72. The Tortoise and the Antelope

"I saw where Leopard tapped a wine-palm," Tortoise said to Antelope. "Let's go drink the wine!"
'Yes," Antelope agreed, "let's go!"
Together they climbed the tree and drank the wine. 
It was intoxicating!
Then Tortoise gave Antelope a bag. "Collect more wine in this bag, and then lower it down to me." 
Tortoise climbed down, but instead of waiting at the foot of the tree, he hid in the bushes.
When Leopard arrived, he saw Antelope. "Hey! Are you drinking my wine?" he shouted. Then he leaped into the tree and killed Antelope.
Tortoise just laughed, watching from the bushes.
[a Bulu story from Cameroon]



Inspired by: "Turtle Displays at the Expense of the Other Beasts" in Bulu Folk-Tales (in Journal of American Folklore) by George Schwab, 1914. The Bulu are a people who live in Cameroon.
Notes: You can read the original story online. In the original story, Tortoise does this again and again with one animal after the other, each animal falling for the same trick.

2 comments:

  1. Haha Antelope really should know better than to trust cunning Tortoise!

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    Replies
    1. Haha once again the gullible animal suffers a dreadful fate!!!

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