“Yannibo” (TORTOISE WIFE) Part 3

 …Tortoise listened quietly while they all narrated their stories; occasionally he would just smile, chuckle or pace around –uttering no word. After the baton had gone round, it was tortoise’s turn to talk: “I considered, multiplied and weighed the stories all of you, put together, have narrated and I see, you don’t even have crises at all! I tell you, your situations are far better. Hmmm…” he shook his head, paced around then he continued –“My wife’s sickness is the worst!” They all shouted, One -“What do you mean?” Another –“Come on! How could you say that?” Another –Go and sit down joo!” Others: “Pls, say whatever you have to say and leave that place fast–He has started!” Tortoise shook his head again, motioned them to be quite and continued: “Now listen. What’s your definition of shame? Do you know what it means for someone to be completely SHAMELESS?! Do you understand?!” He screamed! “The one who is shameless will do worse things than any of your wives without feeling a pinch! That’s what it means! And that’s what I’m talking about! That’s MY WIFE’S SICKNESS, if you care to listen!” (Iyawo mi o ni’tiju!) Do you feel my pain… my… my… disgrace?! If you don’t mind, I will willingly give her out to you! Any hand?! Do I have any hand up; any hand?!” “Noooo!” “Noooo!” “Keep your wife to yourself.” “I’m okay with my wife.” “Tufiakwa!” “I don’t need a second wife.” “Kai! Lai lai!” “My wife is manageable, I don’t want your kind of wife!” “Oti o!” Most of the animals murmured. “Oho! Now you see what I’ve been living with – A SHAMELESS WIFE!”… By the time tortoise ended, they were all dumbfounded… some of the animals who had been standing slowly returned to their seats, heads bowed, like a hen “beaten” by the rain… When the herbalist, returned, tortoise automatically became the first to receive the “doctor’s” attention and none of the animals demanded for any other special medicine -whatever tortoise got was the best cure for all!

Hope you enjoyed it the same way I did. Now, what lesson(s) would you like us to learn from this story? Kindly, drop your comments. Thanks for reading. (Many thanks to DAD for this wonderful story!)

“Yannibo” (TORTOISE WIFE) Part 2 (The story continues…)

...The first to talk was the king of the jungle –Lion: “My wife, O! my wife! She’s always looking for something to kill. Even when she’s not hungry! She won’t allow the tiny folks to rest! I want her teeth plucked out!” They applauded him –“Yes! Yes!!! That’s it!” They all shouted. Next was Monkey: “I can’t keep babana in the house any longer; even when I hide it, my wife will find it out and finish all!” Hyena: “Imagine my wife dictating who takes the biggest share of the meat?” Squirrel: “As for me, I think my wife is too fast for my liking! Ah! Ah! I’m I not the head? I expect her to follow me at my back in everything but “No!” She’s faster in running, in stealing, in taking cover, even in eating! You see my point? I need something to slow her down!” Snake: “My wife? I thought I knew how to hiss; my wife? Even as I’m with you here, I can hear the sound of her hisses –it’s so irritating!” Dog: “My wife is nothing but a bitch! She no longer stays in the house –I’m tired of her.” Parrot: “Too much talk is going to kill my wife very soon, if I don’t do something fast!” Cock: “My wife, a hen crows –I don’t know who taught her; she even crows louder and longer than I do! Now she wakes up earlier before me just to be the first to crow! And whenever I try to warn or stop her, she tells me –“I must prove it to you that whatever a man can do, a woman does it even better! Then she would catwal… no, “hen-walk” away. Imagine that!” etc. etc… (... to be continued)
*Keep following this story, please; I believe there are lots of lessons to learn here. You can also send in your comments, if you have any.

"Yannibo" (TORTOISE WIFE) Part 1

Hi, friends!
I remember when I was growing up, my dad used to tell us stories. Every moon-light was an opportunity to listen to stories, ask questions, laugh, sing, clap, and dance. Permit me to also mention that it was a very lovely sight then, when we sat around him… You know those tortoise tales (Ijapa) lol! Oh! I loved it! Let me share one of the stories he told us with you, perhaps it will make a lesson, at least. I title this –

“Yannibo” (TORTOISE WIFE) Part 1
“One day, all the male animals in animal kingdom –lion, cat, squirrel, pigeon, parrot, snake, monkey, dog, goat, duck, hen, etc.; tortoise wasn’t left out. They all gathered at a herbalist’s house to get cures for their “sick” (that’s the description they all gave it) wives. Now, the herbalist wasn’t at home so they had to wait outside till his return. But while they wait, there was uproar, each complaining about how bad the situation was in his house and how urgently he needed the medicine man’s attention. A fraction of the noise was also generated by the argument on “Who gets to see the ‘doctor’ first?”
Tortoise who had been silent all the while suddenly rose up; he walked to the center and after he had motioned them to be quite, he asked them, “What’s the noise about? This is not even necessary at all? What is it that is happening in your houses that no other person has not witnessed or experienced before? As I am standing here, do you know what I’m facing in my house? Let me tell you, the broken pieces of my heart are more than the pieces you count on my shell. So please, let’s not make too much noise over this, if you think yours is the worst, step out and say it, let’s hear.” So tortoise set the ball on motion and they started one after the other… (I’d like to stop here so as not to bore you with my “so long a ‘story’”. However, feel free to comment…to be continued…)

Stop it!

Hey! Stop #beating your wife before GOD BEATS you up! Yes! Stop #maltreating her! Are you #offended? Sorry... But that’s the #truth!

Heart Clinic with 'Nido: Prologue

Heart Clinic with 'Nido: Prologue: "Guard your HEART with all diligence; for out of it are the #issues of #life ." The #heart is very important to our existence...

What do you consider the worst thing that can ever happen to man?

Ayinde Tolulope wrote: Please help me to #answer this #question that I was #confronted with: what is the worst thing that can ever happen to a man? Please give reason(s) for your answer(s).

'Nido replied: Though we all might have our different answers as #physical men... nothing is as worse as a #precious life, a #gracious #opportunity, a great #destiny that ends up in #HELL. That I #consider the worst #waste!

What do you consider the worst thing that can ever happen to man?