In the beginning of time, when Mawu, the great Creator, shaped the heavens and the earth, there was no fire among mortals. The world was dark, cold, and damp. Food was eaten raw, nights were long and heavy, and men and animals alike longed for warmth and light.
Mawu, who ruled both sky and earth, had lit a great eternal fire in the vast space that lay between the heavens and the earth. It blazed fiercely, illuminating the skies, but Mawu commanded that none, neither the people of the sky nor those of the earth, should approach or claim it.
To guard this sacred flame, Mawu appointed a man named Agbakankan, entrusting him with the solemn duty of protecting it. To aid him, Agbakankan requested two special birds known as chachué, creatures that fed only on roasted food. He set them by the fire, while he himself stayed at home, confident that their sharp voices would betray any intruder.
The Council of Animals
At this time, animals lived in houses and spoke as men did, for in those early days there was no divide between human and beast. But the world below remained shrouded in gloom. Finally, the animals called a great council to decide how they might steal fire and bring it to earth.
Lion, proud and fearless, was the first to volunteer. He strode forth with confidence, and the others cheered him on as he made his way to the fire. Nearing it, he seized two glowing coals, but immediately the chachué birds began to sing in their piercing voices:
“Agbabamban o!
Lion has taken fire!
Agbabamban o!
Son of Segbo,
Lion carries fire to the world below!”
Their cries reached Agbakankan, who came running with two sticks in hand. He hurled them at Lion, who stumbled, dropped the coals, and fled in shame. The guardian restored the fire, and Lion returned to the council defeated. “It cannot be done,” he said bitterly. “Agbakankan is far too clever.”
One by one, the great beasts tried, the mighty Elephant, the cunning Panther, the swift Antelope, but none succeeded. Each time, the birds’ song betrayed them, and Agbakankan thwarted their mission.
The Plan of Tortoise and Chameleon
At last, Tortoise and Chameleon stepped forward. Unlike the larger animals, they were small, quiet, and underestimated. But Tortoise spoke with calm wisdom:
“To steal fire, one must first prepare. We need straw and wood. If we can light these, we may carry fire without disturbing Agbakankan’s flame.”
But in those days, there was no straw on earth. Mawu had hidden it beneath a sacred tree, guarded fiercely by Gede. Beside this tree sat a man with a flute, who played whenever intruders approached, alerting the guardian. Many animals had tried to take the straw, but all were driven away and beaten.
Still, Tortoise and Chameleon did not despair. Elephant attempted first, but once again the flute sang and Gede struck him down. At last, it was Tortoise’s turn. Moving slowly and carefully, he managed to seize straw and wood. With Chameleon by his side, he crept toward the great fire.
The Theft of Fire
At the fire, Tortoise lit the straw until it blazed, then kindled the wood. With great cunning, he placed the fire deep inside his shell.
Immediately, the chachué birds shrieked their warning:
“Agbabamban o!
Tortoise has taken fire!
Agbabamban o!
Son of Segbo,
Tortoise carries fire to the world below!”
Agbakankan rushed out to catch him. But when he confronted Tortoise, known then as Logo, the small creature calmly denied the accusation. “I have no fire,” he said. “I am merely passing by.”
The guardian searched him but saw nothing. Frustrated, he returned home, scolding the birds for their false alarms. Yet no sooner had he left than the birds sang again, for from afar, the glow of fire could be seen. Agbakankan pursued Tortoise once more, but each time, the little creature hid the fire within his shell, escaping suspicion.
At last, Agbakankan cried out to the heavens, calling on Mawu herself to look down upon the earth and see the theft. Enraged, Mawu commanded the skies to open, and torrents of rain poured down. But Tortoise, unshaken, sheltered the flame inside his shell until the storm passed.
When the rain ceased, he emerged and carried the fire safely to the earth.
The Reward of Tortoise and Chameleon
Thus, for the first time, men and animals alike had fire. They warmed their homes, cooked their food, and lit the darkness. Grateful, the people honored Tortoise and Chameleon for their bravery and cunning. So Metonofi, the wise elder, declared:
“From this day, recognize Tortoise and Chameleon as sacred creatures.”
The people even gave Tortoise a new name, Zo, meaning “fire.” And to this day, tradition recalls that Tortoise eats only charcoal, for he once carried fire within his shell.
Moral Lesson
This story teaches that wisdom and patience often achieve what strength and pride cannot. While the mighty failed, the small and underestimated succeeded through foresight, planning, and resilience.
Knowledge Check
Q1: Who guarded the sacred fire created by Mawu?
A1: A man named Agbakankan, aided by two chachué birds.
Q2: Why did Lion and other large animals fail to steal the fire?
A2: The chachué birds betrayed them with their warning song, and Agbakankan thwarted their attempts.
Q3: What clever strategy did Tortoise propose before attempting the theft?
A3: He suggested gathering straw and wood to carry fire without disturbing the original flame.
Q4: How did Tortoise manage to hide the fire from Agbakankan?
A4: He concealed the burning straw and wood inside his shell, fooling the guardian.
Q5: Why is Tortoise associated with charcoal in Beninese tradition?
A5: Because he once carried fire within his shell, it is said he eats only charcoal.
Q6: What lesson does this folktale convey about strength versus wisdom?
A6: It shows that patience, planning, and cleverness often succeed where brute force fails.
Source: Beninese Folktale
