THE MAGIC SPEAR
An African Tale
Text copyright: Allison Hall, 2012 Illustrations: Microsoft Clipart Online The story is just for reading purposes and should not be sold without the permission of the author and illustrator
Once in Africa, the great Izu tribe owned a powerful spear. This spear was different from other spears. Its power laid in the magic it did, and this came from the gods and the spirits of the ancestors of the tribe. The spear was sometimes used to settle disputes the village elders felt they could not solve fairly. This is a story of how the spear settled one such dispute. One year, after a terrible war with another tribe, the chief of the Izu tribe suffered injury and later died. There were two men in the village who the elders felt were worthy of becoming the new chief, but they just could not agree on which of the two was more worthy. There was Nkuma, a mighty and brave warrior, who killed men in war. Mambusikele, however was quiet, calm and had only been to one war. One day, the
village elders gathered
around the circle of
fire in the village and asked
the babalawo or
Divine One to help them
solve the problem.
They felt that everyone
should agree on who
should be become chief to
avoid any division in
the tribe.
“You should have known by now which of you should become chief,” said the babalawo, as he walked around the men and stared in their faces. “I am only doing what the Ancient Ones have revealed to me.” He held the spear in his hand, and then raised it to the sky. “Our chief must be wise. He must have the strength of a lion and the
wisdom of an ant. Nkuma,
why do want
to
“I have
become a chief? “
the strength of the
l ion, as I have
killed many of our
enemies,” said
Nkuma. “I can protect the
people of this
village, by placing fear in
our enemies.”
“Very well ,” said the babalawo. “Now Mambusikele, why do you want to become chief.” “I want the wisdom of the ant,” said Mambusikele. “The small ant can help or hurt even those that think they are more powerful than it. I want peace with our tribes, oh Divine One.” “What if the other tribes do not want peace with us Mambusikele?” asked the babalawo.
“We must never give up hope,” replied Mambusikele. “Let us meet with them again and again.” The babalawo placed the spear on the ground and together he and the village elders chanted over it. All of the villagers looking on were quiet, as they waited for the announcement of the new chief. The chanting stopped and the babalawo gave out, “The spear shall sail through the Dark Forest until it reaches the end of our tribes’ land. The Ancient Ones will not allow it to go any further. The one who returns with it shall be chief. The babalawo then threw the spear in the air; it sailed through the air into the Dark Forest. The two men chased after it. The Dark Forest was very dark with tall trees, and many strange wild animals and people. Only brave warriors, the village elders and the babalawos were allowed to go deep into it. Nkuma was very strong and quick runner. He led the way through the forest quickly with Mambusikele following behind. “I must get that spear,” said Nkuma to himself. “With it I shall be powerful. All the other tribes will fear us.”
Nkuma was so busy thinking about the spear that he did not see a huge stone in his way. He tripped over it and hurt his knee. Despite his pain Nkuma continued to plod on. Mambusikele soon joined him. “You are hurt my brother,” he said. “Let me take you back to the village.” “And leave the spear? Don’t you want it?” asked Nkuma. “But you are ill Nkuma,” said Mambusikele. “Leave the spear. Its powers can always decide
which one of us is
worthy.” Nkuma
watched as the spear
moved slowly along,
as if it were waiting to
see what the men
would do. Mambusikele
lifted Nkuma’s arm
and placed it around his
neck. Nkuma
groaned as he started to
hop back to the
village. But his hunger
for the spear was too
much.
“You are trying
to trick me
Mambusikele. I will not let you have the spear,” he said. “Nkuma, you know that I am the chosen one. Our ancestors revealed it to both of us in our dreams. They do not want any more war. And moreover you have taken too many innocent lives.”
Nkuma grew angry when he heard what Mambusikele said. In his rage he pitched him into a nearby ditch and quickly hopped towards the spear. The spear slowly moved through the forest and soon fell at where the tribes’ land ended. Nkuma smiled and
picked it up. “Now I shall be
chief,” he said. However, the
spear began to jerk. It was
fighting to get out of Nkuma’s
hand, however he held on to it
very tightly, as he could not
bear to lose it. He started to
scream as the powerful shock
from the spear ran through his
body. Nkuma dropped the
spear quickly.
“You have not been fair
Nkuma,” said Mambusikele,
who had now joined him. Nkuma was very frightened. He could not believe what he was seeing.
Beside Mambusikele were two
masked men with light beaming from their eyes. One picked up the spear; then they both floated towards him.
“Do you think you could kill the chosen one?” said the one with the spear. His voice sounded thunderous. “Who are you?” said Nkuma. The men did not respond. Instead, the one with the spear handed it to Mambusikele. They then held Nkuma’s hand and started to lead him off into the forest. “Spare his life Ancient Ones,” said Mambusikele. They stopped and looked at Mambusikele,
“As you wish, Chief Mambusikele,” they said. They took Nkuma to the edge of the forest. “Do not come destroyed,” they said “But you know like our tribe. They “Mighty
back to our land, or you shall be to Nkuma. the other tribes are evil and do not will kill me,” replied Nkuma. warrior, go,” said the men as they
pointed to the other lands. Nkuma looked around, then slowly and timidly walked over into the other land. Mambusikele watched as Nkuma walked into the lands of other tribes. The two men bowed down before Mambusikele. They then slowly melted away into the forest. Mambusikele held the spear in his hand, lifted it in the air and walked to the village.
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