The Race Between Ijapa, the Tortoise & Efon, the Buffalo
The Great Migration
Long ago the animals gathered once a year to celebrate the coming rain at the end of the dry season. The animals all looked forward to the festival and they came from far and wide in great numbers to join in the celebrations – birds, zebras, wildebeest, hyenas, and many more. The last person to arrive, as always, was Ijapa, the tortoise with his family.
“I’m sorry I’m late everyone” he called out as he arrived. “I tell you, these short legs get slower every year” he joked. The animals all laughed. Even Erin, the elephant let out a deep, rumbling chuckle.
But Efon, the buffalo, was unimpressed. Unlike Ijapa, Efon was powerful and fast. And he did not like to be kept waiting. “Here we go again.” he snorted. “You’re so slow and weak. Why do you even bother coming?” “I’m sorry my friend. But I’m here now. Let us enjoy the festival” Ijapa said, trying to keep the peace.
“You’re here now.” Efon scoffed, stamping his hoof in the dust. “Do something useful for once and stay at home next year so the rest of us don’t have to wait for you… Again.”
Ijapa’s Challenge
The gathering fell silent. Ijapa smiled, hiding his hurt feeling. “Well, If you think I’m so slow and useless, prove it. Race me tomorrow. If I lose, I won’t come to the festival next year.” The animal gasped.
Efon almost fell over laughing. “You? Race me?” He laughed. “I accept your challenge”. “Good.” Said Ijapa. “Tomorrow, at first light we’ll run from the river bank, past the mounds of the termite grove, and finish at the Acacia tree.”
The gathered animals whispered amongst themselves. “Has Ijapa forgotten who he’s dealing with? The slowest animal racing one of the fastest?! What is he thinking?”
With that settled the festival began but the animals were distracted by the planned race between the tortoise and the buffalo. A challenge that seemed unusually foolish for Ijapa.
The Tortoise and Buffalo Race
The next morning, all the animals gathered to watch the the tortoise and the buffalo race. Erin raised his long trunk… “PARRRUUMP!”
The race had begun. But before Ijapa could take his first step, Efon exploded off the starting line, his hooves thundered on the dried earth. GBA-GAM, GBA-GAM, GBA-GAM. Leaving Ijapa behind in a storm of red dust. But Ijapa wasn’t worried. He simply carried on at his usual steady pace.
With Ijapa a good distance behind him, Efon smiled “This is too easy”. Confident that he would win the race, he slowed down to a gentle jog. Imagine his surprise when he looked ahead as he approached the first mound at the termite grove and saw the tortoise was already there!
“How did you get here before me?!” He cried.
“Perhaps you’re not as fast as you thought,” the tortoise replied.
Determined not to lose to the tortoise, Efon picked up his pace, speeding past the tortoise once again.
As he approached the last mound in the grove, Efon nearly tripped over his own hooves when he saw that the tortoise had beaten him to the checkpoint again! Efon ran even harder using every bit of strength in his body to sprint past the tortoise. “I will not lose to you, a tortoise”. He cried as he pushed himself harder than he had ever done before.
No matter how hard Efon ran, the tortoise was somehow always ahead of him. Frustrated and confused, he ran faster and harder than he had ever run before. As he approached the great Acacia tree, Efon was exhausted. His powerful legs felt like jelly from running so hard. “There is no way he could have beat me here this time ” he thought. But to his horror the tortoise was there waiting near the finish line. “What took you so long?” he teased. “I thought you said I was the slow and weak one.” The exhausted buffalo, too tired to speak, collapsed to the floor unable to finish the race.
The Tortoise’s Reveal
A little later, Ijapa appeared behind him and slowly crossed the finish line, winning the race.
The animals gathered around Ijapa, amazed that he had won but confused as to how he did it. Curious to know, they asked him “how did you do it Ijapa?” “Did you use magic?” “Can you fly?”
Ijapa smiled. “No magic, just my wit.” He answered. “I got my sons to help me. We wore the exact same clothes and they waited at each checkpoint, running only when they heard Efon approaching. To Efon, it looked as though I had somehow raced ahead every single time so he exhausted himself trying to win.” “In reality I just kept to my normal pace and won.”
Efon listened quietly and, still winded, he managed a tired laugh. “Well done Ijapa. I thought strength was all that mattered but you’ve shown me today that everyone has something to offer, no matter how small or weak they are.”
The End.
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