Pauper, Brawler and Slanderer Read online

  Pauper, Brawler and Slanderer

  By the same Author

  MY LIFE IN THE BUSH OF GHOSTS

  THE PALM-WINE DRINKARD

  THE WITCH-HERBALIST OF THE REMOTE TOWN

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  By the same Author

  Table of Contents

  AUTHOR'S NOTE

  Pauper, Brawler and Slanderer 1 THE PRIMITIVE CUSTOM OF LAKETU TOWN

  2 THE OBA EXPELS HIS PRINCE, ADEGUN, AWAY FROM HIS AAFIN

  3 THE DAUGHTER OF THE QTUN OBA IS A BRAWLER

  4 PAUPER MARRIES BRAWLER

  5 THE OSI OBA DRIVES HIS SON AWAY FROM HIS HOUSE

  6 SLANDERER BECOMES A CLOSE FRIEND OF PAUPER

  7 PAUPER AND SLANDERER DEBATE ON DESTINY

  8 CREATOR SENDS HIS IKQ TO PAUPER AND BRAWLER

  9 DEATH ARRIVES TO SLAY PAUPER FOR HIS WIFE

  10 THE EXPULSION OF PAUPER, BRAWLER AND SLANDERER FROM THE TOWN

  11 PAUPER AND SLANDERER GO TO ABALABI TOWN

  12 PAUPER AND SLANDERER COMPETE FOR A WIFE IN ABALABI TOWN

  13 THE DAY OF THE WIFE COMPETITION ARRIVES

  14 BRAWLER MEETS PAUPER AT THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY OF HIS NEW WIFE

  15 PAUPER AND BRAWLER ARRIVE AT MQKQLQKI TOWN

  16 PAUPER, BRAWLER AND SLANDERER IN QFADAFA'JURO TOWN

  17 PAUPER AND SLANDERER GO AND FARM IN ARAROMI TOWN

  18 PAUPER AND SLANDERER RETURN TO OFADAFA'JURO TOWN

  19 PAUPER TAKES REVENGE ON SLANDERER ON THE DAY OF HIS MARRIAGE

  20 PAUPER, BRAWLER AND SLANDERER FLEE FROM OFADAFA'JURO TOWN

  21 PAUPER, BRAWLER AND SLANDERER BECOME SLAVES IN AIKU TOWN

  22 PAUPER BECOMES A TRADER IN OWODE TOWN

  23 PAUPER IS INSTALLED THE OBA OF THE TOWN OF WOMEN

  24 THE GROVE OF ENTHRONEMENT

  25 THE SENIOR OBA-MAKER REJECTS PAUPER'S AND SLANDERER'S ORAL PETITION

  26 PAUPER AND SLANDERER BEGIN TO FIGHT

  27 PAUPER, BRAWLER AND SLANDERER IN AGBE-O-GBIN'YQ TOWN

  28 PAUPER, THE FATHER OF WRETCHEDNESS, BRAWLER AND SLANDERER VANISH

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  THE YORUBA EXPRESSIONS

  The Yoruba expressions which are used in most parts of this story cannot be compared with those of the English language. This is because some of the English expressions do not at hmes carry enough weight nor give the actual picture or intention intended. It is hoped, apart from clarity of expression, to introduce the key Yoruba words and expressions to non-Yorubas.

  Some of the expressions used are: Ha! Ho! He!: an expression of shock, surprise, etc. but fairly mild. Haa! Hoo! Hee!: also an expression of shock, surprise, etc. but carrying more weight.

  Haaa! Hooo! Heee!: means the same but carries much more weight. Huu! Huu-u!: expression of wailing or as when somebody is lamenting over a loss, disappointment, death, etc.

  At the same time the expressions of Ha! Haa! Haa! Ho! Hoo! Hoo! are of shock, lamentation, sadness, sorrow, pain, suffering, etc. Hun-un! carries more weight than Hmm! Paga! carries more weight than Alas! - a sudden despair, etc. Sio! means ‘nonsense’ or to discredit somebody or something with disdain.

  Ho-o-o ro-o-o! is an expression of great sudden despair and shock. Ye-e-e! {yay-ay-ay) is a cry of severe pain, to lament, to think of an absent one with longing. O! to remember a forgotten thing, etc.

