MBE NA AMỤMA (THE TORTOISE AND THE LIGHTNING): The reason why the tortoise hides his head in his shell when it is raining

 

The Igbo Folklore is full of amazing stories from which we learn different lessons. They communicate life changing messages to us with a very lovely and interesting stories. Thus, today we are going to be reading to the story of why the Tortoise always hide inside its shell whenever there is Thunder and Lightning. 

The story is told in English and Igbo. Do well to drop in the comment section any Igbo word you could not understand.

Enjoy the story. 

(IGBO)     Mbe na amụma ṅụrịtara iyi ịbụ enyi rue ọgwụgwụ ndụ ha. Amụma na-abịa mgbe niile ileta enyi ya mbe. Mgbe ọbụla ọ bịara, mbe na-esiri ya nri dị ụtọ na-enye kwa ya onyinye dị iche iche nke ọ na-etinye n'akpa bụrụ laa n'ụlọ ya. Ebe amụma bi n'eluigwe, mbe amaghị ụzọ ọ ga-esi wee rue ebe o bi. O rue otu ụbọchị amụma bịa ileta enyi ya dịka o siri eme. Mgbe o risiri nri, mbe wee gwa ya na ya ga-abịa n'ụlọ ya otu ụbọchị mgbe ọ leghi anya ya. Mgbe amụma nụrụ okwu nke a, ọ dapụ n'ọchị, jua mbe sị, "Olee ụzọ ị ga-esi wee rute ụlọ m?" Mbe za ya sị, "Amara m ụzọ m ga-esi." N'otu ntabi anya amụma see fam, felaa n'ụlọ ya.      Mbe gwa nwunye ya n'echi ya ka o tinye ya n'akpa ka ọ kekwa akpa ahụ eriri otu ọga abụ mgbe amụma bịara ka o buru akpa ahụ bunye ya si na ya anoghi ya. Ọ dịghị anya, amụma abịa. Nwunye mbe gwa ya ka ya nye ya ngwugwu ọ ga-eji laa. Obi wee tọọ amụma ụtọ nke ukwu, ọ nara ya akpa felaa.      Mgbe o ruru ụlọ, o meghere ngwugwu na-ele mbe ka ọ nọ n'ime ya. Iwe were ya nke ukwu. Ọ wee chọọ igbu mbe. Mbe riosiri ya ike ka ọ rapụ ya ndụ. O rue ka mmiri na-ezo, o soro ya laghachikwute ezi na ụlọ ya n'ụwa. Ọ bụ n'ihi esemokwu a, ka mbe ji ezo isi ya mgbe ọ bụla mmiri na-ezo n'ihi na egwu amụma n'atụ ya.

(ENGLISH)     The Tortoise and Lightning swore to each other that they will be friends till the end of their days. Thus, Lightning comes often to visit his friend the Tortoise. Whenever Lightning visits the Tortoise, the Tortoise used to cook delicious food for him and also, gives him gifts which he puts in his bag and takes back home. Since the Lightning lives in Heaven, the Tortoise does not know how to visit him. One day, the Lightning came to visit the Tortoise as usual. When he finished eating, the Tortoise told him that he will come to visit him in his house when he least expects it. When the Lightning heard this, he laughed and asked the Tortoise, "how will you be able to get to my house?" and the Tortoise replied him, "I know the road through which I will come." In a blink of an eye, the Lightning flew back to his house.     The Tortoise, then, told his wife that tomorrow, he should put him in a bag and tie a rope to the bag so that when the Lightning comes, she will tell him that the Tortoise is not around and give him the bag. Shortly, the Lightning came around again. The wife of the Tortoise told him that he wants to give him a package which he would carry home. This very much pleased the Lightning, he collected the bag and flew back home.     When he reached his house, he opened the package and behold, the Tortoise was inside. He became furious. He wanted to kill the Tortoise. However, the Tortoise so much begged him to spare his life. When it started raining, the Tortoise followed him back to his family on earth. Because of this dispute, the Tortoise always hide his head inside his shell whenever it is raining because his is afraid of the Lightning.

So, what did you learn from the story

If you have any suggestion or comments do well to drop it in the comment section.