Ula the lizard with three children was digging up sweet potatoes on the plain. Suddenly she thought she felt some movement behind the large bushes. She listened. Suddenly Wayamba jumped out from behind a bush and grabbed Ulu. He told her not to make any noise and promised not to harm her. He wanted to take her to his camp and marry her, and he promised to take care of her three children.
It was useless to resist - after all, Ula had only a digging stick, and Wayamba had spears and bundi. And Wayamba took the woman and her children to his camp.
When his tribe learned that he had brought a woman from Ula's tribe, he was asked if the tribe had willingly given her up. Wayamba replied:
- No, I kidnapped her.
“So,” the people said, “her tribe will soon come for her, and you will have to defend yourself, we will not fight for you.” We have for you the young women of our tribe, and you kidnapped Ulu and brought her to the Wayamba camp. Be responsible for the consequences yourself.
Soon Ula appeared. They walked across the plain in front of the Wayamba camp. They did not go for negotiations and not as friends - there were no women with them, and in their hands there were no branches of the world; but they painted themselves for war and armed themselves with spears. When the Wayamba tribe saw the Ulas approaching, the sage of the tribe said:
“Now, Wayamba, go out onto the plain and fight alone, we will not help you.”
Wayamba chose the two largest Borin shields. He put one on the front, the other on the back, took the weapon and went to meet the enemies. Coming out onto the plain and stopping at some distance from Ula, he shouted:
- Come over!
In response, a hail of spears and boomerangs flew. As the weapon whistled through the air, Wayamba pulled his head and arms between his shields. Slipping over the shields, the weapon did not harm him and fell to the ground. Then he stuck out his head and hands and shouted:
- Try again, I'm ready!
The weapon flew again, which he met in the same way as before. Finally, the Ulas managed to surround him and forced him to retreat to the river. They showered him with a hail of spears and came so close that to save him he could only dive into the river. He turned to the river, tore off his front shield, threw down his weapon and dove into the water.
The Ula with raised spears waited for his appearance above the water, but in vain. They no longer saw the dark-skinned Wayamba, but in the pond where he dived, they noticed a strange creature. On his back was a shield-like shell. When they wanted to grab him, he pulled his head and legs under his shell. Then they said:
- This is Wayamba.
Since then, Wayamba turtles began to live in rivers.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru