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The farmers son becomes a hunter

A farmer and his wife had one son named Ajadi. They were not rich but they never lacked for food for no matter how bad times got, they always managed to grow enough food to feed their small family with a little left over to trade.

Ajadi?s parents looked forward to the day he would join them in their farming profession. With more hands on the farm, they could increase the output from their land. And more importantly, Ajadi could learn how to fend for himself in the way his parents had before him. But alas, to the parents dismay, Ajadi announced that he wished to become a hunter. ?A hunter?? his father exclaimed. ?A hunter?s life is unpredictable, one day you find food and for many more, you may find nothing? he added. Ajadi?s mother added, ?It?s risky, you never know what dangerous animals you may run into?. But Ajadi?s heart was set on being a hunter and he told his parents how he felt. He thought he would be happier as a hunter than as a farmer. Even though his parents were unhappy about his decision, they decided to support him however they could and even helped him purchase his new hunting gear.

So Ajadi became a hunter and a skillful and successful hunter he was. No day passed that he did not bring back some game which his mother could add into their soup pot for the evening. But one day came when his luck seemed to have deserted him. His hunting skills and prowess seemed to be of no use to him as there was just no game to be found in the forest. He roamed the forest for days, going ever deeper into the thick, dark forest but still, he found no animal to kill. Then he spotted a bird, a tiny bird perched on a low branch. Normally, he would have ignored an animal so small as there was too little meat to be found in it, but this day was different. Ajadi was desperate and he was determined to make his first kill in days. He took aim at the bird, getting ready to fell it from the branch when the bird began to sing.

Tín tín to jantó
Mo gbé ye kékeré tó l?óun ó pa mí
(I hear a bird saying he would kill me)
Tín tín to jantó

The bird sang so beautifully. Ajadi had never heard such beautiful music in his entire life and he was almost certain that his parents hadn?t either. He had to get that bird home to his parents. Being the skillful hunter that he was, he caught the bird without hurting it and put it in his sack which he slung over his shoulders and headed home.

When Ajadi got home, he removed the bird from his sack and the bird immediately began to sing.

Tín tín to jantó
Mo gbé ye kékeré tó l?óun ó pa mí
Tín tín to jantó

Ajadi?s father and mother had indeed never heard such beautiful music and they broke out into a dance. They danced and danced and then danced some more until Ajadi put the bird back into his sack. When Ajadi?s father got his breath back, he had an idea. The king of their village had been in a depressed state for several years. The best poets, musicians, dancers and jesters had come from far away villages to cheer him up but to no avail. Maybe this tiny bird would do the trick and make their king smile.

So off to the palace, Ajadi and his father set off. When the got to the palace, the guards stopped them at the gate. ?What is your business here?, they asked. ?We would like to see the king? the farmer replied. ?Is the king expecting you?? the guards asked. The farmer answered, ?No, but??. ?Then you cannot see him? the guards interrupted. The farmer pleaded but one of the guards told him, ?If I were you, I would go away for the king is in a foul mood and you do not want to risk his anger?. The farmer started to turn back but Ajadi brought the bird out of his sack and the guards began to dance.

Ajadi and his father went into the palace where they found the king scowling on his throne. ?Who let you in here??, the king bellowed. Ajadi brought out the bird and it began to sing.

Tín tín to jantó
Mo gbé ye kékeré tó l?óun ó pa mí
Tín tín to jantó

The king got up and began to dance. All those in attendance began to dance. The king?s wives came out of their rooms to find out what was happening?and they all began to dance. All the princes and princesses began to dance. The mood in the palace which had been somber for years was miraculously transformed. Everyone danced until they were weary and could dance no more.

The sun would soon set and Ajadi and his father wanted to go back home. But the king did not want them to take the bird away. He was so happy that he offered the farmer half of his kingdom in exchange for the bird. And that was how the farmer and his wife, through their son Ajadi the hunter, became rich.

 

 

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