Ijapa (Tortoise) and Kerebuje

Ijapa the tortoise wanted to marry Buje too. But he thought: “Why would a beautiful woman marry me? I have a cracked shell!”

But Ijapa was clever and tricky. He said to himself: “I will find a way to make Buje my wife!” (🧠 Tricky, tricky!)

But Buje was NOT proud. She was tired of men loving her only for her beauty. She wanted someone to love her for WHO she was.

“I will marry for LOVE,” she said. “Not because I’m pretty!” (💖 Smart girl!)

Buje’s parents were angry. “Why won’t you marry?” they shouted. “You must marry NOW!”

But Buje said: “I will choose my own husband when I’m ready!” And she moved out of her parents’ house to live alone. (🚪 She’s brave!)

Ijapa heard that Buje was living alone. He boasted to everyone: “Buje will be MY wife! Just wait and see!”

The other men laughed at him. “A tortoise marrying beautiful Buje? (😂 HAHAHA!) You’re joking!” they said.

Ijapa watched Buje every day. He saw that she went to the river to fetch water. She passed by a farm on her way.

“Aha!” thought Ijapa. “I have a PLAN!” (🤔 Hmm… what’s he thinking?)

Ijapa asked a kind farmer named Sẹgilolu if he could farm a small piece of land near the path. The farmer said YES.

Every day, Ijapa pretended to work hard, but really he was watching Buje walk by. (👀 Watching… waiting…)

One day, Ijapa tried to talk to Buje. “Hello beautiful lady!” he said.

But Buje remembered all the men who only liked her beauty. She walked away quickly. (🏃‍♀️ Bye bye, Ijapa!)

“Hmm,” said Ijapa. “She’s a tough nut to crack!”

Then Ijapa had a SLY idea. On a very hot day, when snakes were crawling everywhere looking for shade, Ijapa caught a snake and hit it on the head. (🐍 Oh no!)

The farmer Sẹgilolu saw Ijapa with the snake. But he didn’t know what Ijapa was planning.

Buje was walking to the river. She felt scared thinking about snakes on the path. (😬 Gulp!)

Ijapa placed the injured snake right on Buje’s path. Then he hid and watched.

Buje walked carefully, looking at the ground. She was so nervous thinking about snakes that she didn’t see the snake until she stepped on it! (🦶 EEEK!)

Her water bucket fell and she got soaked! (💦 SPLASH!)

Buje screamed: “SNAKE! SNAKE! Help me, Ijapa! Please kill the snake!” (🆘 HELP!)

Ijapa ran out with his cutlass, pretending to be brave. “Don’t worry, Buje! I’ll save you!”

Ijapa chopped the snake with his cutlass. But then – WHACK! – he hit his own leg on purpose! (😱 OWWW!)

Blood came out and Ijapa fell to the ground, screaming and rolling around. (😭 WAIL WAIL WAIL!)

“YEEE! YEEE! I’m dying!” cried Ijapa. “See what you made me do, Buje!”

Poor Buje felt TERRIBLE. She cried and cried. “I’m so sorry! It’s all my fault!” (😢 Tears, tears)

The farmer Sẹgilolu heard the noise and came running. He saw Ijapa pretending to be hurt and Buje crying.

“Hmm,” thought Sẹgilolu. “Ijapa is up to something tricky…” (🤨 Suspicious…)

Sẹgilolu tried to help. “Let me carry you to my farmhouse and fix your leg,” he said to Ijapa.

“NO!” shouted Ijapa. “Let me get a doctor!” said Sẹgilolu. “NO!” shouted Ijapa again. (🙅‍♂️ NO NO NO!)

How strange! Why didn’t Ijapa want help?

Crowds of people came. Some were men that Buje had said NO to. They were HAPPY to see her in trouble. (😈 Naughty people!)

Buje kept crying and saying sorry. But Sẹgilolu felt sorry for her. He could see she had a kind heart.

Then Ijapa started to SING! Listen to his song:

“Buje, Buje p’Ahun o – Buje hurt the tortoise!
Carry me on your back, Buje!
Rock me at your hips!
Life is fun at the hips!” (🎶 La la la!)

Everyone was SHOCKED by the song. Ijapa wanted Buje to carry him like a baby! (😲 What?!)

The mean people in the crowd started shouting: “Carry him, Buje! It’s your fault he’s hurt! Carry him home!” (👎 Booo!)

Poor Buje was so confused and sad. She almost bent down to pick him up.

But Sẹgilolu stepped forward. “STOP!” he said firmly. “This isn’t Buje’s fault. I saw Ijapa kill that snake BEFORE Buje came. He PLANNED this!” (🛑 STOP RIGHT THERE!)

The crowd was quiet. Was Ijapa really being tricky?

Suddenly, messengers from the Ọba (the king) arrived. “The Ọba wants to see Ijapa and Buje at the palace!” they announced.

Ijapa said: “I can only go if Buje carries me on her back!” (🐢 Stubborn tortoise!)

Buje tried to lift Ijapa but he was too heavy. She started to cry again. (😢 Sob sob)

Sẹgilolu couldn’t stand it anymore. “I’ll carry him!” he said. And he lifted Ijapa on his back and carried him to the palace! (💪 What a hero!)

At the palace, the Ọba was surprised. “I NEVER said Buje should carry you!” he told Ijapa. “The messengers were lying!” (😠 Bad messengers!)

