In the dense forests where ancient spirits still roamed and the boundary between the natural and supernatural remained thin, there lived a hunter whose obsession with the chase knew no bounds. Day after day, he would venture into the wilderness with his bow and spears, tracking game through thick undergrowth and across rushing streams. Even on Nshialah, the sacred day of rest when all good people remained in their compounds to honor the ancestors, this hunter could not resist the call of the forest.
On one such forbidden hunting day, as golden sunlight filtered through the forest canopy and morning mist clung to the earth like ancestral breath, the hunter caught the distinct scent of deer along a well-worn animal path. His experienced nose could distinguish between the musky smell of antelope, the sharp odor of bush pig, and the sweet scent of deer that now filled his nostrils with promise.
But he was not the only predator following this trail. A magnificent lion, his golden coat rippling with powerful muscles, had discovered the same deer tracks pressed into the soft earth. The great cat had positioned himself strategically along the path, his massive body pressed low against the ground, a wickedly sharp axe gleaming beside him as he waited with the infinite patience that marked all successful hunters.
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When the human hunter spotted his competition, his heart hammered against his ribs like a trapped bird. Lions were not creatures to challenge lightly, especially one armed with a weapon and clearly prepared for ambush. Swallowing his fear, the hunter scrambled up the nearest tree, his calloused hands gripping the rough bark as he pulled himself high into the branches where he hoped to remain invisible.
The lion’s amber eyes tracked the hunter’s movement with lazy interest. He yawned, revealing teeth like curved daggers, rolled onto his side with supreme confidence, and dismissed the trembling human as no threat to his plans. The day stretched long and hot as both predators waited, the hunter’s muscles cramping from maintaining his precarious perch while the lion dozed in the dappled shade below.
As evening shadows began to lengthen across the forest floor, the deer finally picked his way home along the familiar path. His graceful steps and alert ears spoke of a creature who had survived many dangers, but even his keen senses could not detect the lion’s perfectly concealed presence.
The moment the deer stepped within range, the lion exploded into action. His powerful arm hurled the sharp axe with deadly precision, but the deer’s reflexes proved superior. The weapon whistled past its intended target and crashed into the thick bushes with a sound like breaking bones.
The deer bounded away in terror, disappearing into the forest depths, while the frustrated lion began searching frantically for his lost weapon. The hunter watched from above as the great cat prowled from tree to tree, occasionally glancing up at the human observer with growing annoyance.
“Did you see the axe I flung at the deer?” the lion called up with barely controlled anger.
“Yes,” the hunter replied cautiously.
“Please come down and show me where it is.”
The hunter’s survival instincts screamed warnings. “No! Your species is untrustworthy. You want me to come down so you can devour me.”
“No, I will not harm you,” the lion insisted, his voice taking on a strangely persuasive tone. “Please come down. I will tell you something valuable in return.”
“Leave this tree? I should be such a fool. I won’t,” the hunter declared, though something in the lion’s manner made him hesitate.
The lion continued his persuasion with the persistence of flowing water wearing down stone. Eventually, against every instinct that had kept him alive in the dangerous forest, the hunter descended. His legs trembled as he retrieved the axe from where it lay hidden among the thorny bushes and handed it to the grateful predator.
“I will give you something in return,” the lion said, his golden eyes holding an otherworldly gleam. “Aren’t you here waiting for animals?”
“I am,” the hunter confirmed, his voice barely above a whisper.
The lion’s voice dropped to a conspiratorial tone that seemed to echo with supernatural power. “I will reveal many secrets to you. When you go out hunting, you will hear the chimpanzee howl. From that moment, you will kill anything that moves on the face of the earth. But mark you release this secret and you die.”
The warning rang through the forest like thunder, and the lion repeated it once more to ensure the hunter understood the deadly consequence of betrayal. Then, with elaborate ritual, the lion taught him the necessary libations, the proper prayers, and the exact methods needed to master this supernatural hunting power.
From that day forward, the hunter’s fortunes transformed dramatically. Whenever chimpanzees called their pride to gathering on distant hills, he would arrive before the animals could assemble, giving him first choice of the finest game. His compound overflowed with meat, his family never knew hunger, and his reputation as a hunter spread throughout the land like wildfire.
