Shadow dove

e any food for two d

palm-wine from morni

ce like the eyes of a

against the floor. He

is obi. But the boy

hut as soon as he

ght. He tried not to t

about him. Once he gotup from bed and wa

rdly carry him. He fel

s of a mosquito. Now

s head and spre

asked his second w

prepared it the way h

an and

or two days," said hi

to him. "So you must

r legs in front of he

should have been a b

-old daughter. He pass

cold water," he said

fish, and soon return

earthen pot in

l from her and gulpe

s of plaintain and p

e asked, and Ezinma

of the hut. He search

bag and took almost

er things apart from

in it, and also a dr

other as he searche

tapped it a few time

snuff on the palm of

d not taken out his s

ought out a small, f

the brown snuff

in one hand and the e

"She should have been aboy," Okonkwo sa

ered. If only he coul

orget. But it was the

ext planting season.

overing the walls of t

kwo had already done

he locusts came, whe

nd Ikemefuna and N

e a shivering old w

known in all the nine

who has killed five

added a boy to their

me a woma

, hung his goatskin b

it his frie

outside under the s

leaves of the raffi

onkwo and led the

see you as soon as I f

e grains of sand tha

ll?" Okon

a. "My daughter's suit

he matter of the bride-

er

son, Maduka, came int

he compound,Come and shake hands wit

ay gave me much happi

Okonkwo and went

gs," Okonkwo said. "If

m worried about Nwoy

in a wrestling ma

ising. But I can tell

mble me. Where are t

d banana tree dies? I

happier. She has

r nothing," said Obier

very y

to impregnate a wom

yself. No, my friend,

into a cock can be sp

my best to make Nwoye

much of his m

dfather," Obierika th

ght also came to Okon

ay that ghost. Whenev

d failure troubled h

n strength and succes

o his latest sh

why you refused to co

asked O

ant to," Obierika re

g better

uestion the authority

I do not. Why should I? But the O

deci

it. If we were all af

t do you think the O

Okonkwo, that I am no

t I am, he is telling a

If I were you I woul

ll not please the Ear

he goddess wipes o

punish me for obey

's fingers are not sca

mother puts

ka agreed. "But if the

d neither dispute it no

e on arguing had Of

om his twinkling eyes

impolite to rush him.

t he had broken wit

t the locusts. When he

s

happen these days

appened?" a

gbuefi Ndulue?

Ire village," Okonk

eth

u."That is not strange. He was the

edu agreed. "But you

ten to tell Umuo

bierika and Ok

art of it. You know hi

a s

is called

oedu. "Ozoemena was,

is illness. His younge

one of these women w

from her mat, took he

on her knees and han

ho was laid on a mat.

and went back to her

gain to be present at t

r lying on t

, indeed," said Okonk

until his wife

um has not been bea

that Ndulue and Oz

member when I was a

ould not do anything

" said Okonkwo. "I th

his y

ndeed," s

ully."He led Umuofia to war i

to feel like his old s

ing to occupy his m

busy planting season

, his mind would hav

t a man of thought b

k, talking was

t, Okonkwo took up hi

p my palm trees for t

ll trees for you?

e," repli

d not taken the ozo ti

e these young men kil

of ta

onkwo agreed. "But th

obe

got that law," said O

s not forbidden to cli

the tall tree but he

d. It is like Dimarag

up dogmeat because the

d to use h

t our clan holds the oz

se other clans you sp

was only speaking in jest," sai

ess than two cowries

ankle, and does not los

iled the name of ozo

e t

y long now before m

eri

oon," said Okonkwo, lo

e

in Obierika's hut w

ng man of about twen

ncle. On Obierika's s

duka, his sixte

to send us some kola

shed into the compou

centered on him, and

sharp as

e is too sharp," sai

y ever walks. He is al

n errand he flies aw

the me

ike that yourself," s

When mother-cow is ch

.' Maduka has been w

he boy returned, fol

g a wooden dish with

ave the dish to her fat

r and his relatives. Shewas about sixteen an

young body with exper

t she was beau

hich was done up into

was rubbed lightly i

lack patterns drawn

ung down in three coil

her arms were red an

r five rows of jigi

hands, or rather hel

o her mother's hut to

irst," her mother war

the pestle resting agai

and fire are not frie

ars for decoration, n

will catch fire on yo

l k

ther end of the hut a

o be done slowly and

e it would break and t

ung together again.

lms until it passed t

floor arou

had already begun t

r had brought. It wa

e of the palm fruit h

e lively liquor, white

v

," said Okonkwo.The young suitor, whose

ar that?" He then said

that I am a

best palm trees to de

eg

years ago," said Ibe,

learned how to tap." H

. Then he poured out f

orn from the goatskin

might be there, and g

y talked about everyt

thered. It was only a

r's father cleared his

of thei

d to him a small bundl

. "They are thirty?

in ag

ng somewhere," Ukegbu

is son he said: "Let

rose and went outsi

dle of sticks back to

rty there were now on

st brother, Machi, wh

a

go below thirty. But

you fall down for me

ot a fight so we are f

e the bundle to Ukegbu.In this way Akuke's b

ready dusk when the t

eem

mother that we have fi

Almost immediately t

. Obierika's second w

uka brought in a

ank palm-wine they ta

ir nei

rning," said Obierik

Abame and Aninta, w

nd foo-foo fo

re upside-down. They

sticks. They haggle a

goat or a cow

aid Obierika's eldest

bad in another place.

en with broomsticks. T

es until his in-laws t

se it always lea

" said Okonkwo. "I h

hildren belong to his

id Machi. "You might

the man when they are

f white men who, they s

Obierika. He held up a

guests drew lines onthe floor before they a

no

never seen the

?" asked

here frequently," sa

ad

laughed. He was a l

rosy was "th