Fetichism in West Africa : $b forty years' observation of native customs and superstitionsNassau, Robert Hamill
Philosophy
Fetichism in West Africa : $b forty years' observation of native customs and superstitions
Nassau, Robert Hamill
Ethnology -- Africa, West; Fetishism -- Africa, West
Instantly, on her doing so, the girl sneezed, opened her eyes, stared
around, rose up in a sitting posture, and said, "Oh, I must have been
sleeping a long time." The other asked, "You were only sleeping?" And the
girl replied, "Yes." Then Ogula's daughter saluted, "Mbolo!" and the girl
responded, "Ai, Mbolo!" and the other, "Ai!"
Then the girl asked, "Where am I? What place is this?" The other said,
"Why, you are in my father's house. This is my father's house." And the
girl asked, "But who or what brought me here?" Then Ogula's daughter told
her the whole story of Esěrěngila's having found the gilded box.
They at once conceived a great liking for each other, and started to be
friends. They played and laughed and talked and embraced, and fondled each
other. This they did for quite a while.
Then the beautiful one was tired, and she said, "It is better that you put
back the nail and let me sleep again." So the girl lay down in the box,
the nail was inserted in her head, and she instantly fell into
unconsciousness.
Ogula's daughter slid back the lid, and went out of the room, carefully
closing the door. She now lost all desire to go out of the house and play
with her former companions. Her father observed this, and urged her to
play and visit as she formerly had done. But she declined, making some
excuses, and saying she had no wish to do so. All her interest lay in that
room of the gilded box and beautiful girl. Whenever her father went out,
she at once would go to the room, draw out the lid, and pull out the nail;
her friend would sit up, and they would play, and repeat their friendship.
Ogula's daughter, seeing that her friend's desire for sleep was weakness
for want of food, daily brought her food. And the girl grew strong and
well and happy.
This was kept up many days without Ogula knowing of it.
But it happened one day, when the two girls were thus sitting in their
friendship, they continued their play and conversation so long that
Ogula's daughter forgot the time of her father's return; and he suddenly
entered the room, and was surprised to see the two girls talking. She was
frightened when she saw her father. But he was not angry, and quieted her,
saying, "Do not be afraid! How is it that you have been able to bring this
girl to life? What have you done?"
She told her father all about it, especially of the nail. Then Ogula sat
down by the girl of the gilded box, and asked the story of her life. She
told him all. Then he said, "As your mother is the kind of woman that
sends people to kill, and I am chief in this place, I will investigate
this matter to-morrow. I will call all the people of this region, and
there will be an ozâzâ (palaver) in the morning; and you shall remain, for
you are to be my wife."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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