FATHER AND SONS

By

Michael Edwin Q.

The old ways had been slowly fading away. The witch doctor warned the village elders on many occasions – if tribal customs, laws, sacrifices, and festivals were no longer followed, the jungle’s wrath would descend on all, and he would be blameless.

Despite his determination, his word of warning went ignored.

The witch doctor remained in his hut for three days, fasting and praying for a sign. On the morning of the fourth day, he went out and took the first laid chicken egg of the day, and cracked it open on the side of a large rock. The insides ran done the face of the stone; it was pitch-black – this was the worst of all omens.

Again, he made a plea to the village elders, and again his warnings fell on deaf ears.

That season, five women of the tribe became pregnant. At the proper time, they all delivered within days of one another. All five children were boys, which normally would have been reason for great celebration; but, in this case, it was not. All five children were born blind.

They called a special assembly of the village elders to discuss what action to take. Someone suggested sacrificing the babies, something quick and merciful. Perhaps, smash their skulls and leave the bodies as tribute to the jungle spirits. But if a lion or tiger were to find the bodies first, the wildcats would pick up a taste for human flesh, and that would be detrimental. Another proposal was killing the babies painlessly, and then cooking and eating of them by the entire tribe.

On hearing this, the witch doctor stood up in protest.

“You foolish people, don’t’ you understand why this misfortune has befallen us? And I warn you, this disaster will repeat itself time and time again, until we repent and vow to return to the ways of our ancestors!”

“Very well,” proclaimed the chief, “We must take an oath never to stray again from the path of our ancestors, so this evil will leave and never return.

“The entire village will shoulder the burden of raising these five children, as atonement for our transgressions. But…you will be the one responsible!” He addressed this last part to the witch doctor.

They erected a communal hut where the five lived. They scheduled wet nurses. Undertaking of raising the five the entire village took up.

When the five were no longer children, but young men, they assigned menial tasks for them. Ones they could do without leaving their hut – weaving, grinding, and such were their responsibilities. In return, the tribe presented food and clothing offerings, which the witch doctor delivered.

Only the witch doctor had direct contact with the five.

Not having any family to call their own, they had taken to calling him, “Father”, and he, also without family, called them, “Sons”.

One day, the witch doctor brought three times the normal daily offering to the five.

“I am traveling to a nearby village, and will not be back for a fourth night. This other village has captured an elephant; they have tamed the animal and are using it as a beast of labor. I feel it is my duty to investigate.”

“What is an elephant?” asked son number three – each called by number only, because they never received names.

“It is a strange beast, difficult to describe.”

“Take us with you, father,” said son number two, “True, we cannot see, but we can also experience this…elephant!”

The five seldom ventured outside their hut, let alone the village. But, looking at their now adult faces, the witch doctor thought it good to take them with him.

They traveled for days, the witch doctor in front, the five close behind. Son number one, with his hand on the witch doctor’s shoulder, son number two, his hand on the shoulder of son number one, and so on.

Standing before the great domestic elephant, the witch doctor addressed the five, “Go, my sons, the elephant is before you…experience!”

Son number one took hold of the elephant’s tail. Number two put his arms around one the legs of the beast. Number three ran his hands across the rib cage of the animal. Number four took hold of the ear, and number five, the trunk.

One by one, the five ran back to the witch doctor in excitement.

“Father…father...the elephant is like a piece of rope,” cried number one who had taken hold of the tail. “Father…an elephant is like the trunk of a tree”, said number two who had grabbed hold of the leg. “Father…an elephant is like a great wall”, cried number three who had touched the side of the beast. “Father…an elephant is like a palm tree”, said number four who had taken hold of its ear. “An elephant is thick and muscular like a long python”, said number five who had held the elephant’s trunk.

“You are all correct…it is as you say! But, it is getting late, and we must return to our village,” said the witch doctor.

“Thank you, father,” said the five, “Now we know what an elephant is.”

He guided them home; with tears in his eyes, he could see little much more than they could.

THE END

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