SOMEWHERE IN LOFA COUNTY LIBERIA
By Ibraheem Muhammad Sharif
Oneu upon a time in a cute little town up the hill, and sloping down the hill called Tusu.
The people were prosperous in farming and gardening.
The streets and houses were hygienic and sturdy.
However, Tusu had a horrible problem.
Monkeys: they ran in the streets.
They filled the houses.
Spoiled the food, and the brook (falakorni),
Tusu used as their drinking water.
Scared the children, and generally made living miserable for everyone
Now, the people of Tusu disliked giving money away,
Finally, they had to offer a reward
To anyone who could get rid of the monkeys.
Many hunters came, and many others tried,
But nothing anyone did was of help at all.
The monkeys were just getting gigantic and aggressive.
The town chief offered farmland, sectional chief, and paramount chief set hug money
But no one came to help for too long.
Then one day a most unusual traditional figure came up.
His clothes had countless colors and drawings.
He carried nothing but one long tiny small package
He went to the town chief at once.
For the three bags of gold and the farmland, you offered.
I will relieve you of the monkeys. He said
Done! Said the town chief.
The people were fascinated.
There were crowded windows and corridors
And some of them were on top of the roof to view as the stranger launched his flute.
The fluter walked towards the outskirts of the town, Fluting away as he went.
From the streets, and the mango trees and the houses dozens hundreds and thousands of monkeys came out streaming after him.
Away into the countryside, the fluter fluted and monkeys followed right behind him.
Not a single one stayed in Tusu
The fluter kept going until he reached the river that flowed past the town.
He stepped just a little into the water and flute a little louder.
Soon all the monkeys rushed into the Lofa River and they were drowned.
The decorated fluter returned to Tusu.
The town was clean. The people were delighted.
The town chief was waiting. He held a bag of gold in his hand.
Just for fluting a little sound, the town chief said, and taking a small walk, three bags of gold is too much. You can take one.
The Decorated fluter was furious.
You promised three. He said,
I promised to relieve you all the monkeys, and I did.
Now, you do as you promised
Not at all, said the town chief.
All the monkeys are gone and you can take the one bag and be gone too.
I will be gone, said the fluter, but so all your children!
Right away, he began to flute another melody.
And all together, from the houses and the schools, from the playgrounds, the children of Tusu all appeared
For the second time The Decorated Fluter walked to the edge of the town,
and all the children followed.
The old ones skipped and ran along.
The babies crawled if they could, or were carried by their elder's siblings
but none stayed behind.
Their parent ran after them but it was of no use.
They cried out to their children, but it was as if they were deaf and dumb.
They went towards the Lofa River again, like the monkeys.
All the people bowed to the town chief.
This is your fault! They shouted. Give him his money. Give back our children!
You greedy leader !!!
Still the town chief hesitated. Maybe if I propose him two bags. He said slowly
But the fluter didn't agreed to it.
Three bags, he said bargain is bargain. Or else I keep the children and bring back the monkeys! My service will not be in vain.
Oh, no! They all cried out at once, with the town chief's wife.
Three bags, said the fluter, and as he put the flute in mouth, ready to play.
Two and a half bags? The town chief asked humbly.
Three bags ! shouted the chief's wife and all the townspeople.
The fluter blew a note. The music drifted on the air.
The children started to walk.
Three bags! Shouted the chief and fluter stopped playing and smiled
The fluter received the money, the monkeys were gone, the children came back, and they lived joyfully to tell the story to their children, and children's children, about the day they followed the decorated fluter from Tusu