King Tortoise and the Animals

Tortoise's tail was trapped inside the anthill.

Elephant walked by.

"Behold the King!" shouted Tortoise. "Nobody can lift me up!"

Elephant tried. "It's true, King! I cannot lift you." 

Leopard walked by.

"I'm rooted in the land!" shouted Tortoise. "Nobody can lift me up!"
Leopard tried and couldn't lift him.

Then Bush-Rat walked by.

"Nobody can lift me up!" shouted Tortoise. "I am the King!"

But Bush-Rat began gnawing at Tortoise's tail. Snip snip snip! Tortoise was no longer trapped by his tail inside the anthill.

Then Bush-Rat lifted Tortoise up, and that's why Tortoise has a short tail today.

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Inspired by: "Tortoise Becomes King" in Anthropological report on the Ibo-speaking peoples of Nigeria by Northcote Whitridge Thomas, 1914.
Notes: You can read the original story online. This is a continuation of Tortoise and the Anthill.

African rat by Nik Borrow