  Furthermore, the following Yoruba titles are used in this story as well:

  YORUBA ENGLISH

  Oba King

  Olori Queen or queens

  Kabiyesi Your Worship or Your Majesty

  Aafin Palace

  Ikp Messenger, envoy, deputation, etc.

  Baale Governor, chief of a town or village speaks to the Babalawo, the Ifa priest

  Otun Lieutenant, one holding place next in rank to the Oba

  Osi The third rank to the Oba but under the Otun - he is an internal auditor. He delivers everything he collects from people to the Otun who will then give all to the Oba

  TO EXPLAIN THE ESENT AYE IN BRIEF

  Before Babalawo starts to cast the Qpele upon the Irosu powder which is already spread inside the Ifa bowl, first of all he will take the baby from its father, he will press the sole of the baby’s left foot upon the powder until the baby’s foot-mark is well printed on it. After this, he will return the baby to its father. So this footmark is called ‘Esent’aye’ and it is at this time that the baby has become a real inhabitant of this earth.

  But then the Babalawo will cast the Qpele upon the powder inside the Ifa bowl several times in order to get the correct ‘odu’, the indication of divination, and having got the kind of ‘odu’ with which the baby has come to the earth, then he will interpret it carefully to the father and the rest of the people who are present.

  ESE - NTE - AYE

  foot contacts earth

  This is the meaning of this important word.

  Amos Tutuola

  Ibadan

  Pauper, Brawler and Slanderer

  1

  THE PRIMITIVE CUSTOM

  OF LAKETU TOWN

  Two thousand years were past and had gone. There was a town which was at that time under a state called in the present century OGUN STATE, in the west of Nigeria. The name of that defunct town was called LAKETU.

  In those days, Laketu town was indeed big and it was so populous that it was impossible to know the exact number of people who lived there.

  The Oba or King who reigned in that town in that century was very kind. He was indeed active and painstaking in everything which he did. He ruled his people with great patience because he loved them heartily. And in return, his deputy, chiefs and the people of the town loved him as well as they loved gold and silver. The Oba also loved all those sojourners who lived in his land as he loved himself.

  Farming was the main work which most people of this Oba were doing. For this, abundant and surplus foodstuffs of different kinds were in the town always. But so many of those people were craftsmen such as the blacksmiths, carvers of the wooden bowls, all sorts of domestic utensils, well-diggers, fashion-makers, carvers of different kinds of images, makers of ornaments on the walls and pillars of the Oba’s Aafin or palace and on the walls and pillars of the chiefs’ Aafin. And so many were hunters of big animals.

  In this Laketu town, there was a strange rock on the outskirts of the town. This rock was exceedingly high. The circular bottom of it was more than one thousand kilometres. At the foot of this hideous rock, there was a very huge hole which went deeply into it.

  So also, there was a pond of antiquity at the foot of the strange rock. It was very close to the huge hole. The sort of the water in this pond was so horrible as well that it used to scare the people of the town.

  A very fearful voice which used to shake heavily both forest and wilderness around there and which terrified people used to come to the outside from the innermost of the huge hole. So this horrible voice caused the children, young and old people, to believe strongly that the huge hole truly went into the residence of Creator who was creating the people who were coming to the earth.

  But as the Oba, his chiefs and the people of the town believed strongly that the hole went into the residence of Creator, for this, the Oba and his chiefs used to give very rich sacrifices to the horrible voice every year.

  But as the custom of this Laketu town was, if a person committed a serious offence, if the offence deserved that there was no alternative than to expel him from the town, then the Oba and his chiefs would take the offender to the strange rock. After the Oba had cursed upon him in the name of Creator, the Oba would fill to the brim a container with the strange water of the pond of antiquity and then he would pour it onto the offe
nder.

  Having done so, the Oba’s state Iko or messengers would drive him away from the town immediately.

  But why was the offender driven away from the town immediately the forbidden water was poured on him? The reason is that the Oba, his chiefs and the people of the town believed that if the offender still remained in the town till the forbidden water was dried on his body, epidemic disease such as influenza would besiege the town that year and by that a large number of people would die.

  But according to the custom of Laketu town, when a baby was born, on the third day that it was born, its father would consult the Babalawo, the Ifa priest, to find out from the Ifa the kind of destiny which his new baby had chosen from Creator before leaving for earth. Finding how the life or future of a newborn baby will be on earth is called ‘esent’aye’.

