For example, Cinderella is Type 510. Each building block of the folktale is given a separate motif number. Cinderella includes motifs such as C761.4 Staying too long at the ball; H36.1 Slipper test; and R221 Threefold flight from the ball. This helps us recognize the many variations of a tale when they appear in the folk literature of many countries in many languages.
In these tale notes I refer repeatedly to three folktale indexes: The Storyteller's Sourcebook: A Subject, Title, and Motif-Index to Folklore Collections for Children by Margaret Read MacDonald (Detroit: Neal-Schuman / Gale Research, 1982), the Motif-Index of Folk-Literature by Stith Thompson (Bloomington: Indiana University, 1966), and The Types of the Folktale by Antti Aarne and Stith Thompson (Helsinki: Folklore Fellows Communication, 1961). Of these, The Storyteller's Sourcebook, which incorporates Thompson's numbering system is the one you will want to become familiar with and use. The other two are scholarly indexes available in university collections. However, since all folktale indexing is based on those two indexes, you should know that they exist.
* * *
Turtle of Koka
Let me tell you about Turtle of Koka. A man of Lubi la Suku caught a turtle. He brought it to the village.
"Let's make turtle stew!" "But how shall we kill it?"
Someone said:
"Let's use our hatchet."
Turtle of Koka was so brave.
He jumped up on his little hind legs and began to dance and
brag before them all.
He was telling them they could not hurt him with a hatchet.
"Turtle of Koka
Turtle of Koka
Hard hard shell!
Hard hard shell!
Hatchet of Koka
Hatchet of Koka
Can't hurt me.
Can't hurt me!"
Now you know that the hatchet really would hurt Turtle.
But he fooled those people with his bluffing.
"Then how can we kill this turtle?"
"Maybe with a knife?"
But Turtle jumped up and began to dance and sing again.
"Turtle of Koka
Turtle of Koka
Hard hard shell!
Hard hard shell!
Knife of koka
Knife of koka
Can't hurt me
Can't hurt me!"
"A knife won't hurt him either.
* * *
What can we use?" "Maybe a big stick?"
Up jumped Turtle and began to sing.
"Turtle of Koka
Turtle of Koka
Hard hard shell!
Hard hard shell!
Big stick of Koka
Big stick of Koka
Can't hurt me
Can't hurt me!"
The people tried first one thing and then another. Turtle kept singing his mocking song. They believed his bluffing.
At last someone said
"What if we threw him into the water?
Then he would drown and we could eat him."
When Turtle of Koka heard that he pretended to be very
frightened.
He began to tremble all over and cry.
"Water of Koka
water of Koka
no ... no ... no ...
no ... no ... no ...
Water of Koka
Water of Koka
no ... no ... no ...
no ... no ... no ..."
"That is the thing to do!" said the people.
"That is the thing this Turtle of Koka is afraid of. We will drown him!"
Now you and I know that Turtle lives in the water. Water can't hurt Turtle at all. But he had fooled those people.
They took that turtle to the river. They threw him in.
Turtle sank out of sight into the river.
The people waited for Turtle to drown and float to the top of the water.
But water was Turtle's home.
Turtle swam to the top of the water.
He stuck out his little head.
He laughed and sang.
"Water of Koka
Water of Koka
That's my home!
That's my home!
Water of Koka
Water of Koka
Bye ... bye ... bye ...
Bye ... bye ... bye ..."
Then he dove under the water and swam away. And no one saw Turtle of Koka again.
Tips for Telling
This is such a simple story that you can learn it quickly. The story can be told in a straightforward way, relating Turtle's responses to hatchet, stick, and other implements you may choose to add. Stretch the tale as long as you like by simply adding choruses as the villagers try to break him open with a sword, axe, sledgehammer, etc. This sounds a little brutal, but it is a humorous story when told, as Turtle's spunky song outwits them all.
* * *
To have even more fun with this tale, let your audience suggest ways to break open Turtle's shell: "What do you think they should try?" I pick one of the waving hands, and the child suggests, "Try a hammer!"
"Do you think a hammer would hurt me?" I let Turtle say to the child. "My shell is too hard!" And he launches into his song again.
This group play can go on as long as you like. Don't be surprised if you end up with bazookas and hand grenades, with Turtle still insisting his shell is too hard to crack.
Because the story can be expanded indefinitely, this tale makes a useful ending when you are presenting an entire program of stories and your sponsor expects you to end the performance at exactly 2:05.
