Reading Notes: African Stories, Part A

Motikatika: The woman in the story was ill and her thoughtful husband went on four journeys to get Honey till she finally ate the honey. Later on, he felt ill and sent her on a journey to get some water. During her fourth journey she encountered an Ogre while trying to get some water. The Ogre was furious as he caught the lady red handed. So he said he will eat her, but she offered him her son Motikatika as a sacrifice. Motikatika was a magician and knew all along what his mother has chosen his fate to be. Therefore, Motikatika ended up setting up the father claiming that he was the one responsible for the water. The story is nice, but the father is not one to be punished. The mother should be held responsibility for her own actions, there are many different sources of water however she chose to go to the one with the Ogre.

The woman and the Ogre

Ofthe Pretty Stranger who killed the King: This story talks about the Nigerian tribes which is always an interesting read. Mbotu was the king of Old town, Calabar. He was loved by some but had many enemies. The people of Itu were one of the people that were considered enemies. Itu tribe had a witch that offered to transform herself into a young girl to try to get with Mbotu. Mbotu was known as a womanizer and someone that finds young charming girls appealing. The witch took advantage of that and was directly able to get into his chamber and cook his dinner. She made him dinner that he ate and went to sleep after. She silently cut his head off and took it back to the Itu people. The moral of the story is to never marry a stranger, no matter how pretty she may be.