In a small village nestled among the rolling hills of West Africa, where the morning mist clung to palm trees like ancestral spirits and the red earth bore witness to countless generations of struggle, there lived a man named Ohia and his devoted wife Awirehu. Theirs was a story that began in poverty so profound it seemed as though the very gods had turned their faces away from this unfortunate couple.
No matter what endeavor Ohia undertook, misfortune followed like his own shadow. When he planted crops, drought would wither them before harvest. When he attempted to trade, thieves would steal his goods. When he tried to raise livestock, disease would claim his animals. It seemed that fate itself had marked him for perpetual failure, and he and his beloved Awirehu had grown so desperately poor that they could barely afford cloth to cover their bodies.
The weight of their poverty pressed down upon them like a physical burden, and Ohia often lay awake at night listening to his wife’s quiet breathing, wondering how he could provide for the woman who had stood faithfully by his side through every disappointment. The other villagers, though sympathetic, could offer little help, for many struggled with their own hardships in this harsh land where survival required both skill and luck.
Finally, inspiration struck Ohia in the form of an idea that had proven successful for several of his neighbors. There was a wealthy farmer who lived nearby, a man blessed with prosperity and known for his willingness to enter into partnerships with those less fortunate. Ohia approached this farmer with a carefully considered proposal.
“My friend,” Ohia said, his voice carrying both hope and desperation, “I would like to offer my services to hew down several of your palm trees. I will collect their precious sap to make palm wine, and when it is ready for market, my wife will carry it to town and sell it there. The proceeds we will divide equally among the three of us, you, myself, and Awirehu.”
The wealthy farmer, moved by Ohia’s earnest manner and perhaps remembering his own humble beginnings, readily agreed to this arrangement. More generous still, he provided Ohia with a complete set of earthen pots for collecting the palm sap, knowing full well that the poor man could never afford to purchase such equipment himself.
With hearts filled with renewed hope and hands eager for honest work, Ohia and Awirehu set about their task with unprecedented enthusiasm. They carefully selected the most productive palm trees and cut them down with practiced skill. Then, with the precision of experienced farmers, they prepared each tree and positioned the earthen pots beneath the cuts to catch every precious drop of sap that would flow out during the night.
Before dawn on the first market day, Ohia rose in the darkness and lit a torch to guide his way through the morning mist. His heart pounded with anticipation as he made his way to the palm trees, ready to collect the wine that would finally mark the beginning of their prosperity. Awirehu, meanwhile, prepared herself for the journey to town, arranging the carrying cloths and baskets she would need to transport their valuable commodity to market.
But when Ohia reached the first tree, his torch illuminated a scene that struck him like a physical blow. Instead of finding his earthen pot filled with the sweet, amber-colored palm wine he had anticipated, he discovered it lying in pieces on the ground, its precious contents completely vanished. With growing dread, he hurried to the second tree, then the third, then all the others. At every location, the same devastating scene awaited him: broken pottery and stolen wine.
When Awirehu arrived, dressed and ready for her journey to market, she immediately saw the despair written across her husband’s face. Together, they surveyed the destruction of their hopes, examining each broken pot with the careful attention of investigators trying to understand a crime. They concluded that some malicious person had deliberately stolen their wine and then broken the pots to hide evidence of the theft.
Though heartbroken, Ohia refused to surrender to defeat. He returned to the kind farmer, who generously provided another complete set of pots. Once again, Ohia prepared his palm trees and set the containers in position to catch the night’s flow of sap.
The next morning brought the same cruel disappointment. Every pot lay shattered, every drop of wine stolen. The farmer, proving his generous nature once more, supplied additional pots without complaint. But the third attempt met with identical results, and even the fourth effort ended in the same mysterious theft and destruction.
Awirehu, worn down by repeated disappointment, began to believe that they should abandon this venture entirely. “Perhaps,” she said with tears in her eyes, “we are simply meant to remain poor. Perhaps the spirits have decreed that success will always be beyond our reach.”
