Chapter 1

Scene 1: The Champion Okonkwo

(The scene opens with the sounds of DRUMS and FLUTES. The stage is a village
wrestling arena. A crowd is mimed or represented by a few actors. OKONKWO and
AMALINZE are center stage, locked in a fierce embrace. Okonkwo is a huge, powerful
man. Amalinze is a seasoned, wily fighter. Their muscles are taut, and their faces are
strained with effort.)

NARRATOR: Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even
beyond.His fame rested on solid personal achievements.As a young man of eighteen
he had brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat. Amalinze was the
great wrestler who for seven years was unbeaten from Umofia to Mabino.He was
called cat becausehis back would never touch the earth.Okonkwo threw in fight
which the old men agreedwas one of the fiercest.

(Okonkwo, with a final, massive effort, throws Amalinze to the ground. There is a
collective gasp from the crowd, followed by a thunderous cheer. Okonkwo stands over
the defeated Amalinze, breathing heavily, chest heaving in triumph.)

Scene 2: Unoka's laziness, Flute-Player's Hut

NARRATOR: In flashback, he is afraid to be like his father as Unoka resembles a

failure man, is called an Agbala in the village.When Unoka died he had taken no title
at all and he was heavily in debt. Any wonder then that his son Okonkwo was
ashamed of him?

(The scene changes to UNOKA's hut. The walls are rubbed with red earth. Unoka, a
thin man with a slight stoop, is reclining on a mud bed, playing a beautiful, mournful
tune on his FLUTE. A knock is heard. Unoka immediately rises and shakes hands with
OKOYE, who is carrying a goatskin. Okoye sits, and Unoka goes into an inner room
before returning with a small wooden disc.)

UNOKA: (Smiling, presenting the disc) I have kola.

OKOYE: (Passing the disc back) Thank you. He who brings kola brings life. But I think
you ought to break it.

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UNOKA: (A good-natured smile on his face, passing it back again) No, it is for you, I
think.

(They argue for a few moments. Unoka finally accepts the honor of breaking the kola.
Okoye, meanwhile, takes a lump of chalk and draws lines on the floor before painting
his big toe.)

UNOKA: (Breaking the kola) We pray to our ancestors for life and health, and for
protection against our enemies.

(They eat the kola. The tone is relaxed and friendly. They talk about many things.
When the subject of war comes up, Unoka's face becomes uncomfortable. He quickly
changes the subject.)

UNOKA: (His face beaming with happiness) I can hear in my mind's ear the blood-
stirring and intricate rhythms of the ekwe and the udu and the ogene, and I can hear
my own flute weaving in and out of them, decorating them with a colorful and
plaintive tune.

(The sound of music FADES IN, a gay and brisk rhythm with the sorrowful undertone
of a flute. Okoye clears his throat, becoming serious.)

OKOYE: (Proverbially) Thank you for the kola. You may have heard of the title I intend
to take shortly.
(Okoye speaks for a long time, using many proverbs. Okoye's voice is calm, but his
purpose is pointed. Unoka finally understands what he is asking for. He bursts out
laughing—loud, long, and clear. Tears stand in his eyes. Okoye sits speechless and
amazed. Unoka finally regains his composure between fresh outbursts of mirth.)

UNOKA: (Wiping his eyes, and pointing to the wall of his hut) Look at that wall. Look
at those lines of chalk. Each group there represents a debt to someone, and each
stroke is one hundred cowries. You see, I owe that man a thousand cowries. But he
has not come to wake me up in the morning for it. I shall pay you, but not today. Our
elders say that the sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who
kneel under them. I shall pay my big debts first.

(Unoka takes a pinch of snuff and sneezes noisily. Okoye, defeated, rolls up his
goatskin and departs.)

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 Chapter 2
Scene 1: The Town Crier ogene ringing

(The stage is dark and silent. The sound of an OGENE—a hollow metal instrument—
Sound of ogene rings: “Gome, gome, gome, gome.” The town crier's voice is heard,
filled with a sense of foreboding. The sound fades slowly into the distance.)

NARRATOR: Okonkwo had just blown out the palm-oil lamp and stretched himself on
his bamboo bed when he heard the ogene of the town crier piercing the still night air.)

