The Tortoise and His Debts: 5 African Fables of Greed and Folly

The Tortoise, being of a disposition somewhat inclined to improvidence, found himself encumbered with debts owed to sundry acquaintances.

“Discharge your pecuniary obligations to me!” quoth Worm, with a certain degree of importunity.

“Pray, tarry here a moment,” the Tortoise responded, and forthwith betook himself to the abode of Rooster.

“Liquidate thy debt!” declared Rooster, with a peremptory air.

“Accompany me, I pray thee!” replied the Tortoise, with an ingratiating mien.

Rooster, swayed by the prospect of immediate recompense, did accompany the Tortoise, and, encountering Worm, summarily devoured him, thereafter awaiting the settlement of his due.

Subsequently, the Tortoise sought audience with Wildcat.

“Render unto me that which thou owest!” demanded Wildcat, with no small measure of vehemence.

“Be so good as to attend me!” the Tortoise rejoined.

Wildcat, enticed by the anticipation of immediate gain, complied, and, upon espying Rooster, did fall upon him with rapacious intent, making short work of the hapless fowl, and thereafter remained, expectant of his payment.

Thereafter, the Tortoise presented himself before Leopard.

“Disburse the sum that is rightfully mine!” proclaimed Leopard.

“Deign to accompany me!” was the Tortoise's rejoinder.

Leopard, his avarice piqued, advanced upon Wildcat with hostile intent. A fierce and sanguinary conflict ensued, culminating in the mutual demise of both combatants.

The Tortoise, observing this sanguinary conclusion, did indulge in a fit of cachinnation, and proceeded to devour both Leopard and Wildcat with evident relish.

Thus, he discharged none of his obligations, thereby illustrating a singular want of probity.

A Camel, it is recounted, maintained fellowship with seven disparate entities: a Lion of considerable prowess, a Snake possessed of subtle guile, a Thorn-Bush of prickly disposition, a Fire of fierce temperament, a Flood of devastating capacity, Honesty, a virtue most laudable, and Deceit, a vice most insidious.

Deceit, in its perfidy, did conspire with Snake and Thorn-bush, uttering thus: “Let us dispatch the Lion! The Snake shall inflict a venomous bite upon the Lion, and thereafter seek refuge within the thorny embrace of the Thorn-Bush.”

Thus, the Snake, acting upon this treacherous counsel, did indeed bite the Lion and concealed itself forthwith.

The Camel, incensed by this foul deed, commanded: “Fire, consume the Thorn-Bush and the Snake within!”

And the Fire, obedient to this decree, did execute its appointed task with fervent zeal.

Thereupon, the Camel decreed further: “Flood, extinguish the Fire's wrath!”

Deceit, ever the dissembler, cried out in feigned alarm: “The Flood doth engulf us all!”

Honesty, however, with unwavering rectitude, countered: “The Flood, by its very nature, cannot ascend an incline. Bear us, therefore, upon thy back, O Camel, to higher ground!”

The Camel, in its magnanimity, conveyed both Honesty and Deceit up the aforementioned hill.

Yet, Deceit, its wickedness unabated, proposed: “Let us now slay the Camel!”

And thus, Deceit, in concert with the duplicitous Honesty, did murder the Camel and proceeded to cook its flesh.

But as they partook of this ill-gotten repast, the flesh did choke them, causing great distress.

And thereafter, they both succumbed to their demise.

Thus, all were extinguished, their stories brought to a lamentable close.

The Canine and the Pangolin were engaged in the practice of cracking pumpkin-seeds.

The Pangolin did consume all of her kernels, whereas the Canine did preserve his own.

The Canine enquired, 'Pray, why dost thou not conserve the kernels?', whereupon the Pangolin succumbed, expiring forthwith.

A woman did pass by, inquiring, 'By what cause did the Pangolin meet her demise?'

The Canine did state, 'I posed to the Pangolin the query: why dost thou not conserve the kernels?'

Upon the Canine's utterance, the woman herself succumbed, expiring forthwith.

The Canine's sister did pass by, inquiring, 'By what cause did the woman meet her demise?'

The Canine did state, 'I informed the woman that I had posed to the Pangolin the query: why dost thou not conserve the kernels?'

Upon the Canine's utterance, his sister succumbed, expiring forthwith.

Terrified by this concatenation of events, the Canine did henceforth forswear all speech.

A gentleman of means did succumb to mortality.

Thereupon arose a dispute betwixt a Sparrow and a Parrot, each laying claim to the inheritance of the deceased's estate.

Quoth the Sparrow, 'I have dwelt my entire life in the company of this gentleman. Wheresoever he did remove himself, thither did I follow. I remained ever by his side.'

The Parrot did squawk, 'That is a trifle of no consequence! The gentleman didst pluck me from the arboreal heights. As my plumage did mature, he fashioned it into a headdress, which he then bartered for coin. This coin did enable him to procure a wife, who in turn bore daughters, who then acquired husbands, who subsequently brought forth offspring. I am, therefore, the very wellspring of this family's affluence; thus, the inheritance should rightly be mine.'

The populace did render their judgement in favour of the Parrot, declaring, 'He is the font; he must inherit.'

A lad chanced upon several coins in the thoroughfare. “We might procure chickens!” he declared.

“Indeed!” affirmed his pater. “The fowls shall lay eggs, and we shall vend these eggs so as to acquire goats.”

“Indeed!” echoed the son. “The goats will propagate, and we shall vend the offspring so as to acquire a donkey, which you shall bestow upon me to ride.”

“Nay!” exclaimed the pater. “The ass shall be mine!”

“Nay!” rejoined the son. “The ass shall be mine!”

“Mine!” vociferated the pater.

“Mine!” vociferated the son.

Whereupon the pater struck his son, blinding him in one ocular orb.

All on account of an ass which existed but in the realm of conjecture.