THE SNAKE IN THE FOREST
IN ALMOST EVERY village in West Africa there is a story about some animal, reptile, or bird, which has been living in the neighbourhood for a very long time, such as a crocodile, a tortoise, or a snake, as these creatures live to a very old age.
This is a story about a snake who had lived for such a long time that no one could remember when he first appeared. Because he was old, and cunning, and very large, all sorts of tales grew up around him, and many people were very frightened of him. It seems, however, that many of these stories were much exaggerated, for there is no real proof that he ever did anyone any great harm. In fact he often did a good turn, as you will hear from the story of Yere and the snake.
Yere was a pretty girl, and everyone said she would certainly make a very successful marriage, and right enough when the time came she married Sako, who was a strong and handsome young man, and a fine worker, and there seemed to be every hope that the marriage would be most blissful.
This alas was not to be. Before a year had passed a new girl named Tinou came to live in the village with her aunt. Tinou was an extraordinarily beautiful girl, she was also sly and lazy. She had resolved to make a good marriage, but it seemed to her that the most attractive man in the village was already married, because Sako was the one man she wanted. Now it is the custom in some parts of Africa for a man to have several wives if he can afford to keep them, so Tinou resolved to try and induce Sako to make her his second wife.
So every day the wicked Tinou made some opportunity to talk to Sako, and gradually they became more and more friendly, until after some months had passed, Sako decided he would marry Tinou. This upset Yere terribly but it was not until the marriage had taken place that she realised what a very bad thing it was. Once Tinou was married she used all her cunning to make Yere miserable, because she wanted to get rid of her.
Sako had no idea of the truth of matters because he was very busy, and he was quite bemused by Tinou, and thought Yere was making things worse than need be. Gradually Tinou poisoned his mind until poor Yere found that her position was worse than that of a slave. So she stayed at home, and moped, and wept, while Tinou went with Sako to feasts and dances. All the good things went to Tinou and not to Yere. Good food, fine clothes, jewellery, and everything else that was to be got.
So Yere became almost an outcast, and spent much of her time wandering in the forest, weeping. One day she was particularly unhappy because there was to be a great feast, and she had no new clothes. She decided she would stay away rather than appear in her old ones, while Tinou openly triumphed over her.
So she ran away to hide her grief in the lonely forest. She was sitting sobbing on a tree trunk when she heard a voice.
āWhat are you crying for?ā the voice asked, in the low harsh tones of a very old man.
Yere looked round but could see nobody. Then near her feet she saw a large snake, watching her with strange beady eyes that looked as if they knew everything.
Between her sobs Yere told the snake about the cruel way Tinou and Sako treated her. āNow,ā she ended, āall the neighbours know about it, and I am not going to the feast in my old clothes to be shamed before everyone.ā
āCanāt you get any new clothes?ā enquired the snake.
āNo, Tinou takes everything, and pretends that I am sulking and donāt want to have new clothes.ā
āWhy donāt you explain to your husband?ā asked the snake.
āBecause I have some pride. Iāve tried to explain, but itās no use. He just thinks Iām jealous.ā
āI suppose you are too,ā said the snake.
āOf course I am. Who wouldnāt be, but if he would treat me more fairly Iād put up with it. Itās the Law that a man can have two wives, but itās not the Law that one should be made a Queen and the other a slave.ā
The snake shook himself impatiently, and the sound was like dry leaves blowing along the ground.
āYou people can be very silly and cruel,ā he told Yere. āThese things donāt happen between snakes.ā
āI suppose not, but what can I do? Iām not a snake.ā
āAll the worse for you!ā
The snake became thoughtful.
āWhat do you want to do? Go to the party in a fine dress and make Tinou sick with envy, and try and make your husband like you again?ā
Yere nodded. āThatās what I want to do, but I havenāt got a dress, so I canāt.ā
āYou come along with me,ā the snake said in such a firm voice that Yere could do nothing but follow him as he slid away through the grass. After they had gone a short distance the snake suddenly began to disappear; first his head, then his body, and then the tip of his tail vanished. Yere gazed helplessly after him. Why had she been so silly as to believe a snake, everyone knew they werenāt to be trusted. Tears rolled down her cheeks once more.
āCome, come,ā she heard the dry voice say. āDonāt stand there crying. Stoop down and wriggle in.ā
Yere then saw that a small bush had been bent by the passing of a heavy body. She found that behind the bush there was a hole between some rocks. The hole was just large enough for her to wriggle through. Down, down she went, into the dark, and once more she wondered if she had been tricked. Then quite suddenly, it was light again, and she was in a large cave, lit from a gap in the rocks high above.
Yere gazed around in amazement. The walls of the cave seemed to be hung with gleaming cloth all the colours of the rainbow. Yere looked at these bright, beautiful strips, and gaped.
āPretty good, arenāt they?ā chuckled the snake. āThose are my old clothes, but they are a lot better than yours, arenāt they?ā
āThey are beautiful!ā Yere gasped. āMuch more beautiful than any clothes Iāve seen before.ā
āOf course they are. Now take your choice. Pick out one to wear at the feast.ā
āYou mean youāre going to give me one?ā
The snake shook his head.
