How the Tortoise Became King for a Day

There was no king in the land of the animals, and they decided to choose one. They declared that whoever could build a house in a single day would be crowned king. All the strong and fast animals tried. The Elephant brought huge logs but could not finish. The Lion was powerful but worked alone and failed. Ijapa the Tortoise, however, had a plan. He sent a message to the Termites, "The other animals are mocking you. They say you are slow and your houses are made of dirt. I want to show them your true power." The Termites were angered by this insult. "We will show them!" they buzzed. Ijapa led them to the clearing. "Build me the finest palace you can, before the sun sets," he commanded. The entire nation of termites set to work. In a matter of hours, they had constructed a magnificent, towering palace from mud and wood pulp. When the other animals arrived at sunset, they were astonished. True to their word, they had to crown the clever Ijapa as their king. He had won not by his own labor, but by his ability to motivate and command others.