I have always had a morbid fear of snakes. Even as a child I shied away from the harmless green ones that are abundant in my village, that in all sincerity, are seen as an asset for they are an effective rodent control. They abound all around through the village, either basking in the morning sun or coiled like a bundle rope, with its scale reflecting the light in sparkles. They are generally revered as a totem of the gods, to be killed at ones peril.         

My fear of the crawly things was not borne out of any unpleasant experience that I know off, I feel it is inborn, a feeling of dread and revolting that my family legend say must definitely be handed down from my grandfather on the father side, whose reincarnate I am said to be. Please do not ask me about how that came about for I know nothing about that life (consciously that is) to be able to convince you about the truth of reincarnation, just accept the elder’s word on it like we all do.          

As I said before, I hate snakes, and usually go out of my way to avoid them. I will not even touch a dead one not to talk of eating their meat, which I hear say is the sweetest of meats, if the words of my snake eating cousins are anything to go by. Pampered buggers, my cousins, with two years separating them, were born after a succession of twins who unfortunately were thrown into the evil forest and left to die as tradition demands, a break in a circle you may say since their mother went ahead to birth another twin set after them and had to head to the evil forest herself. Their father thinks the world of them and gives assent to their barest whimpers, and do they whimper? They eat only the best of things; fresh soup when the choice meat and fish are still in large supply, and even then, only the best part, white yam only not water yam that lacks flavor, no, don’t make them taste goat meat when the succulent deer meat is in the trap. Please take their word on snake meat, because they know what they are saying.           Well, everybody that is anybody in my family knows about my hatred for snakes and respects my views on them. They even tried their best to keep the communal green ones from my hut, planting snake repellant plants around it and blocking all holes that stubborn ones may want to force their slithery way through. It was this respect for my hate, I think, that caused my crazy cousin to rush into my room that hot afternoon. It was just a few moons past my sixteenth birthday, during the wet season (which I hate too) and I was dozing off the effects of a very hot meal, hoping to put off until the last minute the inevitable trip to the palm forest to check my fathers palm trees, which he was tapping for wine. A trip that is as important as it is dreadful, taking all the wet dark leafy places where my great enemies may lurk into shivery consideration. Anyway, my cousin, the crazy one, rushed in affecting me with his panic.

“Kadim, Kadim!” he called, using my common pet name. I pretended not to hear, for I know, as usual, that he is on to another mischief, which I must tell you, is his middle name.          

“Kadim, you sleepy headed son of Madu, how long are you going to pretend to be asleep? You know that I know that you know that I know you are awake, or do not the eyes of those who sleep deeply twitch? Or are you so unconcerned as to ignore the peril that hangs on your head?” he said, too loudly for the little hut. That is my cousin Okwu, noisy as ever, it is a family joke that only an adult woodpecker can challenge him in a talking contest, only the woodpecker can never hope to peck wood with the speed at which Okwu pecks words. Knowing he will not go away until I have listened to his news, I opened my eyes and yawned wildly, with all the appearance of one waking from a deep slumber. As expected, Okwu was not fooled. He smiled at me in his sly way and laughed in his high-pitched voice.         

“Our grandfather thinks Okwu is still a baby when Okwu had breathed two moons worth of the earth’s air before he was born, anyway you know that I know that you know that I have news for you, and my, my, are they heavy news? Only wait till I tell you the half of it then…”         

“Okwu,” I said, cutting off his breathless tirade, which would have continued nonetheless, “Say your say and be gone for I need to rest before heading to the palm forest, father’s wine needs checking.”         

“Aha, the palm forest, I don’t think you will be going to the palm forest today grandfather…” he paused uncharacteristically to gauge my reaction as I fought to control an exhilarating emotion that jumped in my chest at his words, ‘no trip to the palm forest? What relief, thought I,  but since I know that he only calls me grandfather-a reference to my being an incarnate-when he is up to mischief especially when I am the main target, I kept my face unreadable, or almost, for the sly bastard wasn’t fooled “Oh, I have his attention at last. Tell me was it the palm forest? Never mind, like I said you don’t have to bother your head about the palm forest, today that is, for the elders are meeting in Da Okoro’s Obi this very minute, and guess who the main topic of discussion is?”         

“You know I can’t do that, I wasn’t there, and don’t tell me you’ve been snooping around the business of the elders?”         

“Yes I have” he said pointedly “or how do you think I would have gotten the information I came to give you? Now, about that information, if you keep interrupting me I doubt if I can get to the telling of it before this day closes. You always find ways to take the sting out the telling Kadim”          

“Ok” said I “I wont interrupt again” by now my interest has risen though was yet to soar to its peak.         

“Well” he said, “I overheard the elder talking about totems, they said that a large sacred python has blocked off the Iyi stream and so prevents water from flowing down for the village use”         

“What!” I screamed, mad that he had used up my time as well as trying my patience only to tell such tall a tale, I lunged for him in anger, not that I have ever been able to defeat him in wrestling for my cousin is a rather stout fellow who makes up with brawn what he lacks in brains. He cowered from me, not necessary out of freight, but as a token of truce. I stepped back from him as he motioned for me to wait.         

