The turtle and the tortoise are brothers. However, except for the fact that they look alike, there is no other relationship between Nwambe the tortoise and Amawa the turtle. One does not need to be a seer to see that there is no love lost between these two. It was wise Enyi the Elephant who always kept himself aloof of the animosities and petty quarrels of the lower animals that responded to this eminent collapse of the social order in the animal kingdom with alacrity. He invited all the animals to a meeting, making sure that the tortoise and the turtle were amongst those to come. In respect to the mighty Elephant, they all came.
Usually, the meeting of the animals will not come to an end unless the two obnoxious brothers end it in a shouting match or a heated argument or even a brawl. This bad blood between the two brothers has gone on so long that it has started affecting the entire animal people. This is because these two are very wily and crafty, being the deep root of their quarrels as none of them wishes to agree that the other is as intelligent as the other. They have therefore unwittingly divided the animals into two parties. One group supports one of them and the other group the other brother in their rife. Without knowing it therefore the animal kingdom was slowly degenerating into deep enemies and losing the unity that has made them strong.
As they all gathered, the Elephant addressed them long and patiently. He pointed out to them the deep cleavage and strains that are starting to appear in relationships that were before so happy, united and free. Wise Enyi carefully reminded them of how joyful and loving the animal people have been in the past. Animals used to knock on the doors of their neighbours at any time of the day or night and be sure to be let in and welcomed happily. Any animal in trouble was helped by any other animal or all the other animals without any demands for repayment or payment. “We used to be brothers” he said solemnly” Alas, alas, now the opposite is just the case. We are now at each other’s throat. Hatred, rancor and strife is now the order of the day”. He waited for a while to let his speech sink into the minds of the now very quiet and subdued animals.
The gentle giant, a very emotional animal and one not for unnecessary dramatics, quietly asked “Why?” again he paused and watched. He observed as if all eyes slowly started reverting towards the two garrulous mischievous brothers.
Taking in a deep breath, he continued “Yes, the reason for this sour situation we people of the animal kingdom are immersed in now is the continuous bickering and quarrels between the brothers’ turtle and tortoise. So, the question is now, what are we going to do about it? We are not going to sit still and let the irresponsibility of two people tear apart the fabric of happiness that has held us together as a people, will we?
“Noooo!!!” They chorused suddenly, coming alive.
The monkey who has been ever so jealous of the attention the tortoise and the turtle have been receiving immediately broke in
“So, what do we do about it?” he shouted, jumping into the center of the gathering and waving his arms dramatically.
“Whip them” says one
“Stone them” suggests another
“Ostracize them” the hyena contributed laughing noisily.
“Exile them, exile them” the mischievous monkey shouted again, pounding the ground with his feet and waving clenched fists in the air to emphasize and impress his
suggestions on the animals. As expected, his excitement soon caught on and the chant of “Exile them, Exile them” so filled the air as the charged animals started advancing towards the now quite frightened brothers, with malevolence in their eyes.
“Wow, wow, wow, now wait a minute” shouted the elephant, pointing to the monkey, he ordered “You go and sit down and I do not want to hear your voice again unless permitted to speak” there is steel in his voice. No one dares to disobey the big man when his voice takes this tone. Without a word, the monkey quit the center of the gathering and went and sat down amongst the other animals.
“Now please, the elephant placated them in a gentler voice, you cannot correct a wrong with a wrong. Our elders say that ‘two wrongs cannot make a right.’ You see, in relationships we are all at par. We are all at the same level; however, if someone goes and offends you, he instantly goes below you as he now owes you one. If you forgive that person, you go another step higher than him. But if you take revenge or retaliate on that one, then both of you go down at the same level. Let me tell you, if a mad man comes to where you are taking your bath and runs off with your clothes and you come out from the water and starts chasing him all around the village in your nakedness, then the village will say that they saw two mad people running around the village”
The animals were nodding in agreement to this oration and reasoning of the elephant.
“Then what are we to do about them?” piped in the hare
“Yes, says the cat, they have done quite some harm to us and if we leave them to go unpunished or leave them amongst us, they may do much more harm”
The elephant nodded, “Yes, I have observed them both and have seen that they are not likely to come to terms with their differences, but the sad fact remains that they are of usand the law of our land says that you cannot condemn anyone without giving such a one chance to defend himself. I therefore suggest a competition between the two of them and whoever wins stays with us and the loser will be exiled to the world of the humans or to the water world.
This the animals agreed with enthusiasm.
“A duel” says one
“No, a wrestling match” suggests the other
“No, no, no” says another, a race, a race will be best “
The Elephant continued shaking his large head.
