Ijapa and the Princesses – Children’s
A long, long time ago in a faraway land called Makeke, there lived a kind king called an Ọba (say: OH-bah). He had three beautiful daughters, but their mother had gone to heaven when they were very little.
The king loved his daughters SO much that he was scared something bad might happen to them. So he kept them safe inside the palace walls, away from everyone else.
The princesses had their very own special stream called “odo Ọba” (the king’s stream). Nobody else was allowed to go near it! If anyone did, they would be in BIG trouble!
The princesses were lonely. They had no friends to play with. Their maid, Wura (say: WOO-rah), told them stories about children outside the palace, and the princesses wished they could meet them.
Princess 1: “Father, can we please play with other children?”
King: “NO! The world is a cruel place!”
Princess 2: “But why, father?”
King: “You’re too young to understand…”
The three princesses were always together. Nobody knew their real names – not even Wura! The king called them by nicknames. But when they were alone, the princesses whispered their real names to each other to remember their mother.
Their real names were a SECRET! 🤫
The princesses were BORED! They complained to their father:
Princesses: “We have nothing to do! We just eat, sleep and play alone!”
King: “What about your ‘kẹkẹ’ (say: KEH-keh)?”
The king was confused. “Kẹkẹ” means bicycle! Were his daughters sneaking out to ride bicycles?!
The princesses giggled. “No father, not that kind of kẹkẹ!”
They explained their secret:
Every evening, they would sneak out to collect the fallen fruits. This was their FAVORITE thing to do!
The king worried: “When you look for ‘kẹkẹ’, is anyone else around?”
Princesses: “Nobody, father!”
But they were sad. Why couldn’t they meet other people?
In those days, kings were very important. They helped solve problems and mysteries for their people.
Princesses: “Father, you can’t keep us locked up forever!”
King: “You’re not locked up! I give you everything!”
Princesses: “We want to know other people… meet our relatives… have friends!”
Years passed. The princesses grew into beautiful young women. Everyone talked about how lovely they were!
But people also whispered: “Why are they hidden away? Is something wrong with them?”
This made the princesses very sad. 😢
Soon, young men from all over wanted to marry the princesses! They were kind, gentle and beautiful.
Wura, their maid, was asked again and again: “Can you help me meet the princesses?”
The princesses secretly liked three young men: Segi, Jere and Sawawo! They had seen them from afar and their hearts went pit-a-pat! 💓
The king worried: “Who will marry my daughters? How will I know if they truly love them?”
He was scared to let them go.
Princesses: “Father, we want to marry for LOVE!”
The princesses told their father:
Princess 1: “I think Segi likes me! And I like him too!”
Princess 2: “I feel the same about Jere!”
Princess 3: “Sawawo makes my heart stop! 💓”
The king heard nasty rumors. People said terrible things about him and his daughters. He had to do something!
Then he had a clever idea…
The king called all the young men together:
King: “In seven days, I will have a great party! The man who can tell me my daughters’ REAL NAMES will marry ALL THREE princesses!”
Everyone gasped! 😲 Nobody knew the princesses’ names!
The young men tried everything to learn the names. They asked Wura, the courtiers, everyone! But nobody knew the secret.
They decided to just guess the strangest names they could think of. Maybe they’d get lucky!
But there was someone else who wanted to marry the princesses… IJAPA THE TORTOISE! 🐢
Ijapa was a trickster – always playing pranks and solving problems in sneaky ways. He thought: “I can find out those names!”
Ijapa hid near the princesses’ special place. He watched them every evening. He saw them collect their “kẹkẹ” fruits.
Then he had a sneaky plan…
The next day, Ijapa picked ALL the good fruits and hid them. Then he dropped one special fruit near the oldest princess.
🎵 Mori kẹkẹ kan! (I found a kẹkẹ!)
Gbinrin ajal Obalẹ, gbinrin!
Opobipobi!
Gbinrin ajal Obalẹ, gbinrin! 🎵
She called her sisters: “Opobipobi! Opobipobi! Oripolobi! Come look!”
Ijapa’s eyes grew wide. He had learned their names!
He dropped more fruits for the other sisters, and they sang too:
🎵 Mori kẹkẹ kan!
Opobipobi! Opobipobi! Oripolobi!
We found kẹkẹ! 🎵
The princesses went home happy, not knowing their secret was discovered!
The night of the great party arrived! The princesses looked beautiful in their finest clothes. They couldn’t wait to dance and meet young men!
All the suitors lined up. Ijapa was there too, dressed like a chief!
The other men laughed: “A tortoise thinks he can marry princesses? How silly!”
One by one, the men guessed names:
“Adeṣẹwa! Adejọju! Adeṣayọ!” ❌ WRONG
“Adedara! Adedunmọla! Adedunmayọ!” ❌ WRONG
Finally, only Ijapa was left.
Ijapa bowed and pointed to each princess:
“This one is Opobipobi!”
“This one is Opobipobi!” (said differently)
“This one is Oripolobi!”
The king’s mouth dropped open! 😲 The princesses gasped! HOW DID HE KNOW?!
The princesses were HORRIFIED!
Princesses: “NO WAY! We won’t marry a tortoise! We’d rather jump in the river!” 😭
King: “But I promised… a king must keep his word…”
The princesses cried and cried. This was the worst day ever!
Ijapa was so happy, he started dancing and singing the princesses’ song!
🎵 Mori kẹkẹ kan!
Opobipobi! Opobipobi! Oripolobi!
Ẹwa wo kẹkẹ kan! 🎵
The princesses looked at each other. Their eyes lit up!
Princesses: “Father! That’s our song! He must have spied on us by the stream!”
But spying near the princesses was FORBIDDEN! The punishment was… very serious!
The king declared:
King: “Ijapa broke the rules! He spied on my daughters! But… he was the only one clever enough to learn their names. I will not hurt him, but he cannot marry them.”
Ijapa ran away quickly, happy to escape! 🏃♂️💨
Then the king did something WONDERFUL!
King: “I have been wrong to keep you locked away. From now on, you can go out, meet people, and choose your own husbands! The rule is LIFTED!”
The princesses were OVERJOYED! 🎉
That night, they danced and laughed with everyone. Segi, Jere and Sawawo came to talk to them. Love was in the air! 💖
The princesses knew their lives would be happy from now on.
🌟 The Moral of the Story 🌟
Parents should trust their children
and let them follow their hearts! 💕
✤ The End · The tale of the three princesses of Makeke ✤