When Turtle sings, I show him dancing around and patting himself on the back as he calls "Hard hard shell" and "Can't hurt me!" I sometimes mime the chopping action of a hatchet, sword, etc. as he sings of the proposed weapon. This story calls for a free spirit and a willingness to relax and play with your audience. It is such a simple story that you can hardly go wrong with it, so it is a good place to begin dabbling with improvisational telling.
About the Story
"Turtle of Koka" is elaborated from a brief tale in Folk-Tales of Angola: Fifty Tales, with Ki-Mbundu Text by Heli Chatelain (Boston and New York: Published for the American Folk-Lore Society by G.E. Stechert & Co., 1894, pp. 153-155). Here is a sample Ki-Mbundu text for turtle's chant:
Mbaxi a Koka Turtle of Koka
Ni Kua a Koka And hatchet of Koka
Dikda k-a ngi di kama Hatchet not kills me a bit.
Chatelain explains that the word koka is a pun in the story because it has extended meanings. Koka means "to drag," and so a turtle, who drags along the ground, is a "turtle of koka"; but it also means "to cut down a tree," so a hatchet is a
"hatchet of koka"; by extension a stone, which is as hard as a turtle's shell, is named "koka," after the turtle. Audiences usually think koka means "hard." This seems close enough to the truth of the tale.
Chatelain explains that the small turtle of the Malaji Plateau, about whom this story is told, lives as much on land as in the water, which explains why Turtle's ruse works.
This story is an example of Motif K581.1 Drowning punishment for turtle (eel, crab). By expressing horror of drowning, he induces his captor to throw him into the water—his home and of Type 1310 Drowning the Crayfish as Punishment. Eel, crab, turtle, etc. express fear of water and are thrown in. This popular folktale motif is found in the Indian Jatakas and throughout the world. The Storyteller's Source-book lists many sources: African-American, Angola, Ceylon, Cherokee, East Africa, Haiti, Hopi, India (Jataka), Philippines, Poland, West India. Stith Thompson's Motif-Index of Folk-Literature adds sources from England, Denmark, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Zanzibar. The Types of the Folktale by Antti Aarne and Stith Thompson cites in addition sources from twelve European countries, Argentina, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.
* * *
The Little Old Woman Who
Lived in a Vinegar Bottle
There once was a little old woman who lived in a vinegar
bottle.
Don't ask me why.
It was a common old vinegar bottle.
But unusually large, of course.
Still it did make a very cramped house.
Every day the old woman would sit on her front step and complain about her house.
"Oh what a pity!
What a pity pity pity!
That I should have to live in a house such as this. Why, I should be living in a dear little cottage with a thatched roof.
And roses growing up the walls."
Just then a fairy happened to be passing by. When she heard the old woman she thought,
"Well, if that's what she wants ...
that's what she'll get."
And going up to the old woman she said,
"When you go to bed tonight turn round three times and close your eyes. When you open them in the morning see what you shall see."
Well the old woman thought the fairy was likely batty.
But when she went to bed that night she turned round three times and closed her eyes.
* * *
In the morning when she opened them again ...
She was in a dear little cottage! With a thatched roof
and roses growing up the walls.
"It's just what I've always wanted," she said. "How content I'll be living here."
But she said not a word of thanks to the fairy.
Well the fairy went north
and the fairy went south.
The fairy went east
and the fairy went west.
She did all the business she had to do.
Then the fairy remembered the old woman.
"I wonder how she's getting on in her cottage. She must be very happy indeed.
I'll just stop by for a visit."
But when the fairy came near,
she saw the old woman sitting on her front step ...
complaining.
"Oh what a pity!
What a pity pity pity!
That I should have to live in a cramped little cottage
like this.
Why I should be living in a fine row house.
With handsome houses on either side
and lace curtains at the window
and a brass knocker on the door!"
"I can do that," thought the fairy.
"If that's what she wants ... that's what she'll get."
And to the old woman she said, "When you go to bed tonight turn round three times
and close your eyes.
When you open them in the morning see what you see."
The old woman didn't have to be told twice.
She went right to bed.
She turned round three times
and closed her eyes.
in the morning when she opened them ...
she was in a spanking new row house!
With neighbors on either side
and lace curtains at the window
and a brass knocker on the door.
"It's just what I always wanted," said the old woman. "I'll be so contented here."
But she never said a word of thanks to the fairy.
The fairy went north
and the fairy went south.
The fairy went east
and the fairy went west.
She did all the business she had to do.
Then she thought about the old woman.
"I wonder how that old woman is doing these days?
The one that used to live in the vinegar bottle.
I'll just stop round and see."
Rut when she came to the old woman's fine house,
the old woman was sitting in her shiny new rocking chair,
rocking and ... complaining.
"Oh what a pity!
What a pity pity pity!
