Tortoise: A Folk Tale
14" x 18.5" (1992)
Hand-colored linoleum-print
(also available in monochrome)
(Ltd Edition)
Tortoise decided that he would become the only
wise person by collecting all of the wisdom in the world and storing
it in two calabashes and hanging them in a palm tree.
This he did and tied them together with a string leaving just enough
to drape over his neck.
Slinging them in front of him he then headed for the palm tree.
Lo and behold he could not even touch the palm tree because the
calabashes full of wisdom were so big! Snail, watching tortoise
then said,
" Put the calabashes on your back, then you will be able to
climb the palm tree."
Now any wise man knows that the palm tree is the symbol of productivity.
The trunk can be hewn for planks with which to build a house.
The leaves can be made into brooms, the skin of the fruit can be
pressed into delectable red cooking oil, and even the nut within
the fruit can be pressed to make soap, and pomade for skin and hair.
The husk after pressing can be made into cakes with which to start
a fire!
Tortoise looked at Snail, narrowed his eyes and realized that despite
the fact that he had gathered all the wisdom in the world into his
two gourds,
Snail still had more wisdom.
Then he broke the calabashes and released the wisdom back into the
world.
Who then was wiser?