(The stage lights up, revealing OKONKWO in his bamboo bed, listening intently. His
expression is one of worry and curiosity.)

TOWN CRIER (OFFSTAGE): "Every man of Umuofia is asked to gather at the

marketplace tomorrow morning.”

(Okonkwo knew certainly that something was amiss. The night was dark and silent, a
silence made more intense by the trill of a million forest insects. Okonkwo on his
bamboo bed tried to figure out the nature of the emergency.)

Scene 2: The Market Place announcement

NARRATOR: An ultimatum was immediately dispatched to Mbaino: choose between

war and the offer of a young man and a virgin as compensation. Umuofia was feared
by all its neighbors. Okonkwo was chosen as the proud and imperious emissary of
war. He was treated with great honor and respect, and two days later he returned
home with a lad of fifteen, Ikemefuna, and a young virgin.

(The scene changes to a bustling marketplace in the morning. Ten thousand men are
gathered, talking in low voices. OGBUEFI EZEUGO, a powerful orator with a white
beard, stands in the center.)

OGBUEFI EZEUGO: (Bellows with a powerful voice, facing a different direction with
each shout and pushing the air with a clenched fist) Umuofia kwenu! Umuofia kwenu!
Umuofia kwenu! Umuofia kwenu!

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THE CROWD OF MEN ROARSBACK : "YAW," each time. A sudden, perfect silence
falls over the market.

OGBUEFI EZEUGO: (Bellows a fifth time, even more loudly) Umuofia kwenu!

(The crowd roars back again. Like a man possessed, Ezeugo points toward the clan of
Mbaino, his teeth clenched.)

OGBUEFI EZEUGO: (Through gritted teeth, full of anger) Those sons of wild animals
have dared to murder a daughter of Umuofia.

(He throws his head down and gnaws his teeth. A murmur of suppressed anger
sweeps through the crowd. When he speaks again, his face holds a sinister, terrible
smile.)

OGBUEFI EZEUGO: (In a clear, unemotional voice, pointing to a man with a bowed
head) That woman was the wife of Ogbuefi Udo.

(The crowd shouts with anger and a thirst for blood. Many others speak, and a
decision is reached.)

Scene 3: The New Household Member

(The scene changes to Okonkwo's compound, a large space with a thick wall of red
earth. Okonkwo stands with a young boy, IKEMEFUNA. NWOYE'S MOTHER,
Okonkwo's most senior wife, approaches them. Her expression is kind but
questioning.)

OKONKWO: (Voice is blunt and direct) He belongs to the clan. So look after him.

NWOYE'S MOTHER: (Doubtful) Is he staying long with us?

OKONKWO: (Thundering, with a slight stammer, his anger increasing) Do what you
are told, woman. When did you become one of the ndichie of Umuofia?

(Nwoye's mother recoils slightly and then leads the boy to her hut, asking no more
questions. Ikemefuna looks terrified and confused.)

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NARRATOR:
Ikemufuna was taken on a long, lonely journey through the forest with a girl he didn’t
know. He never saw her again.

Chapter 4
Scene 1: Ikemefuna in Okonkwo's Household

(The scene is in Okonkwo's compound. A younger boy, NWOYE, and a slightly older
boy, IKEMEFUNA, are present. Nwoye's mother, NWOYE'S MOTHER, is in her hut.
Ikemefuna looks sad.)

NARRATOR: At first Ikemefuna was very much afraid. Once or twice he tried to run
away, but he did not know where to begin. Nwoye's mother was very kind to him,
but all he said was: "When shall I go home?”

(Okonkwo enters the hut with a big stick. He stands over the boy.)

OKONKWO (standing over him): "Swallow the yams."

(Inferred direct speech from "stood over him while he swallowed his yams,
trembling.")

(Ikemefuna trembles as he swallows his food. He then runs behind the hut and is
heard vomiting. Nwoye's mother comes to comfort him.)

NWOYE'S MOTHER (gently comforting him):

(No direct dialogue, but based on action: she does not speak but lays her hands
comfortingly.)

IKEMEFUNA (softly, repeatedly): "When shall I go home?"

[Act out: Ikemefuna sits curled up in the corner of the hut, looking distant, eyes
watery, asking quietly, longingly.]

