African Stranger Than Fiction Tale
Nzawe is a hunter and he loved moving from land to land, especially when farmers of a particular land start to complaining that the animals in the forest have started wrecking havoc on their crops. Nwaze comes and lives amongst the people and hunts until the menace is controlled. Then he moves on to another land requiring his profession.
In one of his expedition,, Nzawe met and marries, Nwika, a pretty maiden on the land. Nwika does not mind Nzawes roving life. In fact, she loves it and accompanies him in his travels.
At each new place, when they settle down, Nzawe leaves Nwika at home to her domestic chores, while he goes into the forest to hunt.
It was in the village of Kwattalla that they met Amaal, the mysterious fisher man. Amaal, who has one eye, and a scar on his left cheek. Soon, the two men had become the best of friends. Amaar speaks with a heavy slur. Nzawe observed that when they go drinking in the village tavern that no mater how much of the local brew that his friend guzzles, he never ever gets drunk.
It came about that Nwika one sweltering hot afternoon had gone to the dark slow flowing river in the back of the farmland to fetch water with her clay
As she was about to fetch the water, suddenly a frightening looking crocodile appeared from the river bank, and glides into the water. It started swimming towards her. Nwika screamed and threw her clay water pot to the ground, smashing it as she fled, yelling from fright.
That night she narrated her frightening ordeal to her husband in between sobs. He tried his best to console and placate her.
But as they could not do without water, Nwika had to venture again towards the river some days later. Casting fearful glances about, she tries to fetch water. Then, splash, from the swampy area of the river. Throwing a wide eyed look in that direction, she snatched her hands from the half full earthen and again fled screaming along the river path. From the river bank, half in and half out of the water is the crocodile silently staring at fleeing, screaming woman.
By the time her husband came back that night, Nwika was in a state of near hysterics. This time, there was nothing Nwaze could say or do could placate her. She continued insisting that she wants to leave that village. At last, she fell into a restless sleep. Nzawe sat down all through that night in a moody state. That day, he stayed at home until it was full noon. Suddenly, he jerked out of reverie like a man who is pricked. He stands, staring steadily towards the river path. Then turning abruptly, he matched into the room. He soon emerged with his hunting gun, and without breaking stride, he matched off down the river path.
He has gone crocodile hunting.
Getting to the river he waits by the bank, with his gun at the ready, to shoot. In that hot afternoon. He did not have long to wait. Suddenly he hears a noise behind him. Spinning round, lo and behold, there crouching half an arm length is a dark crocodile, gazing fixedly at. Nzawe, jumps back, more out of panic than alert. The crocodile lunges forward, forcing him to pedal back hastily. He tripped on his own feet and ends up in a puddle in the shallow end of the river. His gun fell out of his hand as he fell. The crocodile then wobbles up to him, and stopped less than an arms length from his out stretched feet. The two gazed at each other other, in that hot afternoon. Eye ball to eye ball.
That was when Nzawe saw to his shock that the crocodile has one eye, and it has a noticeable gash on the left side of its face. It stood and gazed at the fallen hunter for some time. while he returned the gaze. With more of a puzzled expression than fear. Then the crocodile slowly turns and slides back into the dark waters.
He was sitting on a wooden chair in front of his house that evening as darkness was slowly enveloping the land as night falls . Hearing a slight noise, he looks up, and there standing and smiling at him.
“Sorry friend” he says, ‘”That is where I take my afternoon nap”
