More Precious than Gold (Cameroon)

Tortoise decided wisdom was more precious than gold and began to collect wisdom wherever he went, from whomever he met. Whenever he discovered a bit of wisdom he put it into a large pot. For days and weeks and months and years he collected what he found and heard until the pot was full. Tortoise believed all the wisdom in the world belonged to him. 

Eventually he grew afraid someone would try to steal it. He spent days wondering where and how he could hide the pot so no one would find it. After thinking about possible hiding places, he decided to put it high up in a tree, snuggled in its branches.

Tortoise put the pot in his arms and tried to climb the tree. He could not. He put the pot in his left arm and used his right arm but still could not climb. He put the pot in his right arm and tried to climb but he could not.

While Tortoise was trying to climb the tree, his son was watching. “Papa,” he said, “why don’t you tie the pot to your back. Then you can use your arms to climb.

Tortoise shook his head. “Small child, do you think you know more than your father?”

His son replied, “Try it, Papa.”

Tortoise tied the pot on his back. Much to his vexation he was able to climb the tree with no problem. 

He sat on a branch of the tree, holding his pot, feeling sad and disappointed. He said to a little bird perched next to him. “I thought I collected all the wisdom in the world and yet my son has wisdom I did not have.”

After sitting for a while, thinking about his pot of wisdom, he pushed the pot off the branch. It fell down, hitting the earth, smashing into bits and pieces, scattering wisdom everywhere. 

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may 2025 monthly stories