.
The old woman discovered the stones in her pot soon after the brothers left
and immediately set out after them. Even though she was very old, she could
move as fast, or maybe even faster than any young man since she was able
to catch up with the three young men.

She accused them of stealing her porridge and filling her pot with stones, at
which the eldest brother who spoke for them sincerely denied. The old woman
though was certain that one of them performed the deed, so she challenged
them to take a test. They went to a nearby river which had a log laying across
it. Each one of them would walk across the river on the log while singing a
song which the woman taught to them. They would each sing this song in
Yoruba:

Ti m ba je koko arugbo
If I ate the the old woman?s cocoyam
Ki okun gbe mi, ki okun la mi
Let the sea take me
Ki okun gbe mi si erigidi ofun
Let the sea take me to ____ [unable to translate last part]

The first two brothers walked confidently across the river singing the song. But
the youngest brother was so scared as he walked and sang. His step faltered
several times and he eventually fell into the river.