There once lived a woman whose heart carried a single longing: she yearned for a daughter. Though she had wealth, though her household never lacked food or clothing, her days felt hollow. She moved through life with a shadow of sorrow at her side. Even during festivals, when drums thundered and dancers leapt with joy, she could not fully celebrate. She would sit apart, whispering to herself:
“Ah! If only I had a daughter to share this with me.”
Her yearning grew day by day, until it was like a thorn lodged in her heart.
One afternoon, as the sun burned bright over the yam fields, she went out with her basket to gather food. The soil was rich, the vines thick with promise. As she dug and pulled, her hands grasped a yam that was unlike the others. It was straight, smooth, and perfectly shaped. She gazed at it in wonder.
“Ah!” she sighed. “If only this fine yam were a daughter, how happy I should be.”
To her amazement, the yam stirred in her hands and answered:
“If I were to become your daughter, would you promise never to reproach me for having once been a yam?”
The woman, trembling with shock and joy, cried out:
“Yes! Yes, I promise! Never will I reproach you.”
At once, the yam transformed into a radiant young girl, tall, graceful, and beautiful. The woman’s heart leapt with happiness. She gathered the child into her arms and kissed her. She named her Adzanumee, and from that day forward, the woman felt her life complete.
The Joy of Adzanumee
Adzanumee quickly became the light of her mother’s life. She was not only beautiful but also diligent and kind. She baked bread with skill, tended the yam fields with steady hands, and sold produce at the market with a cheerful smile that made others love her instantly.
Her mother grew proud of her, for Adzanumee was everything she had once longed for, daughter, companion, and helper. They lived together in harmony, sharing laughter and work.
But human hearts are fickle, and promises, though easily spoken, are not always easily kept.
The Shadow of Ingratitude
Time passed, and one day, perhaps in weariness or anger, the woman forgot her sacred vow. She scolded Adzanumee harshly, saying words that cut deeper than any blade:
“Why should I expect better from you? After all, you are nothing but a yam!”
The words fell heavy in the air. Adzanumee froze. The color drained from her face. Slowly, she began to sing a mournful song:
“You promised, Mother, you promised,
Never to reproach me,
Never to call me yam.
Now your words betray me.”
Her voice was soft but steady, each note heavy with sorrow. She turned her steps toward the yam fields, her eyes shining with tears.
Her mother, realizing too late what she had done, ran after her, crying out in desperation:
“Nay, Adzanumee! Adzanumee!
Do not believe it, do not believe it!
You are my daughter, my dear daughter,
Adzanumee!”
But the song had already carried its weight.
The Return to the Earth
Adzanumee did not stop. She walked into the yam field, her sorrowful song echoing through the vines. As she reached the place where she had first come into being, her body began to change. Before her mother’s horrified eyes, she transformed once more into a yam and fell silently to the ground.
The woman stumbled forward, weeping, her hands clutching at the yam as if she could call her daughter back. But no words, no tears, no cries of regret could undo what was done.
Adzanumee was gone.
And the woman was left with nothing but her grief, her broken promise, and the memory of the daughter she had once desired so earnestly, but treated so carelessly.
Moral Lesson
This tale of Adzanumee and Her Mother teaches us the power of words and the sacredness of promises. Gratitude and gentleness preserve love, but careless speech can destroy even the greatest blessing. Once trust is broken, it may never return.
Knowledge Check
1. Who is Adzanumee in the folktale Adzanumee and Her Mother?
Adzanumee is a magical daughter who was once a yam, born from her mother’s longing.
2. What promise did the mother make before Adzanumee became human?
She promised never to reproach Adzanumee for having once been a yam.
3. How did the mother break her promise to Adzanumee?
In anger, she insulted her daughter by calling her “nothing but a yam.”
4. What happened to Adzanumee after her mother reproached her?
She sang a mournful song, returned to the yam field, and transformed back into a yam.
5. What lesson does the story of Adzanumee teach?
It warns against ingratitude and the danger of careless words, highlighting the importance of keeping promises.
6. What is the cultural origin of Adzanumee and Her Mother?
It is an Ashanti folktale from Ghana.
Source: Ghanaian Folktale