(The scene shows Okonkwo going to a big village meeting. Ikemefuna follows him,
carrying his stool and his goatskin bag.)

IKEMEFUNA (respectfully, admiringly): "Father."

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[Act out: Ikemefuna walks proudly beside Okonkwo, carrying his stool and goatskin
bag, looking up to him, calling him 'Father' with trust.]

NARRATOR: Okonkwo sometimes allowed Ikemefuna to accompany him, like a son.

And, indeed, Ikemefuna called him father.

SCENE 2 : Okonkwo’s Compound — The Offense During the Week of Peace

(The scene changes to Okonkwo's compound. It is a quiet afternoon. Okonkwo is

waiting for his meal.)

NARRATOR: Ikemefuna had been in Okonkwo's household a while when the Week of
Peace began. Okonkwo was provoked to justifiable anger by his youngest wife,
Ojiugo, who did not return early enough to cook the afternoon meal.

(Okonkwo goes to Ojiugo's hut, but it is empty. He then sees his second wife.)

OKONKWO: Where is Ojiugo?

OKONKWO'S SECOND WIFE: She has gone to plait her hair.

OKONKWO: (With unusual coolness and restraint) Where are her children? Did she
take them?

NWOYE'S MOTHER: (Lying) They are here.

OKONKWO: (He walks back to his obi to await Ojiugo's return. When she returns, he
beats her very heavily. His first two wives run out in great alarm.)

NWOYE'S MOTHER & SECOND WIFE: (Pleading) It is the sacred week!

(Okonkwo's neighbors send their voices over the compound walls, asking what the
matter is.)

NARRATOR: Before it was dusk, Ezeani, who was the priest of the earth goddess, Ani,
called on Okonkwo in his obi.

(Ezeani enters and sits. Okonkwo brings him a kola nut.)

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EZEANI: (Refusing the kola) Take away your kola nut. I shall not eat in the house of a
man who has no respect for our gods and ancestors.

OKONKWO: (Tries to explain what Ojiugo did.)

EZEANI: (Holds a short staff and brings it down on the floor to emphasize his points)
Listen to me. You are not a stranger in Umuofia. You know as well as I do that our
forefathers ordained that before we plant any crops in the earth we should observe a
week in which a man does not say a harsh word to his neighbor. You have committed
a great evil.

(His staff comes down heavily on the floor.)

EZEANI: The evil you have done can ruin the whole clan. The earth goddess whom
you have insulted may refuse to give us her increase, and we shall all perish. (His
tone changes from anger to command. You will bring to the shrine of Ani tomorrow
one she-goat, one hen, a length of cloth and a hundred cowries.

(Ezeani rises and leaves the hut. Okonkwo is left alone, inwardly repentant but
unwilling to show it.)

NARRATOR: It was the first time for many years that a man had broken the sacred
peace. Okonkwo’s enemies said his good fortune had gone to his head.

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 Chapter 5
Scene 1: The Preparations

(The stage is Okonkwo's compound. The walls of the huts are decorated with intricate
patterns. Okonkwo’s three wives and several children are bustling around. The
women are painting themselves with cam wood, and the children have their hair
shaved in beautiful patterns. The mood is joyful and celebratory, with excited chatter.)

NARRATOR: The Feast of the New Yam was approaching and Umuofia was in a
festival mood. It was held every year before the harvest began. It was an occasion for
giving thanks to Ani, the earth goddess, the ultimate judge of morality and the source
of all fertility and the ancestral spirits of the clan. The women talked excitedly about
the relations who had been invited, and the children reveled in the thought of being
spoiled by these visitors. Ikemefuna was equally excited.

(The joyful chatter continues as the women finish their preparations. Suddenly, the
mood changes. Okonkwo enters the compound, looking tense and restless. He is
walking aimlessly with a suppressed, angry expression. The joyous sounds stop. A
hush falls over the compound.)

OKONKWO: (Voice sharp with irritation) Who killed this banana tree?

(The women and children freeze. No one answers.)

OKONKWO: (Louder, his voice full of anger) Who killed this tree? Or are you all deaf
and dumb?

(Okonkwo's second wife, OJIUGO, steps forward, looking timidly at her husband.)

