The Witch-Herbalist of the Remote Town (2 page)

As soon as I became twenty years of age, I told my father and mother that I wanted to marry a girl. So both were happy to hear this from me and they told me that I should be looking for one, and they too would be looking for one so that I might choose one from the two. But I was greatly sad at last, because every girl that I approached used to run away from me with fear, for she thought I would kill her as I was killing the wild animals. But after a few months I did not bother whether a girl agreed to marry me or not, for I knew that the whole people of the town would soon realize the goodness which I was doing for them. Because their lives were saved
considerably
more now than before I started to kill the wild animals. The wild animals did not attempt to come to the town to kill people and domestic animals as before.

For the period of five years that I was killing these wild animals, the people of the town did not realize my work and none of the girls agreed to marry me each time that my father and mother spoke to them about me. Then one midnight, it came to my father’s mind that his closest friend, who was the progenitor, had one beautiful daughter who was not yet married to any man, although the progenitor had no other issue except Lola, the name of the daughter. So the following morning my father sent a message to the progenitor that he wanted to see him. But as my father and his friend, the
progenitor
, liked each other so much, it was not more than sixty twinklings before the progenitor came to him.

When my father’s friend, the progenitor, came and as both of them used to chat first immediately they saw each other, so he first shouted to my father: “Hello! the chief priest and pagan of gods, idols and spirits! How do you do? Hope there
is no bad complaint from the gods, idols or spirits, this
morning
?” But the progenitor had hardly finished his chats when my father replied loudly with a smile: “Hello! the progenitor of the gods, idols and spirit-worshippers, there is no complaint at all! How do you feel this morning?”

Then after both had chatted together, the progenitor sat down on the mat on which my father sat. My father had not yet told him anything about his daughter, but he told me to bring the keg of the morning palm-wine. So I ran at the same time to the corner where the palm-wine was gushing out white lather from the spout of the keg. When I brought it, I put it down in front of them. After that I returned to the same corner, I brought two calabashes, and then I started to serve both of them with the wine continuously.

After some twinklings that everyone of them was satisfied, my father drew the bowl of “ayo” which was near him to the front of them (“AYO” is a kind of the Yoruba game; also called “warry”). Then both of them started to play the “ayo” as they were joking funnily and loudly.

After about forty twinklings, my father defeated his friend the progenitor, for three times consecutively. So this proved that the request which my father was going to make about the progenitor’s daughter would be successful. Then they stopped to play the “ayo” game, but as soon as they continued to drink the palm-wine my father disclosed what he had invited him for. He explained to him that he had tried for five years to get a lady for his son but he could not get one for him. So he would be happy if he, the progenitor, would agree for his son to marry his daughter. But when the progenitor heard this request from my father, he raised his head up. He thought this matter over for about two twinklings before he raised his head down again. Then he asked solemnly from my father why he could not get one lady for his son out of uncountable ladies who were in the Rocky Town, despite his being the chief priest and pagan of the town.

But my father did not waste time to explain to him that
the reason why every one of the ladies feared to marry his son was that she thought his son would kill her as he was killing the wild animals in the jungles. When my father
explained
to the progenitor like that, without hesitation he said with happiness that he agreed to marry his daughter to his son. Having seen that his request was approved by the
progenitor
, his friend, my father thanked him greatly and he prayed for him for some sixtieths of a twinkling. Then both of them put the wedding-day for forty-two days’ time. After that they continued to play on the game “ayo” as I continued to serve them with the palm-wine. It was like that my father got a wife for me at last.

Both of them were still playing the “ayo” and drinking the wine until my mother returned from the farm, when it was at about the twelfth hour of the day. But when my father told her that his friend, the
progenitor
, had agreed for him to marry his daughter for me, she knelt down before the progenitor and thanked him greatly with happiness. So as soon as she stood up and went to the premises, she brought one big keg of the palm-wine for the progenitor, just to show him the appreciation of his only daughter that he had allowed me to marry.

Then my father and his friend, the progenitor, enjoyed themselves with the palm-wine and the “ayo” till the fifth hour of the evening. The progenitor returned to his house. Then the following morning he told his daughter that he wanted her to be my wife. But as she must not disobey her father’s wish, she agreed at the same time with happiness. So in the evening, I met her at her father’s house. We talked together and both of us agreed to marry together. But having spent some hours with her, I returned to the house late in the night. It was like that I continued to visit Lola every
evening
and both of us were talking happily for many hours before I returned to the house.

But as I was a BORN AND DIE BABY before I was born, a special sacrifice must be prepared and taken to the same “Iroko
tree”, which was my former dwelling place or home from where I came into my mother’s womb, before I could marry a lady. This special sacrifice was to appease my “born and die baby” folks who were still expecting me to return to them. They were still living in the same “Iroko tree” until when they would be fortunate to find wealthy mothers.

