Long ago, in a powerful kingdom deep within the forests of the Cross River, there lived a mighty king who held great influence over people and animals alike. Among all the creatures, the tortoise was known far and wide as the wisest of them all.
The king had a son named Ekpenyon, a handsome prince. To ensure his happiness, the king gave him fifty young women as wives but the prince did not love any of them. Angered and embarrassed, the king made a harsh law:
“If any man in this land has a daughter more beautiful than the prince’s wives, and my son desires her, then the girl and her parents shall be put to death.”
This cruel law spread fear throughout the kingdom.
Around that time, the wise tortoise and his wife welcomed a daughter a girl of extraordinary beauty. Her mother feared for her life.
“Let us hide her,” she pleaded, “or the prince may see her and we will all perish.”
The tortoise agreed, and the child was kept out of sight for three years.
One day, while the tortoise and his wife were working on their farm, the prince went hunting near their home. A bright bird perched on the fence, staring at the little girl with wonder. The prince shot the bird, and his servant entered the yard to fetch it.
There, the servant found the tortoise’s daughter radiant as morning light. He ran back to the prince in amazement.
“My prince, there is a girl inside whose beauty shines like the moon!”
The prince pushed down part of the fence and entered. The moment he saw the child, he knew his heart had chosen her. He spoke with her gently, and she agreed to become his future wife. He returned home, hiding the truth from his father.
The very next day, the prince sent generous gifts sixty pieces of cloth, three hundred rods of brass currency to the tortoise. Later, he visited in person.
“I wish to marry your daughter,” he said.
Fear washed over the tortoise.
“If the king discovers this, he will kill me, my wife, and the child.”
But the prince replied firmly:
“I will die before anyone harms your family.”
After long discussion, the tortoise agreed to give his daughter Adet to the prince when she came of age.
The prince told his mother, the queen, who worried deeply for her son’s life. Still, she supported him and secretly brought the tortoise more gifts food, clothing, oil, and yams so he would not give Adet to another suitor.
For the next five years, the prince visited Adet often. When she was ready to enter the fatting house a place where brides were prepared for marriage the prince went to the king and boldly declared:
“Father, I have chosen Adet, the tortoise’s daughter, as my wife.”
The king was furious. He summoned everyone to the great marketplace to settle the matter.
When Adet arrived, the entire crowd gasped.
Her beauty was unlike anything they had ever seen.
Even the king was stunned.
He rose and spoke:
“My people, I was angry with my son for disobeying me. But now that I have seen this girl, I understand his choice. I forgive him.”
The people then begged the king to cancel the cruel law altogether. The king agreed. He summoned the Egbo society to remove the law from the land and offered them palm wine and money to seal the decision.
That very day, the king commanded:
“Adet shall marry my son.”
A magnificent celebration followed—fifty days of feasting, dancing, songs, and games. Cows were slaughtered, foo-foo and palm oil were shared freely, and palm wine flowed in the streets.
In gratitude, the king gave the tortoise half the kingdom to rule and hundreds of servants. The prince also gifted his father-in-law more women and maidens to work on his lands. The tortoise became one of the wealthiest men in the land.
The prince and Adet lived happily for many years. When the old king passed away, Ekpenyon became ruler, and Adet became queen.
And so the people said:
“Truly, the tortoise is the wisest among all creatures.”