But Ohia, though his heart was heavy with despair, felt a spark of determination kindle within him. “At the very least,” he declared, “I will discover who is doing this to us and see that justice is served.”
On what he decided would be his final attempt, Ohia set his pots in place one last time. But instead of returning home to sleep, he concealed himself among the palm trees and settled in for a night of watching and waiting.
Midnight came and went with no disturbance except the normal sounds of the nocturnal forest. But as the night wore on toward the pre-dawn hours, Ohia’s vigilance was rewarded. Around two o’clock in the morning, a dark form glided silently through the shadows toward the nearest palm tree.
Ohia strained his eyes in the darkness and was amazed to see that the thief was not a human being at all, but a bush deer carrying a large jar balanced expertly on its head. With methodical efficiency, the deer moved from tree to tree, pouring the palm wine from Ohia’s pots into its own container. As it emptied each pot, it carelessly threw the vessel to the ground, where it shattered into pieces.
Gathering his courage, Ohia crept closer, intending to capture this unusual criminal. But the deer, possessing the keen senses of all wild creatures, detected his approach and immediately bounded away, dropping its large jar in its haste to escape.
What followed was a chase that would become the stuff of legend. The deer was swift and sure-footed, but Ohia was driven by months of frustration and determination. The pursuit continued through forest and field, over streams and rocky ground, for many miles and many hours. The sun rose and climbed high in the sky, and still the chase continued.
By midday, they had reached the base of a towering hill that rose like a green wall from the surrounding landscape. Without hesitation, the deer began to climb the steep slopes, and Ohia, though exhausted and breathing heavily, forced his weary legs to follow.
When they finally reached the summit, Ohia found himself in the most extraordinary situation of his life. Spread across the hilltop was a vast gathering of animals more creatures than he had ever seen assembled in one place. There were elephants and buffalo, antelope and leopards, monkeys and birds of every description. At the center of this amazing assembly, seated upon a throne carved from a massive tree stump, was the most magnificent tiger Ohia had ever beheld.
The thieving deer, panting from the long chase, threw itself down before this impressive figure. “Your Majesty King Tiger,” the deer gasped, “this human has pursued me and violated our sacred assembly. He must be punished for this intrusion!”
King Tiger’s golden eyes fixed upon Ohia with an intensity that made the poor man’s knees tremble. The great cat’s voice, when he spoke, carried the authority of absolute power. “Bring the human before me,” he commanded, “so that he may receive appropriate punishment for this disruption of our important gathering.”
But Ohia, despite his fear, found his voice. “Great King,” he said, bowing as low as his weary body would allow, “I beg you to hear my story before you pass judgment upon me. If you will listen to the truth of why I am here, you may find that I am not the criminal in this matter.”
King Tiger, after consulting with several of the other animals in low, rumbling voices, agreed to hear Ohia’s tale. With great care and complete honesty, Ohia began to recount his story. He spoke of his lifelong struggle with poverty, of his many failed attempts to achieve prosperity, of his arrangement with the wealthy farmer, and of the repeated theft of his palm wine. He described his decision to keep watch and his discovery that the thief was the deer who now accused him. Finally, he explained how the chase had led him to this hilltop gathering.
The assembled animals listened with remarkable attention to every word of Ohia’s account. When he finished speaking, they engaged in a lengthy discussion among themselves, with various creatures offering their opinions and observations. At the conclusion of their deliberations, they reached a unanimous verdict.
“The deer is clearly the guilty party,” King Tiger announced, his voice carrying across the hilltop, “and the human is entirely blameless in this matter.” Turning to the cowering deer, he continued, “Every morning, I have given you a substantial sum of money to purchase palm wine for our entire assembly. Instead of making honest purchases, you have been stealing from this poor man and keeping my money for yourself.”
