Erin was a troublesome elephant who terrified the people that lived in the kingdom just outside his forest. He knew no one could challenge him because he was too big and powerful so he often visited the kingdom to raid their farms and destroy the market stalls.
One day, tired of Erin’s frequent attacks, the king called together the wisest and the bravest people in the kingdom to solve their elephant problem. Even the wisest and bravest people in the kingdom were terrified of Erin. “How could we stop him? Even the ground shakes when he runs,” one chief said. “We can’t cage him either when he knocks trees over for fun,” said another. “I tried hunting him once, and my arrows and spears just bounced off his thick skin,” said one hunter. Listening to all of them, Ijapa, the tortoise, had an idea for how they could stop the elephant once and for all. “Kabiyesi o! I have the solution.” Everyone laughed, “How could one so small and slow stop one so mighty?” “If you do exactly what I tell you, we will be able to stop Erin once and for all” Ijapa said defiantly. Then he whispered his plan to the king. The king smiled. He was happy with Ijapa’s plan. “I will go into the forest in three days,” Ijapa announced “and I will return with the elephant and stop him from ever attacking this kingdom again”.
When the third day came, Ijapa made the most delicious Akara (bean cakes) and covered them in honey to make them extra tasty. Then he put them in his pouch and gathered the royal drummers whom he had asked for as part of his plan. Together they went into the forest to find Erin. After a short search in the forest, they found Erin resting under a tree. “Mighty Erin! I am so glad I found you” Ijapa started. “Go away” answered the elephant. “But I have good news for you my friend. The people have decided to make you their king” Ijapa announced excitedly. Erin looked at Ijapa and the musicians he had with him and laughed, “You can’t be serious.” “Oh, but I am. Why else would I have the royal drummers with me?” “Look, I’ve also brought you a gift. A taste of what you will enjoy as king.” Ijapa gave some of the honey-covered Akara to the elephant and immediately started singing…
“A o m’erin joba – Eweku ewele
A o m’erin joba – Eweku ewele
(We’ll make the elephant King)
Erin Olu Igbo – Eweku ewele
(Elephant the lord of the bush)
Erin Olu Odan – Eweku ewele
(Elephant lord of the Savannah)
A o m’erin joba – Eweku ewele
A o m’erin joba – Eweku ewele
(We’ll make the elephant King)”
At this, Erin got excited “Yes, let’s go”. So the drummers played, Ijapa sang and Erin danced with them back to the town. All the noise and excitement woke Owiwi, the owl, who had been asleep in a nearby tree. She saw Erin and Ijapa singing and dancing. Owiwi knew Ijapa well, and she knew he was cunning and was not to be trusted, so she listened carefully to what he was singing. When she heard the words of the song, she thought, “ooow – why would the people who are terrified of Erin suddenly want him as their king – hooo?” She knew something was wrong so she tried to warn Erin.
“Erin ma da won l’ohun O! – Erin yeye, Erin yeye
Erin ma da won l’ohun o! – Erin yeye, Erin yeye
(Erin don’t list to them o!)
Iwoyi ola n’ko – Erin yeye, Erin yeye
(This time tomorrow)
Agede a ma dun Kele – Erin yeye Erin yeye
(The cutlass will sound “Kele”)
Eje a ma sun gbala – Erin yeye, Erin yeye
(Blood will flow “gbala”)
Erin ma da won l’ohun o! Erin yeye, Erin yeye
(Erin don’t listen to them o!)”
When he heard Owiwi’s song, Erin stopped dancing, but Ijapa was prepared for this, and he threw another Akara into Erin’s mouth and sang even louder. Although he was distracted, Erin could still hear Owiwi’s warning in his head and was becoming a little suspicious. But then they arrived at the market square and he saw the people dancing and celebrating joyfully. They weren’t running away. And when he saw the welcome mat laid out for him and the elephant-sized throne, he believed Ijapa and felt very proud. Erin danced even more vigorously as he walked to his throne. As the excited elephant stepped on the mat to sit on his throne, he fell into a large hole with a loud “Gbosa!” He was trapped.
This was Ijapa’s plan all along. He had the people dig a huge hole in the market square and hide it with royal mats. He also had them build a giant throne that Erin could sit on to help convince the elephant, and lastly, he had instructed everyone to start singing and dancing as soon as they heard the elephant coming. The plan worked perfectly, and the people celebrated and cheered loudly, “We’ve captured the troublesome elephant!” “He will never destroy our farms again”, one person cried “And he will never terrify us again!” cried another. The king was so pleased with Ijapa that he awarded him one-third of the kingdom.
And that is how Ijapa captured the mighty elephant and became one of the richest people in the kingdom.
The end.
The Morale of the Story:
This story also teaches why it is important not to be a bully. The elephant bullied the people of the kingdom until they decided to fight back.
Like the Yoruba Proverbs that says, “Ifunra ni ogun agba” (caution and suspicion is the protective charm of the elderly), this story teaches us to be cautious of promises that seem too good to be true. Because, they often are.
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