EBONYI FOLKTALES STORIES

In the animal kingdom, the king's daughter refused all her suitors. She had a dream of riding an elephant through the village, so she declared that any suitor who could bring her a live elephant would win her hand in marriage. The king announced this challenge to all the animals, but they were discouraged, except for the cunning tortoise. The tortoise approached the king and said, "I will bring a live elephant and marry your daughter. Though I was chased away before, this time, I will succeed." The tortoise then visited his friend, the elephant, and told him, "The king of my village is holding an Ofallah festival in two days, and he wants you to be the chief guest." The elephant, honored by the invitation, agreed to go. The tortoise promised to pick him up on the day of the festival. When the day arrived, the tortoise was late, and the elephant, annoyed, urged him to hurry. The tortoise replied, "Don't worry, we'll get there on time." As they w...

Once upon a time, in the vast savannas of Africa, the animals lived harmoniously under the sun's warm glow. Among them was a plain, grey donkey who yearned to be special and stand out among the others. He envied the vibrant colors of the birds, the majestic mane of the lion, and the sleek fur of the leopard. One hot day, the donkey came across a large rock near a river. The rock was beautifully polished, and it shimmered under the sun's rays. The donkey was mesmerized by its beauty and wished to be just as magnificent. In his longing, the donkey prayed to the Great Spirit of the Savannah. "Great Spirit," he called out, "please grant me a beautiful appearance so that I may feel special among the other animals." The Great Spirit heard the donkey's plea and decided to grant his wish. "Go to the river," the spirit said, "and roll in the mud. Then, lie in the sun and wait patiently." Following the Great Spirit's instructions, the donke...

Once upon a time, in the land of Ezza EZEKUNNA, there lived a man named Akputa Nwunoke, known far and wide for his clever and tricky ways. One day, Akputa decided to leave his homeland and travel to a distant land. He settled there, enjoying his new life and never thought of returning home. However, his kinsmen back in Ezza EZEKUNNA grew worried about his absence. They believed the ancestors wanted Akputa to return to his father's land. So, they sent a message to him, asking him to come back. Akputa received the message and said, "Okay, I will come." When Akputa arrived back in Ezza EZEKUNNA, he went straight to a swamp. There, he began molding mud blocks, as if he intended to build a house in the middle of the swamp. The villagers saw him and were puzzled. "Who builds a house in a swamp?" they asked each other, shaking their heads in disbelief. Ignoring their questions, Akputa left the swamp and moved to the center of a busy road. There, he started to build ano...

In the village of Odomoke, there lived a kind and hardworking farmer named Mr. Nwangbo Okite. He was known for his generosity, always sharing his crops with his neighbors. Because of this, everyone in the village loved him. One day, while working in his field, Mr. Nwangbo found a yam unlike any he had ever seen. It was huge and glowing with a soft, magical light. Curious, he dug it up and took it home. That night, Mr. Nwangbo had a strange dream. A spirit appeared and said, "Nwangbo, you have found the Magic Yam. It will bring great wealth and happiness to you and your village, but you must share it. If you keep it for yourself, bad things will happen." The next morning, Mr. Nwangbo gathered all the villagers and told them about the Magic Yam. They decided to plant pieces of it in everyone's fields so that everyone could benefit from its magic. Soon, the village was thriving. Crops grew faster and bigger than ever before, and no one went hungry. But one man, named Nwifu...

Long ago, in the land of Ezza EZEKUNNA, there was a man named Akputa Nwunoke. He was famous for being very clever and funny. One day, on Eke Imoha market day, Akputa decided to play a trick. Early in the morning, he went to the entrance of the busy market and did something very naughty—he pooped there. Then, he hid in a nearby bush to see what people would say. As people entered the market, they saw the mess and were very angry. They said many bad things about the person who did it. Akputa listened to all the curses and insults from his hiding place. After everyone was inside the market, Akputa came out and cleaned up the mess. When people were leaving the market and saw that the entrance was clean again, they were surprised and happy. They started saying good things and blessings for the person who cleaned up. Akputa then came out and said, "I have received both curses and blessings today. Let’s see which one will happen faster." The villagers, including the elders and marke...