Chief Alankor and the Giant Frog is a traditional tale from the Ikom region of southern Nigeria. It tells of Chief Alankor, a wealthy and powerful man whose youngest son, Eba, enjoys special treatment because he is his father’s favourite. One day, Eba returns to a farm to retrieve a yam-tail he has left behind. What begins as a simple journey soon becomes a frightening encounter with a strange creature.
When Eba fails to return, the chief sends people to search for him. One by one, those who go looking for the missing boy disappear. Eventually, a cock discovers the terrible truth and seeks help from his friend, the rabbit. Together, the two animals devise a plan to overcome the creature and bring the household back to life.
The story explains, through traditional folklore, why the cock crows at dawn and why frogs are associated with water.
Chief Alankor and His Favourite Son
Long ago, Chief Alankor was one of the leading chiefs of Ikom. He was wealthy and powerful, with five wives and several children by each of them. Although he had many children, he disliked most of them. His youngest son, Eba, was the exception.
Eba was his father’s favourite, and the chief showed him special affection wherever they went. Whether Alankor travelled into the forest to cut timber for making canoes or visited neighbouring towns, he took the boy along and indulged him in many ways.
Their relationship was particularly noticeable when the family and other people worked on the farm. While the men, women and children laboured under the hot sun, Eba remained beside his father in the shade of a tree.
At the end of the working day, others carried heavy loads home. Some carried firewood, while others transported food. Eba, however, carried only his father’s bag, which contained his snuff and horn.
The boy was accustomed to being treated differently from everyone else. His father rarely refused him anything, and this affection would soon influence a decision with serious consequences.
The Yam-Tail Left Behind
After the bush had been cleared and burnt, the people prepared the land for farming. When heavy rains arrived, Chief Alankor arranged for yams to be distributed among the workers for planting.
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Eba helped his father by carrying the yams around the farm. As he handled them, one particular yam-tail caught his attention. He fancied eating it and decided to keep it for himself.
Rather than take it home immediately, he placed the yam-tail behind the tree where his father was standing. He then continued distributing the remaining yams to the people working on the farm.
When the day’s work ended, Chief Alankor gathered everyone and began the journey home. Eba followed his usual routine, carrying his father’s bag.
They had travelled some distance when the boy suddenly remembered the yam-tail he had left behind. He told his father that he wanted to return to the farm to retrieve it.
The chief was surprised by the request. It was unusual for anyone to return to the farm after the working day had ended. People knew that someone who went back alone might encounter an evil thing.
Alankor warned his son about the danger. He understood that returning after dark was not a wise decision and would have preferred Eba to continue home with the others.
But Eba insisted that he was not afraid.
Because the boy was his favourite, the chief found it difficult to refuse him. He eventually gave permission for Eba to return, instructing his people to sit down and wait until the boy came back.
It was a decision he would soon regret.
The Yam-Tail Becomes a Monster
Eba hurried back along the path to the farm. When he arrived at the tree, he expected to find the yam-tail where he had left it.
Instead, he discovered something extraordinary.
The yam-tail was turning into a frog.
As Eba watched, the creature grew larger and larger. What had once been an ordinary piece of a yam had become a frightening, gigantic animal.
Eba was terrified, but he continued staring at the strange creature. Suddenly, his eyes met the frog’s eyes.
The encounter proved fatal. Eba fell to the ground and died.
The boy who had insisted that he was not afraid had become the first victim of the mysterious creature.
Meanwhile, Chief Alankor waited for his son to return. When Eba failed to appear, the chief sent two of his slaves back to the farm to fetch him. He then continued home with the rest of his people.
The chief expected the searchers to return with the boy. He had no idea that they were walking towards the same danger that had claimed Eba.
The Chief’s Search for Eba
When Chief Alankor reached home, food was brought for him. However, his concern for Eba was so great that he could not eat.
He kept expecting his son to return with the two slaves. As the evening passed without any news, his anxiety increased.
Once darkness fell and the searchers had still not returned, Alankor sent four more slaves to find the first two and search the farm thoroughly.
They also disappeared.
The chief became increasingly frightened. He had sent six people to find his favourite son, yet none had returned with any information.
As midnight approached, he sent another group of eight slaves. This time, he provided them with burning branches to help them see as they searched in the darkness.
Again, no one returned.
By the time dawn approached, Chief Alankor was thoroughly alarmed. The disappearance of so many people convinced him that something terrible had happened.
He gathered his remaining slaves, armed them with bows and arrows, and warned them to proceed carefully. He then decided to go himself, accompanied by his sons, to search for Eba and the missing men.
The chief could no longer remain at home waiting for news. His concern for his favourite son had drawn him into the very danger he had hoped to avoid.
When Alankor failed to return, his wives and daughters also went out towards the farm to discover what had happened.
The household was left deserted apart from the cattle and fowls.
The Cock Discovers the Terrible Truth
When morning came, the cock approached the cow, sheep and goats. He told them that their master was missing and suggested that they should all go out to look for him.
The animals agreed.
The cow led the way, followed by the goats and sheep. The hens and chickens came after them, while the cock remained some distance behind.
When they reached the farm, the cock flew to the top of a tall tree. From that elevated position, he could observe the surroundings without approaching whatever danger might be waiting below.
As he looked across the farm, he saw the bodies of Chief Alankor, his family and the slaves lying on the ground. They appeared to be dead.
Some distance away sat a creature resembling a gigantic frog. Its body was covered with hair, and its head hung downwards.
The cock watched in horror as the cow and the other animals passed the creature. Whenever an animal looked into its eyes, it fell down dead.
The mysterious monster had caused the deaths of Eba, the people sent to search for him, the chief and the members of his household. It had also killed the animals that came looking for their master.
