Chapter 6: Wise Sayings and Heavy Wind

Last person for our sect na third senior brother, Uncle Gyang. E opponent na Musa from Hilltop Valley.

Uncle Gyang strong, e chest broad. E dey wear red wrapper, dey shine shoe. Musa, on the other hand, na tall slim guy, eye sharp like knife.

Musa face wicked, e greet with small smile:

The smile no reach e eye. E just dey size Uncle Gyang like goat for Sallah eve.

"Uncle Gyang, e don tey."

Everybody dey look, dey wait for fight wey go scatter ground.

Uncle Gyang just nod.

E no dey waste word. E just nod like village chief for new yam festival.

"Uncle Gyang, last year you carry my spiritual medicine for nothing. Today I go settle you well."

E voice hard, but e dey smile. The crowd dey whisper.

Uncle Gyang answer calm:

"Musa, you wan collect that medicine, you for sacrifice whole village. I no fit stand that kind thing. I hope you go understand."

E voice deep, like river for rainy season. The crowd dey murmur. Some elders dey nod head, dey tap leg.

Musa face change, sneer:

E lips twist. E eye red small.

"If I remember well, your Palm Grove Sect never win any match for five Ancestral Realm Selections. Rule talk say if una lose again this time, una go commot for Nine Districts Sect Alliance."

Everybody hush. Baba Musa squeeze face. Even Morayo look away.

Uncle Gyang face serious. Even Baba Musa sigh, look worried.

E face tight like stone. I dey look Baba Musa, e just rub head.

"Before my bed, the bright moonlight—I suspect na dew dey ground," Musa recite, wave sleeve, send two wind punch.

The words roll out, wind gather, two punch fly front. The sound na like talking drum for village square during festival.

Uncle Gyang answer calm:

"I raise my head look the bright moon, lower am think of home."

E voice soft, but e words strong. As e talk, wind just scatter for air.

Musa attack again: "A dangerous tower, one hundred feet high, I fit touch the stars."

Musa wave hand, the wind sharp like blade, e rush Uncle Gyang.

Uncle Gyang block am: "I no fit shout, make I no go disturb people for heaven."

E voice steady, e block the wind, people clap.

...

Two of them dey throw wise saying, dey fight with words—about five or six proverbs, still no winner.

The wise sayings dey fly for air. Some small pikin dey write for sand, try follow. The elders dey smile, dey nod as if dem dey mark exam paper.

Musa eye dey red, take deep breath, wave sleeve, shout:

E dey sweat. The next attack strong. The air change, everywhere cold.

"When the palm fronds fall, the weaverbird cries, I hear say Ojiugo don cross the Five Streams."

The words strong, e voice thunder. Everybody hold breath.

This one strong pass before.

E carry weight, the ground even shake small.

Uncle Gyang shock—e no expect say Musa get this kind power. E no fit dodge, the thing hit am full chest.

Uncle Gyang try move, but e slow. The words hit am like yam for new mortar.

"Pwah."

Uncle Gyang spit blood, fall for ground, faint.

Blood touch ground. I fear say e don go.

But Musa no stop. E wave sleeve again, send another deadly punch:

Musa eye red, e no dey smile again. Crowd dey shout, elders dey stand up.

"Several orioles dey fight for warm tree, which new swallow dey peck spring mud."

The punch strong—e clear say na to finish am.

The wind heavy, e go fit blow person comot shoe.

Me and Uncle Gyang dey close pass anybody. As I see am, fear grip me, I jump enter stage, stand for front of am.

I remember how Uncle Gyang dey share meat for me during Christmas, I no fit let am fall like that.

My leg dey shake, but my heart strong. I no fit watch person wey dey treat me like junior brother just dey go like that.

That heavy wind punch don already reach me.

E dey come, e voice for air be like angry masquerade. People dey shout, some dey run back.

I raise finger, face the thing, shout:

My voice crack, but I no care. I gather all the courage wey dey my body.

"Blossoms dey shine for eye; only short grass fit hide goat leg!"

Everybody pause. The words hang for air, e glow small.

For Musa face wey shock scatter, the wind punch just vanish, only my robe edge shake small.

Musa jaw drop. The crowd scream. I see Baba Musa stand up, im mouth wide open like person wey see miracle.