How the Tortoise Got its Many-Faceted Shell
How the Tortoise Got its Many-Faceted Shell, an African folktale
Long ago, Tortoise lived within a strong, smooth carapace that was truly a wonder to behold. Today, though, her shell is roughly fragmented into a dozen adjoining scutes. How did this come to be?
Once upon a time, Gecko was passing by a farm when he saw the farmer approach a large rock. Curious, Gecko hid and watched as the farmer rolled the rock away to reveal the entrance of a cave!
The farmer went in, returned with a handful of yams, then rolled the rock back into place. Gecko waited for the farmer to leave, then he too rolled away the rock and entered the cool, dark cave...
As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he spied piles of yams! Gecko took one yam, then left the cave as he had found it. Day after day, Gecko returned to the cave, took a yam, and carried it home to eat.
One day when Gecko was carrying his yam home, he came across Tortoise, who asked him where he had gotten that juicy yam. He offered to tell her on the condition that Tortoise would tell no one else.
Tortoise promised to keep the secret so Gecko told her to meet him next morning, before the very first cock crowed, and he would take her to the place where yams were free for the taking.
Early the following morning Gecko and Tortoise met up and traveled together to the farmer's secret cave. When they arrived, Gecko rolled the rock away to reveal the cave's hidden entrance.
Tortoise could hardly believe her eyes... there were more yams in there than even she could eat! Gecko picked out a yam and, as usual, started on his way home. Tortoise, however, was not done yet.
Blinded by gluttony, her mouth and belly stuffed, she decided to carry away as many yams as she could! But as she greedily assembled her bounty, the farmer came by and caught her in the act...
By this time, Gecko had arrived back home, eaten his yam, and was taking a nap.
The farmer grabbed Tortoise and asked her how she came to be in the cave. Tortoise blurted out, "Gecko brought me!", so the farmer took her to Gecko's house where they found him asleep on his back.
When the farmer asked Gecko if it was he who brought Tortoise to his cave, Gecko pretended to be shocked and said "It's not possible, I've been unwell and I've been laying on my back here all day."
The angry farmer then grabbed Tortoise and threw her against the wall, leaving Tortoise on the floor with her shell shattered into a dozen pieces!
Tortoise cried out to the insects of the forest, who helped her glue the pieces of her shell back together... and since then, my friends, tortoise shells have displayed a quilted, multi-faceted look.
(adapted, via All Folk Tales)
(images via N Mishra and Red Bubble)