“I swear it is true, Chi went to the stream earlier today and returned without any water, people now go as far as Ota stream to get water”         

“To Ota, But that is ten miles away?” I said incredulous         

“Yes ten miles through the hills, for no one is allowed to pass through the shorter cut which you know passes through the Iyi route,” Okwu said         

“ Ok, lets say you are telling the truth, how come I didn’t know about it, I was at Chi’s mother’s hut just before the sun climbed overhead and now it is not three arms past the middle” I asked seriously wondering how something of that significance would have occurred without my notice.         

“That is easily answered” he replied, “no one wants to mention snakes around you, especially large pythons” a sly light was shining in his eyes. I must not forget to tell you that my cousin does not know fear-not my kind of fear anyway. He particularly liked catching snakes with his bare hands, and was the culprit of several hateful pranks played on me when we were much younger, most of which involved his hiding the sacred green snake somewhere and coning me to unknowingly reach out and touch the hidden horror. All these pranks had petered out as we grew older and he found other people outside the family on which to practice his now more advanced pranks on without fear of scolding from our mothers.As for the pythons, they have always being here, protected like many others by the patronage of one god or the other, at whose shrines large numbers of them can be seen at any giving time. In some clans, it is the crazy rhesus monkeys that reign supreme, while in others, the pygmy tortoise gets the highest patronage. However, in my village it is the giant python that reign supreme. At times, they are seen lumbering down one village path or the other looking for cool places to hide from the sun’s heat. As you would have guessed, I keep well away from them unlike some of the younger children who, waiting until the pythons have swallowed their fortnight meal of goat or chicken depending on the particular python’s capacity, take rides on their broad backs. That, to say the least, is not for me. Okwu would have told me more had we not been interrupted by my father who came into the hut unannounced to stare at him with angry eyes.         

“Okwu, what are you doing here?” he asked suspiciously “I hope you have not being sneaking around where you are not wanted?”         

Okwu tried his best to look innocent, a thing he could not quite manage, being out of character. He managed to mumble something before slinking out of the room after remembering something he was supposed to do for his mother. His attitude, quite theatrical I tell you, caused my father and I to laugh aloud.         

Though I had not forgotten about the issue of the python, it did not cross my mind to ask father about it, probably to protect my nosey cousin or because I felt, I was not involved. How wrong I was as future events would prove. I followed my father at his request to visit his elder brother, who I have always being drawn to and was closer to than any one else, apart from my mother. As we made our way towards his house which, is situated at the outskirts of the village. I noticed a peculiar way people where looking at me and my father, some would shout out his praise name or call out my grandfather’s name, to which he will insist I respond, this I did by raising my hand in silent salute, a large smile on my face for I rather liked the title of Ogbuagu-the lion killer.          

My uncle was waiting for us when we got to his compound, a cluster of huts arranged in a semicircle behind his massive Obi, impressive as befits the first son of a great chief.         

“my father” this is his usual way of greeting me “you have come?” turning to my father he cocked his head to which my father shook his and my uncle nodded, apparently in agreement with whatever it was they were referring to. It was then that I knew that my father had met with his brother earlier, the significance of which did not hit me until later when we had settled down in front of the Obi eating fried breadfruit and Nsude palm nuts-the best combination if there ever was any.         

“My father,” my uncle had begun, “I want you to do something for me; it is something you may not like. No, it is something you will not like, but something that must be done. A thing that only you can do, but something you must be willing to do in order to succeed.” he paused and looked towards my father who nodded his head in affirmation.         

“Yes, a grave thing indeed for the clan and disastrous for our family.” he added, a solemn look shadowing his face         

At about this time I will confess that my mind was doing some additions and heading towards a conclusion that I didn’t like a bit, so it did not come as much of a surprise when the issue of the python was brought to light.         

To cut a long story short, my uncle spelt out to me that the python blocking the stream is my totem and tradition demands that me, I mean I alone, go to the stream and plead with it to move away from the stream. According to my uncle the totem is annoyed at my snobbery of it all these years, was I surprised? That is, to say the least. Yes, I thought my uncle’s speech had to do with the python but I did not know I was that involved. You can imagine my horror and helplessness.         

As my uncle said, I have to do it not for my self-alone but for my family who would be held responsible for any negative outcome of the python’s anger. Having been reminded of my history and the antecedents of the man whose name I bear and tutored by the python grooves chief priest who I never liked anyway, I set out for to the stream with my uncle, who promised to stay as near as he can when I confront the python.         