  In fact. Creator blessed the Oba of Laketu town with many children, sons and daughters. On Ojoru (The Day of Confusion -Wednesday), one of Oba’s Olori or queens, gave birth to a beauhful male boy.

  But according to the primitive custom of Laketu town, in the morning of the third day that the baby was born, the Oba consulted the Babalawo, the Ifa priest, in his royal chamber. When he put his baby on his lap, he told the Babalawo to find out from the Ifa through Ifa’s Iko, Qpele, how the ‘esent’aye’ or the future of his baby would be on earth.

  Whether his baby would be rich or poor; good or bad; hardworking man or slothful; or whether it would taint the royal family: all these the Oba just wanted to know from the Ifa.

  Having cast his Opele, the Ifa’s messenger, on the floor several hmes, the Babalawo interpreted the ‘esent’aye’ of the baby to the Oba very, very carefully, he said: ‘Kabiyesi (Your Worship), the ruler of earth and second to gods!’ The Babalawo bowed low for the Oba and then he continued, he said: Truly, when this your baby is grown to his manhood!’ The Babalawo went on as he pointed his right finger to the baby, he said: ‘He will be as powerful as a giant and he will use the power on the farm more than all the rest of the farmers!’

  The Babalawo bowed low and then he went further in his predictions to the Oba. He said: ‘Kabiyesi, but the harder this your baby works the more his poverty and wretchedness will become worse!’

  But when the Oba began to look dejected now, the Babalawo pointed his left finger to the Qpele (the Ifa’s messenger or Iko) and his right finger to the baby. He continued his predictions: ‘Kabiyesi, in the long run, you will drive this your baby away from your Aafin, when his poverty and wretchedness come to climax. Even after you have driven him away, it will not be so long before you will expel him away from the town!’

  Having heard this again from the Babalawo, the Oba was more shocked. In great grief and depression, he readjusted himself in his royal seat while his baby was still on his lap.

  But then the Babalawo predicted further, he said: ‘Kabiyesi, but after your baby is banished from the town, and in his wandering on his endless journey, he will wander to a faraway town and the people of that town will install him as their Oba!’

  ‘Kabiyesi the Babalawo disclosed further, as the Oba was then overwhelmed with sadness and was entirely drenched in his perspiration, ‘in fact, this your baby will become an Oba in a foreign town and there is nothing which can prevent him from being an Oba. But it is a pity indeed that the destiny of poverty and wretchedness which he had chosen from Creator, will not let him keep long on the throne!’

  The Babalawo advanced in his predictions to the Oba, he said: ‘The Ifa says but after this your baby is expelled from the throne, as it is the going of the water-flies which the people see and not their return, Kabiyesi, it is just so you will see only the “going” of this your baby but you will not see his “return” for ever! Although you and the other people will not see him for ever, he will still roam about on earth invisibly!

  ‘Kabiyesi! The ruler of earth and second to gods! It is so the life (esent’aye) of your baby will be on earth when he grows to manhood! Let the crown keep long on your head and let the shoes keep long on your feet!’ Thus the Babalawo concluded the predictions of the Oba’s baby that morning.

  ‘But what kind of the sacrifice should I give to the Ifa in order to avert these bad omens on my lovely baby?’ the Oba asked greedily from the Babalawo.

  ‘Haa, there is not any sacrifice which can appease the Ifa to avert these bad omens from your baby. Because he is really destined for all those things which will definitely happen to him in his manhood!’ the Babalawo, Ifa priest, confirmed reluctantly to the Oba.

  But the Oba was still sitting in his royal seat, greatly depressed, and his unfortunate baby was srill on his lap, when the Babalawo packed his Qpele or the Ifa’s Iko (messenger) back into his Qpele-bag and then he went back to his house that morning.

  It was just ‘the great grief which droops the head of an elder’, for the Oba that morning. He drooped his head heavily in great grief and he was unconscious. Great depression overwhelmed him so much that his mouth rejected food and drink.

  However, when the baby was eight days old, he reluctantly gave him a name, which was Adegun.

