Chapter 30

"Iya, please! Many do not believe that you exist, but I do because I've seen you on the surface thirty-five years ago when I was yet a child! I've seen you and I know you that saw me too. If it's because of that that you have closed my womb, I've come to ask for mercy, Iya. And as a token, I've brought these goodies for you..." She placed the clay bowl on the surface of the water and uncovered it, while she held it with one hand to prevent it from flowing away. 

Inside the bowl, there were a dozen white eggs, two colorful plastic dolls, several cowries, two little tortoises, a big white cock whose feet and wings were bound, several goodies such as sweets, and other candies. Apart from that, there were three small hand-mirror, a pink fancy comb which handle was shaped like a fist, several expensive beads and several folded yards of white wrapper. 

"Iya, these are for you. I don't have much, but I beseech you to please accept them joyfully...accept this and open my womb...do not let Babatunde, my beloved husband's heart turn away from me. He has been understanding for more than a decade now, but I feel that his patience wears thin as the years increase. Please, mother of the waters, grant me my heart desires...and I promise that I shall take care of the child and protect it with my life! E dakun!" She pleaded and released the bowl. 

The current immediately seized it and began to drive it downstream. After watching the bowl float away from her for a while, Ireti turned and waded out of the water, collected her white wrapper, wrapped it around her body again then started her long journey back home. 

The bowl continued to float downstream and soon, two slender feminine hands ascended out of the water and held the edge of the bowl. Suddenly, the bowl was yanked into the water and was gone in an instant. 

As Ireti continued through the lonely bush path back to her house, there was a sudden gust of wind that shook the branches of the trees around her and this made her stop in dread as she looked around at the trees above, wondering what was happening. She was scared that the evil spirits had sensed her presence and were now about to inflict her for breaking the law of the land concerning the sacred day. 

Suddenly, she cried out in pain as she felt a sharp pain in her belly. Placing her hands on her belly and bending down a bit, Ireti grimaced as the intensity of the pain worsened. It was as if a cord in her womb was slowly but painfully untying itself. She cried out again as she felt another pang of sharp pain that made her double over.

"Yeh! Yeh! Yeh! Inu mi o! (my belly!)" She lamented, grimacing and hissing through clenched teeth and also breathing heavily. Suddenly, she grew giddy and it was as if the world began to spiral around her. Unable to keep herself any longer on her feet, she fell to her knees and bent over the more as she wept from the agony she was going through. Soon, she slumped on her side and passed out right there on the path.

                                                                                        ★★★

In the depth of the waters...

Orisa Osun, holding a trident made out of pure gold and adorned with pearls and other jewels of the sea, sat on her sophisticated throne that shimmered and glimmered. Her long black hair flowed down to her hips and she had a displeased look on her face which slightly creased her beautiful facial features. Despite the fact that over two hundred years had passed, still looked very young and beautiful. One of her ladies-in-waiting, Adunni, swam into the palace and presented Ireti's clay bowl before the Quee- mother.

"Iya... from the surface." The mermaid said with her head bowed as she placed the bowl down at the feet of the throne.

"I heard the woman, Adunni." Said Osun "...and I've untied her womb which was tied by her own jealous sister. What remains is whom to place in it."

Just then, Ewatomi gracefully swam in, looking even more beautiful than the Queen-mother. Unlike Adunni, she didn't bow, for she was rather pompous. Osun had spoilt her.  "Mother, you sent for me." Ewatomi spoke.

"You defiant and rebellious child!" Spat the Osun in distaste. "Where have you been this time?"

"Taking a siesta!" Replied Ewatomi.

"Do not lie to me! I know where you were! How many times have I warned you never to go to the surface?! If you must, didn't I tell you to go to the waters far away from where humans haven't inhabited yet?! But you wouldn't listen! You keep defying my orders! Your being the first granddaughter doesn't change that you owe your loyalty to me and your being the heiress to the throne and also the most powerful among your sisters doesn't mean that you are allowed to flout my orders, Ewatomi!"

"Oh, don't start with the nagging again, mother! Do not make a big deal out of this! I need to be at the surface because I'm practically tired of the river! We have dwelled here for centuries while we let the weak mortals above take and enjoy the best part of the earth. How long are we going to keep hiding and living in fear!"

