The Maid Girl who tried to Kill her Mistress

 The Maid Girl who tried to Kill her Mistress

The Maid Girl who tried to Kill her Mistress

A man called Akpan, who was a local of Oku, a town in the Ibibio country, respected a young lady called Emme without question, who inhabited Ibibio, and wished to wed her, as she was the best young lady in her organization. the custom in those days for the guardians to request such a huge sum for their little girls as settlement, that assuming that after they were hitched they neglected to continue ahead with their spouses, as they couldn't make up for themselves, they were sold as slaves. an exceptionally huge total as settlement for Emme, and she was placed in the fatting-house until the legitimate time showed up for her to wed.


Akpan let the guardians know that when their girl was prepared they should send her over to him. he saw an exceptionally fine young lady, who had likewise recently emerged from the fatting house, and whom the guardians wished to sell as a slave. Emme's dad along these lines got her and gave her to his little girl as her handmaiden.


The following day Emme's younger sibling, being extremely restless to go with her, got the assent of her mom, and they got going together, the slave young lady conveyed a huge group containing garments and presents from Emme's dad. Akpan's home was a drawn-out day's walk from where they resided. At the point when they showed up right external the town they came to a spring, where individuals used to get their drinking water, however, nobody was permitted to wash there. Emme, nonetheless, knew nothing about this. their garments to wash near the spring, and where there was a profound opening that prompted the Water Ju's home. the Ju and she would then have the option to have her spot and wed Akpan. and when they were near the water the slave young lady pushed her courtesan in, and she without a moment's delay vanished. toss your body into the opening after your sister." And she let the youngster know that she should never specify what had befallen anyone, and especially not to Akpan, as she planned to address her sister and wed him, and that assuming that she at any point told anyone what she had seen, she would be killed without a moment's delay. 

She then made the young lady convey her heap to Akpan's house. And she let the kid know that she should never specify what had befallen anyone, and especially not to Akpan, as she planned to address her sister and wed him, and that in the event that she at any point told anyone what she had seen, she would be killed without a moment's delay. She then, at that point, made the young lady convey her heap to Akpan's house. And she let the kid know that she should never make reference to what had befallen anyone, and especially not to Akpan, as she planned to address her sister and wed him, and that assuming that she at any point told anyone what she had seen, she would be killed immediately. She then made the young lady convey her heap to Akpan's home.


At the point when they showed up, Akpan was especially disheartened at the slave young lady's appearance, as she was not close to as lovely and fine as he had anticipated that she should be; however, as he had not seen Emme for quite a long time, he truly thought that the young lady was not actually Emme, for whom he had paid such a huge share. He then assembled all his organization to play and eat, and when they showed up they were tremendously shocked, and said, "Is this the fine individual for whom you paid such a lot of endowment, and whom you told us such a great amount about?" And Akpan couldn't respond to them.


The slave young lady was then for quite a while exceptionally horrible to Emme's younger sibling and believed she should pass on, so her position would be safer with her significant other. She beat the young lady consistently, and consistently made her convey the biggest water pot to the spring; she likewise made the kid place her finger in the fire to use as kindling. with it. When Akpan asked her for what good reason she treated the kid so seriously, she answered that she was a slave that her dad had purchased for her. When the young lady took the weighty water pot to the stream to fill it there was nobody to lift it up for her, so she was unable to get it onto her head; she consequently needed to stay quite a while at the spring and finally started requiring her sister Emme to come and help her.


At the point when Emme heard her younger sibling weeping for her, she asked the Water Ju to permit her to proceed to help her, so he told her she could go, but that she should get back to him again right away. She would have rather not left her and requested to be permitted to go into the opening with her. A day of retaliation would show up sometime. The young lady returned to Akpan's home with a happy heart as she had seen her sister, yet when she got to the house, the slave young lady said, "Why have you been for such a long time getting the water?" and afterward took one more stick from the fire and consumed the young lady again severely, and starved her until the end of the day.


