Our part in life is to persevere and learn as quickly as we can, for our victory depends upon our perception of the world
Kids - Bedtime and Dreams,
Kids - Illustrated Stories
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| eBook: Tunde's Red Hen |
Tunde’s Red Hen
Author: Omoruyi Uwuigiaren
Publisher: Fiction4All
Imprint: Dragon Claw Books
SYNOPSIS
Tunde did not know his loyalty to his red hen would be
tested. The boy wanted the best for the hen, but an intruder wanted the hen and
everything for itself. For the hen to survive, the boy must be brave.
EXCERPT:
Chapter
Three
Later on the day, Tunde’s father had arrived from work. The man sunk
into his favourite chair when Tunde ran to him. “Welcome, Daddy!”
“Tunde, how are you today?” he smiled. He began
to untie his shoelaces. Once the laces were undone, he took his shoes and socks
off.
The boy wore a frown and hissed. “I am not
fine,” he managed to reply and lowered his head.
“What is the problem?” The man sat up and turned
to his troubled son. He began to unbutton his shirt.
“My hen refused to lay eggs!”
Tunde’s father chuckled. He adjusted his huge
frame and stroked the boy on the head. “Someone is stealing the eggs! Did
anyone fry eggs in this house last week?”
“No. Except for the ones that mummy fried last
night. And I was the person that bought them!
The man sat back. He paused with hand to chin as
his mind began to work. “Something must be wrong,” he finally broke his
silence. “Did you inspect the cage?” He took off his shirt.
“Inspect the cage for what?”
“Your hen ought to have laid many eggs by now.
If the eggs are not stolen, there could only be one reason why we don’t see
eggs!”
“What is it?” Tunde glanced up at his father.
“As you know, we live near the bush. A snake
could crawl into the compound through any little opening on our walls to
swallow the eggs!” his father answered.
“So snakes swallow eggs?” Tunde beats his chest
and gasps.
“Of course, some do. When I was a boy, we had a
similar concern. My father thought his children were stealing his eggs. So,
each time his eggs went missing, the whole family suffered.”
“How? Did he flog all you?”
“Yes! My father valued his eggs like gold.
Sometimes he punishes us by asking us to skip meals. Yet, that did not solve
the problem. One day, my elder brother decided to find out who was behind this.
He suspected that it must be a snake but no one believed.
“A friend gave my brother an idea. He told him
to buy some boiled eggs and put them in the cage. My brother did without us
knowing. Once it was evening, he sneak to the cage and replaced the fresh eggs
with the seven boiled eggs. The device worked. We woke up the next day to see a
big black snake near the cage.
“The snake had swallowed several boiled eggs and
could not move. The eggs choked the creature. Only God could have made my
father believe that it was not his children that were stealing his eggs. He
called us thieves! As you know, society does not like thieves!
“The next day, my brother ran into the house to
inform us that he found the thief. I thought the thief was a human being. As
soon as we heard the news, we rushed out of the house and followed him to the
backyard. Only to find a snake that had made our lives a nightmare. We were
very angry at the sight of the creature. The morning was our day!
“The snake was like the still waters because it
could not move. It had swallowed over five boiled eggs. My father grabbed a
club near the house and laid it eight or more times on the animal. The snake
writhed from one end to another until it expired.
“We burnt it and buried its remains in the
nearby bush. My elder brother had saved us from punishment and hunger. Ashamed
of himself, my father regretted treating his children as thieves. That same
day, he called a family meeting and apologized for his mistakes and we forgave
him.”
After the long speech, Tunde’s father sat back.
He breathed. “Tunde, we can solve this problem with some boiled eggs!” he said.
He placed his hand in his pocket and brought out some money. “Take. Go and buy
some boiled eggs from the grocer!”
Tunde took the money and ran very fast out of
the house. Moments later, he was back with the eggs. Tunde and his father went
to the cage near the fence and put the four boiled eggs there. They locked the
cage and moved away.
