How Tortoise Buried Elephant
It is not only unbelievable but also absurd that a Tortoise could bury an Elephant. The story you are about to read proves this.
Tortoise is a very small animal that can hardly carry the tail of an Elephant, talk less of burying an Elephant. The elephant is the biggest animal in the forest. Just a step of a foot of an Elephant on a Tortoise snub lives out of the Tortoise.
Once upon a time, there was a town named Banpaw. The town was peaceful and progressive. The inhabitants lived as if in El Dorado.
Suddenly, the neighboring towns, out of envy, started waging war against Banpaw. The town that has been in harmony for many years didn’t prepare for anything like war hence, the town was easily defeated.
The king of the town, as expected, was disturbed. He then summoned the chiefs and the elders in the town to find solutions to the problems of incessant attacks on the town.
The chiefs and the elders met with the king and they put their heads together. It was resolved that the Oracle should be consulted to ask for the cause and the solutions to the problems.
As agreed, the Oracle was consulted and it was divined that a sacrifice needs to be carried out urgently. An Elephant needs to be buried alive in the center of the town.
This seemed an arduous task to be carried out. How would they carry a live Elephant to the town center to bury? Who would carry out such a difficult task? Nobody could provide an answer to those questions.
The king then made a promise to give his only daughter to anybody that could solve the problem. He then ordered the town crier to go and announce in the town to the subjects.
The town crier immediately took to the order of the king. He moved from one place to another making the announcement to the people. Nobody showed interest as they believed it was impossible.
Tortoise was not also interested in the first instance. But was interested when he heard that the king would give his only daughter out to anybody that could bring Elephant to the town.
His ears rose up to the announcements and he rushed to the palace. He prostrated and told the king that he heard the announcement and was ready to carry out the task.
“You this tiny and proud creature will carry the biggest animal in the forest to the center of the town.”
That’s the response of the king to Tortoise because he couldn’t believe that a creature like Tortoise could come forward for such a task.
Tortoise also told the king that he should be killed if he failed to carry out the task. He then begged the king to provide him with certain things to carry out the task.
He requested the king to provide him with plenty of delicious and aromatic bean cake. A deep ditch enough to accommodate an Elephant with a beautiful mat spread on it. About twelve hefty men should also be gotten ready.
The king listened with rapt attention and he promised to provide everything requested by Tortoise.
He then reminded Tortoise that he would become the husband of his only princess if he carried out the task successfully. And if otherwise, Tortoise would be killed as proposed by him.
Tortoise is known to be a trickster creature and can lure any other creature to do his bidding. He planned to display all the tricks in his arsenal to achieve this. Even if this would be his last.
Tortoise first visited Elephant in the forest to tell about the death of the king of Banpaw town. He said that was the reason for the incessant attacks on the town. The Elephant also confirmed the attacks on the town.
Tortoise now told him about the resolution of the people of the town to crown the Elephant as their new king to ward off the incessant attacks. He added there was a grand ceremony for his coronation the following day.
The Elephant was happy and told Tortoise to tell the people that he had accepted the offer. Tortoise then told the Elephant that he would be led to the town with pomp and pageantry the following day.
On D-day, singers and drummers had already gathered in the palace. The delicious bean cakes have been provided. They then moved to the forest with songs in honor of the Elephant.
The Elephant was highly elated when he saw the honor done to him. He didn’t know when he started dancing to the rhythm of the drums. He was raising his trunk, shaking his tail.
The delicious bean cakes were spread in front. He liked the bean cakes when he tasted them. They then continue the journey to the town with the Elephant.
“Elephant is the king
Elephant shall be crowned
Everybody, hail our new king,
Pay homage to the king.”
That’s how Tortoise was singing and the people were dancing. Whenever the Elephant wanted to stop, Tortoise would throw the bean cakes at him and he would continue again. That’s how the journey continued.
When it was about one hundred meters to the “seat” of the Elephant as the king, the Elephant viewed the well decorated mat from the distance and his pace increased.
Tortoise raised his voice more singing,
“Elephant is the king
Elephant shall be crowned
Everybody, hail our new king,
Pay homage to the king.”
They have now reached the arena of the event. The Elephant was ready to sit on the throne. Unknowingly to the Elephant, a very deep ditch had been dug under the mat.
As he took steps to sit on the mat, he found himself inside the ditch. The twelve hefty men who were already on the ground brought out their clubs and hit the Elephant. The Elephant was then buried alive as instructed by the Oracle.
The king and his subjects were surprised by the tricks displayed by Tortoise in luring Elephant from the forest to the center of the town. He then concluded that wisdom surpassed might.
The king also kept his own side of the bargain. He gave out his only princess hand in marriage to Tortoise as promised. He blessed the marriage with great fun fare.
This is how Tortoise buried Elephant.
Lessons Taught:
Wisdom Surpasses Might: The story teaches us that a wise person is more powerful than somebody that has strength. Elephant surpasses Tortoise in might and power, but Tortoise was able to overpower Elephant with his tricks.
Everybody Has Value: The story teaches us that nobody should be looked down on. In the first instance, the king looked down on the Tortoise that it would not be able to carry out the task. Eventually, with his tactics, the Tortoise carried out the assignment successfully.
Foolishness: The Elephant in this story acts foolishly, which is why he enters the trap of Tortoise. He doesn’t think twice before accepting the offer. This teaches us to think very well before we accept an offer.
Promise Keeping: The story teaches us to keep our promises. The king promised to give his only princess hand in marriage to anybody that carries out the task successfully and he fulfilled the promise. The princess is given out to Tortoise by the king of Banpaw.