In the ancient kingdom of Calabar, where the mighty Cross River wound its way through dense forests and bustling settlements, lived a young man named Ituen whose story would become a cautionary tale told for generations. He was the beloved only child of parents whose hearts overflowed with love despite their empty purses and bare food stores. Their humble dwelling sat on the outskirts of the great city, where the sounds of the busy marketplace could be heard like distant drums throughout the day.
Life had not been kind to Ituen’s family. Poverty clung to them like morning mist, never quite lifting despite their earnest efforts to improve their circumstances. Each morning, as the sun painted the sky with golden light, Ituen would rise with determination burning in his chest. He would take up his worn cloth bag, patched and mended countless times by his mother’s loving hands, and make his way to the vibrant marketplace that served as the heart of Calabar’s daily life.
The market was a symphony of voices, colors, and aromas that assaulted the senses from every direction. Traders called out their wares in melodious voices, children darted between the stalls like swift birds, and the rich scents of palm oil, dried fish, and exotic spices filled the air. But for Ituen, this abundance remained tantalizingly out of reach. Instead, he would walk quietly through the crowds, his keen eyes scanning the ground for precious scraps of food that had fallen during the day’s trading: grains of corn that had spilled from overfull baskets, pieces of yam that had rolled away from vendors’ displays, and any other morsels that might help fill his family’s cooking pot.
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Despite the hardship that marked his daily existence, Ituen possessed qualities that made him stand out among the young men of Calabar. His face was carved with handsome features that caught the eye of many who passed him in the streets, his shoulders were broad from honest labor, and his character shone with kindness and integrity that his parents had carefully nurtured. Though his clothes were simple and his circumstances humble, there was a nobility in his bearing that spoke of inner strength and dignity.
At this time, the kingdom was ruled by King Offiong, a powerful monarch whose authority stretched across the land like the spreading branches of an ancient iroko tree. The king had accumulated many seasons behind him, his hair now silver with wisdom and his face lined with the experiences of ruling a vast territory. As was the custom among wealthy and powerful men, he had taken many wives, each chosen to strengthen alliances or bring beauty to his royal compound.
Among these wives was a young woman named Queen Attem, whose beauty was renowned throughout the kingdom like the brightness of the morning star. Her skin glowed with the radiance of polished bronze, her eyes sparkled with intelligence and mischief, and her movements carried the grace of a river flowing over smooth stones. Yet beneath this outer beauty, discontent grew like a thorny vine in her heart. The vast difference in age between herself and her elderly husband had created a chasm that no amount of royal luxury could bridge.
As the days passed like water through cupped hands, Queen Attem found herself yearning for the companionship of someone closer to her own age, someone whose heart could match the fire that burned within her own. The elaborate ceremonies and formal protocols of royal life felt like chains around her spirit, and she longed for genuine affection and understanding that seemed impossible to find within the palace walls.
Unable to bear her loneliness any longer, Queen Attem summoned her most trusted servant, a clever woman who understood the delicate art of discretion. “Go into the town,” she instructed with quiet urgency, “and find me a young man who is handsome and strong. But be careful that no one suspects your true purpose.”
The faithful servant set out on her secret mission, moving through the marketplace like a shadow, observing the young men who went about their daily business. Hours passed as she searched, finding fault with each potential candidate: this one was too boastful, that one appeared lazy, another seemed untrustworthy. As the sun began its descent toward the horizon and hope dimmed in her heart, her eyes fell upon Ituen.
There he was, moving with quiet dignity through the market stalls, his handsome profile illuminated by the slanting afternoon light as he carefully gathered the scattered grains of corn that others had carelessly left behind. Despite his humble occupation, there was something noble in his bearing, something that spoke of strength, integrity, and genuine goodness that immediately captured the servant’s attention.
Approaching him with careful words, the servant struck up a conversation, gradually revealing that her mistress, a lady of high station, had noticed his fine character and wished to meet him. At first, Ituen’s face paled with fear as he grasped the dangerous implications of such a request. He knew well the strict laws that governed the kingdom, and the terrible punishments that befell those who dared to transgress the boundaries set by royal authority.
“I am honored by such attention,” he stammered, his voice trembling with both excitement and terror, “but surely you know how dangerous this would be. What you suggest could cost me my life.” But the servant was persistent, painting pictures of the gifts and comfort that awaited him, and gradually wearing down his resistance like water slowly eroding stone.
Finally, after much internal struggle and against the urgent warnings of his own conscience, Ituen agreed to visit the queen under the cover of darkness, when the world slept and prying eyes were closed.
When he arrived at the designated meeting place, Queen Attem welcomed him with warmth that seemed to banish all his fears and doubts. She clothed him in fine garments that transformed his appearance from that of a poor young man to someone who might belong in royal circles. She set before him food such as he had never tasted: succulent meats, exotic fruits, and delicacies that melted on his tongue like sweet dreams made real.
More intoxicating than the food and finery, however, were the queen’s words of admiration and affection. She spoke of his handsome features, his noble character, and the way his presence brought light to her lonely existence. For days, she kept him hidden in her private chambers, surrounding him with luxury and attention that made his humble origins seem like a distant memory.
Understanding that Ituen’s prolonged absence would worry his beloved mother, Queen Attem sent her servant to the poor woman’s home with gifts of fine cloth, precious ornaments, and abundant food. When Ituen’s mother received these unexpected treasures, her heart swelled with pride and joy, believing that her son had finally found good fortune. Yet beneath her happiness, a nagging worry grew like a shadow, for she sensed that such sudden wealth might come at a terrible price.
