Long ago, during the reign of a great king of Dahomey, when the land was dry and the skies withheld rain, there lived a boy named Lamb. He was entrusted with the care of Dada Segbo’s field, a vast stretch of farmland divided by a dusty road. The sun blazed without mercy, and the earth cracked in thirst. Crops withered, and the people prayed for relief.
In Benin, it was well known that when the rains failed, only the wisdom of the diviner could bridge the world of mortals and the divine. If the proper sacrifices were made, the heavens would open and life would return to the soil. And so the people called for Tortoise, a wise and powerful diviner, to guide them.
The king of Dahomey himself sent for Tortoise, urging him to perform divination so the drought might end. To reach the palace, Tortoise had to pass through Dada Segbo’s field, where Lamb kept watch. As Tortoise approached, weary from his journey, he asked, “Boy, give me a drink of water.”
But Lamb, zealous in his duty, refused. “I am here to guard this land, not to serve you,” he said.
Tortoise pressed on in silence. Soon he arrived at a small market nearby, where Lamb’s mother sold gumbo and acasa. Thirsty, he purchased food, and when he asked for water, she gave it freely. Grateful, Tortoise told her, not knowing she was Lamb’s mother:
“I asked a boy for water, but he denied me. I will divine against him. When I stand before the king of Dahomey, I will declare that he must be sacrificed before rain will fall.”
Alarmed, the woman asked, “Where is this boy?”
“He is the one who tends Dada Segbo’s field,” Tortoise replied. “He has offended Hevioso, the thunder spirit.”
When Tortoise reached the palace, he performed his ritual. “For rain to fall,” he proclaimed, “a lamb must be sacrificed.”
The king asked for clarity.
“It is not just any lamb,” Tortoise said, “but the boy who tends Dada Segbo’s field—the one who denied me water.”
News of this reached the market, and Lamb’s mother rushed home, terrified for her son’s life. She told him, “Gather goats and chickens and take them to Tortoise’s wife as gifts. If you do not act, you may surely die.”
Lamb obeyed, preparing the animals and delivering them quietly.
Tortoise had promised to return in five days to settle the matter. By then, the community was certain Lamb’s death was unavoidable. When Tortoise arrived, he examined the offerings. “I told the king of Dahomey that the boy must die in five days. Yet I see gifts have been brought.”
He reported this to Legba, the spirit guide, saying, “The boy has brought me offerings.”
“That is nothing,” Legba replied. “Keep them. But you will divine again.”
On the appointed day, the king summoned Tortoise once more. From dawn, Lamb had been bound behind the palace, prepared for sacrifice. Tortoise requested ritual items: animals, palm oil, white and red stew, and more. Then he asked, “Where is the sacrificial animal?”
They presented Lamb himself.
“That is not what I asked for,” Tortoise rebuked them. “I requested only the hair of a lamb. You have tied the boy! Do you not understand the rites? What will Dada Segbo say if you kill his servant?”
At that moment, Lamb realized his gifts had spared him.
“Loosen the boy,” Tortoise commanded. “I have no power to kill one who belongs to Dada Segbo. Bring me instead the hair of a true lamb.”
Relieved, they released Lamb. A suitable lamb was brought, its hair collected, and the sacrifice made. Then Legba, the spirit guide, took a small gourd, filled his mouth with sacred powder, and blew it into the sky. Clouds gathered, thunder rumbled, and the heavens opened. Rain poured down, quenching the thirst of the land, the crops, the animals, and the people.
From that day, the community remembered: never deny a diviner, for their words bind the living to the divine.
Moral Lesson
This tale teaches the importance of showing respect to diviners, whose wisdom connects the mortal world to spiritual forces. To ignore or anger them can bring danger, but to honor them ensures harmony and blessings for all.
Knowledge Check
Who was Lamb and what was his role?
Lamb was a boy tasked with guarding Dada Segbo’s field during the dry season.
Why did Tortoise divine against Lamb?
Because Lamb refused to give him water, showing disrespect to the diviner.
What sacrifices were required to bring rain?
The hair of a lamb, along with goats, chickens, palm oil, and ritual foods.
Who is Legba in the story?
Legba is the spirit guide who advised Tortoise and released the power of rain.
How was rain finally brought to the land?
After the correct sacrifice, Legba blew sacred powder into the sky, and the rains fell.
What is the central lesson of the folktale?
Respecting diviners and obeying spiritual instructions ensures balance, blessings, and survival.
Source: Beninese Folktale