Billy The Goat
Author: Omoruyi Uwuigiaren
Publisher: Fiction4All
Imprint: Dragon Claw Books
SYNOPSIS
It was the rainy season. Billy's house was under the water.
Fleeing to the mountain won't save the goat from trouble. If Billy decides to
stay and fix everything, there could be consequences.
EXCERPT:
Chapter Two
The rainy season had begun. Billy was hungry.
The white goat bounds off to the field to eat some grasses, weeds and
tree bark. The goat did not worry about his safety.
It had rained for two days. Parts of the forest
near the river were under water and it was cold. As the goat ate in a nearby
bush, it began to rain again. Billy didn’t like it.
Each time it rains, it is hard for forest
animals to enjoy meal time. “Oh my house,” Billy cried. He raised
his head. He looked at the sky and to the corner of the forest he called
home. “I forgot to lock my windows! If I do not go back and
lock them, the rain will mess things up. I have not eaten to my fill. What
should I do?” Billy paused and tried to think. “I can always
come back to the field,” he frowned. “If I don’t act fast, I
won’t be safe. The river could overflow its bank. That could put me in danger.”
For his own safety, Billy had to go back home.
As the poor goat bounds off, the river continues to rise. Rain water started
creeping into the low lands. This slowed him down. As soon as Billy got to the
corner of the forest he called home, he locked the door and windows. Safe and
happy, he sank into his favorite chair.
Billy tried to read a book. After turning a
few pages, he dozed off. Not long after, the goat was snoring hard on the
chair.
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| Why Always Me by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren |
Why
Always Me?
Author: Omoruyi Uwuigiaren
Publisher: Fiction4All
Imprint: Dragon Claw Books
SYNOPSIS
There was trouble. Tom was at the heart of everything. When
it involved the police, things did start to spiral out of control. You don't
need to know everything. You only need to know enough. He had to work late again even though it was Christmas Eve. But now, at
last, the hammer had fallen on him! As soon as he was indoors, Tom sank into
his favorite chair. After a time, he sat up and drew his rickety table. The
little man lit up the room and his face looked pale in the lamplight. He took
the letter out of his pocket. He lowered his bifocals. He glanced above them at
the letter and a deep melancholy settled over his spirit. The company had
sacked Tom and it was a bitter pill to swallow. "WHY ALWAYS ME?" he
banged the table.
EXCERPT:
Chapter
One - Hard Times
Tom wore a long face and trudged on. His
trousers had faded and clothed with dust. Reaching the threshold, he inserted
the key into the lock and embraced his house. He hissed and slammed the door
behind him, for the evening was the worst day of his life. He had to work late
again even though it was Christmas Eve. But now, at last, the hammer had fallen
on him! As soon as he was indoors, Tom sank into his favorite chair. After a
time, he sat up and drew his rickety table. The little man lit up the room and
his face looked pale in the lamplight. He took the letter out of his pocket. He
lowered his bifocals. He glanced above them at the letter and a deep melancholy
settled over his spirit. The company had sacked Tom and it was a bitter pill to
swallow. “WHY ALWAYS ME?” he banged the table.
Tom had disposed of the letter when he heard a
faint knock on the door. “Who’s there?”
“It’s I, Priscilla,” her voice was as soft as
the morning breeze.
Tom masked his anger with an exaggerated smile
and opened the door. He said a friendly good evening to her. “I am sure you
came to inquire why I did not attend the church service. My employer asked me
to work extra hours…”
“Oh, I understand,” the lady smiled as Tom led
her into his humble home. Priscilla sat on a chair with her back to the wall.
She placed her hands on her thighs and glanced at the little man. “I
have good news for you.” She revealed, “God told me that you have lost your
job. But He will use this setback to turn your life around.”
A ray of hope flushed over Tom’s suntanned
face as he sat up and muttered, “Amen!”
She closed her eyes and faced the ceiling.
Priscilla brought her hands together, making recitations as if she was praying
to a powerful god. Then she paused and turned to Tom. She swallowed hard and
said, “The Company downsized to reduce cost…”
“Yes. The manager told me they will downsize.
