The Witch-Herbalist of the Remote Town by Amos Tutuola

Author:Amos Tutuola [Amos Tutuola]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780571311392
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Published: 2014-03-31T04:00:00+00:00

The Fight on the

Roadside Shrines

But when I had left the stalwart cruel gateman in agony and had run far away from the gate, I started to walk along on the road sluggishly, I was so tired and weary for I fought fiercely with all my strength with the gateman, it was hardly possible for me at this time to lift up and down my feet, it was also hardly possible for me to swing my arms. However, I kept going along to the Roadside Town from where I was continuing my journey direct to the Remote Town of the Witch-Herbalist, provided the king of the Roadside Town permitted me to pass through his domain.

When I had travelled sluggishly along on this wide road of the Roadside Town till sunset, I stopped under a tree which was on the roadside. But of course, the tree was at a little distance from the road. It had plenty of broad leaves on its branches, which were spread far away. Then I put all my loads down. I sat down on the ground and I leaned my back on the foot of the tree. Then I rested for about one hundred and twenty twinklings. Having taken the fresh air to my satisfaction, it came to my “memory” that if I kept on resting more than that the darkness would not allow me to find something to eat. So I stood up, and I began to walk along deeply into the bush with only my matchet in my hand.

Luckily, I had not walked far when I came to a farm where there were yams which were still in mounds. So I bent down and I dug four big ones out with the matchet. When I returned to the tree, I made fire and I roasted them in it at the same time. Having sliced them in the broad leaves, and as I was terribly hungry for food at this time, I ate the whole four at a time. There was no water for me to drink, but I did not bother so much about that because I believed that, in the morning, I would collect dews from the plants to quench my thirst.

Having satisfied my hunger, I lay down flatly at the foot of that tree but near my bag of juju, bag of food, and bow and arrows, and I used my heavy matchet like a pillow. But as I was too tired and weary, it did not take more than ten-sixtieths of a twinkling before I fell asleep. When I woke in the morning, I went to the same farm. I dug up four yams again and when I returned, I roasted them and I ate them immediately. Having collected sufficient dew and drunk it to my satisfaction, I continued my journey without wasting a twinkling, for the Roadside Town was still far away. It was about twenty kilometres from that tree. So I began to travel along on the road as fast as I wanted to, for I had gained my usual strength back by this time.

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