"How Tortoise Deceitfully Married the Daughter of his Friend"

    Tortoise wanted to marry the daughter of Ngote the squirrel. Ngote said to him: "Whoever wants to marry my daughter must give me many presents" Tortoise replied:"I will do with pleasure".

    

      Ngote would have liked first to have palm wine from Tortoise as the custom was. Tortoise told him I will bring each item desired only once and never twice. Ngote accepted that arrangement.
     Tortoise gave him palm wine. Ngote also demanded honey from his son-in-law. Tortoise went to look for the item.

     When he came to the bees, those on one end of the bundle refused to release away their honey. Tortoise pleaded to no avail. Tortoise decided to use force. 

    He went back to his house and brought a bundle of sticks. He set fire on one end of the bundle and smoked the bee-hive properly. The bees could not resist the heat and the smoke.

    Tortoise harvested the honey and brought it to Ngote. When Ngote tasted the honey it was so sweet that he asked tortoise for more. Tortoise resorted: "We already agreed that I shall not bring the same item twice. Ngote asked tortoise to give him fish. 

    Tortoise became angry but did expose this to his father-in-law. He went bought fish and poisoned it and brought. As Ngote ate the fish, he fell seriously sick and after a few days he died.
   His children prepared a grave that was just big enough for their father. 

    When the grave was ready, they seized Tortoise and said to him: "You must be buried along with our father in the same grave for you killed him. "Tortoise answered:" Yes I agree to be buried together with my father-in-law, but first let me go and get dressed for my burial.
  Tortoise went back to his house and packed on his body many thick and heavy clothes. On leaving his house he said to his wife: "My wife, good-bye. Now I am going to the country of the dead." She insisted on knowing the meaning of what he said but Tortoise left without a response. 

   When he got to the grave, it was too small to accommodate him and the father-in-law. So he went back home. The family of Ngote enlarged the grave and called Tortoise but he came and told them:"         As Ngote your father was still alive, I had agreed with him that I shall never give him of anything twice. It is therefore unnecessary to step into the same grave more-than once." The family of Ngote did not believe what Tortoise said, but it was true as Ngote's close friend confirmed this. The statement concluded the case. 

    Tortoise did not need to enter the grave to die with his father-in-law. He returned home the second time satisfied and also got married to the daughter of Ngote as planned.