OJIUGO: I merely cut a few leaves off it to wrap some food, my husband.

(Without a word, Okonkwo beats her. She cries out in pain, and her daughter wails.
The other wives, NWOYE'S MOTHER and the third wife, stand at a distance, looking
on in alarm.)

NWOYE'S MOTHER: (Tentatively, from a safe distance) It is enough, Okonkwo.

(Okonkwo stops beating Ojiugo. He is breathing heavily, his anger momentarily

satisfied. He decides to go hunting.)

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Scene 2: The Rusty Gun

(Okonkwo is still breathing heavily from his anger. He turns to Ikemefuna.)

OKONKWO: (Curtly) Ikemefuna, fetch my gun.

(Ikemefuna, still looking shocked, runs to get the rusty gun. As he does, Ojiugo, the
wife who was just beaten, murmurs under her breath, still crying.)

OJIUGO: (Muttering, barely audible but with a hint of bitterness) A gun that never
shoots...

(Okonkwo's head snaps around. He has heard her. His expression is one of sudden,
wild fury. He snatches the loaded gun from Ikemefuna and runs madly back into the
compound. Ojiugo, seeing this, clambers over the low wall of the barn, trying to get
away. Okonkwo aims the gun at her. He presses the trigger. There is a loud BANG. His
wives and children scream in terror. He throws the gun down, jumps into the barn,
and finds Ojiugo there, unhurt but very shaken.)

NARRATOR: He heaved a heavy sigh and went away with the gun.

(Okonkwo walks offstage, the gun in his hand, leaving his terrified family behind.)

!!!!! OFFSTAGE !!!!!

Scene 3: The Feast

(The scene changes to the next day. The mood is now one of renewed festivity. The
compound is full of guests. Okonkwo offers a sacrifice of new yam and palm-oil. He
looks up to the sky with a serious, reverent expression.)

OKONKWO: (Voice is solemn and calm) I ask you to protect me, my children, and
their mothers in the new year.

(The in-laws from three villages arrive, each carrying a huge pot of palm-wine. The
stage fills with people eating, drinking, and talking. The atmosphere is joyous and
communal. The sounds of laughter and conversation fill the air. Okonkwo, though still
reserved, sits and eats with his guests. The feasting continues late into the night.)

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NARRATOR: And there was eating and drinking till night, when Okonkwo's in-laws
began to leave for their homes.

(The in-laws get up and start to say their goodbyes. Okonkwo nods and shakes hands
with them. The lights fade as the last guests depart, leaving Okonkwo and his family
behind.)

SCENE 4: The Drums

NARRATOR: The second day of the new year was the day of the great wrestling
match. Ekwefi, Okonkwo’s second wife, loved it more than any other festival. Many
years ago, Okonkwo had won her heart by throwing the Cat in the greatest contest in
living memory.

(The faint sound of drums begins to reach the compound. It is a quick, light, and gay
rhythm. OKONKWO, who is in his obi, clears his throat and moves his feet to the beat.
His face is intense, filled with the desire to conquer.)

EZINMA: (To her mother) We shall be late for the wrestling.

EKWEFI: They will not begin until the sun goes down.

EZINMA: But they are beating the drums.

EKWEFI: Yes. The drums begin at noon but the wrestling waits until the sun begins to
sink. Go and see if your father has brought out yams for the afternoon.

(Ezinma runs to the barn and brings back two yams. Ekwefi quickly peels and cuts
them. The nannygoat sniffs around for peelings. Suddenly, a child's mournful crying is
heard just outside the compound.)

EKWEFI: (Calling to Nwoye's mother) Is that not Obiageli weeping?

NWOYE'S MOTHER: (From her hut) Yes. She must have broken her waterpot.

10
(The children file in. IKEMEFUNA leads with the biggest pot, followed by Nwoye and
his brothers. OBIAGELI is at the rear, her face streaming with tears. She is holding the
cloth pad for her pot.)

NWOYE'S MOTHER: (Consolingly) What happened?

(Obiageli, still crying, tells her story. Her mother promises to buy her another pot.
Nwoye's younger brothers start to speak, but Ikemefuna looks at them sternly, and
they fall silent. The sound of the drums continues, persistent and unchanging, like the
village's heartbeat.)