But I never saw this coming,” Tom nodded almost a million times. “I didn’t plan
for it. I am confused!”
“I understand,” the prophetess said.
"You can bounce back. I have a secret that will make you rich. Do you want
to hear?”
“Yes, oh yes!” the little man answered. He
straightened his chin and looked at her face.
“You have an eighteen carat diamond ring you
inherited from your father. It’s wrapped up in a handkerchief in the right-hand
corner of the third drawer. God said you are to get it and give it to me!”
Tom gasped and beat his chest. “Ah, my
heirloom? I have never told anyone about it. How did you know I have it under
my roof?”
Priscilla laughed, “God told me now. It’s the
spirit. Do as he had said and you will be fine!”
The little man chewed his lower lips as he
imagined that his setback was temporary. He would live in luxury for the rest
of his life if he turns the diamond over to Priscilla. Then he sat back and
scratched his head. She was right about the diamond in the drawer, he thought.
He decided to give this a try. Everything that she had said was true. As
if he was under a spell, he rose to his feet and moved to the corner, and then
returned to the table with the heirloom. Priscilla grabbed it and placed it in
her pocket. “I like people who obey God,” she smiled and gave him a hug. “If
you need another hug, just ask,” she heaved. “Follow me!”
“Where are we going?” Tom yawned and shifted
his weight to one leg.
She rubbed her hands together. “I want to
introduce you to a friend. If you have a little money, he knows how to multiply
it many times over!”
Tom dreamed of the money. He said, “Thank you.
I will be forever grateful, Priscilla.”
Priscilla held his hand and they walked out of
the house.
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| New Book to Read The Adventures of Nihu |
Author: Omoruyi Uwuigiaren
Publisher: Fiction4All
Imprint: Dragon Claw Books
SYNOPSIS
Nihu is falsely accused of a crime and is banished to the
Lonely Forest. He is challenged with a mission by a magical character. As brave
Nihu quests to fulfill the mission and gain his freedom, he is sucked into a
world inside of a stone, visits a powerful ruler in an underwater city, and
makes friends with a group of refugees only a hero could love.
EXCERPT:
CHAPTER FIVE
A STRIKE TOO LATE
Old
Phil’s time was up. The next day he would be leaving for the countryside. “I am
already dreaming of home. It will be the new start to the life I have always
wished to live. It will be a heaven every night. A man is for himself, but God
is for us all.” Old Phil was once again seated on the log outside the
hut.
“Yes.
You are right.” Nihu was straddled next to him. He nodded. “God is
for everyone.”
“Even me. Surviving the
perils in this Lonely Forest means so much to me. I ought to give gratitude to
the one that protects my soul. I do not do it ordinarily. I have to be tough.”
“I
expect that of you. God is a tough mogul. We need to be worthy if we hope to
find His favor.”
“But
which god do you think I’m talking about, Nihu?”
“The
god of our forefathers.”
“Does
he really exist?” He brought his hands together, making recitations as if he
was praying. Then he stopped and turned to Nihu. “Any result in that?
Nothing. I will say my prayers facing heaven henceforth. My deliverance must
have come from there.”
“Are
you sure?”
“I
don’t know. I just want try new things since my past had not yielded any result
other than troubles. However, I have prayed throughout my life. Good moral
conduct must be trapped somewhere in my heart ever since I set my foot into
this world of beauty and terror. Do you believe me, Nihu?” He looked deep
into the boy’s eyes.
“I
can’t find falsehood in that, at all. But I think it is too late to start
finding perpetual faults in your life.”
“Oh,
faults? They are gone. In the past, I had many. My life was no better than a
rat’s, which is left to struggle for survival in the heart of the red sea. My
weaknesses brought me a hard knock life. Macques would tell you my
odds of survival if he were here with us. He tells my story more accurately and
with a lot more feeling than I do. However, he had a talking impediment. Often,
his tongue added more excitement to every word that walked out of him. One
would think his words drop like wind-blown rain.”
