🧚 Xxiii.--why Edidor Killed Her Husband and Her Lover. · page 2

That night Obim told her husband of the advances made to her by the chief, and they agreed not to take any notice, but to be very careful for the future.78

The next day Chief Oga consulted a ju-ju man as to the best way to turn Obim’s heart, so that she would hate ’Nyambi and come to him.79 The ju-ju man, after casting lots, told the chief that it would be quite easy to make Obim leave ’Nyambi and go to him, and that all the chief would have to do would be to give Obim some tombo to drink, which he would prepare with a strong medicine in it.80 The ju-ju man then made the tombo and put a ju-ju into it, and the chief, having given him a big present, took the tombo to his house, and sent word to Obim that he wished to speak to her.81

When Obim arrived, the chief offered her some of the tombo to drink, but she refused to touch it.82 Chief Oga tried his best to make her drink, but Obim would not do so, and said she had merely come to hear what he might have to say.83 Oga then tried again to persuade Obim to leave her husband and go to him, but Obim refused as before.84

Finding this plot had failed, the chief went again to the ju-ju man and told him that Obim had refused to drink the tombo.85 He then asked the ju-ju man to poison ’Nyambi so that he might get hold of his wife, and when he had given him another big present, he went home.86

The next day, the ju-ju man joined the society to which ’Nyambi belonged, and went to all the dances, looking for an opportunity to put the poison he had prepared into ’Nyambi’s drink, but he could never succeed in making ’Nyambi drink anything, as, whenever he went to a dance or a play, Obim made him promise not to drink anything at the dancing place and she would have drink ready for him when he returned home.87 This probably saved his life, as the ju-ju man was unable to poison him, so after a time he went to Chief Oga, and told him that the year of ’Nyambi’s death had not yet arrived, and he could do nothing with the young man.88

Chief Oga then for twelve months did not try to do anything more to kill ’Nyambi, but sat down and waited until the proper time should arrive when he would be able to revenge himself upon ’Nyambi and take Obim away.89

However, he frequently sent messengers to Obim, asking her to sleep with him, but she always refused.90 At last Obim became so annoyed at these repeated messages, that she told her husband what was going on between herself and Chief Oga, and advised him to revenge himself in his turn.91 She advised ’Nyambi to pretend to go down river to sell some camwood and she would then allow the chief to come to her at night when ’Nyambi should come in and surprise them together.92 Obim also told her husband that she hoped he would cut a certain part off the chief’s body, which would punish him properly and prevent his troubling her for the future.93

’Nyambi thought the plan a good one, so he put some camwood into his canoe and told the people that he was going down river to trade, and did not expect to return for some few days.94 He then started off but did not go very far.95

Directly the chief heard that ’Nyambi had gone, he sent a messenger to Obim, asking her to sleep with him that night.96 But Obim told the messenger to tell his master that she could not come to him, but that he might come to her alone at night, and he was to be careful not to let anyone know what was going on between them.97

Chief Oga was so glad when he got Obim’s message that he at once went down to the river and washed himself.98 He then went home and put on a fine cloth and had food before it was dark.99 After that he sat down and waited as patiently as he could until all the people in the town had gone to sleep.100

When he thought it was quite safe and no one would see him, he went very quietly to Obim’s house and knocked softly on the door.101 Obim let the chief in, and then fastened the door, telling him to lie down and that she would join him later on.102 Oga asked Obim to come to him at once, but she told him to wait a little, as all the people had not then gone to bed.103

Very soon Chief Oga dropped off to sleep, so Obim went to the door very quietly and undid the fastening.104

Not long afterwards, ’Nyambi opened the door and found Chief Oga asleep in his wife’s bed; so he fastened the door securely, and, having got his knife ready, made the fire blaze and woke the chief up.105

When Oga awoke he saw ’Nyambi standing over him with his knife pointing at his breast. ’106 Nyambi told him to be quiet and not to make a noise or he would kill him at once.107

He then said, “I find you as a thief and one who would commit adultery with my wife.108 I will not receive any present from you; I do not want to kill you, but I intend to take one of two things from your body, and, if you refuse, I shall kill you at once.”109 On hearing this, Chief Oga was very much frightened, as he was no match for ’Nyambi in strength; so he lay there for some time, thinking of his life, his wealth, and his wives, until at last he asked ’Nyambi what it was he wished to take from his body so that he might go.110

’Nyambi said, “I intend either to take your eyes out, which will prevent your looking at pretty girls any more, or else I will cut a certain part of your body off, which will stop your doing them any harm in the future.”111

Oga said he could not part with his eyes, so at last he consented to ’Nyambi’s cutting the part off his body, provided he promised not to kill him and to let him go.112

