The Witch-Herbalist of the Remote Town

by Amos Tutuola

  Therefore, this Witch-Herbalist had no interpreter who interpreted for her the languages of the thousands of various kinds of people who were bringing their burdens to her. Furthermore, she used the voice which sounded like a bell whenever she called one or more of her attendants, instead of using a call-bell. What I observed as well of this Omnipotent Witch-Mother, was that the kind of crown which was on her head was made of superior polished silver. It was very high and lavishly ornamented with the images of a vulture, parrot, lion, leopard, and cock, and with the full-length image of a small stuffed lion on the pinnacle of the crown. All these made the Mother very horrible to see as well.

  But another thing which I observed was that each of her eye-balls, which were very tiny but sharp and bright, sent a hot ray to a long distance. The hot ray was so hot that it would burn the eyes of one who looked at her eyes for more than five-sixtieths of a twinkling. Therefore, it was hard for one to look at both eyes as long as he or she wanted to. Then the third thing which I noticed was that on her neck and both wrists there were more than fifty beads of silver and more than fifty beads of coral on her neck as well. All of them were flowing down to her breast, and small images of all kinds of creatures, carved from superior elephant tusk, were fastened to both silver and coral beads.

  Again, her elbows downward to her wrists were lavishly decorated with the most superior diamond beads. All were brightening every place where she rested her arms. Then her thighs downward to her ankles were also lavishly decorated with the well-polished leather of boa constrictor, and also highly polished complete skeletons of snakes were tied round them. Again, strange shoes which were made from the well-refined skin of the tiger were on her feet. And as she sat on her throne, she rested each foot on the back of each of the two living tigers which faced the front wildly and with furious dark brown eyes.

  The strange and fearful frock which ran from her neck down to her lap so beautified her that she was indeed the pride of this Remote Town. So there was not any woven cloth on her body at all. Again, I noticed that all the walls of this palace were beautifully freckled with different kinds of colours of very expensive paints which could only be found in this town of the Omniscient Mother.

  So when she had made some fun with her paramount chiefs for some twinklings, and as I was still looking at her fearful appearance and also at uncountable wonderful things which were in the palace, she turned her eyes to me unexpectedly. Without hesitation, she asked from me loudly at first with a hoarse voice: “Who is the Chief Priest of gods, idols, spirits, etc. of your town?” But as her voice was too hoarse, I did not understand her question. So, without fear, I told her: “Your voice is too hoarse for me to understand it!” When I told her so, she changed her voice to that of a cock, and she asked the same question from me. But I told her: “I do not understand the language of the cock!”

  Having heard this from me, she changed her voice to that of beasts, and she asked the same question from me. But I told her that so far I did not belong to the beast race, and I did not understand the language of the beasts at all. Then she changed her voice to that of the evil spirits. But I hastily shook my head to show that we did not speak the language of the evil spirits in my town, nor did we understand those of birds, snakes, immortal creatures, etc.

  But at last, when the Witch-Mother saw that I did not understand any of these strange languages, she asked the question from me with the stutterer’s voice. Yet, I shook my head to left and right, and I told her that so far I was not a stammerer, I did not understand what she was asking from me. When I did not understand, she asked again the same question from me with the voice of that of a weeping person, the voice of a laughing person, the voice which was amusing and the voice which was annoying. Then at last she changed her voice to that of human languages. So this time she first asked the question from me in the language of the Tiv, but I told her that I had not even been to Northern Nigeria. Then in the language of the Igbo, yet I told her that I had not even been to the boundary of Western Nigeria. Having heard this from me again she paused for a while.

  Now, at this stage, her paramount chiefs who were so old that they had already become deathless, had been seated motionless on their beautiful and well-stuffed chairs all the time, expecting the next language which the Omniscient Witch-Mother was going to speak to me. But as the Mother looked at both my eyes, and as the hot ray of her eyes penetrated into my eyes and was so hot that it nearly burnt my eyes, she asked in plain language, in Yoruba, the language of Western Nigeria: “Who is the chief of the idols, gods, images, etc. worshippers in your town?” This she asked with a sharp voice.