Scene 5: Okonkwo's Obi before watching wrestling match

(The scene changes to Okonkwo’s obi. He is sitting on a goatskin, eating a meal from
his first wife. OBIAGELI sits on the floor nearby. EZINMA enters with her mother's dish
and places it before him, then sits with Obiageli.)

OKONKWO: (Shouting, with a fierce expression) Sit like a woman!

(Ezinma immediately brings her legs together and stretches them in front of her. After
a moment of silence, she speaks respectfully.)

EZINMA: (Respectfully) Father, will you go to see the wrestling?

OKONKWO: (Between mouthfuls) Yes. Will you go?

EZINMA: Yes. (After a pause) Can I bring your chair for you?

OKONKWO: (Firmly) No, that is a boy's job.

EZINMA: Obiageli broke her pot today.

OKONKWO: (Without looking up from his food) Yes, she has told me about it.

OBIAGELI: (Bravely speaks up) Father, people should not talk when they are eating or
pepper may go down the wrong way.

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OKONKWO: (Looking at Obiageli, then at Ezinma) That is very true. Do you hear that,
Ezinma? You are older than Obiageli but she has more sense.

(Okonkwo uncovers Ekwefi's dish and begins to eat. Obiageli takes the first dish back
to her mother. A third daughter, NKECHI, brings in a third dish from Okonkwo's third
wife. The drums beat on in the distance.)
(The lights fade.)

Chapter 6
Scene 1: The Gathering

(The stage is a village wrestling arena, the ilo. The area is a huge circle, packed with a
crowd of men, women, and children. The elders and Okonkwo sit on their own stools.
The air is filled with anticipation. At the front of the circle, three drummers are poised
with their instruments, and behind them stands a large, ancient silk-cotton tree.
Young men, carrying palm fronds, move around the perimeter, keeping the crowd
back.)

NARRATOR: The whole village turned out on the ilo. The elders and grandees of the
village sat on their own stools. All others stood, except for those who secured places
on the few stands. The drummers held the field. Behind them was the big and
ancient silk-cotton tree which was sacred. Spirits of good children lived in that tree
waiting to be born.

(The drums suddenly burst into a loud, frantic rhythm. The crowd roars and claps as
two teams of young men dance into the circle. The air shivers with excitement.)

NARRATOR: At last the two teams danced into the circle and the crowd roared and
clapped. The drums rose to a frenzy. The people surged forward. The young men who
kept order flew around, waving their palm fronds. Old men nodded to the beat of the
drums and remembered the days when they wrestled to its intoxicating rhythm.

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Scene 2: The Boy's Match

(The wrestling contest begins with boys. They are fast, and the first two bouts are
over quickly. The third match begins. MADUKA, a boy of about fifteen, and his
opponent close in. The movement is a flash of motion that no one can quite describe.
The opponent is suddenly flat on his back. The crowd roars in stunned delight.)

NARRATOR: But the third match created a big sensation even among the elders. It
was as quick as the other two, perhaps even quicker. And the other boy was flat on
his back. The crowd roared and clapped and for a while drowned the frenzied drums.

(Okonkwo, who has been sitting with the elders, springs to his feet in surprise and
excitement, then quickly sits down again, trying to regain his composure. Three young
men from Maduka's team run forward, hoist him onto their shoulders, and dance
through the cheering crowd. The drums fall silent for a brief rest. The drummers fan
themselves, drink water, and become ordinary human beings again. The air relaxes.)

Scene 3: Ekwefi and Chielo

(The scene focuses on EKWEFI and another woman, CHIELO, standing shoulder to
shoulder. They are fanning themselves and catching their breath from the excitement.
Ekwefi looks surprised.)

EKWEFI: I did not know it was you.

CHIELO: (Smiling) I do not blame you. I have never seen such a large crowd of people.
Is it true that Okonkwo nearly killed you with his gun?

EKWEFI: (With a heavy sigh) It is true indeed, my dear friend. I cannot yet find a
mouth with which to tell the story.

CHIELO: Your chi is very much awake, my friend. And how is my daughter, Ezinma?

EKWEFI: She has been very well for some time now. Perhaps she has come to stay.

CHIELO: I think she has. How old is she now?

EKWEFI: She is about ten years old.

