The Witch-Herbalist of the Remote Town (3 page)

Now as it was forbidden for me to sit down again once the sacrifice had been given to the god of iron in respect of me or one who was going on a long journey like me, so
immediately
we returned to the house, I entered my room and I first drank one keg of the palm-wine. Then I wore my hunting dresses, I wore many kinds of juju in my loin, I wore many on my neck, both on my elbows and limbs. Several others which were the skulls of snakes, birds of prey, lizards, etc. were tied on my huge cap and I put it on my head. Having dressed like that, I took my bow and the poisonous arrows. Many kinds of juju were tied on every part of the bow as well. Then I hung the bow and arrows and my long and heavy matchet on my left shoulder. Then I put the juju ring which could make a person invisible on one of my left fingers.

After, I put my roasted meat, some fresh yams, the parcel of ground pepper, the large cruse, the two flinty stones, etc. and the rest of my juju inside the huge bag which was made from the leather of a wild beast which I had killed long ago. So I hung this huge bag on my left shoulder as well. Having equipped myself like that, again I drank one keg of the
palm-wine
. Then I took out the heavy matchet from its sheath, I held it with the right hand and then I staggered from my room to the outside of the house. And at the same time, as the custom of the Town under the Rock or Rocky Town was, I knelt down before my father, mother, the father of my wife and other people who had been waiting for me in front of the house to pray for me, and to bid me goodbye.

As I knelt down before the people, and as I began to shake from feet to head for the intoxication of the powers of all the juju which I wore and as well for the power of the strong
palm-wine which I had drunk in the room, so they all prayed for me. After the prayer, each of the people including my mother, father, my wife, her mother and her father, hung several kinds of juju gourds all over my dresses, head, neck, breast, loin, etc. After all these juju gourds were offered, I did not waste time at all but I stood up and I started my journey immediately.

As they were accompanying me along, it was so I was bidding them goodbye, and they too were bidding me goodbye and safe journey. But my mother, my wife and many other people were weeping bitterly as they were accompanying me along to the outskirts of the town. I did not bother for that at all. Instead, I was just going along as quickly as I could. But of course I knew that they were weeping bitterly for the hardships, difficulties, dangers, bad spirits, ghosts and the wild jungle people who, they believed, I was going to meet on the way before reaching the Remote Town, if I was fortunate to reach there. But as for me, I had made up my mind ready to face whatever might disturb me on the way.

It was like that my mother, father, wife, my father-in-law, mother-in-law and several other people led me to the outskirts of the town with grief. And again, on the outskirts of the town, the whole of them prayed for me with tears that my “Supreme Second” would guide me to the Witch-Herbalist and that he would also guide me back to them. They did all this because they were afraid that if I failed to return it would be a great grief to them. When they had accompanied me to the outskirts of the town, I bade them the last goodbye and they too bade me goodbye reluctantly. But as the whole of them burst into tears again, I turned my back to them. I faced the path which went to the town of the Witch-Herbalist. I began to walk along as quickly as I could and then they turned their backs to me and went back to the town reluctantly. It was like that I left my Rocky Town that morning for the Remote Town of the Witch-Herbalist, who I believed, would help me to make my barren wife pregnant.

Although I had left my town without human wayfarers or partners, my first “mind” and my second “mind” were my partners, while the third partner which was my “memory” had also prepared itself ready to help me perhaps whenever my two “minds” failed to advise or deserted me. And it was also prepared to record all the offences which the two “minds” might commit. Again, my fourth partner was my “Supreme Second” who was totally invisible and who was entirely supreme to the three of them, yet he had prepared himself ready to guide me throughout my journey.

Soon all of the people were lost to my view and I too was lost to their view. Now, it remained me alone on the road except for my first “mind”, second “mind” and my “memory” which were now my partners, and the three of them were my advisers as well. But my “Supreme Second” was my guard though he was invisible.

I kept going along on the road as quickly as I could so that I might be able to travel very far away from my town before the nightfall, and also to be able to travel to such a suitable safe place where I could sleep in the night. It was so I was travelling on and on, on this clear road, till when it was the second hour of the afternoon. As I continued to travel along, it was so my first “mind” and second “mind” were advising me repeatedly that I must not stop till nightfall. I did not pay heed to their advice at first, but of course they were for me just as if I were with persons.