That I should have to live in a row house like this.
With common folk on either side.
I should live in a mansion on the hill.
With a maidservant and a manservant to do my
bidding.
* * *
That's what I deserve."
When the fairy heard that she was much amazed. But she said,
"Well, if that's what she wants ...
that's what she'll get."
And to the old woman she said,
"When you go to bed tonight
turn round three times
and close your eyes.
And when you open them in the morning
see what you shall see."
So the old woman hopped into bed.
She turned round three times.
She closed her eyes.
And in the morning when she opened them again ...
she was in a mansion on the hill!
With a maidservant and a manservant to do her bidding.
"This is just what I've always wanted," said the old woman. "How contented I will be here."
But it never occurred to her to thank the fairy.
Well the fairy went north
and the fairy went south.
The fairy went east
and the fairy went west.
She did all the business she had to do.
Then she remembered the old woman again.
"I wonder how that old woman is getting on now. The old woman who used to live in a vinegar bottle.
She must be quite happy in her new mansion."
But when she came near, she saw the old woman sitting in her velvet chair ... complaining.
"Oh what a pity!
What a pity pity pity!
That I should have to live all alone in this old
mansion.
Why I should be the queen.
I should be living in the palace.
With ladies in waiting for company
and musicians to entertain me.
That's what I deserve."
"Good heavens," thought the fairy. "Will she never be content?
Well, if that's what she wants ... that's what she'll get."
To the old woman she said,
"When you go to bed tonight
turn round three times
and close your eyes.
And in the morning
see what you shall see."
The old woman hurried to bed.
She turned round three times.
She closed her eyes.
In the morning ...
She was in the palace!
With ladies in waiting to keep her company
and musicians to entertain her."
This is what I've always wanted," said the old woman. "I will be very contented living here." But she forgot entirely to thank the fairy.
The fairy went north and the fairy went south. The fairy went east and the fairy went west.
* * *
She did all the business she had to do.
Then she began to wonder about that old woman again. "I wonder how that old woman is getting along ... The old woman who used to live in a vinegar bottle."
So she stopped at the palace to see.
There sat the old woman on her throne
and she was ... complaining!
"Oh what a pity!
What a pity pity pity!
That I should be queen of such a tiny little kingdom.
Why I should be the Pope in Rome.
The Pope rules the Holy Roman Empire.
Then I could rule the minds of everybody in the
world!
That's what I deserve."
"Well!" said the fairy.
"If that's what she wants ... that's what she'll not get!"
And to the old woman she said, "When you go to bed tonight turn around three times and close your eyes. And in the morning see what you shall see."
The old woman went right to bed.
She turned round three times.
She closed her eyes.
And in the morning when she opened them ...
she was right back in her vinegar bottle! "And there she sh
all stay," said the fairy. "If she's not content here she won't be content there."
After all, contentment comes from the heart, not from the house.
Tips for Telling
Children love the repetition of this tale. They will soon repeat with you the second half of the fairy's retort: "Well, if that's what she wants ... that's what she'll get!"
The little old woman should be very whiny, of course. Don't worry too much about getting her house descriptions just as I have them. As long as she keeps moving up in the world, you can give her any sort of mansion you like. I try to keep to the houses in Briggs's source since I like the British flavor there. Be sure to keep the fairy's north / south / east / west bit, though. It is rhythmic and makes a pleasing respite within the story.
About the Story
This is a variant of Motif B375.1 Fish returned to water: grateful and Type 555 The Fisher and His Wife. The best-known version is that of the Brothers Grimm, in which a fish grants a wish to a man whose wife demands that he wish for ever greater homes. In the British version, the wish is granted directly to the old woman herself, who lives in a vinegar bottle. She is usually granted the wish by a fish, but in a delightful variant given by Katherine M. Briggs in A Dictionary of British Folk-Tales (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1970, V.1, pp. 437-439) the wish is given by a busy little fairy. Briggs lists the story as a "Camp-fire story, 1924," with no teller given. This seems an especially well-developed version of the tale, with the fairy's rhythmic gadding about and the old woman rolling round three times in her bed.
For another interesting British variant see Rumer God-den's Old Woman Who Lived in a Vinegar Bottle (New York:
* * *
Viking Press, 1970). Hers is a quite elaborate version, which she says was passed down in her family.
Though the Grimms' version is best known in the United States, The Types of the Folktale by Antti Aarne and Stith Thompson cites variants from twenty-six European countries, Indonesia, the Caribbean (thirteen sources) and Africa (eleven sources). See Motif B375.1 in The Storyteller's Sourcebook by Margaret Read MacDonald for many variants available in children's books.
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