This happened for quite a while, until, at some point, when the kid went to the stream for water, after every one individual had gone, she shouted out for her sister to the surprise of no one, yet she didn't come for quite a while, as there was a tracker from Akpan's town concealed close to watching the opening, and the Water Ju let Emme know that she should not go; yet, as the young lady continued crying sharply, Emme finally convinced the Ju to let her go, promising to When she rose up out of the water, she looked extremely lovely with the beams of the sunset radiating on her shimmering body. She assisted her younger sibling with her water pot and afterward vanished into the opening once more.


The tracker was flabbergasted at what he had seen, and when he returned, he let Akpan know that a delightful lady had emerged from the water and had assisted the young lady with her water pot. the young lady he had seen in the spring was his legitimate spouse, Emme, and the Water Ju probably took her.


Akpan then, at that point, decided to go out and check out what occurred, in this way, in the early morning the tracker came for him, and the two of them went down to the stream, and concealed in the woods close to the water-opening.


At the point when Akpan saw Emme emerge from the water, he perceived her immediately, returned home, and thought about how he ought to get her out of the force of the Water Ju. He was educated by some with respect to his companions to go to an elderly person, who as often as possible made penances to the Water Ju, and counseled her concerning what was the best thing to do.


At the point when he went to her, she advised him to bring her one white slave, one white goat, one piece of white fabric, one white chicken, and a bit of egg. to the Water Ju, and make a penance of them for his benefit. The day after the penance was made, the Water Ju would return the young lady to her, and she would carry her to Akpan.


Akpan then purchased the slave, and took the wide range of various things to the elderly person, and, when the day of the penance showed up, he went with his companion the tracker, and saw the elderly person make the penance. to the opening, then the elderly person called to the Water Ju and slit the slave's jugular with a sharp blade and drove him into the opening. She then did likewise to the goat and chicken and furthermore tossed the eggs and material in on top of them.

The Maid Girl who tried to Kill her Mistress

After this had been finished, they generally got back to their homes. She then returned Emme to her own home, concealed her in her room, and reached out to Akpan to come to her home, and to take extraordinary consideration that the slave lady knew nothing about the having much of any meaning.


So Akpan went out subtly by the indirect access and showed up at the elderly person's home without meeting anyone.


At the point when Emme saw Akpan, she requested her younger sibling, so he sent his companion, the tracker, for her to the spring, and he met her conveying her water pot to get the morning supply of water for the house and carried her to the elderly person's home with him.


At the point when Emme had embraced her sister, she advised her to get back to the house and effectively disturb the slave lady, and afterward, she was to run as quick as possible back to the elderly person's home, where, most likely, the slave young lady would follow her, and would meet them generally inside the house, and see Emme, who she accepted she had killed.


The young lady got in line, and, straightforwardly she got into the house, she shouted to the slave lady: "Do you have any idea that you are a mischievous lady, and have treated me gravely? I realize you are just my sister's slave, and you will be appropriately rebuffed." She then ran as hard as possible to the elderly person's home. Straightforwardly the slave lady heard what the young lady said, she was very distraught with rage, and held onto a consuming stick from the fire, and pursued the kid; yet the little one got to the house first, and ran inside, the slave lady following close upon her heels with the consuming stick in her grasp.


Then Emme emerged and defied the slave lady, and she without a moment's delay perceived her escort, whom she assumed she had killed, so she stood very still.


Then they all returned to Akpan's home, and when they showed up there, Akpan asked the slave lady what she implied by imagining that she was Emme, and why she had attempted to kill her. Didn't have anything to say.


Many individuals were then called to a play to praise the recuperation of Akpan's better half, and when they had all come, he let them know what the slave lady had done.


After this, Emme treated the slave young lady similarly as she had treated her younger sibling. She made her put her fingers in the fire and consumed her with sticks. She likewise made her beat foo with her head in an emptied-out tree, and after a period she was restricted to a tree and starved to death.


Since that time, when a man weds a young lady, he is generally present when she emerges from the fatting house and brings her back home himself, so much underhanded things as happened to Emme and her sister may not happen once more.


