@NGOENYI CONTEST #13//MY FAVORITE CHILDHOOD STORY AND LESSONS LEARN// 10% TO STEEMKIDS

Edited in Photoshop

Hey there, I am joining you guys from Cameroon.
Hope you are all doing fine. It's my pleasure to partake in this wonderful contest by @ngoenyi.

At the age of five, I knew of a guru, when it comes to storytelling. It might interest you to know that I am talking about my maternal grand uncle - Uncle Jacob. He is an encyclopedia of stories! He used to tell us stories that would frightened one the whole night, some would even caused me to peel in the house because of fear to step my feet outside. I loved his stories so much because there were packed with moral lessons and very educative too. Above all, there teaches us the importance of creativity.

Among the many stories he told us, my favorite was Sambeng the evil spirit that tormented the entire Mundung community, until they could creatively derived a means to do away with him.

Sambeng, considered by the Mundung community as the Chief of demons, was mighty in power and distinguished among spirits in height and size. In fact it was compared to the ancient Iroko tree in the middle of the evil forest which their forefathers told them never to looked at no matter what. Sambeng's main diet was fish and the human skull.

The Mundung community were distinguished among the many communities surrounding them. Many envied the blessings their gods were lavishing on them. Unfortunately, this riches deceived them to neglect their gods, and behold, in their anger, they unchained Sambeng to punished them.

One evening, during their normal week end cultural festival, all the villagers were gathered at the village square celebrating the feast of the weeks by singing, dancing and making merriment as usual. Behold, a mighty giant from no way grabbed one of the dancers, smarched the head, unplugged the brain and was eating. Everyone, out of fear disappeared for their dear life. Some stayed the night with their friends because they could not make it to their homes.

In the morning, while the entire Mundung community was ranting about the demised that befall them last night. Three corpses were dragged to the Fon's palace with no brains. Out of curiosity, the Fon left his throne moved furiously towards the corpses inquiring with a thunderous voice who it is that is responsible for this dispeakable happening in his community.

Before the words all came out of his mouth, the Chief Priest appeared incantating and rejecting the demand of the gods. Out of confusion, there was great murmuring among those gathered in the palace. To clear the air, the Fon demanded from the Chief Priest who the caused of the demised was. The Chief Priest looked steadily at the Fon 👑 and said: "will the gazelle dine with the wild cats on the dinning table and go free? Will a mere mortal dance the rythm of the gods without incurring blisters?"

While there were still talking, some fishermen ran into the palace yard with news that a giant attacked them at the shore and they had to abandoned all the fish they caught for that day and ran for their life. The Fon was further confused. Turning to the Chief Priest, he pleaded that he should speak in clear terms not riddles such that everyone could understand. And the people gave a confirmatory note with the head.

After incantating for a time, he looked straight to the people and said to the Fon: "The gods are angry, and they are demanding for a sacrifice, such a sacrifice that is an abomination in the Mundung community." Inquiring to know more, the Fon asked: "What kind of sacrifice are the gods demanding that is an abomination in my community? Could it be human sacrifice?" Without finishing his words, all the elders gave a chorusing confirmatory note.

Looking at them the Chief Priest said: "A child that grows long teeths should be ready to grow lips that will cover them. The Mundung community has provoked the gods to a dance party, and they should be ready to contest with the great Sambeng, or they appeased the anger of the gods by sacrificing five virgins, all of marriage age." After saying this, he disappeared, leaving them to think of what to do next.

This spread out a great wave of shock to the entire Mundung community leaving no one untouched because it's an abomination in Mundung to perform human sacrifice. Worst of all, it was prohibited by the gods themselves. The bone of contention for the Fon and his cabinet for a number of days now was trying to understand how the gods can prohibit a practice, labelling a great cursed on its violation, then themselves demanding them to do that which is cursed! After days of analyzing all that it takes and the possibilities for further calamity in the land, they decided to creatively find a solution for themselves do away with Sambeng.

They resolved that since Sambeng loved fish, all the villagers will focus on making great provisions of fish such that the evil god among them will have enough to feed on there by sparing their skulls and brain. This continued for a time, and they noticed that all the rivers and lakes in Mundung community were running out of fish, so they had to start considering new possibilities of appeasing Sambeng.

As they sat at their various corners considering what to do next, they remembered that Sambeng on many occasions had been sentimentally attached to some young lads in the village. And that they have also seen him running back to the evil forest each time the great hunter is coming around with his dogs and hunting equipments. These gave them hope. So they resolved to know what secret the hunter is having that can save the community. As they communed with him, they came to realized that it's the dog-bell that scares the mighty Sambeng.

So together with the Fon they bought bells and planned with those beautiful lads to insert the bells on the hairs of the evil god among them. The lads did all they could and successfully seduced Sambeng to sleep by singing a song dedicated to the gods taught to them by one elderly woman in the community of Mundung. As Sambeng was sleeping, they inserted, the bells giving them by the Fon and his cabinet on his long beautiful raster hair. They was great joy among the entire community.

It was a restful day for Sambeng considering that the song of the gods is now being song to him! As he got up from sleep, everyone disappeared because they knew that he will be very hungry and someone's skull can be waisted. To Sambeng's greatest surprised, he heard the sound of the bells at very close range from him. So he immediately ran to hide, only to realized that the more he runs the closer the bells followed on. Sambeng ran into the forest, bushing down all the trees on his way. The more he runs, the closer the bells followed on. It's believed that till today, Sambeng is still on the run. And wherever he runs to, his followers follow on.

That's how the Mundung community freed themselves from the evil Sambeng without sacrificing their daughters.

FIVE LESSONS LEARN FROM THIS STORY

1. Men were created by God to be free, to be able through proper reasoning to solve their own problems
2. Human life is sacred, no one should sacrifice another because it's a request from the gods or a deity.
3. The gods and their priest are always deceptive. They had never been out to help us. Their ways are leading to destruction and damnation.
4. "Creativity is the mother of invention". Everyone should be creative, because that will enable us solve our problems.
5. We are better together as a community. The Fon, the cabinet, the hunter, the lads, everyone in the entire Mundung community worked as one to do away with the evil god.

I invite @chiabertrand, @paddykam, @crazywriter, @b-naj to join contest