Time flowed onward like the inexorable river, and Ituen continued his secret visits to the queen, each encounter deepening their forbidden connection while simultaneously increasing the danger that surrounded them both. But secrets, like smoke from a hidden fire, have a way of seeping through even the smallest cracks and revealing themselves to watchful eyes.
Some of King Offiong’s most observant servants began to notice unusual activities in the queen’s quarters: the sound of hushed voices when there should have been silence, the glimpse of unfamiliar shadows moving behind closed doors, and the queen’s changed demeanor that seemed to glow with a happiness that had been absent for many months.
These loyal servants, bound by duty to their king, carried their suspicions to King Offiong’s ears. The old monarch’s face darkened like storm clouds gathering on the horizon as he absorbed this devastating news. His trusted wife, the jewel of his household, had betrayed him in the most fundamental way possible.
That very night, the king’s guards moved like silent hunters through the darkness, surrounding the queen’s chambers with the precision of a well-planned military operation. When they burst through the doors, they found exactly what they had expected: Ituen and Queen Attem together, their guilt written clearly across their startled faces.
King Offiong’s rage was terrible to behold, like the fury of a storm-swollen river breaking through its banks. His voice thundered through the palace as he summoned his people to witness the judgment that would be pronounced upon those who had dared to violate the sacred laws of the kingdom.
In the great courtyard, with torches casting dancing shadows on the gathered faces, the king declared his verdict with words that fell like hammer blows: “Ituen has broken the most sacred law of our land by taking what belongs to the king. The punishment for such transgression is death, and it shall be carried out immediately.”
Queen Attem and her faithful servant, deemed equally guilty as conspirators in this forbidden affair, were condemned to share the same fate. Despite their pleas for mercy and their tears of remorse, the king’s judgment was final and irrevocable.
Ituen, the poor young man who had only sought to ease his family’s hunger, Queen Attem, who had yearned for love and companionship, and the loyal servant, who had only tried to serve her mistress faithfully, all vanished from the world that very night, their lives snuffed out like candles in a strong wind.
But the king’s anger was not yet satisfied. In his grief and rage, he pronounced a curse that would echo through generations: “From this day forward, no member of Ituen’s family shall ever again be permitted to gather food scraps in the marketplace. This privilege shall belong only to the scavenger animals: the dogs and vultures who clean the earth of refuse.”
And so it came to pass that the ancient custom of the poor gathering leftover food was forbidden to humans forever. Even today, in marketplaces throughout the land, one can see dogs and vultures moving among the stalls, claiming the scraps that once might have fed hungry families, serving as living reminders of Ituen’s tragic fate and the terrible price of forbidden love.
Moral Lesson
This powerful tale serves as a timeless warning about the devastating consequences that can follow when temptation leads us away from the path of wisdom and righteousness. Ituen’s story teaches us that while beauty, luxury, and passionate affection may seem irresistibly attractive, pursuing forbidden relationships and violating established laws can bring destruction not only to ourselves but to those we love. The story emphasizes the importance of resisting temptation, respecting boundaries, and understanding that short-term pleasures can lead to long-term tragedy that affects entire communities for generations.
Knowledge Check
Q1: What does Ituen’s poverty and food-gathering represent in this Nigerian folktale? A: Ituen’s humble circumstances represent the struggles of common people in traditional societies, while his dignified approach to gathering food scraps symbolizes maintaining honor despite hardship. His poverty makes him vulnerable to temptation, showing how desperate circumstances can lead people to make dangerous choices that compromise their safety and values.
Q2: What role does Queen Attem play in this cautionary tale from Calabar? A: Queen Attem represents the destructive power of unchecked desire and the consequences of using one’s position to manipulate others. Despite her royal status, her loneliness and discontent lead her to make choices that ultimately destroy multiple lives, demonstrating that privilege and beauty cannot justify breaking moral and legal boundaries.
Q3: Why does King Offiong’s punishment extend to future generations in this story? A: The generational punishment reflects traditional African concepts of collective responsibility and the belief that serious transgressions create lasting consequences for entire family lines. This aspect of the story emphasizes the gravity of violating sacred laws and shows how individual actions can impact communities across time.
Q4: What is the significance of dogs and vultures inheriting the right to scavenge in markets? A: This etiological element explains a natural phenomenon through moral storytelling, a common feature in African folktales. By transferring scavenging rights to animals, the story creates a permanent reminder of the consequences of forbidden behavior while also explaining why these creatures are commonly seen in marketplaces throughout West Africa.
Q5: How does this folktale reflect traditional Nigerian values about marriage and fidelity? A: The story strongly reinforces traditional values about the sanctity of marriage, respect for authority, and the importance of fidelity in relationships. It demonstrates the severe consequences that await those who violate marital bonds and shows how adultery was viewed as not just a personal transgression but a crime against the entire social order.
Q6: What does Ituen’s mother’s reaction to the gifts reveal about parental wisdom in Nigerian culture? A: The mother’s simultaneous joy and worry demonstrate the intuitive wisdom often attributed to parents in African storytelling traditions. Her instinctive concern despite receiving benefits shows that true parental love includes the ability to sense danger even when circumstances appear favorable, reflecting the cultural value placed on parental guidance and protective instincts.
