Free Simbi and the Satyr of the Dark Jungle by Amos Tutuola Page A

abbreviated like that unexpectedly when Rali cautioned Simbi. Although the Satyr understood the meaning of “Iromi” as a water insect but he did not understand “Iro …” as “Iromi.”
    Having confused the Satyr about this word, Simbi started to say “Woe unto you, the Satyr, the noxious guard of the Dark Jungle! Woe unto you! I am ready now to fight with you!”
    The Satyr was greatly feared when he heard all Simbi’s boasts. He did not aware that Simbi was a braggart and that her boasts were not effective. Although the boasts had rendered his power absolutely useless, but still,Simbi hardly finished her boasts when he gnashed and dashed to Simbi so heavily that she staggered to a few feet. And it was a scrimmage indeed.
    In the first instance, the Satyr attempted to lift Simbi up and then to knock her onto a rock that was nearby, but she did not give him the chance to do that. And thus she attempted to do but all her efforts were failed. Because as she was struggling hardly it was so the Satyr himself was fighting her fiercely. His feet were shaking the trees that were near by as if they were going to fall down.
    They held each other tightly and their eyes were opened so widely that they (eyes) nearly to tear like a cloth, and both were perspiring as if they were drenched by rain. After a while the Satyr jumped on Simbi’s nape unexpectedly and he was pulling out the hairs of her head in large quantity. At this stage, Simbi felt much pain, she gnashed and she did not care for any consequences. She took him near to a very deep pond which was full up with water. While she was trying to throw him into that pond, Rali was beating him severely on the head with a heavy stone. But as he was trying to bend Simbi’s head and then press it into the water of the pond so that she might drink the water to death, Rali gave him an extra heavy blow at the back suddenly. And in trying to come down from Simbi and then to revenge from Rali, unfortunately he fell headlong into the pond and he drowned at the same time.
    Without hesitation Simbi and Rali were running away as fast as they could so that they might travel far off before he would come out from the pond.
    “It was only the God almighty helped me to conquer this Satyr. Because I am not bold, strong and brave enough in any way to face him,” Simbi told Rali with weak voice.
    Having struggled for about thirty minutes the Satyr came out of the pond and he chased them at once, he wanted to kill them for his food. For it was a great disappointment to him to loose them. But all his efforts were failed, he could not trace them out any more. The ladies had travelled as far as to such a long distance that he could not see them.
    “I believe, the two ladies shall come back to this jungle and I shall kill both of them at all costs at any day I meet them. It is certain, they are my meat! … By the way, what is the meaning of ‘Iro …’? of course, I know the meaning of ‘Iromi’ that is an insect of water, but what of ‘Iro …’ into which that lady [Simbi] said she could change? Anyhow we shall meet again and then continue our fight!” the Satyr was saying like that when he was returning having failed to trace them out. And he was greatly feared and powerless especially when Simbi boasted that she had killed many persons with her song and the song could change into any harmful creature.
    When they travelled very far in this Dark Jungle, they came to a flat rock. It was in an open place and it exposed to the sun. They stopped there. Hardly climbed it to the top when Simbi fell down and Rali sat closely to her. Simbi was so weak that she lay down helplessly as if she had dead. Because she had fought the Satyr beyond her power.
    When it was about twenty minutes that Simbi had laid helplessly on that rock, and when Rali noticed that her condition did not improve well, she was puzzled. She thought perhaps Simbi was going to die. “How do you feel now?” Rali asked quietly.