Locating the python was not hard because it is a big one and the forest is not that dense near the stream on account of the tall trees which obscured the sunlight which would have given strength to the smaller plants. So apart from the occasional shrubbery the forest floor was as clear as a well kept garden, it is a place that one would gladly spend a lazy afternoon siesta at if not for the danger of cobras and other fang and stinger crawlies that abound in this wet season. The smell of rotting vegetation and countless fungal growths nauseated me but the song of the birds comforted me as they fluttered above in apparent enjoyment ignorant, it seems, of my fear and loathing. I came upon the great snake suddenly, much closer than I had imagined it to be. I had known it would be a big one from the accounts of the elders and the priest and the traces of its passage where last nights rain could not reach, the sheer size of it assaulted my mind. To say it is big had been an understatement, what came to my mind was massive for it was bigger than three huddled men and could comfortably swallow an ox, not the fabled ox of the slender herdsmen of the north country but our black ox that stand half the height of an adult man. It coiled across the stream, successfully damming it with a double fold of its middle.

That I was awed by its size and apparent intellect is another understatement, I was terrified and was rooted to the very spot. It appeared to sense my approach for it lifted its head and looked towards my direction. All my previous fears returned in a flood that washed over me in unending torrents. soon, when it did nothing but stare at me with bead like eyes, courage returned, no, not to stay, I turned and would have beat it out of there in a great haste had my uncle not called out to me from his position further back.

“Ogbuagu” he called out “does the lion killer fear the harmless python? Go to it my father and appease he whom you have wronged” at his words my will returned and I made my way gingerly towards the python, stopping a few feet away, I turned to look at my uncle who waved me on.

I turned back to the python whose massive body was directly in front of me, reaching into the goat skin bag strapped on my back I pulled out the wrap of sixteen eggs that was supposed to represent my earthly seasons and placed same, unwrapped, before him while whispering the incantations I was taught by the chief priest. The priest told me to look into his eye as I did this, and I found it easier than I thought it would be for the eyes were kind, though with the sort of intelligent spark you would expect to find in a person.  It was more like the eyes of a child that an adult and all know it is easier to stare at a child eyeball to eyeball than an adult is.          

I don’t know how long I stood there or when the first coils entwined me, I only recall being lifted up my feet with such violence that only one of such strength can manage, I think too, that somewhere at that point my uncle screamed out my name, but I am not too sure for everything was wheeling crazily. Yes, I was face to face with my greatest nightmare, musky smell of the snake choked me as I felt the power of its muscles, I would have screamed if I had breath to for he was squeezing me, tighter and tighter, soon I started to feel my heart quickening as my breath left me. I knew I was going to lose consciousness even before everything blacked out.         

I am in a dark place and I know I am still me but I know also that I have a different name. There is no light but I can see quite well. There are others here, some who have being here longer than I and others who came after and I can feel but not really see others arriving, a great multitude, some leave immediately they come, others appear not to be in any great hurry to do so. I wait; I do not know what for but I feel the need to wait awhile. I do not know how long I waited in that all seeing darkness but just as if I knew I had to wait, I suddenly knew I had to leave and quickly too. Not knowing why, I head toward the direction through which those that are going leave, I pass a door, It is dark outside but not the dark of inside, beyond the door is a river, I walk towards it overtaking others who left before me in my haste, some murmured their displeasure, I ignore them.

By the river a boat stands. As I come up, the last passenger enters and the boat started to pull out. I run but it was moving fast. I see that the river is black, dark enough to stand out in the gloom. My haste overtakes me and I jumped into the water, which unfortunately was too powerful for my untrained body. I am being swept away by strong currents. From the boat came movement. Longish body, serpentine, dives in, coming swiftly, towards me. My strength fails, I am going under, I feel a great tug, I am being pulled against the current towards the boat, the boat is there suddenly I reach out a weak hand, was pulled up, turned to help my benefactor up, only the serpentine head was heading towards the shore, powerful strokes churning black splays behind. I turned to the boatman, “why?” I asked, “The boat was already full. He is giving you his turn and asks only that you remember when you get home,” he says. I looked at my arm, it had teeth marks but I felt no pain, I lifted my head toward the fast receding shore and beheld the multitude there “I will!” I yelled at the top of my lungs and the echo was relayed a hundred times, louder than I could manage. As we stepped off the boat, I turned to the boatman and said, “Tell him I will remember” and he nodded his hooded head and said, “He will have to wait another year and even then one can’t be too sure of what one would get, I will tell him your promise”. He turned and rowed back to the distant shore and I stepped through the light ahead of me as others before me had done.           

I came to amongst the python’s coils to find my uncle standing a little way off, while the chief priest massaged herbs unto my heaving chest. I looked around in panic to find that the python was still much around and alive, it was then looking at me with that intelligent glint in it’s beady eyes and I can swear that it felt concern for me. I raised my left arm and beheld the ten teeth like birthmark that had being there always and understood.         

“Ogbuagu,” the chief priest said, “I think your debt is paid, only never ignore your totem again, even in your later comings.”          “Yes,” I heard myself say in a voice that was strange to my ears, “it is paid.”         

“And the stream,” I asked looking towards the bone of contention which as if in answer was churning loudly as it rushed to fill the gap between it and communal water hole. “I doubt it will hold any grudge.” He replied, laughter in his voice.               

Comments (1)

	1. 05-11-2009 14:53
	Totem Ur work is great ogbuagu

John martin agba

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