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CHIELO: I think she will stay. They usually stay if they do not die before the age of six.

EKWEFI: (Sighs heavily, a mix of hope and weariness in her expression) I pray she
stays.

(The drummers suddenly take up their sticks again. The air tenses, and the sound of
the drums becomes a low, vibrating thrum, full of anticipation.)

NARRATOR: The drummers took up their sticks and the air shivered and grew tense
like a tightened bow.

Scene 4: The Final Match

(The two final teams stand facing each other. A young man from one team dances
forward to challenge an opponent, and they close in. Matches come and go. Finally,
the two leaders, OKAFO and IKEZUE, face each other. The crowd holds its breath.)

NARRATOR: The last match was between the leaders of the teams. The crowd
wondered who would throw the other this year. Last year neither of them had
thrown the other. Dusk was already approaching when their contest began. The
drums went mad and the crowds also. They surged forward as the two young men
danced into the circle.

(The two men, Okafo and Ikezue, close in, their muscles straining. The sound of the
drums is no longer just music—it is the very heartbeat of the people, frantic and
powerful. Ikezue attempts a move, a clever ege style to fling his opponent, but Okafo
knows what he is thinking. The two are locked in a near-still embrace. The judges
move forward to separate them, but then Ikezue makes a sad miscalculation, going
down on one knee. In a flash, Okafo raises his right leg, swinging it over Ikezue's head
and throwing him to the ground. The crowd erupts into a thunderous roar.)

NARRATOR: Quick as the lightning of Amadiora, Okafo raised his right leg and swung
it over his rival's head. The crowd burst into a thunderous roar.

(Okafo is swept off his feet by his supporters and carried home shoulder-high. The
supporters and young women clap and sing his praise.)

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CROWD: (Singing in a chant-like rhythm)
Who will wrestle for our village?
Okafo will wrestle for our village.
Has he thrown a hundred men?
He has thrown four hundred men.
Has he thrown a hundred Cats?
He has thrown four hundred Cats.
Then send him word to fight for us.

(The lights fade out on the triumphant scene.)

Chapter 7
Scene 1: The Warning about Ikemefuna

(The scene opens in OKONKWO’s obi. He is happily crunching food and drinking palm-
wine with IKEMEFUNA and NWOYE. The mood is relaxed and familial. Suddenly,
OGBUEFI EZEUDU, a respected old man, enters. He is supporting himself with a stick.
He refuses the meal, and his face is solemn.)

OGBUEFI EZEUDU: Okonkwo, I must speak with you outside.

(Okonkwo and Ezeudu walk out of the obi, a short distance away so they cannot be
heard by the boys. Ezeudu's expression is one of grave concern.)

OGBUEFI EZEUDU: That boy calls you father. Do not bear a hand in his death.

(Okonkwo looks surprised, about to speak, but the old man continues.)

OGBUEFI EZEUDU: Yes, Umuofia has decided to kill him. The Oracle of the Hills and
the Caves has pronounced it. They will take him outside Umuofia as is the custom,
and kill him there. But I want you to have nothing to do with it. He calls you his father.

(Okonkwo’s expression is troubled. He looks back at the two boys inside the hut.
Ezeudu slowly walks away, leaving Okonkwo alone with his thoughts.)

15
Scene 2: The Farewell

(The next day, a group of elders enters Okonkwo’s compound. They speak in low,
serious tones.)

OKONKWO (quietly to the boys):

"Go outside.”

(NWOYE and IKEMEFUNA are sent out of the hut. They do not stay long. When they
leave, Okonkwo sits for a very long time, his chin resting in his palms. His face is a
mask of inner turmoil. Later, he calls Ikemefuna over.)

OKONKWO: (Voice is cold and distant, avoiding eye contact) You are to be taken
home the next day.

(Nwoye, who has overheard, bursts into tears.)

OKONKWO (angrily):
"Stop that noise!”

(Okonkwo, without a word, beats him heavily. Nwoye flees, weeping. Ikemefuna is at
a loss, his face a mix of confusion and fear. He feels the chilling echo of the past.)

NARRATOR: Ikemefuna's own home had gradually become very faint and distant. He
still missed his mother and his sister and would be very glad to see them. But
somehow he knew he was not going to see them. He remembered once when men
had talked in low tones with his father; and it seemed now as if it was happening all
over again.

