THE HUNTER AND HIS THREE DOGS
There lived a brave hunter in the village of Oriyomi, whose name was Ajani. He lived in a very big mud house alone and he has a large farmland as well. It is known that every brave hunter is expected to have a dog or two that would go with him each time to the forest to hunt, but its not so in the case of this hunter.
Despite his search to get a brave dog, he ends up getting either a domesticated or lazy dog, and so got tired of searching for one.
Not long after he had given up, he got set for hunt one midnight in to the Ajini forest, a very thick and scary forest. In the forest he encoutered a bear. This is the first time he is encountering such a beast, so he was not only ready to show his skills this time, but also wanted to play safe. So he climbed up to the tree to hide for the coming beast.
Unlucky for Ajani, the tree is the home to a matured cobra snake. He sat on the tree but not just on the tree but close to the cobra's tail. As he tried to adjust and get set on the tree to pull the trigger of is gun, he mistakenly hit the tail of the creepy snake. Ouch!!!. A mistake, a cobra???'
And as the western tradition saying goes, 'he who hits the cobra's tail must certainly encounter the cobra's fight.
The tensed hunter jumped down the tree immediately, having no idea of what next to do. Two beast at the same time.
Before he could settled own to think, here comes the cobra snake, opening its fierce mouth ready for late time super. The hunter tried in his best not to run but to fight back.
He took a nearby stickstick on his hand and tried to hit the snakes head to get it killed, yet on his last trial, the stick hit the snake and it died, but too late, because the bear was then right too close to the hunter. As he pointed the gun at the bear with courage and fear mixed together, three animals from the nearby bushes jumped out and pounced on the bear. 'What kind of animals could this be? He thought. They are dogs.
In two minutes, the bear had be shattered in pieces, and part of it eaten and blood cleaned. Ajani put down his gun and looked at the dogs in amazement. He pat the dogs and rubbed their hairs with his hands, until they came closer and embraced him.
He packed up the big cobra, and wrapped it round the dead bear and carried the very heavy animal back to the village as the dog followed. It was dawn already.
It was market day and very early, villagers are already getting their goods ready. That day Ajani sold the beast and had a lot of money and fun that day.
When it was night, he fed the dogs with maet and named them. He named them according to their abilities as follows:
Oremokerewu - find 'joy in breaking Osapakagbemi - swallows any thing edible Ogbalegbarawe - likes leaking blood.
It was fun and joy for Ajani the whole night as he fell asleep thinking over all that happened in the forest of Ajani the previous day.
A week after, Ajani the decided to go hunting again. On getting to the forest, Ajani hunted for Alligators as it is evening. It was a bit freaky, but with the help of his new - got dogs, he got five bits alligators that night. He went back home very early that day. The next day, he took three to market to sell, and left other two at home to be consumed by him and his dogs.
Ajani, the hunter is now getting rich and now ready to become married, so he began searching. He longed to get married to Omolewa the princess, but he does not know the cost so he went searching for someone cheaper. He found Adesewa a beautiful girl, though not as beautiful as the princess. Adesewa loves Ajani, but just for the money he has and how skillful he is as a hunter. She likes the fame of her being the hunter's wife. She is a good trader anyway, but not consistent in her hardwork and honesty as Ajani expected.
So Ajani kept an eye on her by sending his friends, but that wasn't enough as she get missing. Once in a while and no one would know of her whereabouts. 'She seems to be mysterious somhow'. Akin said in of their discussion. 'Well I will manage her if the princess wouldn't come to me' Ajani replied.
Omolewa the princess, is well behaved in her beauty, but the king kept a close look on her. He wants her to get married to a wealthy man a well behaved man most preferred a prince of another village. At this Omolewa is hardly seen except on market day with her maids.
Ajani is not the only man who like to have Omolewa as wife, but Many others,and a lot are bent at having her at any cost. Ajani can't help thinking of her beauty, but any time he remember's the king not letting her to anyone except a wealthy prince, he gets discourage to even approach her.
Through out the week, Ajani decided not to visit the forest for a hunt, intend he went to his farm to cultivate, and get ready for harvest. He has lot of things in his farm, even furniture trees, are there, palm tree, yam, potatoes, and many others.
Ajani had little fun that week. On a faithful morning he woke up as he usually did an started hearing noise from the village sqaure, what has happened?he thougt. He picked up his cloth, and headed straight for the square. He began to hear strange things that he never thought could happen.
'Something that has never occured in the land of Oriyomi an history has just happened today. This village has just been deprived of a worth. The village had a strange visit last night, from whom we knew not and the princess is missing'.
'Ah!!! The whole village explained 'Impossible'. It can be ' thought Ajani'. Am i still asleep? 'He asked himself'.
The king is not happy so are the chiefs. All the guards have searched and searched and found her not, soon the guard would not rest until he has found his daughter. The town crier concluded.
'No, this can't be 'everyone muttered. How did this happen?