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 The Disobedient Daughter Who Married a Skull

The Disobedient Daughter Who Married a Skull


Effiong Edem was a local of Cobham Town. He had an exceptionally fine girl, whose name was Afiong. Every one of the young fellows in the nation needed to wed her by virtue of her excellence; yet she declined all proposals of marriage notwithstanding rehashed pleas from her folks, as she was exceptionally vain, and said she would just wed the most attractive man in the country, who might need to be youthful and solid, and equipped for cherishing her appropriately. Wed, in spite of the fact that they were rich, elderly people men, and monstrous, so the young lady kept on resisting her folks, at which they were especially lamented. The skull who lived in the soul land knew about the magnificence of this Calabar virgin, and figured he might want to have her; so he went about among his companions and acquired various pieces of the body from them, the entirety of the best. From one he got a decent head, one more loaned him a body, a third gave major areas of strength for him, and a fourth loaned him a fine set of legs. Finally, he was finished and was an exceptionally ideal example of masculinity.

He then left the soul land and went to Cobham market, where he saw Afiong, and appreciated her without a doubt.

About this time Afiong heard that an exceptionally fine man had been found on the lookout, who was preferred investigating any of the locals. She, subsequently, went to the market on the double, and straightforwardly she saw the Skull in his acquired excellence, she became hopelessly enamored with him and welcomed him to her home. The Skull was more than happy and returned home with her, and on his appearance was acquainted by the young lady with her folks, and promptly requested that their assent wed their little girl. , as they didn't wish her to wed an outsider, however finally they concurred.

He resided with Afiong for two days in her parent's home and afterward said he wished to return his significant other to his country, which was distant. To this, the young lady promptly concurred, as he was a fine man, yet her folks made an effort not to go. Nonetheless, being extremely determined, she decided to go, and they got going together. After they had been gone a couple of days the dad counseled his Ju man, who by making bets extremely before long found that his little girl's significant other had a place with the soul land and that she would definitely be killed.

In the wake of strolling for a few days, Afiong and the Skull crossed the line between the soul land and the human country. Straightforwardly they set foot in the soul land one man, first of all, came to the Skull and requested his legs, then, at that point, another his head, and the following his body, etc, until shortly, the skull was left without help from anyone else in the entirety of its normal grotesqueness. At this, the young lady was extremely terrified and needed to get back, however, the skull wouldn't permit this and requested her to go with him. At the point when they showed up at the skull's home they found his mom, who was an exceptionally elderly person very unequipped for accomplishing any work, who could crawl about. Afiong made an honest effort to help her, prepared her food, and brought water and kindling for the elderly person. The old animal was extremely appreciative of these considerations and before long turned out to be very attached to Afiong.

On one occasion the elderly person let Afiong know that she was extremely upset for her, yet every individual in the soul land was barbarian, and when they heard a human was being in their country, they would descend and kill her and eat her. The skull's mom then concealed Afiong, and as she had taken care of her so indeed, she guaranteed she would send her back to her country straight away, given that she guaranteed the future to comply with her folks. Then the elderly person sent for the bug, who was an exceptionally sharp beautician, and made him dress Afiong's hair in the most stylish trend. She additionally gave her anklets and different things by virtue of her graciousness. called the breezes to come and pass Afiong on to her home. From the beginning, a rough cyclone came, with thunder, lightning, and downpour, however, the skull's mom sent him away as inadmissible. The following breeze to come was a delicate breeze, so she advised the breeze to convey Afiong to her mom's home and expressed farewell to her. home, and left her there.

At the point when the guardians saw their little girl they were extremely happy, as they had for certain months surrendered her as lost. ought not to be dirty. Afiong then strolled to the house, and her dad called every one of the little kids who had a place with Afiong's organization to come and move, and the devouring and moving were kept awake for eight days and evenings. the dad announced what had befallen the head of the town. The central then passed a regulation that guardians ought to never permit their girls to wed outsiders who came from a far country. furthermore, she energetically assented, lived with him for a long time, and had numerous kids.

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Why the Bat is Ashamed to be Seen in the Daytime

Why the Bat is Ashamed to be seen in the Daytime

There was once an old mother sheep who had seven sheep, and on one occasion the bat, who was going to make a visit to his father by marriage who carried on with a drawn-out day's walk away, went to the old sheep and requested that she loan him one of her young sheep to convey his heap for him. From the get-go, the mother sheep denied it, however as the youthful sheep was restless to travel and see something of the world, and asked to be permitted to go, finally, she hesitantly agreed. So toward the beginning of the day at sunshine the bat and the sheep set off together, the sheep conveying the bat's drinking horn. At the point when they arrived at most, the bat advised the sheep to leave the horn under a bamboo tree. house, he sent the sheep back to get the horn. At the point when the sheep had gone the bat's father by marriage brought him food, and the bat ate everything, leaving nothing for the sheep.

