A tale in EDO my home land.

 THE TALE OF ODIGIE AND HIS GOAT .
       This story was told to us when we were very young, Odigie was a very obedient child to his father all through and the father was rich in goats. this good son called odigie took very good care of the goats that the goats were also fund of him as well. The father became very old then
 bowed to the cold hands of death. Odigie being his only son inherited all that the father had that means including all the goats, then nown even more than befor he loved and cared for these goats.
A time came when he had a very poor harvest from his farm and, he requested a divine help. He was also divinely devised to sacrifice one of his goats to appeal the gods; He was never happy, and he refused to do so and bared all that came after that including hunger that was very terrible that he was almost losing  his own child. This time he was ready to part with anything because the life of his child was at stake. Then he was confused and he ran back for a divine help again. This time he was asked to sacrifice two of his goat.
Oh! poor odigie, he ran home confused, he love his child and as well love his goats (this is the real tale: what comes first in the life of a man, what do you take first or what is more important to you). Despite all, he went home to properly care for his child. while he was doing this he cried all day.
One day he set out of his home to get some herb for his child still crying, he heard someone whispering and he turned, he saw an old woman and then he quickly greated. Then the old woman asked him never to warry about herbs that he should pretend living the house, go round and come stay in her house. He accepted and did exactly as told.
To hos greatest surprise he heard his own goat singing "odigie has goat salelele, alelesa, he could not kill for his father, salele alelesa, he could not kill for his mother salele alelesaaaaaa".there and then he cried out his sorrows, thank the old woman and went back home disappointed.
   When he got home, he went to his child held his child to himself for a while and put back his son, went straight to his bed side took his cutlass, file and some salt. He took out some time to sharpen his cutlass to the best of his ability and kept it back quietly. The dawn of the nest morning he desided to sacrifice some goats to apeal the gods. After that the life of the son was spered, his farm gave him a better yeald and he was happy one's again


The truth about this life is that we can not eat our cake and still have it,
We give out one to get other,
We should always define where our loyalty lies,
Obay calls first
Always pray.

To the blessed memory of my mum who told me this story.