The Story of the Tortoise, the Dog, and the Farmer- The animals were famine-stricken long ago in a place that had been under drought for an abnormally long time. Since there was no longer any grass or trees and everything appeared to be so dry due to the dry season, the animals were lean because there was no food available.
With all of this going on, the tortoise wishes he knew what his friend’s secret was that the dog was trying to discover. The tortoise believed he had to learn this secret since he was curious about how the dog had managed to eat so well in spite of all the negative circumstances that surrounded them.
The tortoise went to the dog’s residence the following day. After exchanging handshakes, he questioned his acquaintance how he was able to maintain his health during this drought. His own plates were running low, so he begged the dog to tell him the secret so he wouldn’t go hungry.
There was nothing unusual about it, the dog said, getting up and exercising to keep himself in good form. The tortoise wasn’t convinced by the explanation and insisted on knowing how the dog had survived the famine. The dog had to admit, last but not least, that he lacked a secret weapon.
Dissatisfied with this remark, the tortoise said good-bye to the dog and departed. But such behavior did not fit him, and he quickly devised a plan after overcoming it.
Unbeknownst to the dog, the turtle had chosen to accompany it the following morning. He concealed himself with a tree when he saw the dog leaving his house in the early morning with a basket. Keeping a safe distance, the tortoise trailed his companion to the neighboring settlement.
Before continuing to dig up crops like yams and drop them into his basket, the dog had to check that no one was nearby to observe him once they had taken their place on a farm. The tortoise came up to the dog from his blind corner after being stimulated in this way and unable to stay motionless.
His friend’s resolve to expose him took the dog aback, but he reasoned that there wasn’t much more he could do at this point. He surprised the farmer by bringing the tortoise along when he was stealing food from the farm. For a number of weeks, this arrangement persisted.
The tortoise, however, started to consume more yams than he could comfortably carry with every trip to see the neighbors. The dog soon noticed that his pal was carrying too much stuff. This made those walks home take longer and longer. To show his love, he cautioned the tortoise about the greater risk of being caught by the farmer.
One day, the dog threatened to quit going with him if they continued, failing which they would encounter issues with the landowner, a farmer. After being told that he would be set aside for the future, the tortoise said, “We won’t be caught.” The dog was still apprehensive and told his pal that they listened and seemed at ease. The dog declared that he would return home early the following day when it was time to leave. However, the dog refused to listen to the tortoise’s request for more time to choose even more yams. So he loaded his basket onto his head and left for home.
When he saw that his companion was leaving, the tortoise yelled, “Hey, can I come with you? I find it hard to carry all this on my own.” Once again, the dog disregarded him and fled in the opposite way, wanting to escape a confrontation with the farmer.
The companion ignored the tortoise’s cries for assistance, and the tortoise continued to harvest yams until nightfall. Shortly afterward, the farmer made the decision to visit the fields, where he witnessed the tortoise taking his crops.
The farmer swiftly subdued him and took him to the appropriate authorities for discipline. But what he witnessed about his pals caused him to become afraid and regretful. He became aware of his partiality. The dog has pledged never to take anything that is not his since that day. This concludes the story of the tortoise, the dog, and the farmer.