If this sort of sacrifice was not taken to them at this time that I was preparing to marry, willing or not they would take my life so that I might return to them by force. But as my mother and father had already known the secret of the “born and die babies”, the right sacrifice was prepared. According to the custom of the “born and die babies”, my fiancée carried the sacrifice by the head, then her mother, her father, my mother, my father, the drummers and myself, danced with the sacrifice from the town to my former home which was the “Iroko tree” and which was on the outskirts of the town.

When the sacrifice was put down at the foot of the tree, all of us danced and sang round the tree for many twinklings. Then we danced back to the town with happiness because the sacrifice was accepted by my folks who were “born and die babies”.

Now, as the right sacrifice had been given to my folks who were the “born and die babies” when there remained two weeks to the day of my wedding, so the minds of my father and mother were then free to prepare for the day. And they were happy to announce the day to their friends, neighbours, etc. So when the day was reached, it was a great day indeed in the Rocky Town. For as noble people and common people of the town were full in my father’s house and in the front of the house, and as the drummers were beating their drums and the flatterers, etc. were flattering my father and mother and I, it was so for the house of the father of my fiancée. As the people were eating, drinking and the drums were beating and the whole of us were dancing merrily here and there, it was so they were doing in the house of my fiancée’s father.

This merriment continued on both sides till a late hour in
the night. But according to our custom in the Rocky Town, every big merriment as this one must end in front of the “god of the state”. So as soon as it was midnight, the whole of us danced to the bank of the river where the “god of the state” stood sternly on its platform. After its own sacrifice was given to it, we danced round it merrily. Then my father, my mother, my fiancée’s father and mother prayed for both of us, and after we sang and danced for a few twinklings, then the whole of us danced back to the town. Again, having danced and sung to the whole parts of the town till a half of the day, we returned to the house, but we had hardly returned to the house when my wife was brought to my house.

But a few twinklings after my wife was brought, the noble and common people went back to their houses. It was like that I married the daughter of the progenitor of worshippers of gods, idols, spirits, etc.

Now as I was living with my wife, Lola, comfortably in my father’s house, I continued to go to the jungles and forests which surrounded the town. Before this time I had nearly killed all the wild beasts, but the remaining ones were still loitering under the mighty rocks, debris, etc. So I started to kill many of them in a day and I was bringing their bodies to the house for our food.

As I was still doing so, it was so my father who was the chief of priests, pagan, idol, spirit, etc. worshippers and my father-in-law who was the progenitor of the idol, spirit, etc. worshippers, did not fail to perform their duties as well. Because whenever one wanted to give sacrifice to his or her god or idol, etc. in the town, both of them would not keep long behind but they would go there as soon as they were informed. They would perform the sacrifices at the same time. For this, the whole people of the town feared and respected them as though they were the only omniscient persons in the town.

Now I was fed up with my wife, I was not happy at all, because in the four years since I had married her she was not pregnant. My father, mother and father of my wife had tried all their efforts to make her pregnant by using almost all kinds of herbs, but all their efforts had failed. They consulted the spirit of the river but that one did not render any help.

So when I saw that both of them were fed up, I began to think in mind day and night as how to make her pregnant, because a woman or a man without even one issue would, in fact, have no respect or honour among his or her friends and neighbours, but he or she would live a sorrowful life
throughout
his or her life-time. And a person no matter how poor he or she was but with even one issue would live with happiness. This was a very serious custom of my town. We all admitted that “though, mother is gold but father is looking glass for the child”.

However, I began to implore my “Supreme Second” by both day and night to help me find a powerful herbalist who would make the medicine which would not fail to make my wife pregnant.

Having thought for nights and days as how to make my barren wife pregnant, at last it came to my mind that the cause was from my side because I was a “born and die baby” before, who had betrayed many mothers and fathers of their property.
Therefore the repercussions of what I had done to the innocent mothers and fathers must come upon me however it might be. But when I remembered this, I became extremely sad. However, when it was daybreak, I asked from my father with sadness, where was the most powerful herbalist who would not fail to make my wife pregnant. My father said that there was one who had never failed to do everything. He explained further that she was called “THE WITCH-HERBALIST” and that her town was called “THE REMOTE TOWN”. My father said that her town was in the remote part of the world and that it was very dangerous to go there because of the dangers and the cruel strange beings of the jungles, forests, etc. through which one must travel to the town.

My father explained further that to reach the town would take one up to six years or more. But it was not certain that one who set his or her foot on a journey to the town could reach there because of the dangers, etc. of the road, etc., thus my father explained to me.

But once I was told that this Witch-Herbalist who was the omniscient and omnipotent mother of the Remote Town, had never failed to solve any problem which was on earth, I did not care about setting my feet on this long journey. I made up my mind to go and see her at all costs, though to travel such a long journey as that at this time was greatly risky.

As soon as I was told of this powerful Witch-Herbalist, I did not waste time in inviting my mother, father, my wife, her father and mother to my room on the third evening after I had heard this information from my father. When all of them sat down, I prostrated for every one of them but excluding my wife. I prayed for all of them for all the help which they had rendered to my wife in order for her to be pregnant, before they became fed up. Then I sat down before them, and then I told them that I had made up my mind to go and see the Witch-Herbalist. I told them further that I was preparing to leave the town the day of the next market-day, to which there remained six days at that time.