“No, I have a better idea. You know it has been who is the more intelligent between these two that has been the bone of contention in their unending disagreements. So, I think we can lay the matter to rest once and for all by their having a quiz competition”
“Wonderful” chorused the animals “what a brilliant idea”
“And we can enjoy ourselves also at the same time” says the easily excitable squirrel.
“Of course,” agreed the animals and immediately started firing questions at the two brothers who were by now totally bewildered and flabbergasted as to how their popularity a short while ago has suddenly turned to notoriety. How they have at a snap of the finger turned from leaders to criminals.
“Tortoise what is your father’s occupation?”
“Turtle how many toes does the fish have?”
“Ah, my friends, why don’t you answer the questions? Why are you looking like two brothers with the same problem and none of you can help the other?” the monkey jibed at them.
It is still the Elephant that stepped in and brought sanity to the situation.
“Now, now folks, it is not like that. To avoid partiality and allow them to exercise their so much vaunted wits to full extent, let them ask each other the questions; the one at the end who cannot answer the question his brother has put to him has lost and will have to leave us”
“Wonderful, wonderful, that is the best idea” the animals all agreed.
Calling the monkey over, the elephant gave him a seed and asked him to put his hands behind him. Then the tortoise was asked to pick which of the hands the seed was in.
He picked the left hand. It is wrong. The animals shouted happily because actually he was the least liked of the two insufferable brothers and of course he had less followers.
“Then brother Turtle has first question” pronounces the elephant, thereby declaring the competition open.
The turtle steps forward smiling, this kind of situation he is comfortable with, an opportunity to totally humiliate his extremely annoying brother and get him exiled out of his life for good if possible. Expectedly that was exactly what his brother was thinking. Taking a deep breath, in the midst of the silence and hush that has fallen among the animals, the turtle scratched his head, then “Can you tell me which two natural sheets are the same?”
The answer came fast “The sky and the earth”
Then it is the turn of the turtle.
“What is the beautiful flower I saw in my travels but do not have the basket to pluck it into?”
“The pretty damsel I met while growing up but could not afford her bride price to marry her”
Now the tortoise asks, “What is it that we see come down but do not see it go up?”
“The rain” the other replies, and then asks in the same vein, “What goes up and never comes down?”
“Age” replies the tortoise, and what is the unseen king of the world?”
“The air” replies the brother turtle, who takes a deep breath, then asks “The sharpest knife in nature?”
“The tongue”
Then “What is it when broken can only be mended by soft words”
“The heart” replies the other.
“Can you tell me what the dance of the fireflies is?” The turtle asks
“Rain drops on a moonlight night”
“Who is the father of the man?”
“The boy”
“The umbrella of the farmland?”
“Banana leaves”
“That which is on a constant journey but never comes back?”
“The river”
“Who is my dear brother who is always with me but when he changes his name, we never meet again?” This is the tortoise.
“Today changes to tomorrow”
Now it is the turn of the turtle. He looks around with a sardonic smile on his face. “Better listen well brother for I am going to ask this only once”. He takes a deep exaggerated breath, more like puffing out his chest than breathing. “A man is travelling; he has with him a lion, a goat and a yam tuber. He gets to a deep river with a narrow bridge. Now he can only cross the bridge with only one of these things he has. Can you help him cross everything over to the other side safely?” he concludes with a flourish. There is silence as the animals all started trying to solve the riddle themselves. “If you leave the goat with lion, the lion will eat the goat”.
“And if you leave the goat and the yam and cross over with the lion the goat will eat the yam.”
“Let him carry the yam on his head and —-“the rabbit started
“Now now, please people, let him answer the question himself. Any one of you I hear his voice again is out of here, do you hear me?” the Elephant warned.
The tortoise has a very thoughtful expression on his face. He clears his voice.
“Now, remember Nwambe, you have only one chance, so I will advise you to think before you answer” the Elephant once again spoke.
The tortoise gave him a funny look then shakes his head and clears his throat again “First the man takes the goat across the bridge leaving the lion and the yam. Then he comes back and takes the lion across the bridge but while coming back to take the yam he takes the goat with him. When he gets to the other side, he leaves the goat and takes the yam tuber with him to where the lion is. Then he comes back alone and takes the goat with him”
The animals who had all this while held their breath let out a cheer of admiration despite themselves.
Then the tortoise now puts his hands behind his back and starts pacing as if he was thinking, then he turns round dramatically and throws a sweeping glance at the animals gathered. He centers on the antelope. The tortoise then points at him and states “The antelope is running into the forest. Tell me brother, how far into the forest can he run?”
There is a collective frown from all the animals. Most could not figure out if this really is a question. A sentiment voiced for all by the Elephant “Is that a questioned?”
The tortoise smiles crookedly “Is that his answer?”