The deer was immediately sentenced to appropriate punishment, while Ohia received a formal apology on behalf of the entire animal kingdom. But King Tiger was not content merely to clear Ohia’s name. Moved by the man’s long suffering and impressed by his determination to seek justice rather than revenge, the great cat offered an extraordinary gift.
“To compensate you for all your losses and troubles,” King Tiger said solemnly, “I grant you the power to understand the conversation of all animals. This gift will quickly make you a wealthy man, for you will learn many secrets that are hidden from ordinary humans.”
Ohia’s heart leaped with joy at this incredible offer, but King Tiger’s expression grew serious as he continued. “However, this gift comes with one absolute condition. You must never—under any circumstances whatsoever—tell another living soul about your magical power. Should you ever reveal this secret, you will die instantly. Do you accept these terms?”
Without hesitation, Ohia agreed to the condition. The gift was too precious and the opportunity too rare to refuse, regardless of the attached danger.
Ohia returned home with his heart lighter than it had been in years. From that day forward, his luck appeared to have completely changed. His palm wine was never again interfered with, and he and Awirehu began to experience the prosperity they had dreamed of for so long.
One morning, while bathing in a small pool near his house, Ohia overheard a conversation that would transform their lives even more dramatically. A hen and her chickens were scratching about in his garden when one of the young birds made an extraordinary announcement.
“Mother,” the chicken said in a voice perfectly clear to Ohia’s magically enhanced hearing, “I have discovered three large jars buried in this garden, and they are completely filled with gold!”
The mother hen immediately became agitated. “Hush, child!” she scolded. “Be careful not to scratch too obviously near that spot, or our master might notice and discover the treasure for himself!”
Ohia carefully concealed his excitement and went about his normal activities until the chickens had moved away from the area. Then, when he was certain he was unobserved, he began digging in the exact spot the young chicken had indicated. His amazement knew no bounds when he uncovered three enormous jars, each one filled to the brim with gold coins enough wealth to keep him and his family in comfort for the rest of their lives.
With this newfound wealth, Ohia and Awirehu quickly became one of the most prosperous couples in their region, acquiring property and livestock and earning the respect of their neighbors. Believing that his good fortune would continue, Ohia decided to take a second wife, as was customary for successful men in his culture.
Unfortunately, his choice proved to be a grave mistake. While Awirehu had always been kind, honest, and supportive, the new wife possessed a jealous and selfish nature that created constant turmoil in their household. She was also lame, and her physical disability had bred in her a deep insecurity that manifested as suspicion and paranoia. She became convinced that Ohia and Awirehu spent their time together making fun of her condition.
No matter how often Ohia and his first wife assured her that such thoughts never entered their minds, the second wife refused to believe them. She took to lurking outside doors and windows, straining to overhear their conversations and searching for evidence of the mockery she was certain existed.
One evening, as Ohia and Awirehu lay in bed, the second wife fast asleep in the next room, Ohia overheard a conversation that struck him as hilariously funny. Two mice in the corner were discussing their plans to raid the larder for food as soon as their master fell asleep, completely unaware that he was listening to every word of their scheme.
Unable to contain his amusement at the mice’s elaborate planning, Ohia burst into laughter. The sound immediately brought his second wife rushing into the room, her face contorted with anger and accusation.
“I knew it!” she shrieked. “You were making fun of me again! I heard you laughing!”
Ohia tried desperately to explain that his laughter had nothing to do with her, but she refused to listen to his denials. “If you were truly laughing at some innocent joke,” she demanded, “then tell me what it was immediately!”
This, of course, Ohia could not do without revealing his magical gift and thereby forfeiting his life. His refusal to explain only confirmed the jealous woman’s suspicions, and she took her complaint to the village chief.
The chief, who was a close friend of Ohia’s, tried earnestly to persuade him to simply tell the joke and put an end to the matter. But Ohia, bound by his promise to King Tiger, could not comply. The second wife’s relentless pressure eventually forced the chief to summon Ohia before the village assembly to answer the formal charges against him.