“That’s
a terrible burden to carry.” Nihu thought of something else Phil had
said. “Do you derive much pleasure in mediations?”
“Yes,
oh yes. My meditations have yielded results. The last time I was under the
influence of morning mediation, I saw dwarf angel. It looked like a green
mallard. It told me all would be well with me. I am sure it had come to give me
hope of returning to glory after the truckload of the misfortunes I have
experienced here. I will hold a holy service of songs when I return home. That
is the first thing I will do when I get there.”
“But
you have nothing now. The King now owns your house.”
“Of
course. I expect to join my brother right away. He will be very happy to see me
alive. The celebration will
carry to the next level.”
“What does he do for a
living?” Nihu shifted on the log.
“He is a farmer. And his
well is deep enough to swallow ten of your stature.”
“Then
you will be well. I thought you were just like every journeyman whose heaven is
the street inn or corner. After every blessed day, he seeks comfort in a wonder
of unholy women. When the police come to raid, you will only see his back.”
“This journeyman has served his time
for offending others.” Old Phil removed his old hat that revealed rivers of
sweat that were carefully gliding down his hollow cheeks. With the back of his
hand, he rubbed them off his face and slapped the hat back on his head.
“I have a dream, a big one indeed.
My survival means I was not guilty at all. There are people who believed in me
because I have had a positive effect on their lives.” Old Phil straightened his
shoulders, raising his chin.
“Things will be
different for you now. Your travails are over.” Nihu sighed quietly,
chin in hand.
“Surviving
the Lonely Forest to tell the people of the devils here is news. No one in
recent memory has returned from here alive. Do you realize that? I am the
first. If you survive too, you can expect to increase your fortune ten-fold
when you get back to the countryside. God will see to that.”
“That will be a grand
accomplishment for an old soldier like you. I cannot hope to follow
you.” Nihu revealed a
trail of discouragement on his face. “I will be well into my years by the time
I am allowed to walk out of here. If I survive to that day.” He gazed desolately at the
old man.
Old Phil looked straight
into the eye of the disenfranchised youth, “Nihu, there is always hope. God has
made sure of that. I believe you can survive just as I have survived all these
years. Live bravely, your day will come.”
He
rose to his feet, “Let’s go out together to hunt for the last time. The animal
we bring in will be my parting gift for you.” He smiled at the boy. Nihu returned
it weakly. Old Phil would soon be gone for good.
“I will be with you in a
moment.” The old man said. “I want to bring my old Dane gun that has always hit
its mark.” He entered the hut as Nihu lowered his head between his
thighs scratching in the Earth with a stick.
In
a few minutes, Phil emerged, fully dressed in his hunting attire. “Boy, you
must get ready. The forest awaits our ambitions. So it would seem. But it is a
beginning that brings us closer to the
end.” Nihu got slowly to
his feet, as if he was being forced to go against his principles. He went into
the hut to get all he would need for the hunt. He took the spear that was in
the doorway and returned to Old Phil’s side. “I am ready,” he said
quietly.
“Look, Nihu,
upon our return to the cabin, we shall have a long swim in the river, you hear
me?”
“Okay.”
“And
I remember you told me you have a flute and that you can play very well. You
must play for me. I will dance like a man celebrating in triumph before leaving
for the countryside.”
“I
will play as well as I can. May the gods find favor.”
“You
will engender favor by celebrating with me. It is well that a body casts doubt
and fear aside so that he might honor another’s good fortune. So, Nihu, I
want the best from you.” He coughed and his hat fell off his head. He went for
it and added, “I will send prayers for you every day that your sojourn here
will be as uneventful as possible.”
They
walked down the path in silence for a while. Presently, Old Phil inquired
if Nihu had his flute with him.
“No, I left it in my
rucksack in the hut.”
“I
was tempted to ask you to play now a dreamy song of the countryside.” Old Phil
sighed. “Oh well, it will wait until we return.”
