Free The Village Witch Doctor and Other Stories by Amos Tutuola Page A

to the king.
    ‘If it happens as you are telling me now, I promise I shall divide my slaves, my pawned men, and all my other property into two parts, and I shall give you one part of them,’ the king promised, though he did not believe Tortoise, the Jungle Drummer.
    Tortoise left the palace as soon as he had promised the king all that he would do on the day that the king was to make sacrifice to his head. So he and Rere began to prepare for the big day.
    When the day was reached, Tortoise, the Jungle Drummer, gave sufficient food to Rere. After the boy had eaten to his entire satisfaction, the Jungle Drummer told him to creep into the huge drum. Then he sealed both ends of the drumwith the fine leather of antelope. Having done that, he put the drum on his head and then he carried it to the assembly ground where the celebrations of the sacrifice to the king’s head would take place. Although several other drummers preceded Tortoise, the Jungle Drummer, and all were set with their drums ready for beating, he did not waste time but he hastily set his own drum down near their own.
    After a while, the king, his lieutenants, chiefs and bearers arrived on the assembly ground. They walked in procession into the pavilion which was mainly erected for the king. After the chiefs had performed the sacrifice for the king’s head, in which many cows and rams were included, beating of drums, singing, dancing, and flattering started. But Tortoise did not beat his drum this time. He kept calm and was just looking at the other drummers.
    Although the other drummers played and sang well, neither the beating of their drums nor their singing various kinds of songs impressed the king, his lieutenants, chiefs and bearers enough to stand up and dance.
    But as soon as the Jungle Drummer, Tortoise, struck the side of his drum three times, which was the sign for Rere to start singing, and Rere started to sing with his usual impressive and enchanting voice, and Tortoise started to beat his drum to Rere’s enchanting song, then the king, his lieutenants, his chiefs, his bearers and the multitude of people rushed to the centre of the assembly ground. All started to dance here and there merrily as if they were intoxicated by hot drink. The king and his people were so impressed by the enchanting song being sung inside the drum by Rere that they danced merrily till midnight.
    When all were tired and had stopped dancing, the king, according to his promise to Tortoise, the Jungle Drummer, divided his slaves, his pawned men, and all the other property into two parts. He gave one part to the Jungle Drummer, Tortoise. Then the king went back to his palacewhile other people went back to their houses in happiness.
    Of course the king and his people were not aware that it was a person, Rere, who sang the enchanting songs inside Tortoise’s drum for them. Thus Tortoise, the Jungle Drummer , surpassed all other drummers, those who returned to their houses with shame, while Tortoise returned to his house with honour.
    Meanwhile, Rere’s mother and father, Oluwo, had started to look for him from the day he went to the jungle and they did not know his whereabouts. They did not know that Tortoise, the Jungle Drummer, had rescued him from the torrent of the stream and had detained him in his house and was using his enchanting songs in the drum.
    So, after Oluwo had tried his best to find Rere’s whereabouts but failed, he consulted the wise man, who explained to him: ‘Certainly, you will find your son, Rere, if you can sacrifice the used or old leather of a drum, and with it the small bells which are attached to the edges of the drum, to the god of the river.
    ‘After that,’ the wise man continued, ‘you will prepare an important feast to which you will invite several people. You will invite Tortoise, the Jungle Drummer, as well, to come and beat and sing at the feast. Surely, that is the day you will find your son, Rere. But be sure that you supply plenty of