The tortoise shares his igbako

I posted a new story last night - The tortoise and the igbako. In line with other tortoise stories, the tortoise gets greedy and is subsequently punished. But I feel the punishment is unfair in this case since the tortoise was trying to feed every animal during a famine - an admirable act even if his goal was self-aggrandisement. The water goddess who supplied the magic igbako didn't give a reason why tortoise should keep igbako secret, so the need to feed fellow animals would have trumped obeying the goddess's wish.

In case you're wondering, the igbako is a Yoruba word for a food utensil traditionally carved out from a calabash (there are plastic equivalents now). It's used to serve local dishes such as eba, iyan and amala - they all have a consistency like stiff mashed pototoes.

Working up the will

I've been away from allfolktales.com for 2 months now. And even before that there was a dwindling down of activity. Well, moving did take more energy than I expected but I'm way past that. Already settled into the new job and new environment for some time now...but yet I found it difficult to work up the energy will to post a new story or comment. It wasn't for lack of energy or lack of time, I just did not feel like doing it. And yet I felt so guilty (not sure why). It's like exercising (at least, for me). I start a regimen, maintain the pace and energy for weeks, then miss some days and the frequency will begin to dwindle until there's exercise no more...and I'm left with guilt...until I work up the will to begin again.

I thank everyone who's stopped by to read stories or leave comments (in the blog and through email) and I apologize for responding so late.

Now, I hope this post here will break me out of my writing stupor.