But I wondered greatly that I had hardly explained to them like that when my father-in-law said that he too had been hearing of the Witch-Herbalist for a number of years, that she was an omniscient and omnipotent old woman. He warned me not to attempt to go to her, and he warned me further that it was possible for her to detain me in her town because her witch-craft sometimes made her mad. But of course I knew that he simply frightened me to tell me this. I told them that if my “Supreme Second” was kind enough, he would lead me throughout my journey without hurt. It was so I replied to my father-in-law and my father, mother and my wife. He said further that the reason why many people had not attempted to go there was that there was a cruel jungle being who was living in the cave near the path which was at a distance of ten days’ journey from this our town. The father of my wife warned me seriously that this cruel jungle being, if I was unfortunate, might come out from his place of abode at the very time that I was passing through that area.

I nearly gave up going to see the Witch-Herbalist when my father and my wife’s father told me the dangers of the travel and of the witch mother, especially when my mother and my wife burst into tears and were warning me not to go. But later on I did not bother or change my mind to go. Instead, I made it clear to them that so far as I was a hunter of the wild animals and as I had several kinds of juju, I was not afraid at all to go. Of course when I told them like that with bravery, they stopped to warn me again, and they prayed for me that I should reach there and return to them safely. After that both of them left my room and went to the front of the house, except my mother and wife.

After my father and his friend had left the room they sat by the front of the house and both were drinking the palm-wine. I told my mother that she and my wife should go and prepare a rich sacrifice, and take it to my folks who were the “born and die babies” and who were living inside the “Iroko tree” which was my former house. I told them further that if
they do so, surely there would be no harm for me throughout my journey. So my mother and my wife were happy when I told them like that. Then both of them left my room.

So it was from that moment I started to prepare many kinds of juju and many other things which could help me on my journey. But before the day of my leaving was reached, my mother and wife had prepared the sacrifice and taken it to the “Iroko tree” inside of which my folks, the “born and die babies”, were lodging till the day they would find a wealthy woman. This sacrifice was to appease them so that they might help me to conquer all of the evils, ghosts, spirits and all other harmful enemies of the road who might want to disturb me on my journey.

When there remained two days to the day that I wanted to start my journey, I sharpened my heavy matchet very well, I put it in its sheath, I made a very strong bow with many poisonous arrows. Then I roasted with the palm-oil, plenty of meat of the wild animals which I had killed the day
previously
. I wrapped it with the dried broad leaves and I tightened it tightly with rope. Having done that and kept it in my room, I went to the market. I bought one big cruse which was for the medicine which the Witch-Herbalist would give me for my wife, and I kept it in my room as well. Again, I did not forget that I would need fire greatly on my journey. So I went around the house and I found many flinty stones. I picked two which I supposed would not fail to produce fire whenever I struck one on the other. After that, I ground plenty of pepper into powder, I wrapped it with dried broad leaves and then I kept it in my room.

When I had prepared everything ready, I packed it all into one huge bag, except my juju and the cruse which I put in a separate bag. And I leaned my heavy matchet and bow and arrows of poison on these two bags. In the evening, my father who was the chief of pagan, idol, spirit, god, etc. worshippers, and my father-in-law who was the progenitor of the pagan, idol, spirit, god, etc. worshippers, and also my mother, my
wife and her mother, took me to the shrines of the god of iron and god of thunder which were at the bank of the river. Many old men and women followed us to the river as well.

Then without hesitation, my father told me to kneel down before the god of iron. He and my father-in-law prayed for me for ten twinklings while the rest of the people said: “Let it be so, oh god of iron!” And after this we went to the shrine of the god of thunder, which belonged to my mother. She prayed warmly for me for many sixtieths of a twinkling, before the god and the people said: “Let it be so, oh god of thunder!” In their prayers, they said: “The more the thorns never disturb snakes in the bush from gliding, the more there would be no obstacles on your journey! Or if there are, your ‘Supreme Second’ will help you to conquer all! As you volunteer your life for the dangers of your journey in order to make your barren wife pregnant, the god of iron will help you throughout your journey! Even the god of iron and the god of thunder have promised that you would reach the Town of the Witch-Herbalist safely and that you would return to us safely as well! And both have assured us further that your mission with the Witch-Herbalist would be favourable by the help of your wife’s ‘Supreme Second’! But both the god of iron and god of thunder have warned you seriously that you must obey the instructions which the Witch-Herbalist would give you, otherwise a serious thing would certainly happen to you when you return!”

Then as soon as my father, my mother and my father-in-law had explained to me like that, one big dog was slaughtered for the god of iron as its sacrifice. The blood of the dog was poured on top of it while some of it was poured on my head, on both arms and legs.

After that, my mother gave me three thunderbolts and she told me to use them as explosive substance as well whenever I met any danger. And after this, the whole of us sang and danced back to my father’s house when it was the seventh hour of the morning.