At the point when the sheep returned, the bat told him, "Hullo! you have shown up finally I see, yet you are past the point of no return for food; it is undeniably gotten done." He then, at that point, sent the sheep back to the tree with the horn, and when the sheep returned again it was late, and he hit the sack. The following day, not long before it was the ideal opportunity for food, the bat sent the sheep off again for the drinking horn, and when the food showed up the bat, who was exceptionally eager, gobbled everything up a subsequent time. This mean conduct with respect to the bat happened for four days, until finally the sheep turned out to be very dainty and powerless. The bat chose to get back the following day, and it was all the sheep could do to convey his heap. At the point when he returned home to his mom the sheep griped sharply of the treatment he had gotten from the bat and was baa-ing the entire evening, whining of agonies in his inside. The old mother sheep, who was exceptionally attached to, was still up in the air to be vindicated on the bat for the horrible way he had starved her sheep; she, in this manner, chose to counsel the turtle, who, albeit extremely poor, was considered by all individuals to be the most shrewd of all creatures.

At the point when the old sheep had recounted the entire story to the turtle, he considered for quite a while and afterward let the sheep know that she could leave the matter completely to him, and he would get back at the bat for his savage treatment of her child. he considered for quite a while, and afterward, let the sheep know that she could leave the matter completely to him, and he would get back at the bat for his savage treatment of her child. he considered for quite a while and afterward, let the sheep know that she could leave the matter completely to him, and he would get back on the bat for his horrible treatment of her child.

Exceptionally not long after this, the bat figured he would again take a quick trip and see his father by marriage, so he went to the mother sheep once more and requested her for one from her children to convey his heap as in the past. present, let the bat know that he was heading down that path, and would merrily convey the heap for him. that he had on the past event. He advised the turtle to conceal his drinking horn under a similar tree as the sheep had stowed away it previously; and concealed it in his sack. At the point when they showed up at the house the turtle balanced the horn up far away in the terrace and afterward plunked down in the house. Not long before it was the ideal opportunity for food the bat sent the turtle to get the drinking horn, and the turtle went outside into the yard and held on until he heard that the beating of the bubbled sweet potatoes into foo had gotten done; into the house and gave the drinking-horn to the bat, who was so shocked and furious, that when the food was passed he would not eat any of it, so the turtle ate everything; this happened for four days until finally, the bat became as dainty as the unfortunate little sheep had been on the past event.

Finally, the bat could stand the torments of his inside no more, and covertly advised his mother by marriage to bring him food when the turtle was not He said, "I'm presently falling asleep for a bit, yet you can awaken me when the food is prepared." is concealed in a corner hidden, held on until the bat was sleeping soundly, and afterward conveyed him delicately into the following room and put him on his own bed; he then delicately and discreetly removed the bat's fabric and shrouded himself in it, and set down where the bat had been; exceptionally soon the bat's mother by marriage brought the food and put it close to where the bat should be dozing, and having pulled his material to wake him, disappeared. the turtle then, at that point, got up and ate all the food; when he had completed he conveyed the bat back once more, took a portion of the palm oil and food, and set it inside the bat's lips while he was snoozing; then, at that point, the turtle nodded off himself.

In the first part of the day when he awakened the bat was more ravenous than at any other time in recent memory, and in an extremely terrible attitude, so he searched out his mother by marriage and began chiding her, and asked her for what good reason she had not brought his food as he had advised her to do. the lady then, at that point, said she would call individuals in and they ought to conclude the matter, however, the turtle got out first and advised individuals that the most ideal way to figure out who had eaten the food was to make both the bat and himself flush their mouths out with clean water into a bowl. This they chose to do, so the turtle got his tooth stick which he generally utilized, and having cleaned his teeth appropriately, cleaned his mouth out, and got back to the house. also, blamed the turtle for having eaten the food. The lady then said she would call individuals in and they ought to choose the matter; to make both the bat and himself flush their mouths out with clean water into a bowl. gotten back to the house. furthermore, blamed the turtle for having eaten the food.

