Mbe and the Dog's Funeral

The Dog's mother died, and all the animals came to the funeral. Mbe the Tortoise, who was the Dog's best friend, was the chief mourner. He made a great show of his grief, weeping and wailing louder than anyone else. According to custom, guests would give gifts to the bereaved family. Mbe announced, "I will not give a gift that can be eaten or spent. I will give my friend a magical gift." He went to the Dog's empty yam barn and, using charcoal, he drew a picture of a single yam on the wall. "This is a magic yam," Mbe declared. "It will ensure that this barn is never empty again." The Dog was deeply moved by his friend's gesture. The next day, however, when the Dog went to his barn, he found it completely empty except for the drawing on the wall. Mbe, meanwhile, had snuck in during the night and stolen every single one of the real yams that the other animals had given as funeral gifts. He had used his performance of grief and a fake magical gift to distract everyone from his own theft.