They trampled the dry
leaves, heading for the interior of the forest, Old Phil leading Nihu who
followed slowly behind. Phil was almost skipping in happy anticipation as if
heading to a glorious alter. After some time, the forest swallowed them up, as
if wanting them to become a part of the Lonely Forest forever. It is hard to
say which of them would have bargained harder for his freedom.
By
sunset, the two had not yet found a single animal that Old Phil could have
gotten with a clean shot. The evening was beginning to stare them down and
there was no animal in sight. The day had finally surrendered to the coming of
the evening powers. Both were tired and had little strength left. Old Phil’s
shoulder has sagged and Nihu could barely lift his feet. Without
speaking, they stopped to rest under a tree. Old Phil broke the long silence
that had stood between them. “Nihu, what shall we do? We cannot remain here
like stagnant waters on the street of the local district. I wanted to celebrate
properly, not in such a weak manner. The fun must start right away.”
“What
shall we do?”
“Just watch me. You may
learn the way the army of the countryside celebrates their victories after a
hard fought battle.” The old man got to his feet and sent bullets from his old
Dane gun into the air. As excitement within him grew, he let more bullets into
the air, chanting old spirited songs of victory that every soldier of the
countryside sings when the mission has gone the right way. Old Phil let go more
bullets until he had none left in his gun.
Satisfied
he turned to Nihu, “Boy, let’s return to the hut. The bullets have served
their purpose. I feel as good as if they had brought down a tasty beast. What
is more exciting than forest life? A forest where even the trees now believe in
my prowess and wits?” He caught Nihu’s eye. “I can see you are glum.
Lively up, Nihu. No need to bury your head in discouragement. We can get
one of the monkeys near the hut to fill our bellies. I will show you the stores
of provisions I have made and of course, the hut is yours to live
in. Tomorrow, I leave you to your life. A solitary life is not such
a bad thing. I have new-found confidence after I have eaten and
lived with the jungle devils that never cease to arrive at my doorstep.”
“At
least, I was able to get to know you for a little while,” Nihu was
resigned to his fate. “Living with you was not written into my banishment
order. It was luck that I met you here and now circumstance is now setting us
apart. Your time here is done. The providence that kept you alive all these years
can also deliver me from painful claws of death.”
“It is good to hear you
say such things. Nevertheless, be careful. Macquesemis had much faith
in providence, but today his remains rest under the shade of an old oak tree.
Let us go.” Old Phil put his hand on the boy’s shoulder as they set off in the
direction of the hut.
The
light was waning and they went along quietly. The dry leaves crackled under
their boots. Nihu’s eyes spied a walnut tree; the ripe fruits among
its leaves spoke to his stomach. Up the tree he went. With a hand on one of the
tree’s fruits, he called out, “Phil, I will be along presently. No need to wait
but a moment.” He went for another as Old Phil continued alone.
“I will wait for you by
the river. Just be careful.” His voice carried back as Nihu faded
into the tree.
“Who would find me up
here?” Nihu wondered in a whisper. “I will pluck some walnuts and
catch up to him before the river.”
Old
Phil waved his left arm into the air by way of farewell as he went down the
path, suffering the dry leaves and grasses under his worn boots. Just as he
pursed his lips to whistle a tune for companionship, a lion leapt onto his
path. Seeing the old man, it charged without hesitation. Old Phil had less than
two seconds to face the animal with his Dane gun, ready with his finger on the
trigger to dispatch the animal to its grave. In a twinkling, it dawned on him
that the gun was empty and he had no other option but to flee. As he turned to
run, the lion pounced.
Nihu heard
the roar and knew Old Phil was in peril. An agonized cry from the old man and
another roar from the beast set the forest ablaze in the quiet night. Nihu jumped
from the tree, took hold of his spear that he had left leaning against it, and
hurried to the scene where Old Phil was battling to stay alive underneath a
wild lion. The lion had the attack advantage and had Phil pinned to the ground.
Old Phil was trying his best to roll away from the lion’s claws and teeth, but
he cried aloud and panted for air.