The lady then said she would call individuals in and they ought to choose the matter; to make both the bat and himself flush their mouths out with clean water into a bowl. gotten back to the house. So the turtle got his toothstick which he generally utilized, and having cleaned his teeth appropriately, cleaned his mouth out, and got back to the house. so the turtle got his toothstick which he generally utilized, and having cleaned his teeth appropriately, cleaned his mouth out, and got back to the house.

At the point when every one individual had shown up the lady let them know how the bat had mishandled her, and as he actually kept up with strongly that he had no nourishment for five days, individuals said that both he and the turtle ought to clean their mouths out with clean water into two clean calabashes; this was finished, and immediately it could obviously be seen that the bat had been eating, as there were unmistakable hints of the palm-oil and for which the turtle had placed inside his lips drifting on the water When individuals saw this they ruled against the bat, and he was embarrassed to the point that he took off without even a second's pause, and has since consistently concealed in the shrub during the daytime, so nobody could see him, and just emerges around evening time to get his food.

The following day the turtle got back to the mother sheep and told her what he had done, and that the bat was perpetually shamed. for shrewdness was significantly expanded throughout the entire country.

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The Fat Woman Who Melted Away

The Fat Woman Who Melted Away


There was once a very fat woman who was made of oil. She was very beautiful, and many young men applied to the parents for permission to marry their daughter and offered dowry, but the mother always refused, as she said it was impossible for her daughter to work on a farm, as she would melt in the sun. At last, a stranger came from a far-distant country and fell in love with the fat woman, and he promised if her mother would hand her to him that he would keep her in the shade. At last, the mother agreed, and he took his wife away.


When he arrived at his house, his other wife immediately became very jealous, because when there was work to be done, firewood to be collected, or water to be carried, the fat woman stayed at home and never helped, as she was frightened of the heat.


One day when the husband was absent, the jealous wife abused the fat woman so much that she finally agreed to go and work on the farm, although her little sister, whom she had brought from home with her, implored her not to go, reminding her that their mother had always told them ever since they were born that she would melt away if she went into the sun. was very hot, so the fat woman remained in the shade of a big tree. When the jealous wife saw this she again began abusing her and asked her why she did not do her share of the work. At last, she could stand the nagging no longer, and although her little sister tried very hard to prevent her, the fat woman went out into the sun to work and immediately began to melt away. There was very soon nothing left of her but one big toe, which had been covered by a leaf. This her little sister observed, and with tears in her eyes, she picked up the toe, which was all that remained of the fat woman, and having covered it carefully with leaves, placed it in the bottom of her basket. When she arrived at the house the little sister placed the toe in an earthen pot, filled it with water, and covered the top up with clay. and covered the top up with clay. and covered the top up with clay.


When the husband returned, he said, "Where is my fat wife?" and the little sister, crying bitterly, told him that the jealous woman had made her go out into the sun and that she had melted away. the pot with the remains of her sister, and told him that her sister would come to life again in three months' time quite complete, but he must send away the jealous wife so that there should be no more trouble; do this, the little girl said she would take the pot back to their mother, and when her sister became complete again they would remain at home.


The husband then took the jealous wife back to her parents, who sold her as a slave and paid the dowry back to the husband, so that he could get another wife. the three months had elapsed, when the little sister opened the pot and the fat woman emerged, quite as fat and beautiful as she had been before. the whole story of the bad behavior of his jealous wife.


Ever since that time, whenever a wife behaves very badly, the husband returns her to the parents, who sell the woman as a slave, and out of the proceeds of the sale reimburse the husband the amount of dowry which he paid when he married the girl.


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Pretty Girl and the Seven Jealous Women



There was once a very beautiful girl called Akim

There was once a very beautiful girl called Akim. She was a native of Ibibio, and the name was given to her on account of her good looks, as she was born in the springtime. She was an only daughter, and her parents were extremely fond of her. The people of the town, and more particularly the young girls, were so jealous of Akim's good looks and beautiful form—for she was perfectly made, very strong, and her carriage, bearing, and manners were most graceful —that her parents would not allow her to join the young girls' society in the town, as is customary for all young people to do, both boys and girls belonging to a company according to their age; of all the boys or girls born in the same year.


