"sounds like boredom Mummy, what
did you do for fun?" Asked Teni
Oh that’s easy, when night comes,
grandpa comes from his little hut and tells us tales by moonlight, we play
games like ‘Woru oh’ and we sing to each other… its usually fun dear.
Why is it called tales by moonlight,
I asked…oh dear, because we sit outside the house, under the moonlight and my
grandpa tells us stories?
“Mummy tell us one story”, Temi
requested, she looked up at our pleasing faces as we nodded in agreement.
Ermmm, let me see: Do you know why
the tortoise has a bald head? Oh no mummy why? Il tell you that story…
Call: Story, Story?
Response: Story
Call: Once upon a time
Response: time time
“But mummy, why don’t we go out and
sit in the moonlight so we could enjoy the story more,” Bode suggested.
We squirreled out of the house and
took position on the tiled floor directly facing the beautiful skies that was
adorned with the cutest stars I had ever seen.
The tortoise was a cunny and proud
animal, he had the most beautiful wife in the village and everyone got jealous
and hateful towards him because he was proud. He had just one friend, Mr.
Squirrel. Mr. Squirrel was the nicest man in the village; everyone loved him,
including his best friend, Mr. Tortoise. No one in the village approved of his
friendship with Mr. Squirrel because Mr. Tortoise had been mean to everyone in
the village except Mr. Squirrel, and no one could trust him anymore.
One time, famine struck great in the
land, everyone began to die of hunger. Mr. Squirrel and his wife were looking
healthy while every other person in the village was dying of hunger. When Mr.
Tortoise saw his friend was healthier and healthier, he went to visit him and
asked him, My friend, what is your secret? We have been starving and you have
been enjoying, what can I do to be like you. “Tortoise my friend”, answered Mr.
Squirrel, “I cannot tell anyone my secret but…”
The Power came on just as mummy’s
story got interesting. Should we go inside and complete our TV show? “No Bode
let us finish mummy’s story, besides this people can take off the light
anytime.” “Okay mummy, continue”, chorused Temi and Teni: but what…
But I can help you said Mummy as she
drew Temi and Teni closer to herself, I will give you some food, said Mr.
Squirrel. My wife is preparing some yam porridge, you can join us for dinner,
but I must fetch you some yam for the week, wait here my friend. Mr. Tortoise,
as curious as always, sneaked at Mr. Squirrels back and watched him as he
sneaked through a secret tunnel that leads to a huge farm. “My God, so this is
what my friend has been hiding from me all these years?” He sneaked back to the
living room and waited for his friend to arrive, when his friend did, he told
his friend he wouldn’t mind some of the porridge his wife was preparing. Mr.
Squirrel ordered his wife to serve his friend Mr. Tortoise some food. Mr.
Tortoise ate his porridge hungrily, bade his friend goodnight told his friend
he would be back tomorrow to pick up the food supplies. Mr. Tortoise sat at the
door for a few minutes till he was sure Mr. Squirrel was upstairs with his
wife, and then he slowly sneaked back into the house, ran to the kitchen and
emptied the hot porridge pot into his cap. As he sneaked out of the kitchen, he
hit the pot close to the stove, the noise woke Mrs. Squirrel and she
squirrelled across the stairs, “who is that”? she asked in fear….
The light was interrupted and Temi
and Teni both chorused “thank God” … “why Thank God?” mummy asked… “Because we
did not bother to go inside when the light came back on. Oya, mummy please
continue,” I said eagerly….
Hearing Mrs. Squirrel’s voice, Mr.
Tortoise quickly wore his cap.
He lied that he had forgotten his cap
and bade her goodnight. As he ran out of the house, the people noticed his face
was red and gathered around him wondering what was wrong with him….when they
found out it was his cap that was causing him such pain and agony, they ordered
him to remove his it. As he did, the porridge fell from his head and so did his
hair too…Hahahaha…. So mummy what did they do for Mr. Tortise, Teni asked,
“Well, a wise man said, ‘he who is
greedy in the evening, lives to be bald forever…let him go …his baldness shall
remain with him forever’.” Mr. Tortoise walked away with his head bent in shame
so everyone could see his baldness. He lost his friend and his wife ran far
away from the village. That’s the end of my story.”
Just at the time, Wale and Sheye
walked in, “so mum, what did the story you just told them teach us? “ Well,
thou shall not be greedy". "Mummy is that even in the bible”… “Yes
Wale, now fuel the generator so we can have dinner”… "Mummy, we bought
Suya and Bread…. we can all much on that before we go to bed, we aren’t that hungry,
are we?” “No we aren’t”, I answered…let’s make it “food by moonlight” Teni
screamed in excitement…. “'Alright then' … Mummy smiled, 'go wash your hands
and let’s eat'”. As mummy said the prayers, I realized I was lucky to have such
wonderful family. I wasn’t looking forward to going back to school any more
No comments:
Post a Comment