Although I had two “minds” in me, the first one which was in the left was not so reliable sometimes. It misled me to do wrong things, but its advice was useful sometimes. But the second one which was in the right was very reliable. It spoke
the truth always. Whenever both of them deserted me when I was in dangers, my “memory” never deserted me and it did not fail or forget to record down the offences which each of the two “minds” committed.

Fortunately, as this time was the middle part of the dry season, it enabled me to travel very far away from my town before that second hour of the afternoon. But immediately my second “mind” told me that it was the second hour of the afternoon, and as I was terribly hungry for food, I stopped under the shadow of a big tree without following the advice of my first “mind” and second “mind”. This big tree had plenty of long and spread branches on top. As its leaves were broad, it was so some of its branches were spread to the road and were also spread on the brook which was behind it, at a little distance of about three hundred metres.

The sun was as hot as fire this day and it had nearly dried me up like a cloth. But every part of my body became very cool as soon as I stopped under this tree. After I had enjoyed this cool shadow of the tree for some twinklings of standing, I put all my loads down and then I sat on a white-ant mound which was also under the tree. As I sat down on the mound, I leaned my back on the other part of it which was bent backward like an easy-chair, with the hope to enjoy more cool breeze before I ate my food. Although I did not hear the voice of any living creature at first, this did not frighten me at all. But my first “mind” told me that something would happen to me if I kept too long there, and at the same time, my second “mind” confirmed that though something might happen to me I would conquer it at last. So when my second “mind” had confirmed it like that, I did not bother to leave there until I was satisfied.

When I had rested for about sixty twinklings under this tree, I loosened my bag which I put down closely at my right side. I took one roasted meat from it and I ate it to my
satisfaction
. After that, I stood up, I took my heavy matchet and then I went to the brook which was behind this tree. As I stood
on the bank of the brook, I began to crane at every part of the jungle with fear, thinking that perhaps there might be some dangerous beings. But when I was quite sure that there was no living being or anything which was dangerous, I bent down and I drank the water from the brook to my satisfaction before I came back cautiously to the tree. To my surprise, as soon as I sat on the white-ant mound and leaned my back on the other part of it, I was not aware when sleep took me away.

As this sleep was so nice to me, within half a twinkling, I began to dream. And in this dream, I saw that I was being chased about the edge of the brook by many wild animals wishing to kill me. All of them were those which I had killed long ago in my town. So without hesitation, as I had no bow and arrows in my dream, I began to fight them with bare hands. And after some twinklings’ fight, I overpowered many of them, and I killed them at last, and so many of them escaped with fear. But the most powerful of them, which did not fear me, was a very stout ape. He did not run away from me but he faced me to fight as soon as the rest had run away for their lives.

As he faced me to fight, and as he was too fearful for me, I jumped down with fear from the mound on which I slept and then I woke. When I opened my eyes, my dream became the truth, because I saw an ape who stood firmly before me. At the same time, he clutched my bag of juju, the bag in which I kept my roasted meat and many other things, and he took my matchet as well. So having seen him do so, I feared so much that I did not know what to do next except to run away for my life. But as I stood up suddenly and I started to run away, he hastily put my property which he had seized down near a tree. Then without hesitation, he started to chase me along fiercely to catch me. As he was very powerful, he overtook me within a few twinklings. And as his hands were touching my occiput slightly just to hold it and then drag me back, I put on more speed, although I had become entirely
tired by this time, yet fear forced me to run after him again to a little distance.

Having seen this, he became angrier and he put on more efforts, he overtook me once more. Without hesitation, he gripped my head and then he started to drag me back to the spot where he had put my property.

When he had dragged me mercilessly to that spot, he did not waste time but he clutched my heavy matchet and then he started to beat me with it at the same time. Having beaten me mercilessly for about thirty twinklings, he forced me to sit down on the ground before the big tree and he too sat down in front of me. As he was still resting, my second “mind” became active now, and it told me that after this brutal ape had rested, he would kill me right out. So as I had no chance to take or to use one or two of my juju, I must use my personal power and with that I would conquer him, thus my second “mind” advised me to do.