(The scene changes to Nwoye's mother's hut. Nwoye, his face streaked with tears,
tells his mother what he has heard.)

NWOYE (softly):
"Ikemefuna is going home.”

NWOYE'S MOTHER: (She immediately drops her pestle, folds her arms across her
chest, and sighs deeply) Poor child.

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Scene 3: The death of Ikemefuna

(The next day, the men return. They are fully dressed as if for a big meeting, with
cloths passed under their right arm-pits, and sheathed machetes and goatskin bags
over their left shoulders. The men talk and laugh as they begin their journey, but as
they near the forest, a deathly silence falls over them. Ikemefuna walks in their midst,
carrying a pot of wine. He is in his own thoughts.)

NARRATOR: The sun rose slowly. The men trod dry leaves on the sand. All else was
silent. Ikemefuna heard a whisper close behind him and turned round sharply. The
man who had whispered now called out aloud, urging the others to hurry up. Then he
and another man went before Ikemefuna and set a faster pace.

(The group moves deeper into a narrow footway in the heart of the forest. The light is
dim, with patterns of light and shade. Ikemefuna is thinking of his mother and sister,
feeling a vague sense of dread, but also hope.)

IKEMEFUNA: (In his mind, repeating a song)

Eze elina, elina!
Sala
Eze ilikwa ya
Iktvaba akwa oligboli
Ebe Danda nechi eze
Ebe Uzuzu nete egwu
Sala

(Ikemefuna feels like a child again, trying to divine his mother's fate with the song. He
is hopeful. Suddenly, a man behind him clears his throat. Ikemefuna looks back)

MAN: Go on, and don't stand looking back.

(A cold fear washes over Ikemefuna. His hands tremble on the pot. He notices that
Okonkwo has withdrawn to the rear. His legs feel like they are melting. He is afraid to
look back. The man who cleared his throat draws up and raises his machete.
Okonkwo looks away, his face etched with a mix of fear and determination.)

IKEMEFUNA: "My father, they have killed me!"

( He heard the blow. The pot fell and broke in the sand. He heard Ikemefuna cry, as he
ran towards him. Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He
was afraid of being thought weak.)

17
 Chapter 8
Scene 1: Okonkwo and Obierika

(The scene changes to Obierika's compound. OBIERIKA sits under an orange tree,
making thatch from palm leaves. He is a calm, thoughtful man. He greets Okonkwo
warmly and leads him into his obi.)

OBIERIKA: I was coming over to see you as soon as I finished that thatch.

OKONKWO: (His voice is serious and heavy) Is it well?

OBIERIKA: (His expression is happy and relaxed) Yes. My daughter's suitor is coming
today and I hope we will clinch the matter of the bride-price. I want you to be there.

(Maduka, Obierika's son, enters. Okonkwo's face lights up slightly as he sees the boy.)

OKONKWO: (With genuine warmth and admiration) Come and shake hands with me.
Your wrestling the other day gave me much happiness.

(Maduka smiles, shakes his hand, and leaves.)

OKONKWO: (Leaning forward, his face troubled again) He will do great things. If I had
a son like him I should be happy. I am worried about Nwoye. A bowl of pounded
yams can throw him in a wrestling match. His two younger brothers are more
promising. But I can tell you, Obierika, that my children do not resemble me. Where
are the young suckers that will grow when the old banana tree dies? If Ezinma had
been a boy I would have been happier. She has the right spirit.

OBIERIKA: (Shaking his head gently) You worry yourself for nothing. The children are
still very young.

OKONKWO: (His voice rising with frustration) Nwoye is old enough to impregnate a
woman. At his age I was already fending for myself. No, my friend, he is not too
young. A chick that will grow into a cock can be spotted the very day it hatches. I
have done my best to make Nwoye grow into a man, but there is too much of his
mother in him.

(Obierika says nothing, but his expression shows that he knows the truth—that
Nwoye resembles his grandfather, Unoka. The thought also crosses Okonkwo's mind,

18
and he forces it away by thinking of his own achievements. He brings up a new, more
difficult subject.)

