Description
Ijapa, a cunning, devious, but very lazy tortoise, travels from his famine struck town of Magunwa to the prosperous town of Idaha in search of food.
Unsuccessful in convincing the groundnut seller, Iya-Elepa to treat him to her aromatic and delicious roasted groundnuts, he devises a plan which involves hiding in a tunnel (built for him by Okete, the giant rat in exchange for a sack of palm-nuts) and enticing away the Iya-Elepa and other market sellers with his mesmerising music.
Upon hearing this music, all the market sellers abandon their stalls, and as if in a trance, they all dance their way to the outskirts of the town, whilst Ijapa quickly raids their stalls. Ijapa repeats this little ruse over the next few market days, until he is caught in a trap laid out by the authorities.
Not having a shell, he sustains severe injuries from the thrashing he receives. He is taken before the King of Idaha and only his cunning and his musical gifts can save him, and also help him get a shell.
