A Humble Heart

 

Kwesi dug out cassava from his farm in the village of Nyamewoha. He had promised to give Auntie Esi some tubers last month. He smiled as he put the tubers into the basket he brought. “It is good to help,”  he thought. The weather changed suddenly. It was going to rain. “I have to hurry before the rain falls,” said Kwesi. He picked up the basket after a few minutes and left.

Kwesi arrived at Auntie Esi's hut and saw the old woman breaking firewood. She had no children to help. "Auntie Esi, let me help you with that," said Kwesi. Auntie Esi admired Kwesi a lot. He was the only one who made time to help her. Kwesi finished breaking the firewood and gave Auntie Esi the basket. "May the mother goddess Asaase Yaa come to your aid in your hour of need and bestow upon you one of her gifts," said Auntie Esi. Kwesi had heard of Asaase Yaa visiting good people in the past and giving them gifts. He had never seen nor heard of such in his generation.

“Thank you, Auntie Esi for the blessings,” he responded and left.

He visited other villagers and gave them food too. Most were grateful for his help, except Kofi, his neighbour. Kofi always envied Kwesi because of the respect he had among the villagers and his continued success. Kofi was a devout farmer too but he was never satisfied with what he had. He saw Kwesi as he returned from the farm.

“Good evening, Kofi,” Kwesi greeted him.

“Good evening,” he responded.

“It has been cloudy the whole day,” said Kwesi.

“Certainly,” said Kofi.

“I think it might rain,” Kwesi continued.

“Maybe,” said Kofi. Kwesi cleared his throat after that and entered his hut. Kofi rolled his eyes at him and entered his.

Late into the night, the heavens released the rain they had kept for so long. The downpour was so severe that it destroyed the farmlands of Nyamewoha. The rivers overflowed their banks and most villagers couldn't leave their huts. The town crier was the only one who could be seen on a canoe, paddling around the flooded streets of Nyamewoha and announcing to the villagers that no one should leave their huts until the water receded.

After a week, the streets of Nyamewoha could be walked on now. The farmers went to their farms to check their condition. All the crops on the farmlands were destroyed. It would take another farming season before they could plant again. The villagers had to depend on their food stores now.

Kwesi opened his food stores. He provided food for villagers who didn’t have enough food and helped the other farmers prepare their farmlands for the next farming season. “Who does he think he is giving out food like that? These villagers are not worth it. Anyway let me go for mine,” murmured Kofi as he watched Kwesi give out food. He approached him and collected some. Kwesi was glad to help him.

The farming season finally came and the farmers of Nyamewoha planted their crops. Unfortunately, the rains didn't come. The time the rains were supposed to come had passed. The people became worried. The farmlands started drying up. Most food stores were empty now. The villagers were starving. Some marched to Nana Kojo, the chief's palace, demanding food. Out of fear and desperation, the chief called for the chief priest. "The gods are silent," said the chief priest.

“What do we do now chief priest?” asked the Nana Kojo.

“I shall offer some sacrifices to the gods to seek answers, your majesty,” said the chief priest. “Please do,” said Nana Kojo.

Kwesi continued to provide food from his stores to the villagers until he had run out of food. Most villagers tried to leave Nyamewoha to seek greener pastures but were rejected by all the villages they went to because Nyamewoha was seen as a cursed village; hence, her villagers were also cursed. Most villagers died because of the hunger. It had been three years now since the rains ceased. Some villagers stole from the villagers who still had food in their huts. Nyamewoha village had become a dangerous place to live in. Kwesi was left with only a tuber of yam to eat. He visited some of the villagers he had helped and asked for some vegetables. “I am sorry, Kwesi. The little food I have left is for the family. I can’t help you,” was the response they gave him. Some chased him away, refusing even to listen. Others slammed their doors in his face. Kwesi was shocked. “These villagers that I always helped are now doing this to me. So it was true when our elders said that you know a man’s true character when disaster strikes. After all I have done for them, none have bothered to even look my way. Was it even right to show kindness? I shouldn’t have done that. I won’t show kindness again,” he murmured.

