The Three Maidens

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It was a full moon and as usual, the kids gathered and waited patiently for Mpa under the huge mango tree in his compound. Mpa was the oldest man in the village so they knew it would take quite a while for him to come out. When he eventually did, the kids got so excited that they screamed in joy. Mpa was the best story teller in the village and they couldn’t wait to listen to whatever story he had for them that night.

Mpa smiled the moment he saw how excited the kids were. He knew how much they had looked forward to this night after the previous one. There was something about the full moon that always fascinated him, so Mpa made it a rule to only tell stories on the night of full moons.

The kids watched in anticipation as Mpa gently sat on his special seat that was well placed under the huge tree. Usually he would start right away but Mpa has something different that night. He had a lot of stories to tell but tonight, he didn’t want to just pick a random story, he wanted them to make a choice so he asked them what story they would like him to tell. It took about five minutes for the kids to decide but when they did, Mpa was glad he had asked them to choose a story.

“The story of the three maidens. Hmmm that’s an interesting one” Mpa said and adjusted himself a bit on his seat. It was an old habit of his that meant one thing, it was time.

“Unlike most stories I tell you guys, the story of the three maidens is real and happened right here in this very village” Mpa began.

“Many years ago, during the time of our forefathers, there was nothing like the N’chara day. In fact, unlike now where we dedicate the N’chara day to the goddess of the river, the N’chara day was just like any other day, until one day.” Mpa stopped and looked at the children who were all listening attentively. He knew he had them where he wanted them.

One day three maidens had disappeared after going to the stream to fetch water. The families of the maidens had gone to seek for answers from the village chief priest after the whole village youths search for them for seven days. The answer the families got from the chief priest had not been what they expected. The chief priest had made a shocking revelation. “The maidens has unknowingly interrupted the goddess bath and she had taken them captive as her servants forever”

The revelation stunned everyone in the village as no one even knew that the goddess usually come to the surface to take their bath. After that incident, the king declared that day as the N’chara day, the day where no one is permitted to go to the river, the day the goddess had her bath.

Mpa finished his story and looked at his audience. He could see how terrified some of them were but they had picked the story not him.

“Okay that would be all for tonight” Mpa said and slowly got up. “The kids won’t be forgetting this one for a long time” He said to himself as he slowly walked into his hut.


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