Ijapa- The Greedy Husband. A Yoruba folk tale translated to English.
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EnglishVoice Age
Senior (55+)Accents
African (General) NigerianTranscript
Note: Transcripts are generated using speech recognition software and may contain errors.
For many years Ijapa and his wife- Yonibo looked forward to having a child, but nothing happened for them. Finally, after a long time someone told him to visit the doctor in the next village who was an expert in such matters. After much argument Ijapa commenced the journey to Joromi. Tortoise hated to travel anywhere, because it took so long and he was slow and nothing could be done since he had short legs and no one would help him since the last time the birds gave him a ride up to heaven. He ate the food provided alone. It is true, a self centred person cannot have friends. So he walked alone to Joromi until he came to the doctor's house. After the discussion and consultation the prescription was given. It was a pot of soup, hot, delicious smelling soup. Off he went back the way he came a bit more excited than before. He was thinking, soon you will have little children, and what name would he call them? Would they look like him or Yonibo his wife? Maybe they will have longer legs than him, and will be able to walk faster. Then he will make them carry him wherever he wanted to go, or, or will they call that child abuse or what? Then, without warning he stumbled on a root he had thought was a pebble. Oh, he had kicked what he thought was a pebble and nearly fell. The pot balanced on his head tilted a bit, and a little bit of the stew spilled off his head and slid into his hair, tickling him, reflexively he wiped it off. That was when the delicious smell of the soup hit him. What is this he thought? He then put the finger that wiped off the bit of stew to his mouth and, boom, this food tested unbelievably good. After a few more minutes he stopped, brought the pot down, removed the lid, and took a bit more, then another bit. A bird shrieked in a tree above the pathway, startling Tortoise. So he quickly put the pot back on his head and continued his slow shuffle back home. But the thought of the stew would not leave him. What had this wizard in Joromi put in the stew. Of course he was a wizard pretending to be a doctor. So he stopped, he took another lick, then another. Then he decided to take just a quarter of the stew, the remainder was for Yonibo. He changed his mind and took a third, then he took a half, before he knew it he had eaten the whole stew plus all the meat and even the bones. Ah! Tortoise exhaled, that was a good one. It probably was no good as medicine. Medicine never tasted so good. Now to think of what to tell Yonibo. So he continued on the journey back home until he noticed his stomach was growing big. Initially, it seemed like the normal torment of overeating he went through every single day of his life, but this time it grew like a balloon. It became very painful, and then unbearable. He had to stop. Then he began to think. Still, the stomach continued to grow. What am I to do, he lamented, Can't go home! Can't stay here! Surely the doctor should have an antidote to this stew medicine! Reluctantly he turned back and made his way to the doctor's house in Joromi, rolling more than walking. He got there after many hours. But I warned you Dr Lamina screamed, you should never have put a drop of the stew in your mouth. Never! I've come to beg you Tortoise cried out in his shriek like monotone voice. I slipped on the root of a tree suddenly. Yes, I remember you told me not to put my finger in the soup. But I did! When I looked up my stomach had become big. Please, I beg you help me he cried! Doctor Lamina went out into his inner chamber, did some work, and came back with a green colored syrup which he gave Tortoise to drink in one gulp. He did, and after a full half hour of torment he farted a fart that lasted for about 30 seconds. Then his stomach started coming back to normal. The doctor threw him out of the room and told him to go back home never to come to him again. A terrible smell engulfed his consulting room. Tortoise turned back and headed home, all the time, thinking what to tell Yonibo.
Tags
Storyteller, Amusing, Folksy, Translation, African (General), Nigerian