Nihu raised
his spear above his head and raced into the melee to save Old Phil from
becoming a meal for the wild beast. He struck the lion in the neck, a little
below the mane. The spear stuck deep in the neck of the lion, but the handle came
apart in his hand and Nihu could only hope that a second strike would
not be necessary. He stood back, as the lion, knocked off his feet, struggled
with fate. Old Phil, battling hard to overcome blackout, made a final effort to
send his foe to the world beyond. He drew his jackknife from his boot, sat up
and slit the lion’s belly. The lion lay still at last.
Old
Phil sank back and began to gasp for his life in the pool of his blood. Nihu rushed
to him in a horrible fright, to see if he could save the old man from dying at
the brink of his release. He knelt by the old man’s bloody head, took it onto
his lap and tried to encourage the old soldier back to life. “Phil, you are
strong. Stronger than the willows in the brook. You must not die.” Tears
flooded his eyes. “I will care for you in the hut for as long as it
takes.”
Old
Phil struggled valiantly against the incoming blackness. “No, Nihu, it is
too late already for medicine. I have met my fate today. A soldier never
travels through the woods with an empty gun. Had I remembered that, I would be
worthy to see my home again. Former deeds cannot insure survival in hell. My
life is tragedy and I hope you might learn something from it. I advise you to
take your own life, my boy. Do not wait for the devil of beast or disease to
ravage you. You must find a way out of here . . .” He gasped and choked as
speech left him. His head rolled to one side as the last of life faded from his
lips.
Nihu stroked
Old Phil’s face and wept bitterly as he recognized that the old man’s ghost had
gone. “No, no, Phil. No! You cannot leave like this. This is not how it’s
supposed to be!” He fell on the dead man and wept, harder than ever before in
his life. He wailed aloud in the dark until he could cry no more.
Somehow,
he managed to drag the remains of the old man back to the hut where he found a
shovel to dig a grave. After he finished the mound, he built a small fire and
went in for his flute. Returning to the graveside, he began to pay Old Phil his
last respects. The melody was a dirge, played for fallen heroes in the
countryside. It was equally good enough to move one’s feet. However, Nihu remained
seated on a log as he played out his despair.
Presently,
a deer came out of the woods into the clearing. It made few steps toward the
fire and transformed into a white dwarf that began to dance to the
melody. Nihu’s heart jumped into his mouth. He stopped playing and
watched the creature, fear gripping his heart. In the absence of music, the
dwarf continued to dance. The flute slipped from Nihu’s grasp as his
grip relaxed and the dwarf, cloaked in animal skins, laughed. The eyes in the
sockets of his skull were incredibly large and yellow and quite terrible to
look at. The dwarf skipped forward a few steps and laughed a terrifying laugh
in Nihu’s face, revealing a crooked set of yellow teeth.
“You are good. You play
well. If not, I would have had to eat you.” The dwarf stared into the boy’s
eyes. “I have watched you bury your dead countryman and when you pulled out
your flute I forgot everything to dance. I don’t get much chance for
festivities anymore.”
Nihu’s eyes
widened. He plucked up his spirit to ask, “Who are you?”
“I
am Magonda, the god of the Lonely Forest. I rule everything here.” The
bulging eyes of the dwarf were fixed on Nihu. He did not look pleasant or
friendly. A dwarf’s countenance can send one’s courage packing at the drop of a
hat. Being stared at by one of them was an invitation to flee.
Cold jitters ran
down Nihu’s spine. The bravery that had come to him in the face of
the lion had gone. Nihu could only wait for the kind of consolation
that old Philominenges got or the slow death that swallowed Macquesemis.
Yet something the dwarf had said prompted an inquiry to the quick-thinking boy.
As if probing a weak spot in the dwarf’s reply, Nihu crossed his arms
over his body and threw out his question. “If you rule here as you say, why
didn’t you prevent the lion’s attack and the snake bite that killed the men that
lived here for so many years?”
The
dwarf was unfazed and laughed, covering his mouth with a hand as rough as the
back of a turtle. This protected the dismal sight of his teeth from the eyes of
the boy. The laugh bowed his body to the ground. Then he stopped abruptly, and
threw a wicked look at Nihu. “Why didn’t I save your countrymen from their
deaths? I ordered their deaths. It was as I wished. Your friends caused me no
end of trouble since the day they arrived here.”
