THE BOLD GIRL..........
1186 Words
Kishumu,and Nanana's father sat on the bamboo chairs as if in a club party, they drunk as much milk as their bellies could, and chat all day long, Kishumu never went back home that day, he spend at Nanana's father hut. they roared the entire night, exchanging life stories and experiences.
Morning birds sang in awe and said their morning glory prayers ready for the new day. Nanana surprisingly woke up earlier than the birds that day, she helped her mother with the house chores, she cleaned up the dishes and the cooking pots and the guards, she sang a very strange song that surprised her mother, "entito oo mpala,nawaita ilashumpa,nelotu eisungusung..... nejo ilmurran meyieu, nelotu olonyokie ,olonyokie le polos,neilepie ntekei.....neletu eisungung, neorro iselenken............(she sang of a girl who went on papers (read papers,was taken by Europeans, she came back twining her tongue, then young men refused to marry her, but a brave young man fought tooth and nail for her hand in marriage, he was chased away, but he flew with her and came back just like her, twining his tongue and was very handsome, girls fought for him, but turned them down. )
Nanana's mother ordered her to go grazing. she went singing the same song, she sang in the morning, on her way she saw someone coming her direction, she was a girl, she came nearer, Wow! it was Naeku her childhood friend who was taken away by a town priest, who was her uncle, the priest was chased away by villagers for allegations of scarring their gods, they said God only heard silent and ritual prayers, with sprinkling milk in every direction of the four parts of the world. and blessing of the families was enough, but the priest prayed loudly and spoke things that were un understable,
She threw her arms to hug her, she was very pretty, and wore a beautiful floral dress and white flat shoes that had shirp ends,she just came visiting her parents, her mother was extremely happy but her father was not.
they spoke in details, Nanana could not keep her hands off her ,she touched everything she wore, her hair were black and long, she was extremely beautiful. they chatted on their way to the river, however Nanana prayed internally that Leteipan would not show up that day,
She couldn't keep her mind off him,they drove the calves to the river, they drunk to their fullness, Nanana deeped her hands in Naeku's dress pocket, she found a piece of paper, with writings on it,"what is this ?she asked Naeku ,"it's a piece of paper, it's called a badge, you cannot get into class without one? class? what is class....... Naeku explained everything to her,and she enjoyed the stories, so much that she could ask endless questions.
Naeku gladly answered every question she asked to her satisfaction. She desired to go to school . "it must be a very nice place to be "!she said. They went back home as Naeku charted her about school life and the benefits of education, "my grandma told me that educated people fly on the sky like birds, she said. before they were through with their girl talk, Leteipan greeted her,
"how are you beautiful one? She hesitated as if the greetings weren't hers, she looked at Naeku expecting her to greet him back, but Naeku,just stared at Leteipan without uttering a word. He greeted greeted her again thinking she haven't heard him, How are you Nanana?"iam good,! she answered absent mindedly looking at Naeku, "i can see you are not alone today "he said, "Yeah!Nanana answered, "and who'se this beautiful girl you are with?"Leteipan inquired, The word beautiful, ragged her heart aggressively, but couldn't show that she was swimming in a pool of jealousy, She gained courage, to answer still looking at Naeku, "She's Naeku my long time friend"!
Naeku's eye met unexpectedly with Leteipan's ,indeed Naeku was pretty, but Nanana's eyes were putting him on a life sentence, he hurriedly left them but threw a glance here and there randomly. He disappeared. Nanana had forgotten their charting with Naeku and now seems withdrawn from it completely, Naeku realised her sudden change and asked sarcastically "was that your boyfriend?? laughing aloud, she shyly denied, Naeku again asked," is that the proposal? "proposal?????? she asked in disbelief, " Yes,proposal, "do you know that you will never marry a man of your choice in our culture, and that you father is the one to choose for you and his decision is final "?, whatttt? she couldn't believe what was just playing in her eardrums. Naeku narrated her a story of how her three sisters were married off to older men ages of their father, and how she personally escaped from the same dilemma, and his father cursed her and hated her like hell,and that was the reason why he married a second wife and avoided her own mother, terming it as a curse for his own daughter to refuse to listen to him and disobeyed him, he excluded her from his off springs, and he called her a prostitute,
He came to the aid of a City based priest who rescued her and that was the reason she was taken to school, and she came in the company of securities and officers from the city who came to warn him if anything malicious happened to her.
Nanana was so scared, she wanted to hear more of the story but evening approached, and they bid goodbye with a promise to meet the following day. They parted ways. Nanana was happier, confused, frightened and scared of her own life.
They smiled at each other as they waved in the air calmly and with admiration. She was late again that day more than the previous day, she arrived home, ate her lunch and bathed as usual, she went to her bed, but was even more surprised to have found her mother in her own bed, they slept together when she was a very young girl but nowadays they don't,
Mother! what..... shhhhh!! her mother silenced her, she wanted to ask her what she was doing, but was cut off,Her mother asked her uncountable questions, why she's been coming home late,is she seing a man,is her breast grown,................she answered her politely, her mother firmly told her never to sleep with a man before she was circumcised, " circumcised????? what about it?her mother explained to her in details, assuring her that it's a very important mark that differentiated girls from women, real women, Nanana could not believe her ears,imagination took over campaign in her heart and mind. "this is definitely not for me she swore in her heart,.....
Her mother left but assured her of frequent visits for a mother and daughter talk. and she confirmed to her that, obedience was mandatory and she should never raise a voice to her father nor her. or else she would be disowned like ole Saning'o's daughter................... her mother left her bed to the kitchen, Nanana was left in a sea of thoughts.....
TO BE CONTINUED IN EPISODE FOUR.
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