Akim's parents were rather poor, but she was a good daughter and gave them no trouble, so they had a happy home. One day as Akim was on her way to draw water from the spring she met the company of seven girls, to which in an ordinary way she would have belonged if her parents had not forbidden her. These girls told her that they were going to hold a play in the town in three days' time, and asked her to join them. sorry, but that her parents were poor, and only had herself to work for them, she, therefore, had no time to spare for dancing and plays.


In the evening the seven girls met together, and as they were very envious of Akim, they discussed how they should be revenged upon her for refusing to join their company, and they talked for a long time as to how they could get Akim into danger or punish her in some way.


At last one of the girls suggested that they should all go to Akim's house every day and help her with her work so that when they had made friends with her they would be able to entice her away and take their revenge upon her for being more beautiful than themselves. Although they went every day and helped Akim and her parents with their work, the parents knew that they were jealous of their daughter, and repeatedly warned her not on any account to go with them, as they were not to be trusted.


At the end of the year, there was going to be a big play, called the new yam play, to which Akim's parents had been invited. The play was going to be held in a town about two hours' march from where they lived. was very anxious to go and take part in the dance, but her parents gave her plenty of work to do before they started, thinking that this would surely prevent her from going, as she was a very obedient daughter, and always did her work properly.


On the morning of the play, the jealous seven came to Akim and asked her to go with them, but she pointed to all the water pots she had to fill and showed them where her parents had told her to polish the walls with a stone and make the floor good, and after that was finished she had to pull up all the weeds round the house and clean up all round. She, therefore, said it was impossible for her to leave the house until all the work was finished. heard this they took up the water pots, went to the spring, and quickly returned with them fully; they placed them in a row, and then they got stones, and very soon had the walls polished and the floor made good; they did the weeding outside and the cleaning up, and when everything was completed they said to Akim, "Now then, come along; you have no excuse to remain behind, as all the work is done."


Akim really wanted to go to the play; so as all the work was done which her parents had told her to do, she finally consented to go. About halfway to the town, where the new yam play was being held, there was a small river, about five feet deep, which had to be crossed by wading, as there was no bridge. In this river, there was a powerful Ju Ju, whose law was that whenever anyone crossed the river and returned the same way on the return journey, whoever it was, had to give some food to the Ju Ju. If they did not make the proper sacrifice the Ju Ju dragged them down and took them to his home, and kept them there to work for him. girls knew all about this Ju Ju, having often crossed the river before, as they walked about all over the country, and had plenty of friends in the different towns. Akim, however, who was a good girl, and never went anywhere, knew nothing about this Ju Ju, which her companions had found out.


When the work was finished they all started off together and crossed the river without any trouble. When they had gone a small distance on the other side they saw a small bird, perched on a high tree, who admired Akim very much, and sang in praise of her beauty, much to the annoyance of the seven girls; but they walked on without saying anything, and eventually arrived at the town where the play was being held. Akim had not taken the trouble to change her clothes, but when she arrived at the town, although her companions had on all their best beads and their finest clothes, the young men and people admired Akim far more than the other girls, and she was declared to be the finest and most beautiful woman at the dance. gave her plenty of palm wine, foo-foo, and everything she wanted, so that the seven girls became more angry and jealous than before. The people danced and sang all that night, but Akim managed to keep out of the sight of her parents until the following morning when they asked her how it was that she had disobeyed them and neglected her work; so Akim told them that the work had all been done by her friends, and they had enticed her to come to the play with them. to remain in the town any longer. Her mother then told her to return home at once, and that she was not to remain in the town any longer. Her mother then told her to return home at once, and that she was not to remain in the town any longer.


When Akim told her friends this they said, "Very well, we are just going to have a small meal, and then we will return with you." hid a small quantity of foo-foo and fish in her clothes for the Water Ju Ju. However, Akim, who knew nothing about this, as her parents had forgotten to tell her about the Ju Ju, never thinking for one moment that their daughter would cross the river, did not take any food as a sacrifice to the Ju Ju with her.


