The Witch-Herbalist of the Remote Town

by Amos Tutuola

  As the delicate little boy had encouraged me in a poem, and as I was still dropping my head up and down heavily and slowly and nodding to left and right, which showed that I understood his poem, the delicate girl began to sing suddenly and she and her delicate boy started to dance gently to and fro in front of me. The song was sung in proverbs of their own race, in a very lovely voice:

  “I have set that of yesterday and of last year aside. But I now bring that of today! Take it and taste it, it is honey! The song which makes even a mourner become extremely happy is in my mouth! The eagle takes the sacrifice without trouble, but if the kite of the sky takes it, he will become the propitiatory sacrifice of the gods. This is not being a braggart! It is only the deer that the hound can kill and not the tiger! We have become full-grown delicate fellows, the people are jealous of us. The fruit-tree is growing taller but the fruit-pluckers are annoyed! One who wears only an apron is merely tying himself with a rope. Only one who is present when a person is dying is the person who can give true information to the cruel persons!

  “One who is knocked dead by death cannot shout, nor could he come back from heaven to tell the people what had happened to him. So if you have money in hand, if you are rich, I will help you to thank the omniscient mother, the Witch-Herbalist! If you become a very important person in your town, indeed, I shall help you to increase your happiness. But if, by chance, you become a rich man, never forget your generation, your family. Please, remember where you were born and who bore you as a son. I remind you of this strongly! Because the puppy who did not remember our mother, the greatest Witch-Herbalist, in his early days, has become a mere barking dog. And those stubborn people who did not remember our omniscient mother, are still in prison and are still receiving severe punishment all their days!

  “And there is no other witch doctor who can heal up poverty, nay, he is not yet born on earth! As well, the most super-human who can heal up evil does not yet exist in this world! Please take my song and taste it and learn many useful senses from it, for it is honey!”

  It was like that this delicate damsel sang her song in front of me as the delicate boy supported this song of encouragement with flatteries at intervals. But as I was much encouraged by the warnings of these two delicate young fellows, I was not aware when I dropped my head down heavily again. Then I began to sort out hundreds of useful and various kinds of meanings from it with my second “mind”. But I was so surprised that when I lifted up my head, I did not see them again. Both of them had returned to their house. And this time I had ample time to look at their house very well. This house was as beautiful as the palace of a king. But it was so small that it could not contain more than two rooms, even, each of the rooms could not be more than twelve by twelve metres, but excluding the sitting room which was not more than ten metres.

  The walls were well painted with very beautiful multi-coloured paints. The doors and windows were well polished. Many kinds of beautiful flowers surrounded the house, and the ground which surrounded it was very clean. Those beautiful flowers hid the tiny house from the view of the people, except those who had already known that there was a house. It was about two hundred metres from the road of the Remote Town. A very clean and attractive path went from there to the road, and various kinds of beautiful flowers also hid the path from the view of the people.

  So as I was still in great embarrassment at their disappearance, I saw that both of them walked out from their small fine house. The delicate boy held one bowl and the delicate damsel held in each hand one covered basin. Both of them walked abreast gently to me and they put all in front of me. Then the girl told me to remove the covers of the basins and bowl. I was greatly happy when I removed the covers of the basins and bowl and I saw in the basins different kinds of nice food. And in the bowl, there was clean and cold water.

  But when I saw all these things, I hastily lifted my head and I fastened my eyes on both of them with contentment of mind. Having seen that I was happy with the food and water, they told me to eat and to drink the water, because they knew that I was nearly dying of hunger at that time. But as I bent my head down and started to eat the nice food, they turned their eyes to the two-headed spear which I had seized from the hideous devil-worshipper when I fought him and his raiders on the shrine-field. Both were very confused as to whether I was a human being or the spirit of the devil, because it was not easy at all to get or to be in possession of the spear of the devil. They were also confused when they saw the two Crazy Removable-Headed Wild Man’s heads on top of the spear.

  As I was still enjoying the food, I did not know when both of them went back to their house. Of course, I did not mind their disappearance at all but I continued to eat the food with greediness. And as the food was very nice and as it was my most favourite food, my morsels were so big and were swallowed so ravenously that within a few twinklings, I swallowed all of it. Although the different kinds of people who were passing on the road in lukewarmness saw me eating the food with such greediness that they made mockery of me, I did not bother about that.

  So as soon as I had finished the food, I drank the clean cold water. But when I lifted my head, I did not see these two delicate fellows in front of me. They were just coming out from their house with one beautiful colt. The colt was already saddled and a small rein was in its mouth. The boy held the rein of the colt as he and the girl were coming back to me. Having brought it before me, they told me to stand up and I did so at the same time. Then the girl told me to pack up all my belongings. And as soon as she told me, I packed all, I put the juju-bag, food-bag and bow and arrows on my left shoulder as usual. I held the spear on top of which the two “removable heads” were pierced with the left hand, while I held my heavy matchet with the right hand.

