08/08/2026
Tortoise avoided a hunting expedition by pretending to be seriously ill. With the help of his friend Rat, he convinced the other animals that he was sick. While the animals were away, Tortoise hid behind an anthill and used the respected name of their ancestor, Chief Ezeanu, to frighten them into dropping their game.
Rat discovered Tortoise's trick but promised to keep it secret after Tortoise gave him part of the stolen meat. However, Tortoise became afraid that Rat might eventually expose him, so he secretly planned to get rid of him.
Tortoise invited the animals to a delicious feast, one at a time. After eating, he took each guest to a breadfruit tree, claiming they needed two people to collect the fruit. He would climb the tree and throw a large breadfruit down. Sadly, the animals were struck by the heavy fruit and died.
When Rat's turn came, Tortoise threw the breadfruit at him, but Rat cleverly jumped aside and pretended to be dead. Tortoise, believing Rat was dead, put him inside a large cooking pot.
But Rat had outsmarted him. When Tortoise opened the pot, Rat sprang out and defeated him. Rat then rescued the other animals and exposed Tortoise's wicked deeds. In the end, Tortoise's own scheme became his downfall, and Rat married Tortoise's wife.
🌿 Life Lesson
A cheater will eventually be cheated, and a person who plots evil against others may one day fall into their own trap.
Other lessons:
🧠 Never underestimate a clever person.
🤝 Betraying a friend can have serious consequences.
⚠️ Greed and deception can lead to destruction.
💡 Wisdom and quick thinking can save you from danger.
❤️ Treat others fairly because your actions may eventually come back to you.
🎯 THEME
A CHEATER IS CHEATED.
