Tife's library

31/07/2022

She couldn't remember. On her way down to the river she had been busy with her prayerful thoughts, beseeching her ancestors and the gods to bless her efforts to get a child. She had prayed to God:
'You are not an unforgiving God,
God of our forefathers.
Your assistance is not temporary.
Let all evil men fall before you.'
The importance of this fofie, this festive Friday which came once every six weeks, had crowded her mind. This day, gods and goddess moved among men to feast and grant people's requests. And they were powerful. They could answer her need for a child. The ancestors of her father and mother would surely help her. If she herself had wronged anyone or if the sins of her parents or ancestors were being avenged on her, the deities could be besought to spare her the pain of not having a child of her own. That was why she had been told to get the black hen. Jet black, that was it. Was the black hen not there when she returned from this last trip to the river?
What had happened in fact was quite simple: as soon as pokuwaa had gone out of the house a c**k had come along and joined in the feast. Then he had started making approaches to the hen. It was not easy in the game with a string round the hen's leg and so in the struggle that followed the string made of old raffia palm had snapped. The hen, now freed, had followed the c**k out of the shed, and out of the yard. The hen had taken a dust bath, and then the two of them had ventured out into a narrow lane leading to the Bush outside the village.
Pokuwaa rushed along at first,but seeing no sign of the black hen, she slowed down in an attempt to look more closely in nooks and crannies among the crowding huts.
Soon she came upon some children playing in a lane. 'Children,' She pleaded, 'have you seen a black hen here?' One of them started to run away. 'Why,' She called, 'come back! I want you to help me find my black hen.'

31/07/2022

of chapter 1 #

She rushed outside and began searching under the small bushes there.
'What evil spirit wants to spoil the day for me?' She moaned. 'Help me, O Almighty. Help me.'
She ran into her room to get some more grain. With this she started off to look for the hen in the village. If she could see it, she would spread the corn to lure it back to her.
For three days she kept watch over the black hen and today, the day of sacrifice, the hen was missing. It had been difficult to obtain such a hen in the vicinity of her own village, Brenhoma, and she had had to travel over six miles to buy one from the next village, Nsutem. The owner had insisted on taking two hundred cowries for it. Pokuwaa had tried to bargain for one hundred cowries and sixty, and the owner, who knew the value of that black hen, had refused. These jet-black hens were always being sought after, and if this buyer didn't buy it, another was bound to come along some day. Someone else would be quite willing to pay two hundred cowries.
So pokuwaa had paid and taken the hen to Brenhoma, put a single bead on its leg for identification and tied it up for safety. And now the hen was gone.
'But it was there this morning,' She remembered. 'I spread some corn for it.' She looked round again. '''Eat well, this might be your last feed," I said as I spread the corn. And it pecked eagerly and swallowed the lot before I could leave the house to collect another pot of water from the river. I went into the room with the water-pots, picked up the last pot and came out to find that it had been already finished all the corn. I said, ''you need more. You must eat to keep alive. I need your blood.'' I put down my pot, went back inside, scooped another handful of grain and spread it for the hen before I left the house.'
Further than this she could not remember. Had the hen been there when she returned from the half-mile walk to the river?

19/06/2022

woman in her prime #
Chapter one

TODAY was friday and the day of sacrifices for the great god of Tano.
Pokuwaa returned home from her last trip to the river and went quickly into the kitchen to place the water there ready to use. Daybreak was near and her excitement was mounting. She ran through the compound to the bathroom outside her hut, bumping into the bamboo enclosure in her haste. She stripped off her clothes and scooped the water over her body. The water was a bit chilly in the morning air. She should have heated it, she thought, 'but if it saves me a little bit of time....' Time at brenhoma was counted by the sun and now although the sun was still behind the clouds, very soon it would break out the shadows could lengthen. Speeding up, she slipped on the stone floor and had to step into the wooden water container to steady herself.
Very soon the house of Tano would begin to be filled with people, and she had to hurry to get there in time for her turn at consultation and sacrifice. She could feel inside her the drums that would sound for the gathering for sacrifice in all the neighbourhood. People would bring yams, sheep, goats, eggs, cowries. What a person had to sacrifice depended on her requirements. In some cases people were asked to bring cows.
Pokuwaa thought how lucky it was for her that it had to be simply a hen and eggs; though it had been difficult getting a hen that was black all over.
She dashed back to her room, rubbed her limbs with some Shea cream; then she sprayed herself with smooth white clay powder. This was for purification and it was essential on this day of sacrifice. That done, she hurried out of her room with her calabash full of eggs.
Where was the black hen? Pokuwaa went to the post where the hen had been tied and at sight of the broken string, her mouth fell open. She began to tremble. Who could have given that string a twist and broken it?

To be continue...😍😎

19/06/2022

I think I should start the story😍🙈
You should invite more of your friends 😎

08/06/2022

Once we reach 2000+
I'm posting the magnificent story😍😘
Stay at alert guys🙊😻
#

11/12/2021

Upcoming Novel😊
WOMAN IN HER PRIME #😎😍
Stay at alert guys😇😇 very interesting nd a very touching one

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