Long ago there was a woman named Oluronbi. Oluronbi and her husband Aremu lived in a village called Okiti and had been married for many years. Although they loved each other very much, they were unhappy because they didn’t have any children.

Just outside the village was a large Iroko tree. The people of the village called the tree Oluiroko. It was common knowledge that the Iroko tree granted wishes in exchange for a gift. The villagers would promise to give goats, sheep and big fat cows to the Iroko tree if it granted their wishes.

One day, as Oluronbi walked home from the market, she stopped at the Iroko tree. Upset, she cried, “Please give me a child. I don’t mind if it’s a boy or a girl; I just want to be called mother. I promise to give you my first child when they’re old enough to be married”.

The Iroko tree granted Oluronbi’s wish and she soon fell pregnant. Nine months later, she gave birth to the most beautiful baby girl who they called Aponbepore. Oluronbi was so happy that she was finally a mother that she completely forgot her promise to the Iroko tree. Aponbepore grew up into a kind and beautiful young girl loved by her parents and the village at large.

As Aponbepore grew older, one day, Oluronbi, who had forgotten about her promise, had a dream where the tree told her it was time to give up her daughter. Realising that she had made a great mistake, Oluronbi tried to change her promise.

She went back to the Iroko tree and begged it to take a large goat instead of her precious daughter but the Iroko tree refused her gift.

Oluronbi went to the tree again and begged it to take a fat sheep instead. Again the tree refused the gift.

Oluronbi went to the Iroko tree a third time and offered it a cow, but the spirit refused and demanded that she keep her original promise.

Seeing that the Iroko tree wouldn’t change his mind, Oluronbi decided to hide Aponbepore from him. She thought by keeping her away from the tree, Aponbepore would be safe.

One day, tired of waiting for Oluronbi, the Iroko tree grabbed Aponbepore as she walked back to the village

One day as Aponbepore walked home, she was grabbed by the Iroko tree and turned into a songbird. The Iroko tree had grown tired of waiting for Oluronbi.

A villager who saw what had happened ran over to Oluronbi’s house singing…

“Oni ka luku je je ewure – ewure, ewure (Other people promised goats – goats, goats)

Oni ka luku je je aguntan – agutan bo lo jo (Other people promised sheep – big fat sheep)

Oluronbi je je omo re (Oluronbi promised her child)

Omo re apo n bi epo (Her beautifully fair child)

Oluronbi O! Jun jun; Iroko jun jun.”

Upon hearing the song, Oluronbi started crying because she knew her beautiful daughter was gone. She had been taken by the Iroko tree. Oluronbi’s husband, Aremu, was filled with anger. He grabbed his machete and went straight to the tree. When he got there, he immediately started swinging, “gbi”, “gba”, “gbo”.

Aremu cut down the tree. As the tree hit the ground, the Iroko’s spell broke and Aponbepore was turned back into a young woman. Oluronbi and Aremu were very happy to have their daughter back. But they had to leave Okiti village forever because the other villagers were not happy their wish-granting tree had been cut because of Oluronbi’s foolishness.

The End.

The Moral of the Story: 

The story teaches why it is important to be careful when making promises. It is important to think carefully and not make promises you can’t keep.