  But now, as this time she asked the question from me in the language of my town, and as I now understood what she asked from me at last, I replied at the same time with a clear voice: “My father is the Chief of the idols, gods, images, god of the river, etc. worshippers, and sometimes people call him the Chief Priest of gods, god of the river, idols, images, etc.” So having heard so from me, she and her paramount chiefs nodded for a while, and then she stood up from her throne, and her paramount chiefs hastily stood up as well from their chairs. They bowed for her for a few sixtieths of a twinkling, or till a horrible cry of a bird was heard from where I did not know.

  So as soon as the horrible cry of a bird was heard loudly like the echo, all of the paramount chiefs stood upright now in attention, and the Witch-Mother began to walk gently along to that small private house which was at the extreme end of the palace. It was in this private house that the Omniscient Witch-Mother and her paramount chiefs were holding very important meetings. So the chiefs, the attendants and the two tigers on whom she used to rest her feet, stood up and followed them as well. And as I was in the middle of them, I began to wonder whether they were going to sacrifice me to the god of the Mother.

  But when I walked with them to the small house, two of the attendants ran to the door and opened it widely. Then the Mother entered first with her two tigers. After that the rest of us entered. All of us had hardly entered when the two attendants shut the door back at the same time. The inside of the small house was dark immediately the door was shut, but I saw the inside by the help of the flaring light which was hung on the wall. I was greatly surprised that the inside of this small house was so big that it contained many large rooms, sitting rooms, etc. As the Witch-Mother who was in front of us was walking along in the wide passage and the rest of us were following her, I noticed that hundreds of various kinds of birds were the occupants of the big rooms. And to my surprise again, as we were following the Mother, these birds began to flap their wings loudly and were crying loudly. But having noticed their moods very well I understood that they were not ordinary birds but the birds of Witch, so this gave me real credence that the Mother was indeed powerful.

  After a while, we followed the Mother to the extreme end of the small house where there was a large gate through to the premises, and we followed her to those premises. These premises, as I called them, were so wide that they contained more than one thousand big houses. These houses were for people who were bringing their burdens to the Mother. But the Mother and her paramount chiefs lived in a mighty building which was not too far from those which were for the burdensome people. And it was in these same premises, which were like a very large town, that the Hall of Assembly of the Mother was built.

  In the Hall of Assembly

  of the Mother

  But when the keeper of this Hall of Assembly saw that the Mother was coming, he hastily opened the large doors. As she entered, the rest of us followed her. Then she went direct to the altar where there was a strange mighty organ. The organist who sat ready before the organ was a very short and corpulent man, but he seemed in his uniform exactly like a very big red bird with a large comb on his head. So the Mother sat at the right of the organist who was just like a big red bird, her Covenanter sat at the right as well. The paramount chiefs sat on well-stuffed long benches opposite the Mother. The attendants sat at their back, while I sa
t at the back of the attendants.

  Then as soon as every one was seated, I continued to look at the “bird-like organist” and also at many other fearful things which were in this worshipping hall or Hall of Assembly. So in this HALL OF ASSEMBLY OF THE WITCH-HERBALIST OR THE OMNISCIENT MOTHER, there were more than one million big racks. Each of the racks contained thousands of large pigeon-holes. It was in these pigeon-holes that different kinds of medicine were kept ready for use by the people of her Remote Town, and also for use by the whole people who brought their burdens to her. All of these miraculous medicines were prepared from herbs, etc. The dispensers of the Mother who worked in the dispensary were more than two thousand. But to my surprise, when I looked at the “bird-like organist” of the Mother very well, I saw that he had a beak which was about one metre long and it was curved inward so that it was thick in a strange way. He had large wings, claws, etc. like that of a bird of prey. He was banned from playing the organ if he was not in his uniform.

