The Witch-Herbalist of the Remote Town (4 page)

Now I began to travel along as fast as I could so that I might be able to travel very far away from the area where the Abnormal Squatting Man of the Jungle was living. So I did not stop to eat or rest till the half of the day, although I was terribly hungry for food and I was also tired and weary.

When it was a few twinklings after mid-day, willing or not, the hunger and weariness forced me to stop. So as I was still looking here and there for the fear of the cruel Abnormal Squatting Man, I stopped under a tree which was at the side of the rough path. Having put my property under this tree, I
went around it, and I collected plenty of dried twigs. I made the fire at once in which I roasted one big yam and then I warmed one of the roasted meats. Having done that, I ate all to my satisfaction. And then I rested for a while, though with the fear of the Squatting Man. I stood up, I went to the pool of water which was near that spot. I drank the cold water from the pool to my satisfaction. Fortunately, pools, brooks, streams, etc. were very common in this jungle.

Then I returned to the tree and sat down with the hope of resting for a few twinklings before continuing my journey. I was not aware when I fell down and slept, it was so I enjoyed the sleep till the following morning. When I awoke, I feared greatly, I thought I was still in the hands of the Squatting Man. But within a few twinklings, my mind became at rest at last when I wiped my eyes with my palms several times and saw that I was not in his hands at all.

So before I continued my journey this morning, I roasted another yam and I warmed one big roasted meat. I ate them with the ground pepper and with some of the palm-oil which was also in my food-bag. Then as soon as I had satisfied my hunger and had gained new strength, I gathered all my
belongings
, I hung all on both my shoulders except the matchet which I held with the right hand. Then I continued my journey when it was at the tenth hour of the morning. But when I had travelled as fast as I could till the second hour of the afternoon, a strange thing happened which added to my fear. The rough path on which I had been travelling from my town the several days since I had left there, came to an end unexpectedly.

I was so much discouraged when I travelled to the end of this path this day, especially when I remembered the dangers, hardships, punishments, difficulties, etc. which I had
encountered
even on the path. But how then would be the dangers, hardships, punishments, difficulties, etc., etc. of the wild jungles, forests, deserts, etc., etc? There was no road or path on which to travel as before. Now, as I sat down with sorrow
at the end of this path and I thought over of all these things with great depression, my first “mind” advised me to return from there to my town. But as soon as I wanted to accept the advice of my first “mind”, although it was too misleading and confusing, my second “mind” hastily advised me that I should not mind my first “mind” but I should continue my journey and that there would be no harm for me at all and that I would overcome all the dangerous wild people of the jungles, etc.  Thus my second “mind” gave me assurance this day. After that it turned to the first “mind” and started to warn it that it should stop forthwith discouraging me.

Then as my second “mind” had given me sound assurance of success, I stood up with all my property on both shoulders, and with happiness I continued my journey into the wild jungle which started at the end of the rough path. As I began to travel along in it with much difficulty from the
uncountable
twigs of trees which obstructed my way, it was so that I was peeping at everywhere with fear although I had armed myself, and I also appreciated my second “mind’s” advice. It was so that I was travelling on and on in this wild jungle which belonged to only wild, cruel, etc. people who were living together with the immortal beings of the wild jungles.

I travelled with many difficulties, etc. till the sixth hour of the evening, without seeing or meeting either dangerous wild people of the wild jungle or other kinds of jungle beings. The darkness came all over this wild jungle. Then, whether I liked it or not, I stopped at the foot of a white rock. I had hardly stopped there when I began to think with fear and with the head which I was raising up and down with confusion, whether to climb this white rock, and sleep on top of it.
Perhaps by so doing, I might be safe from the punishments of the wild people and the other dangerous beings. But as I stood there and I did not know what to do yet, my first “mind” advised me to climb this strange rock to the top and sleep on it and I would be safe.

Although this my first “mind” was giving me right advice sometimes, it was sometimes misleading me. So I did not pay heed to its advice this evening. Instead, I was waiting for the advice of the second “mind” which was giving me correct advice always. However, having waited for my second “mind” to tell me what to do, it did not say anything at this moment. I sold my fear and death and then I climbed this strange white rock to the topmost point of it. Then I put all my belongings down, and sat near them. When I had rested for a while, I began to think of the wild people of these wild jungles, who always hated the people of the towns, cities, etc. and were so cruel to them. But as I continued to think like that, my second “mind” became active now. It explained to me that the reason the wild people of the wild jungles hated the people of the towns, cities, etc. was that we were claiming that we were superior to them, wiser and cleaner than them. That was the reason why they were punishing us to death whenever they met us, thus my second “mind” explained to me.