The cock understood that he could not defeat such a creature alone. He needed help from someone clever enough to devise a plan.
He therefore left the tree and hurried to find his friend, the rabbit.
The Rabbit’s Plan
When the cock reached the rabbit, he explained what had happened at the farm. He described the dead chief, the missing household and the gigantic frog whose gaze killed anyone who looked into its eyes.
The rabbit listened carefully. He believed that he could bring Chief Alankor and the others back to life, but he warned the cock that they must avoid looking directly at the monster.
They decided to approach the frog from behind rather than follow the path taken by the other victims.
The rabbit began digging a tunnel through the earth. He burrowed until he reached a point beneath the place where the creature sat. He then made openings that would allow them to reach its two hind legs without being seen.
Meanwhile, the cock went into the bush to find some strong tie-tie. He secured one end of the material to a tree and waited for the rabbit to finish his work.
Once the tunnel was ready, the rabbit led the way underground, with the cock following and dragging the tie-tie behind him.
They reached the place beneath the monster and carefully tied both of its hind legs. Having secured the creature, they returned through the tunnel without exposing themselves to its deadly gaze.
When the cock reached the opening, he cut a small piece of the tie-tie and flew to the top of a tree. He took care not to look towards the frog.
He then arranged the remaining tie-tie around his head so that he could not accidentally meet the creature’s eyes.
The rabbit stayed inside the hole, where he could neither see nor be seen by the monster.
From this protected position, the cock called out to the frog. He demanded that it bring the dead people and animals back to life. Otherwise, he warned, he and the rabbit would kill it.
The Monster Is Forced to Help
The giant frog tried to jump away, but its hind legs were securely tied. It could not escape.
Realising that it was helpless, the creature promised to restore the people and animals. It begged the cock and rabbit not to kill it, asking instead to be thrown into the water so that it could drown.
The two friends agreed to this request.
Before they released the frog, however, the creature directed the cock towards some leaves growing nearby. It explained that the leaves could be used to revive the victims.
The cock gathered the leaves and squeezed their juice into the eyes of the dead people and animals.
Almost immediately, they woke up.
Chief Alankor, his family, the slaves and the animals had returned to life. They were frightened by what they had experienced, but the story says that they suffered no lasting harm from the encounter.
Meanwhile, the cock and rabbit fulfilled their agreement with the frog. They untied it and threw it into the river.
The monster that had emerged from the yam-tail was now returned to the water.
The Cock and Rabbit Receive Their Rewards
When Chief Alankor and the others recovered, they returned home. The cock and rabbit joined them shortly afterwards.
The chief wanted to know who had saved him and his entire household from death. When he learned that the cock and rabbit had rescued them, he rewarded both animals.
He appointed the cock as the head man of his household. The cock received the authority to wake everyone at daylight and announce that it was time to go to work.
The rabbit received a different reward. Chief Alankor pointed to his farm and gave him permission to eat as many yams, cassava and fallen palm-nuts as he wished. He could also take food home without anyone taking it away from him.
Their rewards reflected the important roles they had played in saving the household. The cock had recognised the danger, sought assistance and helped carry out the plan. The rabbit had devised the method that allowed them to approach and restrain the monster without looking into its eyes.
The two animals had succeeded because they worked together.
Why the Cock Crows at Dawn
The tale concludes by explaining the origins of several familiar features of the natural world.
From that day forward, the cock was responsible for waking the household when daylight arrived. His appointment as head man gave him the duty of announcing the beginning of the working day.
The story offers this as an explanation for why cocks crow at dawn.
It also explains the frog’s connection with water. After being thrown into the river, the creature remained there and seldom came onto land except when it needed food.
Finally, the tale links the long tails of young frogs to the creature’s unusual beginning. According to the story, their tails show that they descend from the frog that emerged from the tail of a yam.
These explanations belong to the traditional storytelling world of the tale. They give familiar animals and their behaviour a memorable origin, connecting an extraordinary adventure with everyday life.
The story ends with the chief and his household restored, the cock rewarded for his courage, and the rabbit recognised for his cleverness. The monster has been driven back into the water, and the animals have returned to their lives with a new explanation for the cock’s morning call and the frog’s aquatic home.
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Moral Lesson
The story highlights the value of courage, observation and cooperation. The cock recognised that he could not confront the monster alone, so he sought help. The rabbit used careful planning to overcome a danger that strength alone could not defeat. Together, they rescued the chief and his household.
Knowledge Check
1. Who was Chief Alankor’s favourite child?
His youngest son, Eba, was his favourite.
2. Why did Eba return to the farm after the others had gone home?
He wanted to retrieve a yam-tail he had left behind a tree.
3. What happened when Eba looked into the giant frog’s eyes?
He fell down dead.
4. How did the cock discover what had happened to Chief Alankor and his household?
He flew to the top of a tall tree and saw their bodies on the ground, along with the giant frog.
5. How did the cock and rabbit overcome the monster?
The rabbit dug a tunnel beneath it, and they tied its hind legs with strong tie-tie. The cock then demanded that the creature restore the victims to life.
6. What rewards did the cock and rabbit receive?
The cock became the head man of the household and was given the duty of waking everyone at daylight. The rabbit received permission to eat and take home yams, cassava and fallen palm-nuts from the chief’s farm.
Source
“ How Chief Alankor and all His Family were Killed by a Big Frog, or Why the Cock Crows at Dawn” appears as Chapter XVII in Ikom Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria, collected by Elphinstone Dayrell and published in 1913. The tale was related to Dayrell by Ewonkom, a woman from Ikom, on 22 June 1910.
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