  It was in this hall that the Mother, her paramount chiefs, her attendants, the whole people of the town and all the burdensome people were worshipping every morning and evening. But if one of the burdensome people failed to attend the service even once during the period of one year that he or she would stay there, the Mother would send him or her away from her town without helping him or her to take his or her burdens away.

  As I continued to look at all the wonders which were in this hall, the whole people of the town, and all the burdensome people who were more than three thousand, entered the hall. And every one sat on benches and then kept quiet. Then I saw that the Mother stood up suddenly. She walked into one small dressing room which was at a little distance from the strange organist. After a while, she came out in a very fearful dress. To my fear, this Mother had changed to another terrible thing—a monster? This I could not confirm yet. Her head was exactly like that of her “bird-like organist”, but her powerful eyes remained as they were and her frock was as it was, although she had wings like that of her “bird-like organist” and both were deep red as well. This was her normal dress this evening.

  As soon as she walked out from that small dressing room, all of her paramount chiefs, the attendants, the Covenanter, the people of the town and the whole of the burdensome people hastily stood up and waited in attention until the Mother walked gently to the altar. Then she sat down on the high and large chair which was close to the altar and the mighty organ. Then we bowed for her before we sat down. So I continued to look at every part of this hall with wonder. But as I was still looking at the strange objects which were hung on the walls, the noble men and women of the Witch walked in procession from outside to the hall. All sat on the special chairs which were next to the right of the Mother. It was at this time I knew that the Mother and paramount chiefs, etc. were waiting for the other members.

  These noble men and women of the Witch were dressed in very costly garments, which were their uniform. Each of them was very old and both men and women were bald. But as I still fastened eyes on these noble men and women with great wonder, for they were terrible, I heard suddenly the sound of a mighty bell from the outside of the hall. The sound of this bell was like that of the church. Then as soon as the sound of the bell was heard, the “bird-like organist” of the Mother first swelled out his large wings and both nearly covered the mighty organ. But as he was ready to start to play the organ, the Mother, her paramount chiefs, Covenanter, attendants, the noble men and women stood up. I too stood up later, when I saw that all the people of the town and the other burdensome people like myself stood up.

  Then without hesitation, the Mother together with her chiefs etc. began to sing the song of praise with one voice as the “bird-like organist” began to play the organ to the anthem in different tones such as treble, alto, bass, etc. And it was at this time I understood that this “bird-like organist” was the organist of this worshipping Hall of Assembly. To my surprise, as soon as each verse of the song was sung to the end there was a great applause. Although the song of praise was long, it was so fascinating that the Witch-Mother and the rest of the people left their seats, they mixed up and then they began to dance, and they were clapping with great joy as they were jumping here and there in the hall.

  But after a while that I had listened to this fascinating song and the fascinating music which the “bird-like organist” was playing to it, I did not know when I joined them to dance with great joy. At this time I had forgotten my burden which I brought to the Mother. This meant for me that: “The drunkard has forgotten his poverty and sorrow. But he comes back to his usual sadness as soon as he is conscious.”

  It was so that the whole of us danced with great applause for about one hundred and twenty twinklings like a mad man. But as soon as the Mother announced loudly that every one should stop dancing and go back to his or her seat, we did as she ordered us to do and she too went back to her seat. Then she announced loudly again that we should kneel down and close our eyes. When we did so, she praised the God Almighty for about twenty twinklings. Then she told us to sit back on our seats. But I wondered greatly that all of the songs which we sang were from the Gospel Hymn Book. Although the people called her Witch-Mother, she did not pray to the witches but to the God Almighty. It was not idols, gods, images or witches that they worshipped in this Hall of Assembly.