But when I heard from my second “mind” the reason why the wild people of the wild jungles were punishing the people of the towns, cities, etc. to death, again, I began to think of how that strange white rock came to be there, because such as this precious rock should not, by any means, be in a wild jungle or at the bank of a stream as this. For it was as white as snow and it was dazzling at some twinklings’ intervals. The brilliancy around it was travelling to a distance of about one kilometre with the colours such as copper, gold, silver, brass, crimson, snow, yellow, red, blue, green, orange, etc.

As I was still thinking in “memory” with great wonder and confusion and also with fear, about this wonderful white rock, it came to my “memory” again unexpectedly about the stream
at the bank of which this white rock stood firmly. Then
without
hesitation, I took my “memory” and eyes to it. So through the brilliancy of the rock, I saw how this stream was flowing along to the north part of this wild jungle. Its water was very clean and it was making several kinds of lovely noises which were just lovely music of the wild people of the wild jungles.

Having looked at the stream and listened to the lovely noises for a while, I took my eyes away from it. I was badly hungry for food before climbing this rock. So I did not waste time to make fire in which I roasted one yam. But as “there is nothing else which can enter into the stomach when hunger is in it”, I ate the yam to my satisfaction first before I continued to listen to the lovely noises which were just like multi-music. Having hesitated and listened for some sixtieths of a twinkling, I heard very well now that the lovely noises were real music. In this music, all kinds of this-worldly instruments such as harps, bands, guitars, etc. were included. Also, all kinds of the songs which were sung in the whole world’s languages were included.

As the songs were singing in all languages of this world in baritone, bass, treble, etc. etc., it was so the instruments of all races were playing continuously. So as the night went deeply it was so the music was full in the air and around this white rock. And it was hearing clearly at a distance of three kilometres. My surprise and fear this night was that every living human being who listened to these songs would easily recognize his or her own town’s songs clearly among the others. He or she could also easily recognize his or her own native drums or other kinds of instruments from the rest. This kind of lovely music could make one who heard it but did not dance to it, mad.

Now, I hesitated again with wonder and I was dauntless for anything which might happen to make me miss all these strange lovely happenings. But after a while, I understood that the lovely music was coming from a long distance and not
from the stream or from the white rock as I had supposed it to be.

When it was exactly at the first hour of the morning, the lovely music came in full onto the top of the water of the fast-flowing stream. And within a few twinklings more, it was hearing clearer and louder, so loud that the air was full of music more than before. Now, I paid more attention in
keeping
watch of this stream, thinking that probably I might see those who were playing the lovely music. But to my surprise, I did not see anyone. Although there was dark all over that area, I could see what was happening there through the
brilliancy
of the white rock. At last, and to my surprise, as I was still keeping watch of this stream with all my attention, there I saw unexpectedly that multi-coloured floodlights were spread all over the stream. These kinds of floodlights which I had never seen in my life, shone brightly to every part of this stream and that area as well. Each of its colours was changing to a more lovely colour as the music went up and down.

As I stood upright on top of the white rock I was craning at these wonderful floodlights with confusion. I was also thinking in “memory” that the white rock was most
marvellous
of its kind, and that these floodlights were the most wonderful of their kind.

I still diverted the whole of my attention to the strange things which were happening on this fast-flowing stream. The sounds of the various kinds of drums and songs were becoming louder gradually, as if they had been far away but were now coming nearer and nearer. Within a few sixtieths of a twinkling my first “mind” began to ask from me: “What kind of wild jungle beings are playing this kind of a lovely music and singing the lovely songs in the night like this?” And as soon as I started to explain to it: “Perhaps they may be the wild people who were playing the music and singing the lovely songs!”, I saw uncountable faint shadows which were
appearing
from sundown of this wild jungle. But those who were playing the music and singing the lovely songs had not yet
appeared, except the music and songs were still hearing louder and louder.

As soon as the faint shadows appeared they were divided or separated into groups and each group went to a different part of the stream. Then each group sat in a circle on high stools while a big round table was before them. Both stools and the round table for each group were on top of the stream. And it was at this time I recognized that they were the wealthy wild people. I wondered greatly that the fast-flowing water did not carry them away or even shake them. But now, just as my second “mind” was assuring me that I should not be afraid of these shadows because they were superable wild people, though they were wealthy, my first “mind” hastily reminded me that although the wild people are superable, I must not forget at all that I am going to the Witch-Herbalist in order to make the medicine which would make my barren wife pregnant! But as soon as my first “mind” had reminded me like that, I saw clearly that each of the groups began to whisper to one another as if they had seen me on top of the white rock. And I was much afraid because of this.

To my surprise, immediately the musicians appeared on top of the running water, I saw now, when the multi-coloured floodlights were shone onto every part of the stream, that some of these wealthy wild people were of yellow complexion, black complexion, etc.

