For only this, that the witches had seen the mind of Osabiegun, Oranmiyan, the Chiefs and Elders walked themselves into conquering laughter which echoed out from their unseen elements into the ears of all present at the entrance of the shrine.
Many of the people of Ifa-ile were already petrified that they now clung to each other, holding each other's wrist so firmly and if there was any reason to flee shall they not hesitate to carry their feet on their head.
Definitely, who would hear the supernatural and not be shaken by the fear that grabbed them by the neck as this was also the case of Okiki-osupa who now was shaken on her feet and helter-skelter she continued to look hastening.
Even Oranmiyan, who had only been made to be strong at the feel of the witches by the steadfast stance and unblinking eyes of his father Osabiegun was also afraid of the voices shrinking into his ears and becoming aloud yet again.
As Osabiegun will not reveal his fear doesn't undermine that he had not grown cold feet but to be terrified at the face of the people of Ifa-ile will only make for himself and for his ancestors a history of his cowardice which he forbade to let happen.
The same way Oranmiyan had been encouraged to stand firmly was the same way the chiefs and elders had grown their courage as they all held a solid stance at the entrance and remained to glare at the mother of Atejoku as she remained dancing in her golden steps.
The question Okiki-osupa turned to Oranmiyan in her quivering voice if the mother of Atejoku who dances before them had been forgiven ushered the witches yet again into their malicious laughs which echoed out to them again.
If Oranmiyan was sure of the event he beheld with his eyes, he would still have ignored the question that has been directed to him as he remained shaken in fear and would have revealed his cowardice which like his father he forbade.
Definitely, to reveal his cowardice put his father in a position of shame. According to the culture of Ifa-ile, if a lion gives birth to a sheep it can only mean there remains a sheep inside of the lion which is only revealed in the birth he produced.
That the woman knee, the Eldest Priest said aloud to which his voice could be heard clearly by Osabiegun and the rest of his subjects at the entrance of the shrine.
At the moment she kneed, two of the young priests walked closely to her as according to the command of the Eldest priest to which one of them carried a small calabash and a sponge made from wood.
The other had been seen with a bigger calabash which he had lifted on his head and gently placed on the ground closely behind the mother of Atejoku.
With only the nod from the Eldest Priest had both of the young priests stood firm and remained unmoved closely behind the mother of Atejoku and another of the young priests walked in triple steps before the woman as the Eldest Priest became yet with Incantations.
To every of his last words, the two young priests closely behind the mother had responded with chanting a sonorous chorus as the other young priest now began with scraping the hair of the woman, as according to the interest of the witches.
With only this, had the dilemma which Osabiegun, Oranmiyan, Okiki-osupa, the Chiefs and Elders earlier found themselves became answered as according to what they see can they assuredly tell that the mother of Atejoku was also going to die.
At the moment her hair had been completely scraped away from her head and all that was remaining was her baldness she was made to become unclad.
Even with her nakedness that remained galring to all that stands at the entrance of the shrine to which even the male villagers whom their wifes had hesitantly covered their eyes with their hands pulled away their hands for this, they must see and a tale of it they must speak to everyone and anyone.
That she lay on the ground, the Eldest Priest commanded and at the moment she did that without any struggle from her being hesitant the Eldest Priest yet again began with another line of incantations.
With only this had the Mother of Atejoku knew that she cannot be saved. For the sin of her son had been paid on her head and a meat to the witches she became as tears ran down her eyes and if she thought her sobbing could be ignored, she lied.
Again, the Eldest Priest warned her for the noise she made and her tears that must not touch the ground. For the intention of witches is not yet known and whatever she is told to do she must, if she finds mercy in the eyes of the witches.
Definitely, the words of the Eldest Priest was another reason the laughter of the witches had conquered the shrine once again as this echo was even longer than the previous.
If the mother of Atejoku believed the tales of the Eldest priest, it had already been pointed to be a lie by the long sneer of the witches to which she now began with wailing for mercy and struggles for her life.
The two young priests who immediately the Eldest Priest had condemned for their sluggishness had grabbed her to the ground that it remained more impossible for her to move even an inch while the other young priest now began with scraping her mons pubis slowly into the bigger calabash closely beside her.
But if she cannot move a muscle, she began yet with a song which led the whole of Ifa-ile at the entrance of the shrine into another dilemma. For what wisdom was in song she began to sing?
Definitely, the villagers of Ifa-ile could not help but be sober and sad at what happened to the mother of Atejoku and if they could help, she would not have paid the sin of her son, nor would her son paid for any sin at all.
Even the few who condemned her before could not help but showed mercy to her as some even began weeping for her sake. That if only there could be what they could do, shall they not hesitate to do.
Osabiegun who had not even blinked for mercy, or Oranmiyan who kept glaring at the woman and the Chiefs and Elders who had not even hidden their smirk rendered more laughter to the words of her song.
According to what she sings, she came into earth from the sky where Eledumare had sent her and from a child she grew into a trader. That her head blessed her with cowries and neither had she lacked anything that she ever needed.
For marriage she fell into the hands of a darling husband who treated her like the moon had always graced the stars and with only this, had their unchanging love bore them a son, on the night of the seven stars.
That the son grew from an infant to a toddler and from there had her husband leave her alone on earth to return to the sky, to Eledumare where they came from.
Definitely, only with this, had she alone and her child continued to toil the soil for the food they will eat. For everything she had before her marriage she gave away for the sake of her marriage to whom he finds her husband's favour.
And into a man Atejoku grew and slowly brought home a wife to which he had blessed their hands in marriage. That Atejoku was that man who loved his wife and everything he thought first was what his wife even before himself would want or need.
For not a trouble he finds, not a nuisance he constituted and not an urchin he became. That everything he ever wanted was to care for the needs of his family which he was able to do even while his wife now carried his child.
That Atejoku was a blessing to her every now and ever and even to this point shall she not see him as the reason she had to lay down her life because if the goat had not been broken by the horn, it would never be courageous to fight back.
That if Osabiegun had not cut the tail of his cow, Atejoku would have never sought the sin of the land.
As she attempted to sing further had the Eldest priest shouted at her and the incantations that her mouth be forever closed he barked to which everything that remained aloud at this moment remained her sounds for the struggle for words.
With the people of Ifa-ile who murmured behind Osabiegun as the truth unfolds before them were ordered to silence by Balogun and the Elders, also the royal guards to which their fervent silence was now followed by the shrinking laughter of the witches.