"We are not hiding, Ewatomi! This is where Olodumare wants us to be! This has been our home for thousands of years and that's not about to change!"

"Well, I'm not going to subject myself to living like a mere fish all my life! Why have you failed to notice just how beautiful and convenient the land is? There are a lot of trees, beautiful flowers and plenty of animals to see! Watching the sun rise and set in the horizon from the river is nothing compared to watching it from the hills!" Then she swam closer to Osun and eagerly said, "Mother, we are powerful! Let's take to land and wipe out mankind! If you won't do so because you fear Olodumare so much, we can chase them somewhere else and take the best lands for ourselves!"

"Ewatomi, mankind might be terrible but the good and compassionate ones dwell among them! Have you considered what this would do to the helpless women and children?!" Osun asked.

"Why should we care?" Ewatomi hissed. "Their lot is callous! They do too much evil and their children only grow up and turn out to be like them in the long run!"

"Ewatomi! I'm the Queen and I've lived way longer than you have, which means that I'm more experienced! I blame you not that you are rather biased towards the humans and have failed to see the good part of them. Believe me or not, they are not all evil. There are some who are of pure hearts. Listen, I want you to stay away from them until you change your myopic views about them! I'm tired of having to repeat myself countless times! Until you have the foresight and discernment, I can't take you on a personal tour."

"I've seen them enough for myself mother and they make me so angry! They disrespect us by defecating and urinating in the river and further polluting the river with their trash! They hunt and kill our fishes in their numbers! I have seen a fisherman club several helpless catfish to death! I feel if we keep giving them the liberty to abuse the river, they will catch and slaughter our kind one day!"

In impatience, Osun barked, "EWATOMI, YOU ARE JUST A CHILD AND YOU UNDERSTAND NOTHING! FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME, STAY AWAY FROM THE SURFACE!"

"And for a millionth time, why?! Why, mother?!"

"Because they are not to know that our kind exists!" Osun spat. "Their curiosity is their folly...and besides, you have been drawing a lot of attention to yourself by wreaking havoc anywhere you go! You still haven't dealt with your anger issues despite all my pleas and advice! Just the other day, you attacked a group of men who were sitting at the river bank with bees; you flooded several farms and destroyed their crops and then you took the eyesight of a man simply because he lustfully stared at you!"

"Well, they all deserve what they got!" Ewatomi said without remorse. "And these humans are so restive that they need someone to make them pay for their crimes once in a while. They feel they can do anything and get away with it, especially the men."

"And who are you to cast vengeance on the wicked? Who are you to give out a punishment! You are not even an Orisa, you are just a demi-goddess, a princess! All the powers belong to Olodumare and we are only lucky to be gifted some powers, unlike humans who have none and have to sometimes rely on us. You keep abusing your powers, Ewatomi because you simply can't control your anger!

 You've tormented and frustrated two priests who were sent here to the village by the son of Olodumare. You have even also inflicted them with several ailments. It baffles me why he's yet to teach you a lesson but he's ever-patient and merciful unlike the rest of us. What hurts my heart the most is that you show no remorse nor empathy for all the crimes you have committed against mankind.

 Anyway, I, Osun, has always been a just goddess and you, even though you are my beloved granddaughter, are no exception to my wrath. Since it's very obvious that you won't end your little tyranny on the villagers nor become compassionate towards mankind, I've finally reached a verdict!" Osun stomped the end of her trident on the floor of the throne.

Ewatomi, from this very day, you are thereby banished from this kingdom! You'll go into the midst of these humans whom you detest so much and dwell there!" Osun declared and her ladies-in-waiting exchanged surprised looks and stared at her in shock.

"Today, you shall relinquish eighty percent of your powers until you can learn to control your anger and tolerate the flaws of humans! You are thereby banished for twenty-five years until you can learn to love humans and also tame your rage! Go now and place yourself in Ireti's womb! That's your passage into the human's world, Go!" The Queen ordered.

Ewatomi scoffed. "You think I'd stoop so low as to make myself into a baby and drink milk from a mortal woman's breasts?! I'm two hundred and seventeen years old, there's no way that you are going to give me such a demeaning punishment, mother, no way!"