The Tortoise and His Children
Traditional | Nigeria
A wise old Tortoise teaches his children the importance of honesty and not taking what isn't theirs, but later contradicts his own teachings.
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Once upon a time in a land brimming with life and laughter, there lived a wise old Tortoise with his children. One day, Tortoise sat his children down and said, "My dear ones, remember two things in life - never take what isn't yours, and always tell the truth."
His children nodded earnestly, "We understand, Father," they replied.
But, not long after, a severe famine hit the land. Food became scarce, and hunger lived in every home. For three days, Tortoise's house was empty of food. Desperate and hungry, Tortoise decided to steal food from his neighbors.
Returning home with a sack filled with food, he lied to his children. "Look, little ones!" he exclaimed, "I found this sack of food in the forest."
However, his children were no fools. They knew their father hadn't gone into the forest; they knew he'd taken the food from their neighbors. They confronted him, "Father, you told us never to take what isn't ours and to always tell the truth."
Tortoise was taken aback. Feeling cornered, he retorted, "Who is the teacher here? You or me?!"
And so, the children learned a hard truth: that it is one thing to say something and another to live by it. They saw the desperation that led their father to steal, and they saw how this act led to lies and confusion. From then on, they understood more deeply why stealing is wrong, and how it can lead to even more dishonesty. They resolved never to follow their father's poor example, thus learning from his mistakes.
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