He arrived home to see his hut’s door open. He rushed in and yelled. His last tuber of yam was stolen. Kofi rushed into his hut and saw him in tears. “What’s wrong, Kwesi?” he asked.

“My last tuber of yam has been stolen. I have no food to eat,” said Kwesi in tears. Kofi rolled his eyes at him and said, “Have you asked for some from the villagers you always help?”

“Yes I have. Some said they didn’t have. Others refused to open their doors. I felt bad, Kofi. I never imagined they would do this to me,” Kwesi responded.

“It’s well, Kwesi. The gods will provide,” said Kofi.

“Please, do you have some food to spare?” asked Kwesi.

“No, I don’t,” Kofi lied. He had numerous food stores filled with food he had hoarded over the years. Food that could feed the entire village for two years. Kofi left Kwesi alone and returned to his hut.

Kwesi lay on his bed, his stomach calling for food. The hunger was severe. As he thought about where to get food, he heard a knock on his door. "Who is it?" he asked. "It is Awo Yaa," Kwesi searched his mind to see if he knew anyone by that name. "I wonder who she is," he thought. He opened the door and saw an old woman dressed in sackcloth. She smiled at him. Her teeth were the whitest he had ever seen. "Do you have food to spare, my son?" she asked. Kwesi scratched his head and said, "Please, I do not have any food but let me check if I can get some fruits for you. Please come into the hut and wait." Awo Yaa entered the hut. It was a neatly arranged hut. A bamboo bed was at the far end to your right. A bamboo chair and table were also in the middle, and a big pot of water was near the entrance to your left. The floor of the hut was laid with animal skin to soften it. Awo Yaa sat on the chair and Kwesi gave her some water and left.

“Please, Kofi,” said Kwesi, “I am really hungry. Just a few fruits,” he continued as he knocked on Kofi’s door. Kofi opened the door and said, “I have already told you I don’t have food, Kwesi. Now go away,” he said. He pleaded many times until Kofi agreed to give him some fruits. Kwesi thanked him so much. Kofi gave him two oranges and two bananas. “These are what I can spare,” said Kofi. “Thank you, Kofi. May the gods bless you abundantly,” said Kwesi, and he returned to his hut.

"Awo Yaa, please you can have these fruits. They are what I could find for you," he said. Awo Yaa looked at the four fruits and smiled. "What about you Kwesi? What are you going to eat? You told me you had no food," she asked. "The gods will provide, Awo," Kwesi answered. Awo Yaa put her hand into her pocket and removed a green bracelet. She handed it to Kwesi. "This is my gift to you Kwesi. You have done so much for this village. You are indeed a kind man," she said.

“Oh, Awo, I can’t accept this. This bracelet is very beautiful and I believe it costs a fortune,” said Kwesi. “Please take it,” Awo Yaa insisted. Kwesi raised the bracelet and smiled as it shone and glowed when a ray of light fell on it. “It is very beautiful, Awo. Thank you,” he said, smiling. Awo Yaa smiled again and left his hut.

Kwesi lay on his bed again, admiring the green bracelet. “It is very beautiful,” he thought. His stomach growled again. "What I would do for a calabash of fufu with light soup and some pieces of goat meat? Only the gods would know," he said. A few seconds later, he smelled the aroma of light soup. He wondered who was cooking light soup in a village that was struggling for food. He sat on his bed and suddenly dropped the bracelet on the floor. On his table was a calabash of fufu with light soup and eight pieces of goat meat. He couldn't believe his eyes. "Am I dreaming?" he asked. He slapped himself to clear his vision. He pinched himself to make sure he wasn't seeing things. The calabash of food was still on his table. He picked up the bracelet. "Could it be what I am thinking? No, it can't be. How is it even possible?" he murmured. He imagined two orange fruits would be on the table too. He waited a few seconds. Nothing happened. "Maybe someone entered my room without my knowledge," he murmured. He was lost in thought now, wondering how the food came about, when he saw a green light fill up his room. It was coming from the bracelet. The light died and two oranges could be seen on the table. Kwesi stifled a gasp and dropped the bracelet again. "Could Awo Yaa be Asaase Yaa, the mother goddess? The gods have finally shown mercy on me," he said excitedly and ate the food. It was the most delicious food he had ever eaten.

