Mizu ( an african story)

Tweet

Prologue It was hot and dry, as the ravenous sun blazed through the bare brown scotched earth fields pervaded by thick patched shrubs which were in dire need of clearing. Kalulu spent most of the day dreaming and neglected his labor duties. Time went by from a few minutes to an hour, and eventually to hours. A golden wall at the fall of the sky appeared, as the sun began to set. Sun burnt and tired of wasting the day, he left his field unattended hoping to find some excitement elsewhere. The path that led out of the field was a narrow stretch that cut through the short burnt out Savannah grass. Along his way, he stumbled upon a rock, large and twice his own size. He stared at it and beneath it he saw a rope that stuck out. Innocently, he sought to pull out the rope. Not knowing what he was pulling, Kalulu pulled the rope and heard something that made him wish he never did. The sound petrified him to the very last nerve-it was the sound of a lion as it roared. The rope he foolishly tried to pull was the lion’s tail. He held on to the rope as the lion pulled in opposition-the struggle began. Realising the situation he was in-he couldn't let go of the tail, knowing if he did, the beast would very well turn around and kill him. Night came and still he held on. He watched the stars travel across the sky until finally the sun returned. He was slowly losing strength, whilst the predator he held on to was getting angrier and hungrier too-alas worsen his situation. As he was now ready to suppress his hope of ever living and thinking of letting go the tail, a monk appeared. It was a miracle. "Please," he cried out to the monk, "help me out." The monk politely asked him, "How may I help you?" "You see, I accidently pulled the tail of a lion and angered it. If I let go, the beast will surely kill him." Kalulu explained to the monk, "This lion is tired, hungry and as weak as I am. There's a big stick there, I need you to get it and kill the lion." The monk willing picked up the stick and went to kill the lion. After a few minutes of silence, the monk returned. "Is it dead?" Kalulu asked. "See," The monk said with an abasing look on his face, "I am a man of faith. Being a man of faith, I believe that that lion was made by God. Being a creature of God, I mustn't kill it. However I wish you the best of luck." After saying this, the Monk left. Kalulu cried and cried out for the monk to return, until finally the monk returned. "But whose life is more valuable?” Kalulu asked the monk in his defence. The monk responded, "None, you are both equal." "Since you can't kill it, come hold the tail and I'll kill it. That way you won't kill any of God’s creations." The monk reluctantly agreed and he held on to the tail. Kalulu took the stick and went to kill the lion. After a moment he returned to the monk. "See," he said with an eerie look on his face, "you've taught me something today-that I mustn't kill God’s creatures. Having been saved by God, I wouldn't want to sin." And so, Kalulu walked away and laughed as the monk cried for help. The stranger who entered the village remembered this story from the previous village he had been too, but still never got the meaning of it. He knew it taught of problems and how we tend to pass them on to others even when we have the chance to end it, but still he always felt there was something more to it. His mind wandered back as he reached the village and the children came running to him as they chanted the word, 'muzungu!' He rubbed their heads as they circled around him. When all children left after their mothers shouted at them, demanding they be more respectful, he reached into his pocket-he had learnt from his travels in south Spain to be cautions, even when it came to children, after he was robbed by a group of children similar to these-he felt what he was looking for; a piece of paper which he had been carrying around for months. He knew his moment had come. All he had to be was patient. Meanwhile, a safe distance away, on top of a nearby hill, a group of well armoured men stood watch. One of them, who was obviously the leader said, “Make sure everything goes according to plan. No mistakes this time.” He heard his subordinate reply, “They won't be any, sir-they won’t even know what’s coming for them.” He glanced at him with a sinister look of approval and they left, disappearing from the view into the fading horizon. A little something am working on.