Where Animals Talk; West African Folk Lore Tales/Part 2/Tale 5
Tortoise in a Race
Persons
| Kudu (Tortoise) | Mbalanga (Antelope) |
NOTE
Discussions about seniority are common causes of quarrel in Africa. The reason assigned why tortoises are so spread everywhere is that the antelope tribe, in public-meeting, recognized their superiority. At Batanga, Gaboon, Ogowe, and everywhere on the equatorial west coast, there are tortoises even in places where there are no other animals. On account of this, the tortoise is given many names; and has many nicknames in the native tribes, e. g., "Manyima," and "Evosolo."
Tortoise had formerly lived in the same town with several other animals. But, after awhile, they had decided to separate, and each built his own village.
One day, Tortoise decided to roam. So he started, and went on an excursion; leaving his wife and two children in the village. On his way, he came to the village of Antelope. The latter welcomed him, killed a fowl, and prepared food for him; and they sat at the table, eating.
When they had finished eating, Antelope asked, "Kudu! My friend, what is your journey for?"
Tortoise answered, "I have come to inquire of you, as to you and me, which is the elder?" Antelope replied, "Kudu! I am older than you!" But Tortoise responded, "No! I am the elder!" Then Antelope said, "Show me the reason why you are older than I!" Tortoise said, continuing the discussion, "I will show you a sign of seniority. Let us have a race, as a test of speed." Antelope replied derisively, "Aiye! how shall I know to test speed with Kudu? Does Kudu race?" However, he agreed, and said, "Well! in three days the race shall be made."
Tortoise spoke audaciously, "You, Mbalanga, cannot surpass me in a race!" Antelope laughed, having accepted the challenge; while Tortoise pretended to sneer, and said, "I am the one who will overcome!"
The course chosen, beginning on the beach south of Batanga, was more than seventy miles from the Campo River northward to the Balimba Country.
Then Tortoise went away, going everywhere to give directions, and returned to his village. He sent word secretly to all the Tortoise Tribe to call them. When they had come very many of them together, he told them, "I have called my friend Mbalanga for a race. I know that he can surpass me in this race, unless you all help me in my plan. He will follow the sea-beach. You all must line yourselves among the bushes at the top of the beach along the entire route all the way from Campo to Balimba. When Mbalanga, coming along, at any point, looks around to see whether I am following, and calls out, "Kudu! where are you?" the one of you who is nearest that spot must step out from his place, and answer for me, "Here!"
Thus he located all the other tortoises in the bushes on the entire route. Also, he placed a colored mark on all the tortoises, making the face of every one alike. He stationed them clear on to the place where he expected that Antelope would be exhausted. Then he ended, taking his own place there.
Antelope also arranged for himself, and said, to his wife, "My wife! make me food; for, Kudu and I have agreed on a race; and it begins at seven o'clock in the morning."
When all was ready, Antelope said, to (the one whom he supposed was) Kudu, "Come! let us race!" They started. Antelope ran on and on, and came as far as about ten miles to the town of Ubĕnji, among the Igara people. At various spots on the way Tortoise apparently was lost behind; but as constantly he seemed to re-appear, saying, "I'm here!"
At once, Antelope raced forward rapidly, pu! pu! pu! to a town named Ipĕnyĕnyĕ. Then he looked around and said, "Where is Kudu?" A tortoise stepped out of the bushes, saying "Here I am! You haven't raced."
Antelope raced on until he reached the town of Beyâ. Again looking around, he said, "Where is Kudu?" A tortoise stepped out, replying, "I'm here!"
Antelope again raced, until he reached the town Lolabe. Again he asked, "Where is Kudu?" A tortoise saying to himself, "He hasn't heard anything," replied, "Here I am!"
Again Antelope raced on as far as from there to a rocky point by the sea named Ilale-ja-moto; and then he called, "Wherever is Kudu?" A tortoise ready answered, "Here I am!"
From thence, he came on in the race another stretch of about ten miles, clear to the town of Bongahĕli of the Batanga people. At each place on the route, when Antelope, losing sight of Tortoise, called, "Kudu! where are you?" promptly the tortoise on guard at that spot replied, "I'm here!"
Then on he went, steadily going, going, another stretch of about twenty miles to Plantation Beach. Still the prompt reply to Antelope's call, "Kudu, where are you?" was, "I'm here!"
As he started away from Plantation, the wearied Antelope began to feel his legs tired. However, he pressed on to Small Batanga, hoping for victory over his despised contestant. But, on his reaching the edge of Balimba, the tortoise was there ready with his, "I'm here!"
Finally, on reaching the end of the Balimba settlement, Antelope fell down, dying, froth coming from his mouth, and lay dead, being utterly exhausted with running. But, when Tortoise arrived, he took a magic-medicine, and restored Antelope to life; and then exulted over him by beating him, and saying, "Don't you show me your audacity another day by daring to run with me! I have surpassed you!"
So, they returned separately to their homes on the Campo River. Tortoise called together the Tortoise Tribe; and Antelope called all the Antelope Tribe. And they met in a Council of all the Animals. Then Tortoise rose and spoke—"All you Kudu Tribe! Mbalanga said I would not surpass him in a race. But, this day I have surpassed!"
So the Antelope Tribe had to acknowledge, "Yes, you, Kudu, have surpassed our champion. It's a great shame to us; for, we had not supposed that a slow fellow such as we thought you to be, could possibly do it, or be able to out-run a Mbalanga."
So the Council decided that, of all the tribes of animals, Tortoise was to be held as greatest; for, that it had out-run Antelope. And the Animals gave Tortoise the power to rule.