  In fact, as the Babalawo, the Ifa priest, had foretold the life of Adegun when he grew to the state of manhood, it was so his poverty and wretchedness became worse. The year that he farmed nearly without an end, it was that very year the swarm of the locusts used to come and invade his farm. They would eat the whole of his crops. The year that there were no locusts, there would not be sufficient rains for the crops to yield well. Thus the hard work which Adegun, the prince, was doing on his farm used to come to vanity every year.

  Even if Adegun was a prince, he was wearing dirty rags about every day, as his poverty and wretchedness were so powerful. Whenever some persons pitied him for his miserable condition, and offered him some dresses, before daybreak, the termites would eat all into the rags on the racks on which he hung them.

  But as it was a great grief to the Oba to see one among his princes whose destiny was that of poverty and wretchedness, hereby, he began to hate Adegun. He did not like to see him any time at all. Because ‘if a man’s masquerade dances well; his dance will encourage him’. Adegun was not the sort of a good prince who he was supposed to be by the Oba, chiefs and the people of the town as a whole. His unfortunate destiny discouraged them enhrely.

  2

  THE OBA EXPELS

  HIS PRINCE, ADEGUN,

  AWAY FROM HIS AAFIN

  When the Oba saw that as his prince was growing on so his poverty and wretchedness were becoming worse, then one morning, he invited into his royal chamber, his Deputy, QUin who was the father of the brawling lady. After, he sent for Osi, who was third in rank to him, and whose name was Kimi Adugbo, and who was the father of Alagemo.

  As soon as both of them arrived, in great passion and sadness, the Oba told these his two high rank chiefs, how one of his princes chose but poverty and wretchedness from Creator instead of good fortunes.

  But then in the presence of his Otun and Osi, and in great anger, he drove this his miserable prince out of his Aafin or palace. Because he as a prince was putting shame to the royal family. Although he was stronger even than a buffalo, poverty and wretchedness did not let him be a better young man in life like the other young farmers.

  That was how a half of all the Babalawo’s predictions years ago came to pass on Adegun, the wretched prince.

  But it was in great sadness that both Deputy Oba and Osi Oba, Kimi Adugbo (stronghold of the neighbourhood) returned to their houses that morning. Their sadness was not because the Oba drove his wretched prince away from his Aafin but because they too had the same problem with their own son and daughter as the Oba had with his own prince.

  It was not so long before Qtun, the Oba’s Deputy, returned to his house in great grief and dejection. His breakfast was brought to him. But ‘the great grief which droops the head of an elder’, did not let him eat it.

  Because it was much more plain to the Deputy now that ‘when Death takes away the lives o
f our contemporaries, it is a warning for the rest of us to prepare for our turn’. The Deputy, Qtun, knew now that whether sooner or later, he too would drive his brawling daughter away from his house in respect of her nonstop hot brawls.

  So also for Kimi Adugbo, the Osi Oba, grief did not let him eat and drink when he returned to his house that morning. For he was very sure now that there was no doubt. In a short time, he too would drive his wicked son, Alagemp, away from his house.

  It was not so long from when the Oba drove his prince away, that the ex-prince was wandering all about in the town in very dirty rags. Having seen him in this total wretched condition, the elders to the youngest children of the town gave him a nickname that would fit his dirty and rough guise.

  The nickname which the people gave him was Pauper, the Father of Wretchedness. But sometimes people called him Pauper or Father of Wretchedness. It was so his real name was forgotten entirely within a short time.

  But one day, as Pauper, the Father of Wretchedness, was roaming about in the town he came to a ruined house, on the outskirts of the town. Having swept away all the refuse in it, he began to live in it.

  When Pauper had just started to live in that ruined house, and as his poverty and wretchedness were so powerful, he had nothing to eat except those rotten remnants of food which were thrown into the dustbins and incinerators. But these did not satisfy his hunger at all.

  But in the end, when Pauper had nearly died of hunger, by all means, he found the cutlass and hoe. Then he went into the bush. After he had cleared the bush, he made heaps. He sowed maize, pepper, vegetables, and he planted cassava and yams as well in those heaps.

  One day, when he was returning from his farm to his house, he found one ripe orange on the roadside and he picked it up. After he had sucked the sweet juice in it, he brought the grains which were in that orange to the house. So he sowed two grains in front of the house, two at the back of the house and two on each side of the house.