  So having rested for a few twinklings, hundreds of waiters brought delicious food and drinks of various kinds from the kitchens which were not too far from the Hall of Assembly. They served the food, drinks and cold water to every one of us. So after we had eaten and drunk to our entire satisfaction, we rested for a while. The Mother and her Covenanter, in his uniform of crimson, stood up. And at the same time the other people including myself stood up as well. As soon as all of us had bowed low for them, both of them walked into the dressing room. After a while, both of them walked out from the room with a very slow step. The Covenanter, who had now dressed in another kind of uniform, was in front of the Mother. He held up one long mace. This mace was a complete skeleton of a human and he himself was dressed in the skin of a lion which covered his neck down to a half-part of his body.

  The skull of the lion was on his head and it was just like a helmet. So his head downward to the half-part of his body was not visible. But the Mother who was following him with a slow step was also more terrible to see at this time. As they walked out from the dressing room, the whole of us stood up and we bowed for them until they walked slowly to the altar. But when the Mother sat on her seat, and her Covenanter stood up with the mace of the skeleton of a human in his hands in front of the “bird-like organist”, then we sat back. After the whole of the people and the Mother had kept quiet for some twinklings as if we paid respect for one who was dead, the Mother stood up again. She told us to kneel down, and then she prayed to the God Almighty for more than sixty twinklings.

  After the prayer, she told us to stand up and every one of us did so. Then we sang and danced together for some twinklings as the “bird-like organist” played fascinating music to the song. After that, the service came to an end at midnight. And then the Witch-Mother told one of her servants to take me to one of the vacant guest houses which was at a distance of about three-eighths of a kilometre from the Hall of Assembly. So as the servant began to lead me to the guest house, the Mother and the other people returned to their houses. But to my surprise, the “bird-like organist” did not leave the Hall of Assembly as all of the other people did, but I believe he lived there.

  After some twinklings, the servant led me to the vacant guest house and he told me to put up in one of the rooms. But he warned me seriously before he left that I must take great care of the cruse in which the Mother was going to prepare the juju-soup which would make my barren wife pregnant. As this room had already been equipped with sufficient amenities, I lay down on the soft bed and then I slept, as soon as the servant had left.

  When I woke in the morning, I went to the Hall, and I was shocked to see that th
e whole people of the Remote Town and thousands of the burdened people had gathered in the Hall and all were ready for the morning service. So I thanked my “Supreme Second” greatly for helping me not to be late for the service, otherwise the Mother would drive me away from her town that morning, because it was against her law. If one or more of the burdensome people failed to attend the morning and evening services even once for the period of one year that he or she was staying there, the witch-mother would not take his or her burdens away.

  Then after the morning prayer, we ate and drank to our entire satisfaction. After that, all of the burdensome people returned to their guest houses. And the Mother, her paramount chiefs, noble men and women and the attendants with the Mother’s two tigers, went to the palace. They kept themselves there ready to receive the new burdened people who would arrive that day.

  When I returned to my room, I sat on the back of one large image of an eagle. But I had hardly sat down when I raised my head up and I saw the images of various kinds of birds which were hung on the walls of the room. These images were so carefully carved from superior wood that one who did not fasten his or her eyes on them well would take them as living birds. Having looked at them with wonder for a few twinklings, I stood up, I walked to the outside of the room. So when I saw that hundreds of guest houses were on the same lines as the one in which I was put up, then without hesitation, I walked into one which was next to mine. In that house I met more than one hundred people who brought their burdens to the Omniscient Mother as well as to myself, and they were waiting for the period of one year after which the mother would attend to them. As I met these burdensome people in that guest house, I greeted them with a cheerful voice. But only a few of them answered and the rest only shook their heads. They could not answer my greetings because their burdens were so severe that they were unable to open their mouths and reply. I left them at the same time and I walked to the front of the house, when I saw that their burdens were more than my own. Then I entered another one of the houses. Although I met several hundreds of the burdensome people in it, there was none of them who answered my salutation at all. Their burdens had paralysed every one of them. So having seen them in this condition, I returned to my room. I sat on the usual image of an eagle, and then I began to recount all the punishments, difficulties, hardships, etc. which I had encountered before I reached the Remote Town.