The Village Witch Doctor and Other Stories Read Online Free PDF Page A

Yanribo’s father, Adio, to him. Within a few minutes the bearer returned with Adio to the palace.
    Adio greeted the king and the counsellor, and then he sat down. ‘Yes, I am here now. But what did the king call me for?’ He turned to the king and the other counsellors with sulky eyes.
    The senior counsellor began, ‘You know. We still find it difficult to get the most beautiful lady, like Yanribo, in this our land who is to carry the sacrifice. But, as you know, your – your – your daugh-ter, Yan-Yan-Yanri-bo, is the most be-be-be-beautiful in-in – the land. We – we – shall be – be – be grateful if you – you – you will sur-sur-surrender her to – to – to carry the sacrifice.’ The counsellor stammered with fear as he scowled at the floor.
    â€˜Who has sent you here to tell me that?’ Adio frowned at the senior counsellor and roared horribly.
    â€˜The – the – the ki-ing, the king has – has – has told me to – to – to tell you so!’ Now both the senior counsellor and the king scowled at the floor.
    Then the king spoke with pretended anger, ‘In my presence, are you telling lies about me, you a senior counsellor like you?’
    â€˜But you have instructed me to tell him so!’ The senior counsellor frowned at the king.
    â€˜No! Not I!’ The king beat his breast and shouted with fear.
    Yanribo’s father, Adio, stood up and shouted wildly at them, ‘Eh! Stop all your arguments! Whether it was the king who has told you or not, I shall agree to surrender my daughter, Yanribo, provided that every one of the counsellors and the king will surrender one of his daughters. If they fail to do so, then I shall never agree to surrender my own daughter, Yanribo!’
    â€˜Hmm!’ The king and the other counsellors murmured all at one time, and then everyone shook his head disapprovingly .
    Having seen that the king and the other counsellors were not pleased to surrender their own daughters, Adio stood up wildly and with great anger shouted horribly, ‘All of you are seducers! Villains! And treacherous men!’ Then he went out.
    â€˜Hmm!’ The king and the other counsellors dropped their heads heavily upon their chests and murmured confusedly with fear as soon as Adio had walked out angrily.
    The king at last raised his head up and asked quietly from the counsellors, ‘But what is the next step that we can take now, now that Yanribo’s father has refused to surrender Yanribo?’
    Then all of the counsellors raised their heads up. Now the senior one suggested, ‘There is nothing else we can do to change Adio’s mind, to surrender his daughter. But I suggest that this midnight the king’s bearers should go and kidnap Yanribo from her father’s house. If the deed is successful, then before daybreak we shall force her to carry the sacrifice to the camp of your enemies.’
    â€˜Oh, yes, your suggestion is worth more than a million pounds!’ The king and the other counsellors were happy now.
    Without hesitation, the king sent some of his hefty bearers to go and kidnap Yanribo from her father’s house. And, within a few minutes, the bearers carried Yanribo, her mouth bound with rags, to the palace.
    Then the king and the counsellors hastily dressed Yanribo with the finest clothes, and put the finest coral beads on her neck and wrists. Now, Yanribo looked even more beautiful than before.
    Before daybreak, they put the beautiful large calabash of the sacrifice on to her head. Then they started to draw her gently to the edge of the city. When they drew her to the road leading to the camp of their enemies, they led her a little distance until they were sure she could not trace her way back to the city. Then they removed the rags with which they had bound her mouth to prevent her from shouting. Having told her to carry the sacrifice along that road, they