Those words 'The princess is Missing' kept on ringing on the mind of Ajani till he reached his house. He fell in thought the whole day. After the thorough search Omolewa was nowhere to be found, but Ajani never noticed that Adesewa was also missing and also nowhere to be found, until her family also exclaimed 'Adesewa mi! My Adesewa!. Did you help me to see her? She said she wanted to fetch water, and now I can't find her! My Adesewa! where are you?!!!'. Her mother started shouting the whole village followed by some villagers.
'What! Adesewa too?' No it can't be. Hope I'm not being targeted?' Ajani mumured to himself.
The peaceful village became turbalant. Meetings upon meetings in the palace, yet no Omolewa, no Adesewa. The groanings of the two families became unbearable, the whole village was no longer at peace, then the King ordered a meeting at the village square.
At the village square, all the villagers were present yomi the king also. There was great silence as the King gave his speech thus, 'Good day to you all. Now in the village of Oriyomi, we are not here to dance or sing or perform any rites as the custom is, but we are here to seek a solution to this negative change that has befallen our village. A week ago two beautys were missing, first was my daughter and then Adesewa, the daughter of Chief Omoloye. I'm not happy with this situation so are the Chiefs. We cannot keep looking as things are going. So I stand here today by the authority given to me by my forefathers, whoever finds and brings back our girls alive, shall be greatly rewarded and if it be a man, shall marry my daughter and his brother shall marry Adesewa. Also in respect of this, I plead that you all remain in your houses till all this has a solution, thank you. The King concluded his speech in tears and left for the Palace.
The village enjoyed no good peace from that time on.
Lots of men tried to search for Omolewa but instead of coming back to the village with Omolewa they only died of wild beasts they met on their way, and some were scared back to the village.
At home that night, Ajani was depressed and so unhappy, he gathered his dogs and composed a song to honour the loss of a friend whom he never proposed to. His song goes thus:
Aja mi o!...... Aja Ode!
Oremokerewu!... Aja Ode!
Osapakagbemi!... Aja Ode!
Ogbalegbarawe!... Aja Ode!
Aja mi o!... Aja Ode!
He sang and sang until he and his dogs fell asleep.
The following day, Ajani woke up so optimistic. He got a fully charged energy to go into the forest to seek the love he has ever wanted. He concluded in his heart that what ever it takes he would give it. He vowed also never to return until he has found what he seek. He and his three dogs entered the forest early that morning with courage and confidence.
Ajani entered the forest of Ajini this time to seek omolewa and Adesewa, two beauties he admired. he searched and searched but it seems like no result.
Three days past, but no Omolewa nor Adesewa, instead he and his dogs kept on hunting down animals for food. One faithful day,they encountered a leopard. 'Oh; I have never killed one he said'. He quickly hid himself to kill the leopard. Immediately, his dogs went after the animal.After a long combat, Ajani pulled the trigger and it hit the leopard on the head.
It's dead. The dogs were all injured, Ajani took the meat and roasted it, and they ate it all night. Day after day as they approached the forest much deeper, fierce animals/beasts kept appearing and attacking Ajani and his dogs, but God on their side, they were injured but not dead.
Just as Ajani was about to give into death to take him,he saw a cleared part of the forest ahead of him. "No trees?, he thought. is that an abode to an animal or human?. He continued. He approached it.
As he got closer to the area, he began to hear the call of a lady for help. Ajani's countenance changed, as he felt fulfilled. he went closer and found out who it was. 'Omolewa! is that you?" he called out''. "Please help me get out of here, please save me, please". Omolewa pleaded. 'Sure. I will', Ajani replied.
As Ajani approached her, the ground began to shake. 'What could that be? Earthquake? Ajani asked. 'Look behind you, exclaimed Omolewa. 'What!!!'.Mighty elephants of different sizes had surrounded them, closing up on them. 'They are sent here'. Omolewa shouted. Ajani untied her, and carried her up to the nearest tree as the dogs ran into action. Oremokerewu kept breaking joints, muscles and bones till the last one,while Osapagbemi continued taking meat from the already killed elephants, and Ogbalegbarawe was licking the blood.
Throughout that day Ajani and his dogs had a tough time with the elephants. None of them escaped.
Ajani was full of joy that he forgot he hadn't found Adesewa. The next morning he headed back to the village with the lost princess.
Late in the evening, Omolewa, Ajani and his dogs entered the village, and there was a tremendous shout and expressions of joy. Their princess is back, joy is back into the village of Oriyomi. Not long before the News reached the Palace,'Omolewa is back'. For a while no one noticed the seeker who found her. Ajani was just looking at how everyone was expressing their joy of the returned princess.
At the King's arrival the joy of the people further increased, infact the village of Oriyomi has never experienced such joy before. It was much more than celebrating a festival. At the sight of the King Omolewa ran to meet her father with a hug and cry of joy. The two embraced one another for