Long ago, in the villages of the Benga people, the animals of the forest lived under the shadow of the mighty elephant. He was strong, towering above all others, with tusks that gleamed like polished ivory. The elephant believed that his strength alone made him the ruler of the forest. Whenever the animals gathered, he demanded respect, not through kindness, but through fear.
One day, the elephant declared, “There is no creature who can stand against me. My strength is unmatched, my voice shakes the earth, and my tusks are sharper than spears. Who among you dares challenge me?”
The animals were silent. None wanted to provoke the anger of the giant. But from the back of the gathering, a small voice spoke up. It was the tortoise. He shuffled forward slowly, his shell dull with dust, his eyes calm.
“I will challenge you,” said the tortoise.
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The animals gasped. The elephant burst into laughter so loud that birds flew from the trees. “You? A slow, tiny creature who hides in a shell? You dare to stand against me?”
“Yes,” the tortoise replied. “For strength alone does not rule the forest. Wisdom has its place beside power.”
The elephant, insulted, stomped his feet. “Very well. We will have a contest. If you defeat me, I will humble myself before the animals. But if I win, you must bow to me forever.”
The animals agreed to judge fairly, and the contest began.
First, the elephant chose a game of pulling. He tied a long vine around his waist and gave the other end to the tortoise. “Pull me if you can,” he said, confident in his victory.
But the tortoise was clever. Instead of pulling the vine himself, he tied it to a great tree. When the elephant pulled, he thought the tortoise was resisting with all his might. He tugged harder, but the tree’s roots held firm. Sweat ran down his thick skin as he struggled, yet the tortoise sat quietly at the base of the tree.
Finally, the elephant gave up. “You are strong, little one. But let us try another contest.”
This time, the elephant chose a race. The animals laughed again, for surely the tortoise was too slow. The path was long and winding, through hills and streams. The tortoise, however, called on his relatives. At every turn of the path, one of his cousins hid, waiting. Each time the elephant thundered past, a tortoise appeared ahead of him, as if the little creature had outrun him.
By the time the elephant reached the finish line, panting and exhausted, the tortoise was already there, waiting patiently. The animals erupted in cheers.
Anger burned in the elephant’s eyes. “One last test!” he demanded. “Let us see who can endure the longest without food.”
The tortoise agreed. Days passed. The elephant, used to constant grazing, grew weaker and weaker. His body shook, and his great belly rumbled. But the tortoise, with his slow and patient nature, endured. At last, the elephant collapsed in defeat.
The forest grew quiet. The mighty elephant had been humbled.
The tortoise spoke softly, yet his words carried weight. “Strength is a gift, but it is not enough to rule. Wisdom, patience, and cleverness must guide it. Let this be a lesson for us all.”
The elephant bowed his head, ashamed. From that day forward, he no longer bullied the animals. He learned to walk with humility, and the tortoise became a symbol of wisdom among the Benga people.
Moral lesson
The tale of the elephant and the tortoise reminds us that wisdom can overcome strength, and patience often defeats pride. The story teaches that true leadership requires balance between power and wisdom. Even the smallest and seemingly weakest among us carry gifts that can humble the mighty.
Knowledge Check on The Elephant and the Tortoise
What challenge did the tortoise propose to the elephant in the story of The Elephant and the Tortoise?
The tortoise challenged the elephant to prove that wisdom could outmatch physical strength.How did the tortoise outwit the elephant in the pulling contest?
He tied the vine to a tree, making the elephant believe the tortoise was holding him back.Why did the tortoise win the race against the elephant?
The tortoise used his relatives hidden along the path to appear faster than the elephant.What final contest proved the tortoise’s endurance over the elephant?
They competed to see who could last longer without food, and the tortoise outlasted the elephant.What lesson did the elephant learn from his defeat by the tortoise?
He learned that wisdom and patience are as important as strength, and that pride leads to downfall.Which tribe and country preserve the story of The Elephant and the Tortoise?
The Benga people of Equatorial Guinea.
Cultural Origin
This folktale, The Elephant and the Tortoise, comes from the Benga people of Equatorial Guinea. It was recorded by Robert H. Nassau in Where Animals Talk: West African Folklore Tales (1914).