As soon as my second “mind” advised me of what to do to save myself from this brutal ape, I became so brave and wild, especially when it came to my “memory” that I was a brave hunter in my town and that I had killed uncountable wild beasts of all kinds. So with bravery, I jumped on this cruel ape unexpectedly. I held his head with all my power, and just as I was trying to strangle him to death at the same time, he sprang up with all his power. As he sprang up
unexpectedly
, I fell down to a distance of six metres in front of him. I fell down so heavily that both my arms were nearly broken.

But as at this time I did not care for any consequence, I sprang up at the same time. I went back to him and then I stood ready before him as I began to give him the sign with hands to let us continue our fight. I gave him the sign with hands because as he was an animal, he could not understand me if I spoke to him by mouth. But I had hardly made the sign to him with hands when he jumped on me again, and at the same time he started to wrestle me with rage. So both
of us were wrestling here and there and also round the big tree several times in a moment. We did so for more than twenty twinklings, yet he could not knock me down and I too failed to knock him down each time that each of us tried to do so.

Having tried with all his power to lift the whole of me off the ground and knock me down to death but failed, I too failed to do the same thing for him. Then he held my head steadily with both hands. He held it so tightly with all his power that his eyes were closed tightly without his wish. And it was so too that I held his own neck with both hands, and then both of us were now moving heavily about on the same spot. I did not allow him to go and he too did not release me to go away.

After a while, as both of us were still moving about on that spot heavily and each one of us was perspiring continuously, we moved to the spot where he had put my matchet. As soon as I opened my eyes slightly and saw it, then without
hesitation
, I raised it up from the ground with my left foot.

Then I hastily loosened my right hand from his neck and I gripped the matchet. So I started to cut his neck at the same time with it. But he hastily loosened both his hands from my neck as soon as he felt severe pain at his neck and also saw the blood which was gushing out on to the ground. So without attempting to do anything again or to wait and revenge on me, he started to run away for his life. I chased him to kill him but I could not overtake him as he disappeared into the jungle.

But as soon as he had disappeared into the jungle, I returned to the spot where he had put all my property. I took all and then I continued my journey at the same time.

This was the first hardship that I met in my journey since when I had left my town. Though this brutal ape wounded me I conquered him at last. But before I left the spot I thanked my “Supreme Second” greatly for helping me to conquer the brutal ape.

Having continued my journey on this path for about one hundred and twenty twinklings, without either meeting or seeing any kind of living creature on this path, I stopped by a small rock which was near the path. Then I climbed it and I put my juju-bag, food-bag and other property on top of it. Then I sat down and after I had rested for some twinklings, I loosened my bag, I took out one big yam, one roasted meat, ground pepper, palm-oil and the two flinty stones. When I had put all down, I went round, I collected some dried sticks and refuse and then I returned to the top of the rock. Having arranged all of the dried sticks and the refuse together, then I struck the two flinty stones on each other until the fire came out from them onto the sticks and refuse.

As soon as the fire had enough flames, I put the big yam in it. After that I started to warm the palm oil and the roasted meat in the fire until the yam was roasted enough. When I had put all down before the fire, I went to the nearby tree which had broad leaves, I cut some of them and returned to the fire. I laid them on the ground and I put the roasted meat, some ground pepper and oil on them. After that I peeled the yam, I sliced it and then I put it on the leaves as well. I used these broad leaves as a plate. Having done all this as hastily as possible, because I was terribly hungry for food at this time, I began to eat them at the same time, and within a few
twinklings
I finished all. But I had hardly finished my food when the dark of the night came.

When the night met me on this rock and I could not see well, my first “mind” told me that as I could not travel further, it was better to sleep on top of this rock. But my first “mind” had hardly advised me like that when my second “mind”
interrupted. It said that it would be a great punishment to me if I slept on this rock that night, because a cruel man of the jungle, who was squatting about in the night, was living near the rock. So he would come out in the night and punish me even nearly to death, but anyhow I would be free from him at last. My second “mind” which was not misleading me warned me like that.

But of course, I greatly feared when my second “mind” disclosed what would happen to me in the night if I slept on that rock, because it was not misleading me at any time, like the first “mind” which was sometimes misleading. Well, as I was totally tired and weak before I came to this rock because I had used all my power when I fought with the brutal ape, and as I could not continue my journey further for tiredness and weariness, this forced me to sleep on this rock.

