Klo

Also known as: Mr Klo · Role: the tortoise · First appears: Tale 20 · How the Tortoise Got Its Shell

In Tale 20 · How the Tortoise Got Its Shell, Mauri sent Klo to buy palm wine in Koklovi’s palm-fields. Klo fought Koklovi for several hours, overcame him, and bound him before leaving.

Klo carried palm-trees back toward Mauri’s palace, but died beneath the load when he could not get it off his back. At the palace, they found him under the pile, with his earthenware pot and dust caked into a hard cover on his back. Medicines restored Klo to life, but he could no longer stand upright and became a creeping creature with a great shell on his back.

Relationship record

Life events

• Mauri sent Klo to buy palm wine.(Tale 20 · How the Tortoise Got Its Shell · 📍 the palm-fields of Koklovi)
  • With: Mauri
  • “Mr Klo (the tortoise), who was a tall and handsome fellow, was sent to buy palm wine. He was directed to the palm-fields of Koklovi (the chicken).”
• Klo fought Koklovi, overcame him, and bound him.(Tale 20 · How the Tortoise Got Its Shell · 📍 the palm-fields of Koklovi)
  • With: Koklovi
  • “This answer delighted Klo as he was a very strong fighter. Koklovi was the same, so that the fighting continued for several hours before Klo was able to overcome Koklovi. He was at last successful, however, and securely bound Koklovi before he left him.”
• Klo died beneath the load of palm-trees he could not remove.(Tale 20 · How the Tortoise Got Its Shell · 📍 before the gate)
  • “By that time Klo had died, under the weight of his load—which he had been unable to get off his back.”
• Klo was found under the pile, with a hard cover formed on his back.(Tale 20 · How the Tortoise Got Its Shell · 📍 the palace)
  • “His earthenware pot and the dust had caked together and formed quite a hard cover on his back.”
• Klo was restored to life but became a creeping creature with a shell on his back.(Tale 20 · How the Tortoise Got Its Shell · 📍 the palace)
  • “He was taken into the palace—and by the use of many wonderful medicines he was restored to life. But since that date he has never been able to stand upright. He has been a creeping creature, with a great shell on his back.”

Tale 20 · How the Tortoise Got Its Shell

• enemies with Koklovi (They fought; Klo overcame and bound Koklovi.) “Koklovi was the same, so that the fighting continued for several hours before Klo was able to overcome Koklovi.”
• employer: Mauri “By the time Klo succeeded in reaching his master’s palace”

Also listed in Other Figures — Minor Figures

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Extracted from the original text of West African Folk-Tales. Made with Rho MD.