Roots & Wonder
Roots and Wonder is a storytime space where little ones are invited to slow down, listen closely, and remember.
Each episode, I retell beloved African folktales carried across generations through voice, rhythm, and imagination, with warmth, personality, and heart…
Roots and Wonder brings ancient stories into modern homes, offering families tales of wisdom, mischief, courage, and wonder to return to again and again.
**The voices, accents, and character portrayals used in this podcast are intended solely for storytelling, humor, and creative expression.
They are not meant to represent, imitate, stereotype, or mock any specific culture, ethnicity, nationality, community, or individual.
Any similarities are unintentional, and all characters are fictionalized interpretations created in the spirit of entertainment.**
Roots & Wonder
Why Turtle Lives in Water
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When a group of hungry hunters finally catches slow and steady Turtle, it seems all hope is lost. But Turtle has a calm mind, a clever plan, and one secret the hunters never saw coming.
**The voices, accents, and character portrayals used in this podcast are intended solely for storytelling, humor, and creative expression.
They are not meant to represent, imitate, stereotype, or mock any specific culture, ethnicity, nationality, community, or individual.
Any similarities are unintentional, and all characters are fictionalized interpretations created in the spirit of entertainment.**
Why Turtle Lives in Water? Once upon a very, very hungry time, some hunters went out looking for food. They searched all day but found nothing. Then they saw Turtle. Slow and steady and right in their path. Snatch they grabbed him. Finally, said one hunter, we'll eat tonight. Yes, said another. Turtle stew. No no, said another. Roasted turtle is better. Boil him, smash him, cut him up. Turtle listened, thought, then spoke.
SPEAKER_01You can cook me however you like, he said quietly. But please do not throw me into the water.
SPEAKER_02The hunters stopped. The water? One frowned. Why not the water? Turtle shook his head quickly.
SPEAKER_01No no not the water.
SPEAKER_02The hunters looked at each other, then one snapped his fingers. Oh, I get it. Another grinned. Yes, if we throw him in the water, he'll drown. And then we don't even have to cook him. They all laughed. Turtle lowered his head. Any thing but that he said softly. Too late, they shouted. They lifted him up. High. High higher. Turtle closed his eyes. Not the water. Whoosh. The hunters ran to the edge. They waited. Nothing.
SPEAKER_00Then Turtle's head popped up. He blinked once, twice.
SPEAKER_02Then he smiled and spoke calm as ever. I'll live here. The hunter stared. Turtle dipped below the water and was gone. And from that day on, Turtle stayed in the water where no hunter could catch him. And that is why Turtle lives in the water. The end.