The wicked step mother
A little girl lived with her dad and mom until the unfortunate death of her mother. Her mother died while trying to birth her sibling and the baby himself was stillborn. What a tragedy!
After months of grief, the father decided to marry another woman to take care of the little girl as he is always away to work on the farm. He went on to marry a woman who had three children from her first husband, he was okay with this as they were just as young as his little girl. These children comprises a boy and two guys. Reason for this was that he wanted his little girl to have all the love he wished for her, for her to be taken care of by a mother and for her to have siblings to play with.
Quequeque (pronounced as kwekwekwe) was this little girl name. She's as cute as a little bunny and was more than excited to have a mother and siblings. Her step mother cared for them all and was always bringing something for them from the market as she was a trader, and the things she always brought, lights up Quequeque's face. She would sing to call them out to take their treats. The song is this:
Everything was just fine.
Well, until Quequeque's father died. He was in his farm when a snake bit him on the neck and he couldn't tie his neck to stop the poison from circulating. He cried for help but none came, he eventually submitted to death after praying to meet his dead wife in the spirit world.
Things happened fast, really fast. A burial ceremony for Quequeque's father was concluded. Quequeque was made to do almost all the chores in the house. If should could cook and wash clothes, then it would be all the chores she did. She would fetch water, get firewoods, run errands, do the dishes and sweep the floor. This was in the primitive times so mopping is not included as their floor was just of earth.
Quequeque never understood why she was going through all this, why she was made to do everything and her siblings just relaxing. As if that was not enough, she was barely given food to eat and was made to run oil on her lips whenever she goes out on errands. Even her stepmother no longer gives her favorite treats again. She would call the others and leave her out. She would sing as thus:
Mary mary, come here
Benecu cu (Benekuku) come here
Beni Benita come here
Quequeque stay there
One day, Quequeque went to the farm to get some vegetables and firewoods. She had company, when she turned to see the company, it was a lion!
Quequeque was scared and she started crying. The lion stood at her front and watched her cry.
"Don't cry little one, I don't eat kids like you. I eat bad kids." The lion said to Quequeque. Shocked that the lion could talk, she remained mute.
"Let's be friends, I'll help you whenever you come to the farm. I know you're hungry, I'll bring food for you tomorrow, I know you'll come tomorrow. Your step mother will send you here." The lion later said and left the terrified child there.
Quequeque was surprised but happy as the lion had become her friend. It would bring food for and she would eat. She's too innocent to bother about how the lion could talk and where it was bringing food from. She was no longer gloomy and her bones were no longer revealing themselves.
One day, Quequeque's step mother came back from the market. And as usual, sang her song to call the children for their usual treats.
Mary mary, come here
Benecu cu (Benekuku) come here
Beni Benita come here
Quequeque stay there
The lion heard this song. It followed quequeque unknowing to her and watched hiding behind a tree. It shook its head and went into the bush that was close to their house and waited from nightfall till day break.
As usual, Quequeque's step mother left the children to the market and of course after she had told Quequeque to go to the farm to work. Quequeque left for the farm minutes later, and the three lazy children left behind.
The lion went to the hut and sang the exact same song
Mary mary, come here
Benecu cu (Benekuku) come here
Beni Benita come here
Quequeque stay here
The children didn't come out, they knew their mother's voice. The lion after singing for a while got to know that the children knew it wasn't their mother calling. It then went to meet with Quequeque but with the intention of following her back everyday, till it can totally imitate Quequeque's step mother's voice.
Eventually, the lion could sing exactly like the woman. He waited for the woman to leave and also watched Quequeque leave. It then went to the front of the hut and sang
Mary mary, come here
Benecu cu (Benekuku) come here
Beni Benita come here
Quequeque stay there
The children ran out to meet their mother but met with the lion instead. The lion ate them all and left their bones with their clothes.
Quequeque after working and waiting for the lion to visit as usual for them to play, went home upon not seeing the lion. Because she waited, she left late.
Upon getting to the house, she saw people gathered around her hut and her step mother weeping profusely. She went on to see what was going on and saw her siblings dead.
The End.
Ps: The lion was one of the village entities or rather an evil spirit.
Moral lessons: Wickedness always has its pay.