Sweet and bitter
Sweet & bitter
Grandma, so you mean that humility is the best quality one can have? Emma asked.
Yes my child, humility with no doubt is the mother of all virtues. Grandma continued. You may have the quality of forgiveness, truthfulness, honesty, gratitude, but humility is also needed to cover up the rest qualities.
Grandma, is this story a reality? Carly asked. Yes my child, grandma concluded.
So can I finish my story? YES...….. They all chorused again.
The king sent his town crier to announce to the villagers to summon themselves at the village square in the evening.
Evening finally came and the villagers arrived at the village square. The king came forward to address them with a brief speech:
My faithful subjects, you have been with me through the bad and the good times, through the hard and easy times.
Now we have come to a situation where I must select the crown prince, according to our customs and tradition, who would be the heir of the throne after I join my ancestors.
Two months ago, I sent my sons on a test or should I say competition. Today comes out one winner who has shown great humility.
My son, Prince Evi will be the crown prince!
Shouts of joy were being heard in the village square. Ome and ewoma also congratulated Evi.
Then the king cut in again, I am not saying my sons: ewoma and ome are not good children, but there cannot be three kings in a community, if not I would have crowned my three princes as the heir to the throne, which is impossible and too barbaric.
As you can see, the lady standing beside Evi, is princess Ediri; Evi's wife to be, the princess of Oleh kingdom our neighboring community.
Hails from the villagers knew no end, so the king and the entire royal family went home with a humble and pleased heart.
The next day, the entire royal family went to pay a royal visit to the royal family of princess Ediri and made their intention of getting the crown prince married to their daughter, known to them.
They finally arrived at the palace of king Enifome; the king gave them a warm welcome and he also suspected that they had come in respect of his daughter on seeing his daughter; princess Ediri come in with them.
They asked for his daughter's hand in marriage, and he gladly accepted it.
But he; king Enifome said in a worried tone; but if my daughter is married to your son, and goes to his community, what will then be the fate of my community when I die? King Enifome continued. Princess Ediri is the crown princess of this community and any man she marries is expected to be the king of this community.
They all considered what the king had said, and they came out with a conclusion; they will combine the two communities together and name it Oteri-Oleh.
Finally, the day of celebration came in the entire community of Oteri-Oleh: "The coronation and marriage, of prince Evi and princess Ediri".
It was a wonderful day indeed, everyone enjoyed it. They ate and drank to their satisfaction.
Some of the villagers even went as far as imitating Mr. Okoro; one of the village drunk, in carrying a bag filled with food and drinks home.
Days rolled into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years. King kome died, and there was great mourning in the town of Oteri-Oleh.
The next week, king Enifome was also pronounced dead and the mourning increased.
The entire community of Oteri-Oleh consoled themselves with the fact that the kings were old and died as a result of old age.
The kingship and queen ship coronation day came and prince Evi was made the king while princess Ediri the queen and the community was pleased.
Ewoma and ome married beautiful wives and they were relocated to their personal apartments and lived their lives with the saying:"humility is the mother of all virtues".
Grandma is the story finished? Yes my children.
Mummy you are a genius. So you still remember the story after a long time daddy told you? Mrs. Ojo asked.
My child, the things that you take so dearly never leaves you. Grandma replied.
Grandma, the story is very interesting, now I know that humility is the best quality one can have, Carly concluded. Even me too… Emma added.
Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! Welcome, Emma and carly chorused. Daddy, you just missed the thrilling story grandma told us.
Daddy, can you tell us a bedtime story? The children asked. Yes of course! Okay, come on let's go to bed.
The children and their dad went to bed happily, and then their dad started: once upon a time, there lived a king who had three sons named Evi, ewoma and ome. Wait daddy, is the name of the story: humility the mother of all virtues? Emma asked.
Yes son, how did you know? Mr. Ojo asked. Ooooooooooh... The children chorused, and said; that was the thrilling story grandma told us just now. Tell us another one….they cried. No.... one story for one day…. Okay daddy….
Good night kids.
The
END.
Questions from chapter five
1. What is the name of the combined community?
2. What is the name of princess Ediri's father?
3. What did ewoma and ome learn?
4. Who won the test?
5. What is the prize of the test?
Glossary
1. Ancestors: a person in our family that lived a long time ago.
2. Conclusion: to round up something or make it brief, retaining its message.
3. Consoled: to give comfort or sympathy to somebody.
4. Genius: a person who has an unusual great intelligence, skill or artistic ability.
5. Gladly: feeling happy with thanks.
6. Intentions: what you intend to do.
7. Mourning: a period of sadness because someone close to you died.
8. Situation: things occurring in a particular time.
9. Speech: a formal talk that someone gives.
10. Subject: people under the authority of someone usually their leader.
11. Suspected: to have had an idea on something you feel will happen.
12. Virtues: behaviors or attitude that shows good morals.
Moral lessons
1. You should not be proud/ pompous.
2. We should not look down on people.
3. We should be humble.
4. We should be wise.
5. We should not easily dispose self identity to someone.
GENERAL QUESTIONS
1. What is the name of the novel?
2. Is the novel thrilling?
3. Would you advertise it?
4. What did you learn?
5. What is the name of the author?