After eating, Kwesi wondered what he would do with the bracelet. With this bracelet, he would never go hungry again. “What about the villagers? What would they eat?” he thought.  "I will use this bracelet to feed as many villagers as I can until the rains return," he said. Kwesi wished for different foodstuffs, and they all appeared to him. He began giving them out to the villagers. Many also came to him daily for food and helped distribute it too. "Where is Kwesi getting his food from?" asked Kofi. He told me he had no food, so how and where is he getting food?" he continued. Kofi decided to find out. He waited until midnight and sneaked into Kwesi's hut. He hid behind the big pot of water. "When the sun rises, I will find out where Kwesi gets his food from," he said.

Kwesi woke up and swept his room. He prepared himself to make his wishes. He wished for different foodstuffs that filled his room. Kofi was shocked. "A magical bracelet! I must have it," he murmured. When Kwesi was done, he dropped the bracelet on the bed and went to the bathroom. Kofi saw his chance. He left his hiding spot, approached the bed, took the bracelet, and dashed out. Kwesi returned from the bathroom. He didn't see the bracelet on the bed. "Didn't I leave the bracelet on the bed?" he asked. "Maybe it has fallen," he continued. He knelt to search when he heard a knock. It was Ama. He allowed her in. She brought some villagers too, and they helped carry the foodstuffs to share.

Kwesi returned late in the evening. He searched everywhere for the bracelet. It was missing. “Oh, no… has someone stolen it?” he asked. He felt sad. “Gods of Nyamewoha, please help me find the bracelet. Whoever has taken the bracelet, may your wrath fall on him or her,” said Kwesi.

Kofi was in his hut. He had just finished eating fufu with palm nut soup filled with grasscutter meat. The food he had wished for and received. "Finally I can acquire more food, sell it, and become rich enough to leave this village," he murmured. He raised the bracelet up and admired its beauty. "A beautiful jewel," he said. He dropped the bracelet, and he was struck by lightning. He screamed, and his neighbours rushed into his hut. His skin was black, and he was in so much pain. Kwesi also entered and asked what had happened. 

"Looking at his black skin, he has been struck by the gods," said Kuma the hunter. 

"I never knew of that," said Afia, the fishmonger. 

"Many people don't know. It is rare. Kofi must have done something to anger them," Kuma continued. 

"We must take him to the shrine," said Ama.

They arrived at the shrine and when the chief priest saw them, he ordered them to drop Kofi. He chanted and recited incantations. He sent his servant to call the chief and his elders. A few minutes later, Nana Kojo and his elders arrived at the shrine. “Chief priest, you know a chief priest never sends for the chief of the land unless it is urgent. Why have you summoned me?” asked Nana Kojo.

“Your majesty. Indeed a chief priest never sends for the chief of a village. It is rather the chief priest that should go to the chief but this is urgent your majesty. The gods have finally spoken after many years of silence,” said the chief priest.

“What did they say? Tell us,” said Nana Kojo.

“The young man you see on the ground here is the cause of our problems,” said the chief priest. There were gasps of shock and wonder among the few people gathered. “He has been stealing from each farmland and hoarding the food. He stole food that was offered to the gods when no one was in the shrine. He also stole a green bracelet offered as a gift to Kwesi, the kind man, by Asaase Yaa the mother goddess of Nyamewoha,” the chief priest continued.

There were screams of outrage now. Manu, the carpenter, got angry and was about to attack Kofi when Nana Kojo’s guards stopped him. The chief priest ordered Kofi to confess, and he did. Kwesi’s bracelet was returned to him. A few minutes later, Kofi yelled and died. Then suddenly the rain fell and the villagers shouted in joy.

The end.

Author: George Ewusi Mensah