The Brevity of Bantu
Bantu hurried down the night path. The sky was dark and the storm was threatening to hit earth at any moment.
He silently urged his feet to move faster than ever before. Truly, he was scared of the shadows that lurked in the night, and the evil spirits that were rumored to lurk around during such late hours of the day.
Some of the stories were that people who walked too late at night were given up as food to the ancestors. The ancestors are quick to devour them without mercy as they have been hungry for a long time; years and years of unending starvation.
Some other versions of oral literature also told tales of young children who were too ugly to be eaten by the ancestors. When they’re taken up there and rejected, the ancestors would then cast them down to earth. This time, they’d not return to their parents, rather they’d be eaten up by big and Monstrous looking trees. Just like the one that surrounded Bantu.
People who fell victim to all this, become scapegoats for other villagers. Because of this, both old and young feared to venture into the dark after the night light.
But today Bantu did not have any choice at all.
Back in the village, his Nana lay very sick with a fever that caused her to retch in pain. Her body temperature was beyond normal, and her feet were as cold as the morning dew by the river stream.
The only thing that could save her was a leaf that grew conspiratorially around the outskirts of the village. The leaf had moisture that could be extracted to bring even a dead person back to life
Bantu could tell that if he did not find the herbs immediately, his Nana would die before the next sunrise.
As he hurried down the path that stretched out before him in darkness, his eyes darted back and forth. He was scared, but he still had to go on. There’s only as much that a little boy could take at once. Despite the fear, he knew he had to save Nana. He silently prayed to the One True God to save him from evil spirits that ate children at night, and trees that swallowed people.
With time, Bantu started to run and run. The night had grown dark, and the trees appeared to block the ray of moonlight from reaching the pathway.
The trees stood like mighty giants before him, and he quivered with fear as several horrific tales continued to play out within his head.
With time, he found his way to the river. The water flowed very quietly, and the river looked like a reflective white sheet in the middle of the night.
It was magical. Bantu could not help but stare at it. It seemed to entice him. Bantu had never seen the river at night. He had heard several folktales about the magical glow of the river during the nighttime, but it had been nothing like this.
The folktales and stories described it simply as white and beautiful. That description did not do the river any justice. Bantu thought it was magical. It reminded him of the clouds in the daylight sky. The river looked like white clouds rummaging the surface of the earth.
It was beautiful.
He quickly remembered the herb and hurried over to the side of the stream to pluck it. And that was when the magic happened. The river began to speak to him.
“Who seeks my favorite plant seedling at such an odd hour?”
At first, Bantu had been startled.
Then, his legs began to wobble in fright. He assumed automatically that the ancestors had come to eat him up.
Bantu suddenly began to cry.
“I only seek to heal my sick Nana, please do not eat me.”
The river began to laugh. Bantu’s fear and sudden tears were indeed amusing, he was a very funny little boy.
“There’s no need to fear, young boy. It is I, the river goddess.”
For the first time, Bantu’s attention was redirected towards the river, and his eyes widened in astonishment. A fine faced mermaid sat on the water and smiled at him.
“Please, forgive me, River goddess, I did not know you were there. Are you here to eat me too?” Bantu requested in fear.
“No,” the goddess replied. “I can tell you’re a good boy, and I don’t eat good boys.”
“Please I promise not to bother you again, I just want the herb for my Nana who is very sick,” Bantu replied in fear.
The river goddess laughed Mirthlessly.
“Of course, you may have it. But first, you must prove that you’re worthy of this plant.
I shall test you.”
“But… but… river goddess…”
Before Bantu could complete the statement, three raffia baskets appeared in front of him.
The goddess smiled and said,
“Dear little boy, contained within these baskets are the keys to all of your innermost dreams and desires “
“The first basket holds the ability to make you the smartest boy in your school.
The second basket will make you the richest and most respected boy in your village, And the third basket holds the cure to your Nana’s health.”
“Which would you choose?”
Bantu stood helplessly before the mermaid. He was confused and did not know which decision to make at all.
He had always dreamed of being the smartest kid in his local school. And riches? If he did become the richest boy in the whole village, he would not be bullied by Ahmed and the other big boys unnecessarily.
This was a lifetime opportunity to get everything he’d ever desire and he was willing to jump on the offer. Until he thought of his Nana.
How would he live without her? He loved her best in the entire world, and he couldn’t live without her for any reason. He knew the decision he had to make… It was the hardest decision yet the easiest. He had to save Nana first. After all, with life, comes hope. His heart already knew what he had to do.
“I just want my Nana to be well again,” Bantu replied immediately to the mermaid.
“I want her to watch me grow big and handsome… I want her to be with me forever.” Bantu declared finally.
“What a wise decision you’ve made Bantu. For your sacrifice and wisdom, many more shall be added to the healing portion. When you get home, your desires would await you in your little hut.”
With this strange statement, the mermaid handed him the raffia basket that contained the herbs and bid him farewell.
Bantu still reeling with shock from the experience started to hurry back home. He did not fully understand what the mermaid had said, but he was happy that she had not eaten him, and his Nana would soon be well again. As he hurried down the dark path, with the raffia basket in his hands, he couldn’t wait to reach home and tell Nana everything that had happened.
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