But success bred curiosity, especially among his wives, who watched their husband’s miraculous transformation with growing suspicion. One wife approached him directly, her eyes bright with questions. “What makes you so good at tracking big animals? You were never this skilled before.”
The hunter remembered the lion’s deadly warning and deflected her inquiries with nervous laughter, joking about his strong legs and keen eyesight. But women who share a husband often share their thoughts as well, and soon all his wives united in their determination to uncover his secret.
“You must have a special weapon,” they insisted, surrounding him like hunters cornering prey. “You must tell us your hunting secret. We are your wives, not nosy strangers. You should trust us with the truth.”
Their voices rose in a chorus of demands and accusations that filled the compound with tension. Near the nsaa, a cock scratching for worms in the sand heard the commotion and paused in his search. He pecked at the earth in his familiar pattern, calling to his hen companion, but she ignored his summons.
The cock’s voice cut through the arguing like a blade: “Look. Listen. Why do you refuse to come when I call for you? Listen to those women. Don’t you see how that man wants to tell his wives a secret between him and the lion? A secret that will end his life if they know the truth?”
The hunter’s blood turned to ice as he comprehended the cock’s warning. The supernatural power that had blessed him with abundance now demanded its terrible price. Without hesitation, he grabbed his cutlass and silenced his wives forever, their blood staining the earth of the compound that had once known only plenty and laughter.
Swift justice followed. The community condemned him and banished him from the land according to ancient custom, for no man could spill blood in his own compound and remain among civilized people. But earthly justice was merely the beginning of his punishment.
As darkness fell, the terrifying sounds of the kpwefo spirit thundered through the night. These piercing wails and roaring cries spoke of supernatural vengeance unleashed upon the land. Children fled to neighboring compounds in terror, adults barred their doors and windows, and no one dared venture outside while the vengeful spirit raged.
The kpwefo’s wrath was thorough and absolute. It leveled the hunter’s entire compound to the ground, erasing every trace of his former prosperity and leaving only rubble where a family had once lived. The hunter’s name was forgotten, wiped from memory as completely as his home was wiped from the earth.
They say he wandered afterward like a thief in foreign lands, carrying the weight of his choices until death claimed him in solitude, far from the forests where his supernatural gifts had once made him legendary.
Moral Lesson
This cautionary tale warns against the dangers of breaking sacred trusts and the tragic consequences that follow when supernatural power is obtained through deception. The story teaches that some secrets are too dangerous to share, that persistent pressure to reveal what should remain hidden can destroy families and communities, and that supernatural gifts always come with prices that must be paid in full.
Knowledge Check
Q1: What supernatural power did the lion grant the hunter in this Cameroon folktale? A1: The lion gave the hunter the power to kill any animal when chimpanzees howled their gathering calls, but warned that revealing this secret would result in his death.
Q2: What is the significance of the cock’s warning in this African legend? A2: The cock serves as a voice of wisdom and divine intervention, warning the hunter that revealing his deadly secret to his wives will fulfill the lion’s prophecy and cost him his life.
Q3: What does the kpwefo represent in this traditional story? A3: The kpwefo is a supernatural vengeful spirit that punishes those who break sacred laws, completely destroying the hunter’s compound as divine retribution for his murders.
Q4: Why was the hunter banished according to Cameroon cultural traditions? A4: According to custom, anyone who spilled blood in their own compound had committed an unforgivable act that required immediate banishment from the community to prevent spiritual contamination.
Q5: What role does Nshialah play in establishing the hunter’s character? A5: Nshialah, the day of rest, shows the hunter’s disrespect for sacred traditions, as he hunted even on holy days, foreshadowing his later inability to respect the sacred trust with the lion.
Q6: How does this folktale reflect African beliefs about the consequences of broken promises? A6: The story demonstrates that supernatural pacts must be honored absolutely, and that breaking sacred trusts brings not only personal destruction but also affects entire communities through spiritual contamination.
Source: The sacred door and other stories: Cameroon folktales of the Beba,” Ohio University Press.
