Long ago, in a forest near the banks of the River Niger, the king of animal, Lion, announced a contest. “Whoever wins the race to Mount Agoro and back shall receive the magical talking drum. It will feed you whenever you beat it.”
All the animals cheered. Elephant stretched his legs. Antelope sharpened her hooves. But in the crowd, old Tortoise blinked slowly.
“I will enter the contest,” he declared.
Everyone laughed. “You? With your short legs and heavy shell? You’ll be left in the dust!”
But Tortoise was not worried. He had a plan.
The next morning, before the race began, Tortoise secretly placed his cousins along the path, all identical in appearance. Each one hid behind trees and bushes.
“When the racers approach,” he told them, “jump out ahead and keep running. They will think you are me.”
The race began. Antelope surged forward. Monkey swung through trees. Lion pounced from rock to rock.
But no matter how fast they ran, they kept seeing Tortoise ahead.
“How is he doing this?” gasped Monkey.
Finally, the last cousin reached Mount Agoro and returned to the starting line. Everyone was stunned.
“He beat us all!” Lion roared.
Tortoise was awarded the magical drum. He beat it, and food appeared—jollof rice, fried plantains, bushmeat stew.
But when the animals asked to share, Tortoise refused.
“I won it, I eat it,” he said.
Days passed. The animals grew hungry again. One night, they crept into Tortoise’s hut, took the drum, and placed it in the village square.
“Let the food feed all,” said Elephant.
Tortoise was left with nothing but his shell.
Moral: Cleverness can win the prize, but selfishness will make you eat alone.