When they arrived at the river Akim saw the girls making their small sacrifices and begged them to give her a small share so that she could do the same, but they refused, and all walked across the river safely. to cross, when she arrived in the middle of the river, the Water Ju Ju caught hold of her and dragged her underneath the water, so that she immediately disappeared from sight. The seven girls had been watching for this, and when they saw that she had gone they went on their way, very pleased at the success of their scheme, and said to one another, "Now Akim is gone forever, and we shall hear no more about her being better-looking than we are."


As there was no one to be seen at the time when Akim disappeared they naturally thought that their cruel action had escaped detection, so they went home rejoicing; but they never noticed the little bird high up in the tree who had sung of Akim's beauty when They were on their way to the play. The little bird was very sorry for Akim and made up his mind that, when the proper time came, he would tell her parents what he had seen, so that perhaps they would be able to save The bird had heard Akim asking for a small portion of the food to make a sacrifice with, and had heard all the girls refusing to give her any.


The following morning, when Akim's parents returned home, they were much surprised to find that the door was fastened and that there was no sign of their daughter anywhere about the place, so they asked their neighbors, but no one was able to give They then went to the seven girls, and asked them what had become of Akim. They replied that they did not know what had become of her, but that she had reached their town safely with them, and then said she was going home. The father then went to his Ju Ju man, who, by casting lots, discovered what had happened, and told him that on her way back from the play Akim had crossed the river without making the customary sacrifice to the Water Ju Ju, and that, as the Ju Ju was angry, he had seized Akim and took her to his home.s father to take one goat, one basketful of eggs, and one piece of white cloth to the river in the morning, and to offer them as a sacrifice to the Water Ju Ju; then Akim would be thrown out of the water seven times, but that if her father failed to catch her on the seventh time, she would disappear forever.


Akim's father then returned home, and, when he arrived there, the little bird who had seen Akim taken by the Water Ju Ju, told him everything that had happened, confirming the Ju Ju's words. The seven girls, who had refused to give Akim any food to make the sacrifice with.


Early the following morning the parents went to the river and made the sacrifice as advised by the Ju Ju. Immediately after they had done so, the Water Ju Ju threw Akim up from the middle of the river. Returned home very thankfully.


He never told anyone, however, that he had recovered his daughter, but made up his mind to punish the seven jealous girls, so he dug a deep pit in the middle of his house and placed dried palm leaves and sharp stakes in the bottom of the pit. He then covered the top of the pit with new mats and sent out word for all people to come and hold a play to rejoice with him, as he had recovered his daughter from the spirit land. and danced and sang all day and night, but the seven jealous girls did not appear, as they were frightened. to the house the following morning and mixed with the dancers; but they were ashamed to look Akim in the face, who was sitting down in the middle of the dancing ring.


When Akim's father saw the seven girls he pretended to welcome them as his daughter's friends and presented each of them with a brass rod, which he placed round their necks.


He then picked them out and told them to go and sit on mats on the other side of the pit he had prepared for them. When they walked over the mats which hid the pit they all fell in, and Akim's father immediately got some red-hot ashes from the fire and threw them in on top of the screaming girls, who were in great pain. At once the dried palm leaves caught fire, killing all the girls at once.


When the people heard the cries and saw the smoke, they all ran back to the town.


The next day the parents of the dead girls went to the head chief and complained that Akim's father had killed their daughters, so the chief called him before him and asked him for an explanation.


Akim's father went at once to the chief, taking the Ju Ju man, whom everybody believed upon, and the small bird, as his witnesses.


When the chief had heard the whole case, he told Akim's father that he should only have killed one girl to avenge his daughter, and not seven.


When she arrived, the head chief, seeing how beautiful she was, said that her father was justified in killing all the seven girls on her behalf, so he dismissed the case and told the parents of the dead girls to go away and mourn for their daughters, who had been wicked and jealous women and had been properly punished for their cruel behavior to Akim.


Moral.—Never kill a man or a woman because you are envious of their beauty as if you do, you will surely be punished.




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thank you

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