  As I was doing all this, the delicate girl packed both basins and the bowl, and she returned them to their house. Then as soon as she returned, she mounted the colt, and she told me to mount it behind her while the delicate boy mounted it as well at my back, which meant the three of us had mounted the colt but I was in the middle. After that, the girl who held the rein directed the colt to the road. It was like that the three of us were riding the colt along on the road toward the Remote Town. Then these two delicate little fellows began to sing a kind of song unexpectedly. This song was so fascinating that the three of us began to dance madly along on the road. I danced with happiness even more than these two fellows because I had never heard such a fascinating kind of song as this one since when I was born.

  But I continued to notice all of the gods, idols, images, etc. which were lined up on both banks of this road like soldiers. And many villagers were also lined up along both sides of it. Several people who carried the dead bodies of their sons, daughters, fathers, etc. were seen travelling on this road. All were going as hastily as they could to the Witch-Herbalist to help them.

  As I took part in this fascinating and lovely song which these two little delicate fellows were singing and dancing on the back of the colt, this strange song was also intoxicating the pretty colt as if it had drunk a strong drink. It was so intoxicated by the song that it also was dancing with us along the road of the Remote Town. Alas! as all of us were still dancing and singing loudly with great joy along the road, we came to the large gate of the Remote Town when it was about the sixth hour of the evening. But the usual deceitful sun of the evening was still in the sky, for this time was the dry season.

  As soon as we rode to the large gate, the gateman stopped us and all of us reluctantly dismounted. Then the gateman, who had already known the two delicate fellows, shook hands with them as all of them smiled. Then he turned his eyes to me and asked gently: “What are you going to do in the town of our Omniscient Witch-Herbalist, my friend?” I explained to him: “I am going to the witch-mother to help me make the juju-medicine which can make my barren wife pregnant!” But when I explained to him like that with a very sad voice, and as the two delicate fellows were looking on, he fastened his eyes on the two “removable he
ads” and the spear. He looked at both with confusion and fear for a few twinklings. After that he shook his head up and down, and when he stopped he paused for many twinklings as he still stared at the heads and spear marvellously.

  Then after a while he said loudly: “Your own burden is quite simple. Quite different from those who are going there with their dead and half-dead people! But you have to pay the gate-fee first before you can be allowed to pass through the gate to the town! And the gate-fee is four copper pennies!” When this gateman asked for the gate money I breathed in heavily with sorrow, because I had got not even one copper penny in hand for the past six years. But to my surprise and great joy, before I breathed out, the delicate little girl had brought out four copper pennies from her pocket and then she gave them to the gateman.

  When he received the money from the delicate girl, he said that he agreed for me to enter the town, but that would be tomorrow morning. These two delicate fellows stretched the rein of the colt to me. When I took it from their hands, they told me with a smile that the colt was a gift to me and that it had become my own property as from that evening. They told me further that I should ride it back to my town whenever I finished with the Witch-Herbalist. “All right, goodbye, the sufferer, goodbye!”

  When both of them had bade me goodbye, they turned their backs to the gate and then both began to walk along gently on the road. And when I had looked at them until when they were lost to my eyes, I tied the rope of the colt to one small tree near the gate. After that, I put my belongings down and then I lay down in front of them and I slept within a few twinklings. But as soon as it was daybreak, the gateman woke me up, he told me to tie all my belongings together. Having done so, except for the cruse, I put them near my colt. But I fixed on the ground before the colt the two-headed spear on top of which the two “removable heads” were pierced.

  Having done all that, this gateman explained to me that my property, such as these things, was not allowed to be taken to the Remote Town. He said further that it was only the cruse that he could allow me to take to the town. But he assured me that I would meet all my belongings as I left them, whenever I returned from the town. He gave further assurance that he would be feeding my colt till when I returned. So as soon as I had done all that he asked me to do, he opened the gate for me and then I passed through there to the road of the Remote Town.

  But I was greatly happy when I took the cruse out from my juju-bag and I saw that it had not broken or cracked at all on the way to this gate of the Remote Town, despite several kinds of hardships, etc. which I had met in the wild jungles, etc. Now this gave me much hope that my mission with the Witch-Herbalist would be successful. And again, I believed this day that, indeed the “Supreme Second” of my wife was so kind to her that she was really ready to help her, otherwise the cruse should have been broken on the way or at the several times that I fought with the wild people of the wild jungles, etc. Again, I thanked my own “Supreme Second” greatly, who was also my guard, who was so kind to me that he guided me from my town to the Remote Town.

  The Remote Town

  But when I had travelled very fast this morning for one hundred and eighty twinklings, I reached the town at the tenth hour of the morning. So, after I had experienced much hardship, punishment, etc. in the wild jungles, etc. at last, I reached the town of the Witch-Herbalist. As I began to travel along in this town, I noticed that it was very big, beautiful, and very clean and that it flourished with all the wealth of the world. The shrines of gods, images, idols, etc. were seen in every part of the town. The houses were very beautiful and were in rows. All the inhabitants were dressed neatly and tidily. They were happy always because the Omniscient Mother helped them to overcome all of their difficulties every time.