“Don’t bother Sir” says the turtle to the elephant, “I can take care of this. Our people say that something crooked can only walk crookedly. I had expected these deceptions from him.”
Turning to the tortoise he says “He can run into the forest to the center. For after that he will then be running out of the forest”
The askance expression remained on the faces of most animals. For as the question, was puzzling to them so did the answer.
Most of the animals have never been outside the forest so they cannot understand the idea of someone running into the forest or running out of it. To them the forest is the whole world. The elephant throws the tortoise a questioning look for confirmation if the answer given is right. The annoying tortoise just shrugged nonchalantly. An expression indicating that he has not refused the answer given.
At this stage, the turtle looks around casually and picks up a round object from the ground. It is the dung of the Dung beetle. He tosses this up and down on his open palm as all eyes are on him. He too in his quiet way is prone to theatricals “How many sides does this object have?” he asks his brother as he gently lays the dung on the ground.
The tortoise stares at him as if to ascertain if he is really serious. He met a blank stare in return. The question is for real. These spur of the moment questions though characteristic of his brother, has caught the arrogant tortoise totally off guard to say the least. And from the frozen silence that fell all around him, it is obvious that he is not the only one so affected by this question. Not that that is encouraging to him in any way. As is usual with him in such sudden attacks, which is what his brother, who knows him very well, is counting on, the tortoise brain froze. He could not think. How many sides have a round object? How can a ball have sides?
As his delay continued, he started hearing a quiet murmur from the animals, which slowly started growing. Looking around he saw the vehemence and dislike towards him becoming open. They were starting to move towards him when the elephant asks, “Do you have an answer Mister Tortoise?”
The tortoise who is now wide eyed with fear just blurted out in a small voice “Two” Everyone stopped and turn to the turtle to see if that is the right answer. That one also shrugs
nonchalantly, neither accepting nor rejecting his brother’s answer. Instead “Name them” he says.
“Yeah” says the animals “of course, what are the sides?” insist other animals, again commencing their malevolent stare at him as if daring him to come up with an answer. Now the already intimidated tortoise is quite frightened. His throat has gone dry and as normal with him in such unsavory situations he instinctively started shrinking into his shell. At this the animals started rushing at him, gleefully ready to set on him. As far as most of them are concerned, getting rid of the tortoise is good riddance to bad rubbish.
Again, the elephant with the patience for which he is legendary, shouted above the rabble “Please, please
brethren let us exercise restraint in our excitement, it would have been nice to end this debacle with the second unanswered question of brother turtle, but that would be wrong, for that is what it really is; a second question”
Turning to the turtle “Sir, you are allowed only one question at a time. If you had reserved your second question for later or framed it somehow into your question, then maybe it could have been allowed. But as it is now —” he shrugs his massive shoulder and spreading his two hands in unspoken apology. Then turning to the tortoise, “Mister, please you can ask your next question” The tortoise in the deep recess of his shell could not believe his ears. Can this be salvation, has he been saved? Slowly life came back to him. With it his insufferable nature. He, in the wake of such narrow escape, knows that he had better end this frightening adventure as soon as possible.
“Now this nonsense has to stop” he declares. “This riddle I am about to pose, I am throwing open to any of you” he smiles rudely, exhibiting that nature of his that has made him unbearable in the animal community.
Then he states “A palm wine tapper wanted exactly a particular quantity of water to add to the palm wine he is to take to the king. More or less of that particular quantity, and he will lose his head. He needed exactly four litres of water, but alas he has only two containers, one he is told is a five-liter container and the other is a three-litre container. So, my brother, can you kindly help this harassed palm wine tapper get exactly four litres of water with the aid of these two containers?”
This time around there was no silence; instead, there was uneasiness among the animals. The arrogant tortoise strolls over to a corner and sits watching them “And oh, the man is by the stream side, so water is in abundance” he said in such a way to make his quiz sound more complicated.
“And I suppose there really is an answer to this riddle?” the elephant asks in a subdued angry voice.
“Oh, of course there is an answer to it, Sir. In fact, there is more than one answer to it. As you see, five minus one is four and three plus one is four”
“Thank you, just let him answer it”
“You fill up the large container —” the monkey started
“Shut up!” the Elephant shouted at him.
“Let the turtle answer the question, do you think we are joking here?” he glared at the monkey who shut up immediately.
Everyone waited then quietly for the turtle to answer the question. They could see him thinking, then they saw him start to sweat.
Being a very proud animal, he did not wish to disgrace himself by attempting and failing the riddle, so he smiled, shook his head strongly in acceptance of defeat and quietly left the arena.
As he couldn’t answer the riddle, he had to leave the land of the animals to go and live in the water and the insufferable tortoise stayed back to the disappointment of a lot of the animals.