So having rested for about one hundred and twenty
twinklings
without hearing even the noise of an insect, I lay down near my bag of food. I used the bag of juju as a pillow, while I put my heavy matchet and bow and arrows of poison closely to my right hand. Having done all that, I faced the sky and then I began to think with fear about the squatting man of the jungle of whom my second “mind” had told me, and also about all the dangers which were ahead before I could reach the Remote Town of the Witch-Herbalist.

As I was still thinking seriously about these obstacles, I slept unnoticed. But to my horror, as I was still enjoying the sleep for about sixty twinklings, a fearful and very cold hand struck at my breastbone heavily. This strange hand was so heavy and cold like an ice block that I woke from sleep at the same time. As I opened my eyes and sat upright with great fear, I saw a horrible black being who squatted very closely to me. But as I sat upright with the fear which began to shake my body, and as I fastened my eyes on him though it was very dark, I began to think whether I was dreaming.

I was hardly confused like that when I began to feel cold. This was not the cold of the night but the strange cold which
was pouring out from the stomach of this squatting man of the jungle. Within half of a twinkling, I could not bear this sort of cold at all, because my body became so cold
unexpectedly
that I began to shiver from head to feet.

I felt that my hands, feet, neck and every part of my body was becoming so stiff that it was hardly possible for me to move it. Having seen how things went from bad to worse, then I stretched my right hand just to take the bag of my juju, with the hope of taking one of the juju from it to use it for this squatting man of the jungle, perhaps it would drive him away. But to my fear, my hand could not hold anything again for it had become too stiff immediately this squatting man turned his face to the bag of juju and blew the cold to that place. Perhaps he knew what I wanted to take from the bag, I did not know.

Again, as my right hand had failed to take one of the juju from the bag, I forced my left hand to my right side where I had put my matchet and bow and arrows before I slept. Although after several twinklings’ struggle, I forced the left hand to the matchet, as soon as I wanted to hold its handle, I saw through the thick darkness that this fearful and cruel squatting man had hastily turned his face to that spot. He blew the cold there as well, and he had hardly done so, when my left hand ran so cold from shoulder to fingers that it became so stiff that I could not hold the matchet at all. So willing or not, I left this my left hand on that spot. Probably this cruel squatting man knew that I wanted to matchet him, I did not understand.

Now as both my arms were so stiff that they were stretched permanently to both my sides, so I did not know what to do next, to defend myself from this squatting man. I faced him as he squatted closely to me, I began to ask from my first “mind” and second “mind” what could I do to save me from this abnormal huge and cruel squatting man of the jungle? Because both my arms were now too stiff to take either my juju or matchet, or bow and arrows with which to fight him.
At this moment, my first “mind” hastily advised me that if this squatting man spared my life this night or let me go away safely, I should discontinue my journey but I should return from that place to my town at the same time. My first “mind” advised me further that I should not bother whether my wife was pregnant or not.

But at the same time, my second “mind” advised me that I should object to my first “mind’s” advice, because it would be a great shame to me if I returned to my town without reaching the Remote Town of the Witch-Herbalist and
bringing
the medicine which could make my wife pregnant, for the people of the town were expecting me to return to them with such medicine. My second “mind” explained further that it was impossible for the huge and cruel squatting man to kill me because as my juju were near me, though they were in the bag, they were defending me miraculously. The squatting man would only torture me till when the morning-sun appeared on the sky. Again, my “Supreme Second” would save me as well, thus my second “mind” advised me.

But to my fear and embarrassment again, my second “mind” had hardly advised me like that and I had agreed to its advice when this cruel squatting man of the jungle blew heavy cold to my face and breast unexpectedly, and then all became as stiff as dried sticks at the same time. Now my first and second “minds” could not help me to decide anything as before, except my “memory”, but as I believed that my “Supreme Second” was not far from me, things would not be too bad for me until daybreak.

Now, I could not bend or move both arms, neck or all parts of my body. And I was just looking at the squatting man with my stiff eyes which I had opened widely before they became stiff. I saw him plainly now that he scowled at my face, and he was a stalwart squatting man who could easily tear even an elephant into several pieces within a sixtieth of a
twinkling
. He did not wear clothes, but very long hair covered some parts of his body. His head was bigger than necessary with
two fearful eyes. The two eyes went deeply into his skull. The hair on his head was so long that it covered his breast. It was muddled together as if it was rubbed with a large quantity of thick grease. He had a long moustache which was spread to a distance of about thirty centimetres and it parted to left and right.