The Ọba was very angry at the messengers for being mean to Buje.

Then Ijapa started singing his song AGAIN in front of the Ọba. (🎵 Not again!)

The Ọba listened. Then he said: “Buje, you must go home with Ijapa and take care of his wound until it heals.”

Buje was sad, but she had to obey the Ọba. (😔 Oh no…)

But Sẹgilolu warned: “Your Majesty, I don’t trust Ijapa! He’s being tricky!”

The Ọba said: “Sẹgilolu, carry Ijapa home, but then leave. Buje will stay with Ijapa until he’s better.”

Sẹgilolu carried Ijapa home. Buje walked beside him. They looked at each other with sad eyes. They already liked each other! (💕 Sweet!)

“I wish I could see you again,” thought Buje. “I wish I could help her,” thought Sẹgilolu.

But Ijapa was TRICKY! Once Buje was in his house, he wouldn’t let her leave. His friends guarded the door day and night. (🚫 Locked in!)

Buje was like a prisoner. No one could visit. She couldn’t even go outside!

Days passed. Buje became sadder and sadder. She couldn’t eat or sleep. She missed the sunshine and fresh air. (😞 Poor Buje)

Ijapa’s wound wasn’t healing because he kept hitting it himself! (😈 Mean trick!)

In town, people started gossiping: “Ijapa and Buje are living together! Maybe she’s his wife now!”

Buje heard this and felt even worse. She had to ESCAPE! (🏃‍♀️ Run, Buje, run!)

Sẹgilolu was very worried. He hadn’t seen Buje anywhere. He went straight to the Ọba.

“Your Majesty! Buje is being held prisoner! We must save her!” (🚨 Alert! Alert!)

Buje’s parents also came to the palace. They were sorry for being mean to their daughter.

“We want our Buje back!” they cried. (😢 We’re sorry!)

The Ọba was shocked. “Buje is STILL at Ijapa’s house? This is NOT what I ordered! I will summon them tomorrow!”

But Buje didn’t know this. She made a plan to escape… (🤫 Shhh… secret plan!)

The next morning, Buje told Ijapa: “I’m sick. I need to see a doctor.”

Ijapa sent one of his friends to go with her. (👥 Two people)

They walked through the town and into the farms. Buje pointed to a farm and said: “Wait here. I need to pick some healing herbs.”

The friend sat down to eat his food. (🍔 Munch munch)

But Buje RAN! She ran through farms and fields until she reached a river with a bridge.

“Freedom!” she thought. But then… someone grabbed her arm! (😲 Who’s that?!)

It was Sẹgilolu! He was fishing nearby. “Buje! Where are you going?” he asked.

Buje cried: “I’m running away! If they make me go back, I’ll turn into a tree!” (🌳 Oh dear!)

Sẹgilolu held her tight. “Listen, Buje! The Ọba knows everything! Your parents came to the palace! They’re sorry! You’re NOT alone!”

Buje’s heart filled with hope. (💖 Hope!)

Sẹgilolu and Buje looked into each other’s eyes. They hugged and kissed. Buje felt safe and loved at last. (💕 Awwww!)

“I will take you to the Ọba right now,” said Sẹgilolu.

Meanwhile, Ijapa’s friend waited and waited. Buje never came back. He searched everywhere. Nothing!

He ran home crying: “Buje is GONE! She disappeared!” (😱 Oh no!)

People rushed to the farm. They saw a beautiful tree that hadn’t been there before.

“Maybe Buje turned into this tree because she was so unhappy,” they said. They named the tree “Buje” to remember her. (🌳 The Buje Tree!)

But Buje was SAFE! She and Sẹgilolu went to the palace. The Ọba was SO happy to see her alive!

He sent for Ijapa. When Ijapa saw Buje, he shook with fear. (😨 Uh oh!)

The Ọba was VERY angry. “Ijapa! You tricked everyone! You kept Buje prisoner! You are a naughty, tricky tortoise!”

Ijapa hung his head in shame. He had been caught! (😞 Caught!)

The Ọba looked at Sẹgilolu and Buje. They were holding hands and smiling at each other.

“You two belong together!” said the Ọba. “You have my blessing to marry!” (💒 Hooray!)

Sẹgilolu and Buje were SO happy! They hugged and kissed. Buje finally found someone who loved her for HER, not just her beauty. (💖 True love!)

Buje’s parents came and hugged her. “We’re so sorry we were mean to you,” they cried. “We’re proud of you!”

Even the mean people in town felt sorry. They learned that being jealous is wrong. (😊 Lesson learned!)

Sẹgilolu and Buje got married in a big celebration! Everyone danced and sang. (💃 DANCE DANCE DANCE!)

They lived happily ever after, and their love story showed everyone that marrying for love is the best way!

And what about Ijapa the tricky tortoise? He was punished for being so mean. And to this day, tortoises still have cracked shells – maybe from being hit for being tricky! (🐢 Uh oh!)

People still remember beautiful Buje. They point to the beautiful tree in the farm and say: “Look, there’s the Buje tree!”

And whenever someone marries for love, people say: “Just like Buje and Sẹgilolu!” (💕 Awww!)

✨ And that’s the story of how Buje found true love and Ijapa learned that being tricky doesn’t pay! ✨