Realizing that there was no escape from this impossible situation, Ohia prepared himself for death with the dignity befitting a man who had lived honorably. He invited all his friends and relatives to a great farewell feast, settled all his affairs, and bequeathed his gold to the faithful Awirehu while leaving his property to his son and servants.
When the day of judgment arrived, Ohia appeared before the assembled villagers with calm resignation. He began by taking formal leave of the chief and then proceeded to tell his complete story. He recounted his years of poverty and struggle, his encounter with the thieving deer, his meeting with King Tiger, and the gift that had brought him both prosperity and doom. Finally, he explained that his fatal laughter had been caused by overhearing the mice planning their raid on his food supplies.
The moment he finished speaking, Ohia collapsed and died, exactly as King Tiger had warned him would happen if he ever revealed his secret.
The entire village mourned his death, for Ohia had been loved and respected by all who knew him. But their grief quickly turned to rage when they realized that his death had been caused by the unfounded jealousy and selfishness of his second wife. In their fury, they seized the woman and condemned her to death as a witch, believing that her evil nature had brought about this tragedy.
The jealous wife was burned, and her ashes were scattered to the four winds of heaven. According to the storytellers, this scattering of her remains explains why jealousy and selfishness, which had been rare in the world before this time, became widespread throughout humanity, causing countless troubles and sorrows that persist to this day.
Moral Lesson
This tragic tale serves as a powerful warning about the destructive power of jealousy and the importance of keeping one’s word, even unto death. Ohia’s story demonstrates that prosperity gained through magical means often comes with hidden costs, and that even the greatest gifts can become curses when circumstances force impossible choices. The tale teaches us that jealousy and selfishness can destroy not only those who harbor these emotions but also innocent people around them, spreading like poison through communities and relationships. Most profoundly, it reminds us that a person’s honor and integrity—demonstrated through keeping sacred promises—may be more valuable than life itself.
Knowledge Check
Q1: What does Ohia represent in West African storytelling traditions, and how does his character develop throughout the folktale? A: Ohia represents the struggling common man who maintains his integrity despite overwhelming hardship. His character arc moves from victim of circumstance to recipient of divine favor to tragic hero, demonstrating that even magical gifts cannot protect against human failings like jealousy and the burden of impossible moral choices.
Q2: What role does the thieving deer play in this West African folktale’s moral structure? A: The deer represents dishonesty and the abuse of trust within a community. As the creature who steals from Ohia while deceiving King Tiger, the deer embodies corruption that disrupts both human and animal social order, serving as the catalyst that leads to Ohia’s transformation from victim to magical gift recipient.
Q3: What does King Tiger symbolize in this African folktale about justice and divine gifts? A: King Tiger represents divine justice and the supernatural realm’s intersection with human affairs. As the ruler of all animals who grants Ohia the magical gift, he embodies both benevolent authority and the dangerous power of divine intervention, showing how supernatural gifts come with deadly conditions.
Q4: How does the second wife function as an antagonist in this West African moral tale? A: The second wife embodies the destructive forces of jealousy, insecurity, and selfishness that can destroy even the most blessed individuals. Her inability to accept truth and her relentless pursuit of imagined wrongs demonstrate how personal failings can have tragic consequences for entire communities.
Q5: What is the significance of animal communication as a magical gift in African folklore traditions? A: Animal communication represents wisdom beyond normal human understanding and connection to the natural world’s hidden knowledge. In African traditions, this gift symbolizes spiritual elevation and access to secrets that can bring prosperity, but it also represents the dangerous responsibility that comes with supernatural knowledge.
Q6: How does this folktale explain the origin of jealousy and selfishness in the world? A: The tale provides an origin myth suggesting that jealousy and selfishness became widespread when the second wife’s ashes were scattered to the winds after her execution. This ending explains why these destructive emotions, once rare, now plague humanity universally, creating a cosmological explanation for human moral failings.