āThat might cause trouble in the end. Iāll lend you one.ā
āOh, thank you, thank you!ā Yere sobbed.
āYouāll thank me best by drying your tears, looking pretty and cheerful again so that you can do my clothes credit and have a good time at the feast. Now, which one will you choose?ā
Yere walked round fingering the beautiful skins, and finally chose one that seemed to hold all the colours of the setting sun.
āThis one, please,ā Yere said humbly. āWhen shall I bring it back?ā
āBring it back at sunset in three daysā time, and if itās in good order you may have the loan of it again some time, or of any of the others.ā
Yere felt overcome with gratitude.
āOh, thank you, thank you. You are very good to me.ā
āI donāt like people crying round my forest disturbing my afternoon nap. Itās uncomfortable. If you think wearing my old skin is likely to make things better, then I can have my nap in peace.ā
āOh, Iām sure it will,ā Yere asssured him. āAnd Iāll take great care of your skin.ā
The snake puffed himself a little.
āYouād better. If you donāt I shall be very, very cross. Iāve never lent anything to anyone before.ā
Yere slipped away and walked through the forest as if on air. Help had certainly come from an unexpected quarter, and she pinned all her hopes on the idea that if only her husband could see her as he used to do, looking beautiful, and carefree, he would cease to neglect her.
Yet she felt that in taking the snake skin she was taking a risk also. Ever since she was a little girl she had heard about the ancient, mysterious snake, who was so powerful. Suppose some accident befell the dress, what then? She was perfectly well aware that if Tinou knew about the skin she would destroy it if she got the chance.
Yere stopped when she reached the edge of the village. It was deserted; the people had not yet come back from their farms. Yere slipped quickly to her hut, hid the snakeskin, and then set about preparing supper. She could hide the skin but she could not hide the light in her eyes, and Tinou looked at her curiously as she went about her tasks.
āWhere did you spend the afternoon?ā asked Tinou, wondering what had happened to make Yere cheerful. āOh, I just went for a walk in the forest,ā Yere replied. āYou spend a lot of time in the forest,ā Tinou remarked. āPerhaps you have friends there?ā
āPerhaps I have,ā Yere answered airily. She felt quite safe because no one ever went to the remote corner where the snake lived; everyone was too much afraid of him.
Still Tinou was not satisfied. She could scarcely eat her supper for wondering what it was that had caused Yere to change from someone utterly crushed to a cheerful girl again. āAnyhow she wonāt dare to come to the feast in her old rags, and even if she does Sako wonāt notice her. Maybe I can manage to do something to provoke her, and then Sako will send her back to her own people in disgrace. Then Iāll be his first, and only wife,ā thought Tinou.
Sako had come in late to supper, and he was too hurried to notice any change in Yere, even if he had had eyes for her, which he had not. By this time he had come to believe that Tinouās criticisms of Yere were true, that she was jealous and ill-humoured, and that perhaps he had made a mistake in marrying her in the first place.
After supper Yere went quietly to her hut, and sat there waiting for the others to go to the feast. Soon she heard them pass.
āWhere is Yere? Isnāt she coming?ā she heard Sako ask Tinou.
āShe said she didnāt want to come. She was quite disagreeable about it,ā lied Tinou. āItās better for her to remain at home as sheās so disagreeable.ā
āPerhaps Iād better go in and speak to her,ā Sako suggested.
āWhy should you bother,ā Tinou asked swiftly. āLet us forget about her, and be happy. You know she only makes you miserable,ā and she seized his hand, and dragged him along the path.
Tears started to Yereās eyes, but she fought them back. Then she bathed, and dressed her hair, put on what ornaments Tinou had left her, and lastly draped herself in the snakeskin. Then she set off for the feast.
By this time the feast was at its height, and Tinou felt very satisfied with herself. She was the most beautiful woman there. All the other women envied her, and no one spoke of Yere. Sako also seemed to have completely forgotten his first wife. āYere might just as well not exist,ā Tinou told herself triumphantly.
Suddenly there was silence, and Tinou looked round to see what had happened. A woman was standing in the firelight. A woman who made everyone stare and gasp because she was so beautiful. She was dressed in clothes such as no one had ever seen before. Her dress seemed to reflect all the colours of the firelight, almost as if she were covered in jewels.
āWhy itās Yere,ā Tinou whispered in amazement. Sako was so surprised that he rose to his feet and went towards her, which made Tinou furious. Then the others began to crowd round Yere also, telling her how beautiful she was, and how pleased they were to see her looking well once more.
Sako led her to the fire, and everyone made much of her. After this had gone on for some time Tinou became furious. She rushed at Yere and shouted, āWhere did you get the dress? Did you steal it, or did you steal something from my husband to obtain it? It is disgraceful that the wife of a farmer should wear such clothes.ā
āI came by the dress honestly,ā Yere said quietly. āSakoās goods have not paid for it.ā
āI donāt believe you,ā screamed Tinou. āSako, send her home. She is lying.ā
At this the people began to murmur because they had known Yere all their lives, and they did not believe that she would do anything dishonourable. Besides one did not make scenes at a feast.
āWe have no wish that Yere should go,ā said an old woman. āIf you cannot keep your temper, Tinou...