A WIFE FROM THE BEASTS
A renowned hunter called Gbom in the era we were told that both humans and animals coexisted. His den gun never missed a target. He was so skillful at hunting and was known for it everywhere at that time. He killed many animals, small and big. Gbom was not alone in this hunting. He had two giant dogs whose names were Piante and Injiko, and used to use a flute in calling them to perform any task or especially when he wanted them to attack an animal. On and on, he kept on with the game. Unknown to him, the animals on the other hands were scheming, planning on how to eliminate their common enemy, Gbom. Hence, this day, they summoned all the animals and discussed the way forward. It was the tortoise who suggested that one of the animals to transform in a beautiful damsel and lure Gbom into marrying her and once that is done, the lady in question should try and find out the secret behind Gbom's success in hunting and killing them unabated. All the animals concurred and an antelope was chosen to carry out the task which was successful. Gbom ended up marrying a wife from the beasts as planned by the animals, courtesy of Mr. Tortoise's suggestion.
Now, Gbom is settled down with his beast wife unknown to him. One day, after the evening meal, a sensitive conversation ensued between Gbom and his new beast-wife. '' my husband, she said, 'you are so skillful at hunting no doubt, and one could wonder that, apart from your dogs and as you shoot without missing, what else is your secret? Unknown to Gbom, he began to reveal all the secret to the wife. ''Well, he said, ''apart from all those you mentioned, I do turn to sand when the animals charged at me or turn to grasses or shrubs, green or dried, any one available or I turn to insects around when ever the animals attacked me''. The next day, the wife ran away back to the animals' kingdom and reported all she was told to the animals. At this point, the animals were battled ready for Gbom and began laying ambush for him.
One day, Gbom went to farm to inspect his traps. He does this without his dogs so that the dogs are not trapped by the trap. In fact, he left the dogs on chain and did not go with the two flutes he used to calling the dogs as well. Meanwhile, the animals who were by now monitoring his movement without his knowledge closed up at him that day and charged at him to kill. Gbom quickly changed to sand, the animals crushed all the sand. Seeing that he was found in that, he changed to grass, the animals found him. He changed to an insect, the animals equally saw him. Seeing that all his tricks were swallowed by animals, he quickly climbed a huge and tall Iroko tree. The animals quickly brought in axes and were cutting down the tree. Up there, Gbom sat knowing nothing to do than saying his last prayer. Just then, a dove flew and perched above him. Gbom began to beg the Dove to help him fetch his flutes so he could use and call his giant dogs for a great task. The Dove refused. The Dove said, Gbom used to chase him whenever she came to eat little grains from his silos. Just then, Mr. Hawk came hovering above Gbom. Gbom once again begged but Mr. Hawk complained that Gbom and others do chased him away whenever she wanted to catch just one Chick for a meal. Meanwhile, the animals intensified the cutting down of the tree and it was about swaying. Just then, Mr. Eagle came, she perched above Gbom. Gbom once again begged Mr. Eagle. The eagle agreed with one condition that he would bring the flutes and stay meters above and be throwing them at Gbom. At least, to that, Gbom concurred. So, the eagle went, brought in the flutes, went ten meters above and threw one at Gbom. Gbom managed to grasp it but failed. The flute landed on the ground and the animals crushed it into pieces. The Eagle went further above Gbom again. This time, about twenty meters away and threw the last flute. Gbom managed to grasp it by hands but the object slipped and finally hung between his toes. Gbom picked up the flute and began to call his giant dogs. As the two dogs heard the blasting of the flute as it filled the air, they knew their master was in danger and even on chains, they broke them, dashed out and began to hurriedly run towards the sound and direction where their master was. Lo and behold, the animals on seeing the giant dogs started running away. There was a great stampede. Big and small animals in large numbers were killed that day by Piante and Injiko, the giant dogs. It was the last blow and a huge loss on the side of the animals just as when the pharo and his army chariots were distroyed in the sea.
Now, Gbom is settled down with his beast wife unknown to him. One day, after the evening meal, a sensitive conversation ensued between Gbom and his new beast-wife. '' my husband, she said, 'you are so skillful at hunting no doubt, and one could wonder that, apart from your dogs and as you shoot without missing, what else is your secret? Unknown to Gbom, he began to reveal all the secret to the wife. ''Well, he said, ''apart from all those you mentioned, I do turn to sand when the animals charged at me or turn to grasses or shrubs, green or dried, any one available or I turn to insects around when ever the animals attacked me''. The next day, the wife ran away back to the animals' kingdom and reported all she was told to the animals. At this point, the animals were battled ready for Gbom and began laying ambush for him.
One day, Gbom went to farm to inspect his traps. He does this without his dogs so that the dogs are not trapped by the trap. In fact, he left the dogs on chain and did not go with the two flutes he used to calling the dogs as well. Meanwhile, the animals who were by now monitoring his movement without his knowledge closed up at him that day and charged at him to kill. Gbom quickly changed to sand, the animals crushed all the sand. Seeing that he was found in that, he changed to grass, the animals found him. He changed to an insect, the animals equally saw him. Seeing that all his tricks were swallowed by animals, he quickly climbed a huge and tall Iroko tree. The animals quickly brought in axes and were cutting down the tree. Up there, Gbom sat knowing nothing to do than saying his last prayer. Just then, a dove flew and perched above him. Gbom began to beg the Dove to help him fetch his flutes so he could use and call his giant dogs for a great task. The Dove refused. The Dove said, Gbom used to chase him whenever she came to eat little grains from his silos. Just then, Mr. Hawk came hovering above Gbom. Gbom once again begged but Mr. Hawk complained that Gbom and others do chased him away whenever she wanted to catch just one Chick for a meal. Meanwhile, the animals intensified the cutting down of the tree and it was about swaying. Just then, Mr. Eagle came, she perched above Gbom. Gbom once again begged Mr. Eagle. The eagle agreed with one condition that he would bring the flutes and stay meters above and be throwing them at Gbom. At least, to that, Gbom concurred. So, the eagle went, brought in the flutes, went ten meters above and threw one at Gbom. Gbom managed to grasp it but failed. The flute landed on the ground and the animals crushed it into pieces. The Eagle went further above Gbom again. This time, about twenty meters away and threw the last flute. Gbom managed to grasp it by hands but the object slipped and finally hung between his toes. Gbom picked up the flute and began to call his giant dogs. As the two dogs heard the blasting of the flute as it filled the air, they knew their master was in danger and even on chains, they broke them, dashed out and began to hurriedly run towards the sound and direction where their master was. Lo and behold, the animals on seeing the giant dogs started running away. There was a great stampede. Big and small animals in large numbers were killed that day by Piante and Injiko, the giant dogs. It was the last blow and a huge loss on the side of the animals just as when the pharo and his army chariots were distroyed in the sea.