’Nyambi promised, and having told Oga not to make a noise, he cut the thing off, and turned the chief out of his house.113 Chief Oga then went home, but did not tell anyone what had happened to him.114 He was in such pain all the night that he was unable to sleep, and when the morning came, he asked one of his wives to boil some water and bring it to him.115 She did as she was told, and the chief went into the back-yard and bathed and dressed the wound.116

He then sent one of his boys to call ’Nyambi to him.117 When ’Nyambi arrived he did not go inside the house, but stood a few paces from the door, as he thought that Oga might try to do him some injury; but the chief said he did not intend to hurt him and that he might safely come inside.118 Chief Oga then implored ’Nyambi not to tell any of the young men of the town what he had done to him, and begged him to keep it secret until the day of his death. ’119 Nyambi promised, and went home and told his wife.120

The chief’s wound took many days to heal, and at night, when his wives came to him, he had to send them away, saying he was not well.121 This went on for some time, until at last his wives got tired of being alone and began to desert him and go to other men, and very soon he was left with only boys in the house.122

The chief then sent for all his wives to hear his last words.123 When they arrived, he said, “My dear wives, I am not angry with you for leaving me, for love of women has caused me to lose the dearest part of my body.124 But I will ask one favour of you, and that is, when I die you will all come and cry and mourn for me, as is usual.125 Then you will know why I did not sleep with you.”126

The women then asked the chief what was the matter with him, so he pointed to his waist, and said he had great pain there, and was unable to move that part of his body.127 He then told them all to go away.128

Chief Oga lived for a few more years and then died.129 His wives, who had by that time all married other men, got permission from their husbands to go and mourn for Chief Oga.130

When the people took the chief’s body into the back-yard to wash it, they found that a certain part of his body had been cut off.131 His wives were very much surprised when they saw what had been done to their late husband, as, during his lifetime, he had been quite all right.132 They therefore went and told the chiefs of the town.133 The chiefs then came and inspected the body, and afterwards met in the palaver house to try and find out who had mutilated Chief Oga.134 The drum was beaten and the young men of the town were told to attend the meeting.135

Directly ’Nyambi heard the drum, he called all his company to his house, and told them what he had done to Chief Oga.136 He also told them that what he had done was for the good of all people, and asked them to support him at the meeting, and if it came to a fight, that they should all be on the same side.137

When they had heard the whole story, the members of ’Nyambi’s company agreed to back him up, and as they were the principal fighting-men of the town they went to the palaver house without much fear.138

When all the people had arrived, the oldest chief of the town stood up, and said, “I have seen to-day what I have never seen before since I was born.139 Chief Oga, whom you all know, died this morning, and I went to look at his body.140 I then saw that a certain part of his body was missing.141 Now I want to know who did this thing, and what became of the missing part of the late chief.142 I shall be glad if any young man of the town who knows anything about this palaver will inform me.”143

Then ’Nyambi stood up and questioned the chief, as follows: “What will be done to the man who did this?144 Will he be killed or will he be allowed to go free?”145 The chief replied that the man would certainly be killed, if he had mutilated Chief Oga by force without a very good reason, but that if they considered he was justified in his action, he would be allowed to go free.146

Then ’Nyambi told the people that he had done this thing, and addressed them as follows: “When I married my wife Obim, while she was still in the circumcision house, Chief Oga went to her and tried to persuade her to go to him.147 After that he frequently sent messages to her, asking her to sleep with him, but she always refused.148 Again, when I was absent, Chief Oga went to my house to sleep with my wife, but I returned and caught him lying asleep on her bed.” ’149 Nyambi then asked the question, “What do you do when you catch a thief in your stack of yams?”150 And the head chief replied, “He is tied up to a tree, and left there to die.” ’151 Nyambi then said that he treated Chief Oga as a thief, but he took pity on him, and instead of killing him, he gave him his choice whether he would have his eyes put out or have a certain part of his body cut off.152 The late chief chose the latter alternative, so he performed the operation.153 He then called his wife Obim, who brought on a calabash the part of the dead chief’s body, which had been cut off and dried in the sun, as proof of what he had said.154

’Nyambi then asked the chiefs whether he was justified in the course he had taken or not; and the chiefs, after consultation, agreed that he had done right.155

A law was then passed that, if a husband caught another man in his house having connection with his wife, he could do whatever he liked with him in the house, but once the man was outside the house, he should not be molested, and the case should be decided before the chiefs.156

But the chiefs also added, that the man who was caught committing adultery might defend himself as well as he could, and would not be punished for so doing.157

Told by Ennenni, an Okuni woman.--[22.7.10.]158