“Ìtàn bi Ìjàpá ti fa Àkóbá fún Ọ̀bọ: Ẹ Ṣọ́ra fún Ọ̀rẹ́ Burúkú” – “The Story of how the Tortoise caused the Monkey an unprovoked trouble: Be careful with a bad Friend”

Ni ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ itàn Yorùbá, Ìjàpá jẹ ọ̀lẹ, òbùrẹ́wà, kò tóbi tó àwọn ẹranko yoku, ṣùgbọ́n ó ni ọgbọ́n àrékérekè ti ó fi ngbé ilé ayé.

Ò̀we Yorùbá sọ wi pé, “Iwà jọ iwà, ni ọ̀rẹ́ jọ ọ̀rẹ́”, ṣùgbọ́n ninú itàn yi, iwà Ìjàpá àti Ọ̀bọ kò jọra. Ìjàpá pẹ̀lú Ọ̀bọ di ọ̀rẹ́ nitori wọn jọ ngbé àdúgbò. Gbogbo ẹranko yoku mọ̀ wi pé iwà wọn kò jọra nitori eyi, ó jẹ́ ìyàlẹ́nu fún wọn irú ọ̀rẹ́ ti wọn bára ṣe.

Ọgbọ́n burúkú kó wọn Ìjàpá, ni ọjọ́ kan ó bẹ̀rẹ̀ si ṣe àdúrà lojiji pé “Àkóbá , àdábá, Ọlọrun ma jẹ ká ri”, Ọ̀bọ kò ṣe “Àmin àdúrà” nitori ó mọ̀ wi pé kò si ẹni ti ó lè ṣe àkóbá fún Ìjàpá, à fi ti ó bá ṣe àkóbá fún elòmiràn. Inú bi Ìjàpá, ó ka iwà Ọ̀bọ yi si à ri fin, ó pinu lati kọ lọ́gbọ́n pé ọgbọ́n wa ninú ki enia mã ṣe “Àmin” si àdúrà àwọn àgbà.

Ìjàpá ṣe àkàrà ti ó fi oyin din, o di sinú ewé, ó gbe tọ Ẹkùn lọ. Ki Ẹkùn tó bèrè ohun ti Ìjàpá nwa lo ti gbo oorun didun ohun ti Ìjàpá Ijapa gbe wa. Ìjàpá jẹ́ ki Ẹkùn játọ́ titi kó tó fún ni àkàrà olóyin jẹ. Àkàrà olóyin dùn mọ́ Ẹkùn, ó ṣe iwadi bi òhun ti lè tún ri irú rẹ. Ìjàpá ni àṣiri ni pé Ọ̀bọ ma nṣu di dùn, lára igbẹ́ rẹ ni òhun bù wá fún Ẹkùn. Ó ni ki Ẹkùn fi ọgbọ́n tan Ọ̀bọ, ki ó si gba ni ikùn diẹ ki ó lè ṣu igbẹ́ aládùn fun. Ẹkùn kò kọ́kọ́ gbàgbọ́, ó ni ọjọ́ ti òhun ti njẹ ẹran oriṣiriṣi, kò si ẹranko ti inú rẹ dùn bi eyi ti Ìjàpá gbé wá. Ìjàpá ni ọ̀rẹ òhun kò fẹ́ ki ẹni kan mọ àṣiri yi. Ẹkùn gbàgbọ́, nitori ó mọ̀ wi pé ọ̀rẹ́ gidi ni Ìjàpá àti Ọ̀bọ.

Ẹkùn gba ikùn Ọ̀bọ – Leopard dealt the Monkey blows.

Ẹkùn lúgọ de Ọ̀bọ, ó fi ọgbọ́n tan ki ó lè sún mọ́ òhun. Gẹ́rẹ́ ti Ọ̀bọ sún mọ́ Ẹkùn, o fã lati gba ikùn rẹ gẹ́gẹ́ bi Ìjàpá ti sọ, ki ó lè ṣu di dùn fún òhun. Ó gbá ikun Ọ̀bọ titi ó fi ya igbẹ́ gbi gbóná ki ó tó tu silẹ̀. Gẹ́rẹ́ ti Ẹkùn tu Ọ̀bọ silẹ̀, ó lo agbára diẹ ti ó kù lati sáré gun ori igi lọ lati gba ara lowo iku ojiji. Ẹkùn tọ́ igbẹ́ Ọ̀bọ wò, inú rẹ bàjẹ́, ojú ti i pé òhun gba ọ̀rọ̀ Ìjàpá gbọ. Lai pẹ, Ìjàpá ni Ọ̀bọ kọ́kọ́ ri, ó ṣe àlàyé fún ọ̀rẹ́ rẹ ohun ti ojú rẹ ri lọ́wọ́ Ẹkùn lai funra pé Ìjàpá ló fa àkóbá yi fún òhun. Ìjàpá ṣe ojú àánú, ṣùgbọ́n ó padà ṣe àdúrà ti ó gbà ni ọjọ́ ti Obo kò ṣe “Amin”, pé ọgbọ́n wà ninú ki èniyàn mã ṣe “Àmin” si àdúrà àwọn àgbà. Kia ni Ọ̀bọ bẹ̀rẹ̀ si ṣe “Àmin” lai dúró. Idi ni yi ti Ọ̀bọ fi bẹ̀rẹ̀ si kólòlò ti ó ndún bi “Àmin” titi di ọjọ́ òni.

