In a quiet village, long ago, there lived a young girl whose beauty was known throughout the land. She was not only fair in appearance, but kind in heart, gentle in speech, and respectful to all. Wherever she went, people admired her, and her presence seemed to brighten the lives of those around her.
Yet, among the women of the village, there were seven who could not bear her charm. Each time they saw her praised, jealousy gnawed at their hearts. Envy, like a creeping shadow, turned admiration into bitterness. They whispered among themselves, their words sharpened by malice, until finally they decided that the girl must be destroyed.
One day, the seven women approached the pretty girl with smiles that hid their wicked intent. They persuaded her to follow them into the bush, pretending they wanted her help in gathering water. Trusting and unsuspecting, she went along.
Deep within the bush, they dug a wide pit, its sides steep and dark. When the hole was ready, they told her kindly, “Sister, please go down and fetch some water for us.” Believing no harm, the girl descended into the pit. But as soon as she was inside, the seven women seized their chance. They heaped earth upon her until the pit was filled, and the girl was buried alive beneath the soil.
Her body was gone, but her spirit was not silenced. That very night, her spirit rose, drifting back into the village. It appeared to her father, its voice heavy with sorrow but clear with truth. She told him what had happened in the bush, how her companions had betrayed her, and where her body lay hidden beneath the earth.
The father’s heart broke at the news. Grief struck him down like a great weight, but with it came anger, sharp and burning. At once, he gathered the people of the village, and together they hurried to the place the spirit had described. There, they dug until their hands bled, and at last, they uncovered the body of his beloved daughter, lifeless beneath the soil.
The cries of mourning filled the air, for the whole village had cherished her. But the father, consumed by rage, would not let her death go unanswered. He ordered the seven jealous women to be seized. Justice, swift and unyielding, was carried out: they were killed for their cruelty and buried alongside the girl they had so wrongfully destroyed.
And so, the tale ends in grief and vengeance. A life of beauty and kindness was cut short, not by fate, but by the poison of envy.
Moral of the Story
This tale teaches us the deadly danger of jealousy. Envy blinds the heart, turning friendship into treachery and admiration into hate. In the end, jealousy destroys not only its target but also those who harbor it.
Knowledge Check
Q1: Who is the main character in the story?
A beautiful and kind girl admired by everyone in her village.
Q2: Why did the seven women plot against the girl?
They were jealous of her beauty and the admiration she received.
Q3: What trick did the women use to harm the girl?
They lured her into the bush, dug a hole, and buried her alive.
Q4: How did the girl’s father discover the truth?
The spirit of his daughter appeared to him and revealed the betrayal.
Q5: What action did the father take after finding his daughter’s body?
He ordered the seven jealous women to be killed and buried with her.
Q6: What is the central lesson of this African folktale?
That jealousy is destructive and leads to suffering, betrayal, and even death.
Source: Nigerian folktale
