In the islands of the Seychelles, where the blue waters sparkle under the sun and the forests are alive with the calls of birds, there lived a tortoise named Soungoula. He was small, heavy, and slow in his steps, yet his mind was sharper than the claws of any beast. Those who looked only at his shell thought him weak, but those who paid attention knew that Soungoula’s greatest strength was his cleverness.
Among the animals of land and sea, pride was common. The tiger claimed he was the greatest, for he had golden fur and strong paws that could crush anything in his path. The shark declared himself king of the ocean, boasting of his speed and his sharp teeth. Both laughed at Soungoula and thought little of him. But the little tortoise would show them that wisdom is stronger than pride and sharper than teeth.
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One hot afternoon, the tiger saw Soungoula resting in the grass. With a proud step he walked forward and roared, “Soungoula, you are slow and small. Why do the animals speak of you as if you are wise? I could crush you with one strike of my paw.”
Soungoula looked up calmly. His eyes were steady and his voice quiet. “Strength alone does not make one great, Tiger. If you believe yourself so powerful, then pull me out of this patch of grass and I will admit your greatness.”
The tiger laughed so loudly that the forest shook. He thought the challenge was foolish. What he did not know was that Soungoula had tied a thick vine around his shell and fastened the other end deep into the roots of a giant tree. The tiger bit into the vine and pulled with all his strength. His muscles rippled, his claws dug into the ground, and the earth trembled under his effort. Still Soungoula did not move.
The tiger pulled harder and harder, his eyes blazing with fury. Sweat poured down his striped body, and his breath grew heavy. Finally, too exhausted to continue, the tiger let go and collapsed to the ground.
Soungoula stepped forward slowly, his shell glinting in the sunlight. “Do you see now, Tiger? Strength means little without wisdom. I may be small, but my mind guides me.” The tiger, shamed and defeated, slunk back into the forest with his tail low.
News of this encounter spread quickly, and soon it reached the ocean. The shark heard of how the tortoise had shamed the mighty tiger, and his pride burned. From the shoreline he called out, his voice carrying over the waves. “Soungoula, you may have tricked the tiger, but you cannot defeat me. I am master of the sea, faster and stronger than any creature. You will not make a fool of me.”
Soungoula listened quietly, then replied with his calm tone. “If you are truly as powerful as you say, then let us see how far you can pull me across the sea.”
The shark, eager to prove himself, agreed without hesitation. Soungoula tossed a rope into the water, and the shark seized it between his sharp teeth. The shark believed the rope was tied to Soungoula’s shell, but the clever tortoise had fastened it firmly to a heavy rock on the shore.
With great confidence, the shark swam forward, tugging the rope with all his might. He pushed through the waves, certain that he was dragging Soungoula helplessly behind him. The salt water sprayed around him, and he swam farther and farther out, his muscles straining with effort.
But Soungoula remained safely on land, watching with quiet patience. The shark grew weary. His jaws ached, and his body tired as he fought against the immovable rock. At last he turned, expecting to see the tortoise trailing weakly in the water. Instead, he saw the rope still tied to the stubborn rock on the shore.
From the beach Soungoula called out, “Do you see now, Shark? Strength without wisdom is nothing. You swam hard, but you could not move me. It is the mind that brings victory, not pride.”
The shark, humiliated, sank beneath the waves, leaving the sea calm and quiet once more.
From that day forward, the animals of the forest and the ocean respected Soungoula. They no longer mocked his slow steps or small size, for they had seen how he outwitted the proudest of creatures. When disputes arose, it was Soungoula they turned to, for they knew that wisdom would guide them better than claws or teeth.
Soungoula himself never boasted of his triumphs. He carried his victories with humility, reminding all who would listen that arrogance is the downfall of many, but patience and intelligence light the path to peace. Parents told their children his story, passing down the lesson that even the smallest among us can overcome great challenges if they use their mind wisely.
The moral lesson of Soungoula the Clever Tortoise is that true strength lies not in force or pride but in intelligence and humility. Even the weakest-looking creature can triumph if he uses his wisdom with patience and courage.
Knowledge Check:
Who was Soungoula, and what made him special in the folktale?
Answer: Soungoula was a tortoise in Seychellois folklore who used his intelligence and wit to defeat stronger animals like the tiger and the shark.How did Soungoula defeat the tiger?
Answer: He tied a vine around his shell and fastened it to a tree root, tricking the tiger into pulling against the tree until he was exhausted.What trick did Soungoula use against the shark?
Answer: He tied a rope to a heavy rock on the shore, making the shark believe he was dragging Soungoula through the sea when he was only pulling the rock.What did the tiger learn from his failed challenge?
Answer: The tiger learned that raw strength without wisdom can lead to failure and shame.What important truth did the shark discover after the contest?
Answer: The shark discovered that even the strongest cannot succeed without intelligence and that pride makes one easy to outwit.What overall message does this Seychellois folktale teach?
Answer: The story teaches that wisdom, humility, and patience are more valuable than pride and brute force.
Source: Seychellois folktale. Recorded in Contes et légendes des Seychelles by Danielle de St. Jorre (1983).