  The Witch-Mother was the ruler of the town. Although she had many paramount chiefs who also assisted her, there was no king. She controlled everything there with kindness. Every one of the houses was lavishly painted with multi-coloured paints, and it was so for the shrines of their gods, etc. They spoke only one language which I understood very well. The people of this town were semi-deathless because their Witch-Mother was omniscient and she had a very powerful omnipotence. The whole people were forced to worship the Mother every morning and evening, but a special ceremony was performed for her once a year as if she was God, Almighty. And so everyone worshipped his or her own god, etc. every day.

  As I held the cruse with my left hand and went further into the town, I came to the palace of the Witch-Mother and I went direct to the entrance, with the rags on my body and with my dirty bushy beard. But when I came to the entrance and as I wanted to pass through there to the palace, the porter hastily stopped me and then hastily walked back a bit with fear before he asked from me that what was my purpose to go to the palace. This porter asked this question from me with fear because he thought I was a mad man and, in fact, my appearance was so rough and fearful to see at this time that anyone who took me as a mad man was not mistaken and was not to be blamed at all. But I explained to him that I came from a very far town just to see the Witch-Mother to help me make my barren wife pregnant. He allowed me to go in when he listened to my explanation which he thought was reasonable and sensible.

  Then I walked into the palace without fear, with the cruse on my left shoulder in which the juju-soup would be prepared for my barren wife. Although as soon as I had walked a bit in the palace, I came to one strange, mighty, tall, corpulent and very fearful man who leaned his back on one of the mighty pillars of the palace ready to challenge anyone who came to see the Mother.

  In the Palace of the Witch-Herbalist

  Then this fearful corpulent man challenged me with his fearful voice: “Who are you?” But I replied at the same time and with a sad voice: “I am one of the burdensome persons.” “Well, if that be the case, go direct to the Mother!” he pointed his hand to where the throne of the Mother was in the palace. Then I went direct to that part of this very beautiful palace. After a while, I walked with fear to the throne of the Mother. The throne was in the centre of the half-circle. The half-circle was so large that it contained many well and fine stuffed high seats on which her paramount chiefs or subjects were sitting. But of course the throne of the Witch-Mother was very big and high that it was seen clearly from the entrance of the hall or palace.

  As I was allowed to walk to the throne by the fearful corpulent man, I noticed that several kinds of images of living creatures, such as those of tigers, lions, boa constrictors, elephants, cows, crocodiles, mermaids, rhinoceros, etc. were hung all over the walls. But after a while, and as I stopped before the throne, one of the paramount chiefs of the mother challenged me, he shouted horribly without making any motion: “Who are you?” I nearly fainted for fear at this time, because his voice was too strange to me and it was heard very far away as if one stood far away and shouted at me in a very terrible way, especially when none of them opened their mouth and shouted like that unexpectedly. All of them seemed as if they were already dead.

  However, I replied with a trembling voice: “I am the wild hunter of the wild animals who has come to see the Omniscient Mother for help!” But I had hardly replied when another one shouted horribly on me: “All right, sit down on one of the big chairs which are in front of the throne!” To my surprise the voice of this one was heard far away in the palace as well. However, I sat on that big chair which was a bit far from the half-circle. And then I waited for the Witch-Mother to return because she was not on the throne at that time.

  But as I began to look at all the strange things which were hung on the throne and around it, I saw one small house which was for the private meeting between the Mother and her paramount chiefs. It was at the extreme end of the palace. It had one entrance, but I did not know yet whether it had another entrance which went through to the premises of the palace. As I still fastened my eyes on this small house, I saw the Mother coming out through the entrance with four of her attendants. All were following at her back. Then when she
walked to the half circle, and before she sat on the throne, I observed that all of her paramount chiefs lifted their heads at this time from their chairs. They bowed for her with due respect and then she sat down on the throne as soon as she had responded. So it was at this time that these paramount chiefs made a motion like a living thing for the first time in my presence.

  But before the Witch-Mother or Omniscient Mother turned her face to me, she first turned her face to her chiefs and made some fun with them for about thirty twinklings. Although these paramount chiefs were so old that they had become almost deathless people, when they burst into funny laughter, their voices were heard loudly all over the palace like an echo.

  As she was still making fun with them, I had ample time to watch her appearance. This Witch-Herbalist was also called the Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient Mother by her people and by her grandchildren, who were the two delicate fellows who gave me one colt, and by the burdensome people. She was so old that she had already become a deathless old woman as well as or like her chiefs. She was very beautiful and her body was still as strong and fresh as that of a young woman. Although short white hair was on her chin and all over both cheeks, the strange crown which was on her head made it difficult for me to see whether there was black or white hair on the forehead.

  She had various kinds of voices such as a huge voice, a light voice, a sharp voice, the voice of a baby, the voice of a girl, the voice of an old woman, the voice of a young man, the voice of an old man, the voice of a stammerer, the voice of boldness, the voice of boom, the voice of a weeping person, the voice which was amusing and which was annoying, the voice like that of a ringing bell, the voice of various kinds of birds and beasts. And she spoke and understood all kinds of languages, of humans, beasts, birds, evil spirits, immortal beings, etc.