“So
you killed them?” Nihu could not take his eyes from the proud
creature’s face.
“Yes. Moreover, I can
end you, too, with a devilish zap such as this. He drew a short battle-axe from his cloak and
threw it at a tree. The piercing not only ravaged the tree, it destroyed other
trees in a wide swath behind it. When Nihu turned to see the ruin,
his eyes widened, for the battle-axe had cut down over ten trees with that one
hit. The dwarf raised his hand to catch the axe that flew back to his grasp.
Nihu realized his peril,
and his knees knocked ferociously together. “Please, let me go.”
“Yes,
indeed. Your fancy flute playing has saved your life. I will let you go on one
condition. I want you to go to the western mountain.” He pointed with his left
hand into the gloom beyond Nihu’s fire. “It is at the far end of the
forest and is a home of evil powers; a place of frequent volcano eruptions that
has cost this forest and other areas their natural beauty. When you get there,”
he brought out a smooth, round stone, “you will drop this stone in the pit of
fire. If you do that for me, I will spare you forever.”
“Where
is the pit of fire?”
“It
is right there in the mountain. Your intuition will lead you to it.”
“Can’t
you tell me the way?”
“You will have to find it yourself.
That is my price for your freedom. If you fail, I will kill you as I did to a
thousand-man army that came to war with me many years ago. I am sure they are
from your land. Look here and you will see.”
Magonda opened his cloak and
raised his arm as if forming a large wing. Nihu saw a scene of a
bloody war revealed in the cloth. A battle was being fought between the wood
demons led by Magonda, and country army sent by his own king, who had
believed the powers in the Lonely Forest, could be conquered as any foreign
enemy they had successfully driven from the kingdom.
* * *
Men approached the
Lonely Forest like insects with swords, javelins, long spears, and
short-handled battle-axes with heads as big as the head of a four-fisted
wrecking ball. They carried shields meant to protect against the onslaught of
the wood demons. As they advanced, the plain in front of the forest began to
vomit horrible looking creatures. Zombies formed out of the ground, carrying
weapons like those of the enemy. They prepared to confront the intruders in a
showdown.
Seeing the zombies
readying themselves for attack, the invaders roared and charged, raising their
weapons above their heads. As they were about to close in, the army halted as
if sizing up their opponents. The leader stepped forward. A man of a
considerable height, his neck was as thick as the handle of his battle-axe. He
instructed the soldiers handling the bows and arrows to step forward and then
commanded them to shoot. A thousand arrows were let loose, which descended like
night rain on the wood demons. They received the shots as if there was nothing
significant about them at all. If an arrow pierced anywhere in their bodies,
they drew it out and bit off the point, as if eating from a plate at a banquet.
When the country army saw that their shots did no harm to the wood demons, the
leader cried out to attack right away. The soldiers roared, raising their
spears and axes to high heavens and raced across the field to the clash.
Likewise, the wood demons ran down the plain to meet their adversary.
Heads began to roll and
blood flowed like a river. The zombies had the upper hand and the army fell
like a pack of cards. Suddenly, the zombies began to vanish, disappearing into
the forest as if they had lost all lust for battle. Greatly encouraged the
survivors pressed their advantage and advanced into the woods.
The battle took a new
turn when they got to the forest. The soldiers stood in amazement as they
discovered that the demons they had chased were nowhere in sight. They seemed
to have mixed with the air. As the armies were still looking confusedly to every side, strange
cries like wild wolves filled the air. The howling grew and the men stood in
fear, holding their weapons in an iron grip.
A rumble shook the
ground and moments later a pack of giant wolves leapt upon the men from every
direction, sending a host of them to early graves. The soldiers did not give up
in the face of the massacre. They fought gallantly and were able to overcome
the wolves that turned to ashes when a capable soldier’s lance made good its
mark. After a ferocious onslaught, the wolves retreated into the wooded forest.
