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Read Part 1 here

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Two fortnights before the race, as the moon emerged, the zebra – lying at her usual spot behind the trees and at a safe distance from the tortoise’s hearth and home – heard a rattle. She sat up and saw the tortoise’s shell tottering to find its balance. She watched closely to see what it was that might have agitated the tortoise. What she saw next was beyond her wildest imagination.

The tottering stopped and what happened next stunned the zebra. The tortoise, with his head protruded, crawled out of his shell and stood on two feet. He could stand and walk on two feet! He was not four-footed after all. This came as a big whammy to the zebra. It would definitely shock the others too. The zebra’s shock briefly turned into elation – she was right after all. The tortoise was a fraud.

The striped animal began galloping her way to the garden circle to call on others to see what she had just witnessed. She could imagine how the animals, especially Crown Lion, would react to the news. Although they would be blown away by this discovery, she would be appreciated for it.

It would change everything. The Tortoise would be stripped of his title and the date for the race would be moved forward so that his seat could be quickly reoccupied. Her gallop came to a halt with that thought.

It did not seem fair that the date of the race would be moved forward. Most animals had not completed their preparations yet. It would not be fair to stage the competition sooner than expected; some animals would have undue advantage over others just like the tortoise have had over the last three years. Other animals should not have to suffer for one animal’s perfidy.

The zebra weighed her options. She could tell on the tortoise now and have the race moved up to find a quick replacement for the tortoise or she could wait till the date of the race to expose the tortoise (that way all preparations would have been completed). The latter seemed fairer but there was one other option – take justice into her own hands and give the tortoise a doze of his medicine. This seemed like a better idea.

She came up with a plan and galloped back to find the tortoise’s shell still lying in the same spot but the tortoise was nowhere to be found. It was perfect this way.

She had picked up an adhesive substance called

the Bridge

on her way back. This was the kind of glue that could stick two bits together permanently. Its effect was irreversible. 

She poured a good dose of

the Bridge

on the inner side of the shell’s carapace. She was neat about it and made sure to leave the scene as she had met it. When she was done, she retreated to her spot and watched closely, awaiting the tortoise’s return. Later that evening, the zebra delightfully watched as the tortoise crawled back into his shell and she galloped away knowing that justice had been served.

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The tortoise’s shell has stayed glued to his body ever since. That year, he did not even run in the quad race. He never made it to the gates on time to begin the race and he never found out how his shell became so stiff.

Today, you can find the tortoise wandering around searching for answers and possible treatments for his stiff shell. This is the prize he pays for his deceit.

- Tobi Nifesi