The multi-coloured floodlights which were shone onto them and onto other surroundings, made each of them so beautiful that there was nobody who could believe at this moment that they were wild people of the wild jungle, especially as every one of them wore very costly garments, etc. of their own race. And also every one of them put on neck, wrists, ankles, etc. the most costly gold, corals, diamonds, silver, etc. and the kind of cap on each head was just like a crown of a king. Having seen all these costly dresses which every one of these wild people wore, I believed that they were really supreme wealthy wild people of the sundown of this wild jungle who
came to perform a very important ceremony on this stream that night. But this kind of rich ceremony was not yet known to me.

Fears and wonders had already paralysed the whole of me as I stood on top of this dazzling white rock, and I had already become dumb as I was looking at these coloured wild people this night. There I saw again that uncountable of the coloured wild people who were playing the lovely music arrived on top of the water with their instruments on hands, shoulders, etc. While they were still playing on they divided in groups. Each group went to each group of the wild wealthy people. They sat on stools a little distance from them as they were still playing on.

As soon as these wealthy people of the jungle had arrived and divided in groups, and were seated on stools of gold and silver, and their musicians were seated but at a little distance from each of the groups, then they stopped the variety of music which they were playing as they were arriving.
Immediately
they stopped playing everyone became quiet. There I saw that the whole groups of these wealthy jungle people stood up, and their musicians stood up later as well. All of them turned their faces to the dazzling white rock on top of which I stood and kept watching this kind of supervention all the while. Then all of them paid attention for a few sixtieths of a twinkling before they bowed, and then one of them who was the most supreme shouted greatly three times.

After that he flattered this white rock for some twinklings in the language which I did not understand at all. But as soon as he stopped to flatter the rock, the rest answered in a very low voice. After that, they started to salute one another in their own way or custom. They shook hands together, laughed to one another. As soon as they were shareful to one another like that, they went back to their seats. But to my surprise, as soon as all of them were seated back in groups on top of the water, I saw that all kinds of drinks were brought onto the
large round tables which were before each of the groups, and also onto the large tables which were before the musicians.

Having drunk these very costly drinks for some twinklings, the musicians started to play a variety of music, and then the whole of these wealthy wild people jumped up and started to dance here and there with happiness. After a few twinklings, and as the orchestras changed the beating of their instruments to another warm and very lovely style, these wealthy wild people became mad at the same time. They did not know what they were doing immediately they started swinging to the rhythm. After a while they began to laugh greatly at intervals, and to run here and there with happiness as each of them held the drinking vessel by the left hand. As they were jumping here and there, it was so the coloured floodlights were flashing and following them, and it was so they were bowing for this dazzling white rock at intervals. As I saw them doing so, I understood now that the dazzling white rock was their god which they came to worship that night.

But as I still seriously kept watching them all the while, I heard unexpectedly the music of my own town playing together with many others. Although the music of all kinds of races was being played at the same time by the orchestras, I had not heard that of my own town before this time. As I still hesitated to listen to it very well, there I saw that the beatings of the instruments had changed. And then the whole of these wild wealthy people of the wild jungle danced back to their seats, and together with their orchestras and their wild servants they faced this dazzling white rock on top of which I was. But as the whole of them were preparing to climb the rock, I heard clearly at this time that some of my town’s lovely music was being played by the orchestras.

Now, I did not know when I began to dance to the rhythm at the same time with happiness. And without hesitation, as I was still dancing, I put the bags of my juju and food on my left shoulder. I put on my cap and I put my bow and arrows on my right shoulder as well. Then I held my heavy matchet
with the right hand. As soon as I had done so as I was still dancing with happiness and laughter. I started to go to meet them on top of the water. But they too had left the stream and they were coming to the top of the white rock, still dancing with great happiness, laughter and with the drinking vessels in their right hands.

My second “mind” began to remind me again this very moment that I must not forget that I was going to the Witch-Herbalist who was going to help me to make my barren wife pregnant. And I began to explain to it as if it was a person: “Yes, I know, but I prefer to dance with these wild wealthy people of the wild jungle first.” Or, “I don’t mind if my barren wife remains barren rather than to miss this dance!” As I was still explaining to my second “mind” like that, I had descended from the top of this dazzling white rock to a half-part of it, still dancing. And the whole of the wild wealthy people, their wild orchestras and their wild servants had also ascended it to a half-part of it as they too were dancing. So without fear, I danced straight to the spot where the music of my town was playing.

But I was much surprised that as I was dancing, dashing here and there to the rhythm of the music of my town without fearing whether these wild people would kill me or harm me, they did not even look at me, though I was strange to them especially in the way that I was dressed. So without hesitation, as they were dancing along to the top of the white rock, I joined them and I continued to dance along with them to the top of it.

As soon as they had danced to the top of the rock, they stopped dancing and their wild orchestras suddenly stopped playing the music. But when I did not hear any music again, then I too stopped dancing. Now they had a good chance to look at me well. And when they discovered that I was not one of the wild people but one of the people of the town, the whole of them kept quiet. They fastened their eyes on me
sternly and I too fastened my eyes on them without talking to them.