The men were still
lamenting the huge number of deaths to their camp, when they noticed trees
around crackling. They fixed their eyes on the developing cracks. Mythical
zombies like the ones they battled earlier began to come out of the trees.
Immediately, they pounced on the remaining army and another round of
breathtaking battle ensued. These zombies were even more horrible than the first contingent
was. They were cannibals whose fingernails skewered their prey as they feasted
on all they could lay their hands on. This completely demoralized the remaining
troops. They took to their heels. As they ran, trees began to vomit arrows
after them. At every turn, men fell and died. The zombies increased their numbers
and made many meals out of the corpses. They were still in frenzy when Magonda,
the ruler of the Lonely Forest, emerged to survey the scene. Recognizing him at
once, the creatures got up and bowed to their god. Then quietly, they retreated
into the trees from whence they had come.
* * *
Nihu watched the scene fade with a heavy heart.
“You
are but a gnat in my teeth,” said Magonda. “A wolf would make short work
of you.”
“That
is what I want. Kill me now. No need to send me to a place where I will die
like a poor dog. And now I know I am not meant to return home from this place.”
The dwarf laughed, “So
you prefer to die, Nihu?”
“Yes.
It is better. I am ready now.”
The white dwarf opened
his mouth. A whirlwind came out of it and transformed into a great gorilla. The
beast roared, beating hard on its chest. Without thinking of his prior
resolve, Nihu took to his heels with his feet almost touching the
back of his head like an antelope broken loose from the snare of a desperate
hunter. The beast had the speed of ten men and chased Nihu around the
camp. They went past trees and bushes with amazing speed. Nihu was no
match for the agile beast who finally pounced, crushing him to the ground. He
roared with the roar of a rampaging river that has broken free of a dam. He
grabbed hold of one of Nihu’s legs and suspended him in the
air. Magonda came forward.
“STOP!”
the dwarf ordered. “I have no reason to want you dead, Nihu. You did not
disrupt my home like your compatriots. You did not upset my animals, you did
not hurt my trees, and you did not make noise. I am pleased with your playing.
Those countrymen of yours got what they deserved.”
“Will
you free me?”
“I
will. Are you ready to do as I asked?”
“I
will, if you let me go.”
The
dwarf signaled to the gorilla. He dropped Nihu on the ground and
stalked off into the dark night. “If you do as I instruct, the powers in the
mountain will not destroy you. However, if you try to outsmart me, you will
never come back alive. The trail to the mountain is as difficult as walking on
the wheels of fire. However, the quest must be completed. I must confess, even
if I knew where the pit was, I could not tell you. I will give you this
battle-axe. Once you cast the stone into the pit, it will start work for you.”
“If
I may ask, why can’t you cast the stone yourself?”
“You
will find out when you get there.”
Magonda handed
the stone and the battle-axe to Nihu. He took them gingerly. “The axe will
work for you immediately upon accomplishing the task before you,” repeated the
dwarf.
Nihu was
still contemplating the Herculean task that was ahead of him when the dwarf
became a black panther and bounded beyond sight of the glowing embers. Nihu shuffled
through the dark to the hut and sank onto the wooden bed, covering himself with
a cover of animal skin he found on the bed. The darkness grew as a giant troll,
making it dangerous to venture out for a night hunt, as hunters would do in the
bush tribes. Stars refused to smile, starving the Earth of brightness.
Nihu had
yet to put the day behind him. He kept thinking of the white dwarf and could
not sleep. The days ahead held so much uncertainty. There was no lamp in the
hut and it was pitching dark. As the night sunk into every crevice and
corner, Nihu threw the cover off his body. He got hold of the
battle-axe and the stone and began to run his hands over them in the huge
darkness. After some time, he sank into sleep. An old soldier like Phil
or Macquesemis might have been wakeful, knowing from experience what
things he might face by embarking on such a journey, a mission full of danger and
with little hope of success. Nihu however was only a boy and he began
to snore very hard in the quiet hands of the night.
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