The belly of this cruel ABNORMAL SQUATTING WILD MAN OF THE JUNGLE was so big and swelled out that it was touching the ground. Through the moon-beam which had just appeared in the sky in the midnight, I saw him clearly. His beard was long to about forty centimetres, it was very bushy and stale, and hundreds of fleas were moving here and there in it. But his thick and twisted arms and legs were able to carry his over-inflated belly, from which he used to blow out the cold onto his victims. Of course I could not see his ears because of his muddled dirty hair which entirely covered both.

The other parts of his body which were not covered by the muddled dirty hair, were full of big smelling mumps. To my surprise and fear when he was aloof, he seemed a
powerless
, morbid, wild jungle man. But it was very dangerous for one to approach him unless one who saw him aloof took to his or her heels at the same time. Furthermore, he had another trick with which he lured his victims. Some time when the day was lurid, and as the hair which covered his head and body was just like light brown weeds, he used to lurk in the weeds for his victim, and when the victim came near him, he jumped on him or her unexpectedly and then started to blow the cold onto his or her body as hastily as he could. Again, he pretended sometimes to be motley, or when he saw one at a distance he burst into silly laughter suddenly as if he was mad. But as soon as that person began to look at him with all his or her attention, he jumped on him or her unexpectedly. It was thus he was also catching his victims.

But as he continued to torture me that night, as soon as he had paralysed every part of my body with the cold which he was blowing heavily and continuously onto my body for
about one hundred and twenty twinklings, he stopped doing so, but he started to speak the language which I did not understand at all. His voice was so strange and fearful to me that I began to squirm as I was then squinting at him with great fear, although I could not move any part of my body.

It was not so long after this cruel Abnormal Squatting Wild Man began to speak squeakingly, that the cold water began to spurt from every part of his body continuously as if one was speaking with great annoyance for a long time. Having spoken greedily to himself for a while, he became extremely annoyed suddenly and then he began to strike my head with his long brown upper teeth without mercy. I was so much afraid and felt pain at this time that I was not aware when I fainted. I thought he was going to eat me and go away, but instead, he continued to treat me badly. Of course, he was never hungry for food whenever he was punishing his victims, for this was his happiness and favourite food and drink.

As I was still faint and he continued to punish me, God was so good, he did not bite my head till daybreak. As this time was the middle part of the dry season, so it was hardly
daybreak
when the hot sun appeared in the sky unexpectedly and it shone on both of us. But as he could not remain so long in the heat of the sun, otherwise his large belly would burst at the same time. He ran away to his unknown place of abode and he left me there helplessly.

Luckily, when the sun had heated my body for a few twinklings, I woke from fainting and I could move every part of my body as I liked. So I stood up, I hastily packed up my juju-bag, food-bag, bow and arrows. I hung all on my
shoulders
except the heavy matchet which I held. But as I wanted to leave that spot and continue my journey, my first “mind” reminded me now that as I was a brave hunter in my Rocky Town, and as I had plenty of juju, I should try to find the Abnormal Squatting Man of the Jungle, to fight him to death in return for all the punishments which he had given me. While my first “mind” reminded me like that, I did not know
when I replied loudly as if I talked to a person: “Yes, you are right. I must pursue him to revenge on him!”

But as I was preparing to put all my loads down from my shoulders and then to start to find him, again, my second “mind” reminded me that I should not bother to revenge on him that day, but I should continue my journey at once for I would soon get a good chance to revenge on him. Again, this my second “mind” reminded me further that to make my barren wife pregnant was more important. So when my second “mind” reminded me like that, I replied at the same time: “Yes, you are right! What a man wants is more important than himself. Thank you!” Thus I replied to my second “mind” as if it was a person.

Then without wasting a sixtieth of a twinkling, I continued my journey without paying heed to my first “mind’s” advice because it was too misleading. As I was travelling now along on the rough path, it was so I was looking at my back with fear several times in a twinkling just to make sure whether the cruel Abnormal Squatting Man was coming to harm me again.