Ẹ̀kọ́ itàn yi ni pé, bi èniyàn bá mbá ọ̀rẹ́ ọlọ́gbọ́n burúkú rin, ki ó mã funra tàbi ki ó yẹra, ki o ma ba ri àkóbá.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

In many Yoruba proverbs, the Tortoise is regarded as a lazy, ugly animal that is not as big as the others, but full of a mischievous survival instinct.

A Yoruba proverb says that “compatibility in character brings about compatibility in friendship”, but in this story, the Tortoise and the Monkey had no compatibility in character. Both of them became friends as a result of being neighbors. All the other animals kept wondering about this friendship.

The Tortoise is never in want of mischief, one day, he suddenly began to pray that “The gods should prevent one from falling into unprovoked trouble” expecting the Monkey to say “Amen” but he did not respond to the prayer because, knowing the Tortoise very well, no one could cause him trouble but he caused others trouble. The Tortoise was angry with the Monkey for berating him so he was determined to teach the Monkey a lesson that there is wisdom in responding to the prayers of the elders.

The Tortoise prepared beans fritters dipped in honey and wrapped it in leaves, then took it to the forest in search of the Leopard. Before the Leopard could inquire about the Tortoise’ mission, the sweet smell oozing out from what the Tortoise was carrying, caused him to salivate. The Tortoise made the Leopard’s mouth to drool before he eventually unwrapped the honey beans fritters for him to taste. The Leopard enjoyed it so much that he began to press the Tortoise for the secret source of this delicacy. The Tortoise taunted the Leopard so much before saying that it was the Monkey’s excrete. He told the Leopard to entice the Monkey and then give him a gentle blow in his stomach to enable the monkey to pass out the honey bean fritters. Initially, the Leopard did not believe because from his experience of eating so many animals intestine none can be compared with the honey beans fritters he had just ate. However, he was convinced because the Tortoise said it was a well-kept secret by his friend – the Monkey. Knowing that the Tortoise and the Monkey were very close friends, the Leopard believed.

The Leopard laid siege for the Monkey and tricked him to come near. As soon as the Monkey came close, he dragged him and dealt his stomach blows as advised by Tortoise commanding him to extract the honey beans fritters. The Monkey had no clue about this unprovoked attack, this continued until he passed out hot excreta. The Leopard released the Monkey in order to enjoy the sweet delicacy only to be confronted with the foul smell and bad tasting stuff. The Monkey used his last breadth to run as he quickly climbed a tree to save himself from sudden death. While panting, the first person that came round was his friend – the Tortoise. He narrated his ordeal with the Leopard to him. The Tortoise pretended to be commiserating with him but reminded him of the wisdom to always say “Amen” to the prayers of the elders. Before the Tortoise could finish repeating an earlier prayer, the Monkey responded with a continuous “Amen”. This was alluded to the reason why the Monkey’s stammer continued till this day to sound as “Amen”.

The lesson from this story teaches that one must be watchful in the company of mischievous friends or keep away in order to avoid getting implicated in their schemes and unprovoked trouble.

Originally posted 2015-10-16 22:39:59. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

2 thoughts on ““Ìtàn bi Ìjàpá ti fa Àkóbá fún Ọ̀bọ: Ẹ Ṣọ́ra fún Ọ̀rẹ́ Burúkú” – “The Story of how the Tortoise caused the Monkey an unprovoked trouble: Be careful with a bad Friend””

Tes November 18, 2019 at 10:03 am

Didactic! Nice work you have pulled up here.

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Reply ↓
1. Bim A Post authorNovember 18, 2019 at 7:17 pm
  
  I checked out your website. Beautiful and informative website. Keep up the good work.
  
  Reply ↓

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“Ìtàn bi Ìjàpá ti fa Àkóbá fún Ọ̀bọ: Ẹ Ṣọ́ra fún Ọ̀rẹ́ Burúkú” – “The Story of how the Tortoise caused the Monkey an unprovoked trouble: Be careful with a bad Friend”

2 thoughts on ““Ìtàn bi Ìjàpá ti fa Àkóbá fún Ọ̀bọ: Ẹ Ṣọ́ra fún Ọ̀rẹ́ Burúkú” – “The Story of how the Tortoise caused the Monkey an unprovoked trouble: Be careful with a bad Friend””

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