OKONKWO: (His voice is firm and challenging) I cannot understand why you refused
to come with us to kill that boy.

OBIERIKA: (He replies sharply, his calm demeanor gone) Because I did not want to. I
had something better to do.

OKONKWO: You sound as if you question the authority and the decision of the
Oracle, who said he should die.

OBIERIKA: I do not. Why should I? But the Oracle did not ask me to carry out its
decision.

OKONKWO: But someone had to do it. If we were all afraid of blood, it would not be
done. And what do you think the Oracle would do then?

OBIERIKA: (Leans in, his voice low and serious) You know very well, Okonkwo, that I
am not afraid of blood; and if anyone tells you that I am, he is telling a lie. And let me
tell you one thing, my friend. If I were you I would have stayed at home. What you
have done will not please the Earth. It is the kind of action for which the goddess
wipes out whole families.

OKONKWO: (Defensively) The Earth cannot punish me for obeying her messenger. A
child's fingers are not scalded by a piece of hot yam which its mother puts into its
palm.

OBIERIKA: (Nods, conceding the point) That is true. But if the Oracle said that my son
should be killed I would neither dispute it nor be the one to do it.

Scene 2: The Bride-Price

(The scene changes to Obierika's obi. There are seven men, including Okonkwo, and
Obierika's son, MADUKA. A young man named IBE, the suitor, sits with his father,
UKEGBU, and his uncle. The atmosphere is formal but friendly.)

OBIERIKA: (To Maduka) Ask Akueke's mother to send us some kola nuts.

19
(Maduka, "as sharp as a razor," vanishes like lightning. The men's conversation
immediately centers on him.)

OBIERIKA: (Indulgently, a proud smile on his face) I sometimes think he is too sharp.
He hardly ever walks. He is always in a hurry. If you are sending him on an errand he
flies away before he has heard half of the message.

OBIERIKA'S ELDEST BROTHER: (Smiling, a hint of nostalgia) You were very much like
that yourself. As our people say, 'When mother-cow is chewing grass its young ones
watch its mouth.' Maduka has been watching your mouth.

(Maduka returns, followed by his half-sister, AKUEKE. She is about sixteen, shy but
graceful. She carries a wooden dish with kola nuts and alligator pepper. The suitor
and his relatives look her over with "expert eyes." She is wearing traditional
adornments: a coiffure, cam wood on her skin, a black necklace, bangles, and waist
beads. She shakes hands shyly with the guests and then returns to her mother's hut.)

AKUEKE'S MOTHER: (Offstage, a voice of stern love) Remove your jigida first! Every
day I tell you that jigida and fire are not friends. One of these days your jigida will
catch fire on your waist, and then you will know.

(Akueke moves to the other end of the hut to carefully and slowly remove her waist
beads. Meanwhile, the men drink the palm wine brought by the suitor. It is a good
wine, foaming at the mouth of the pot.)

OKONKWO: (Taking a hearty drink) That wine is the work of a good tapper.

IBE: (Smiling broadly, to his father) Do you hear that? (To the others) He will never
admit that I am a good tapper.

UKEGBU: (Faking annoyance) He tapped three of my best palm trees to death.

IBE: (Laughing, pouring the wine) That was about five years ago, before I learned how
to tap.

(The men drink and talk about everything but the bride-price until the pot is empty.
Ukegbu then clears his throat.)

UKEGBU: (Voice is now formal and serious) We have come to discuss the bride-price.

20
(Obierika hands him a small bundle of broomsticks. Ukegbu counts them.)

UKEGBU: They are thirty?

(Obierika nods. Ukegbu, his brother, and Ibe go outside to whisper. They return, and
Ukegbu hands the bundle back to Obierika. Obierika counts them; there are now only
fifteen. He passes them to his eldest brother.)

MACHI: (Counting them, then adding ten more) We had not thought to go below
thirty. But as the God said, 'If I fall down for you and you fall down for me, it is play.'
Marriage should be a play and not a fight; so we are failing down again.

(The bride-price is settled at twenty bags of cowries. The sun has set. Obierika tells
Maduka to get the women.)

OBIERIKA: (To Maduka) Go and tell Akueke's mother that we have finished.

(Almost immediately, the women come in with a large bowl of foo-foo, soup, and
more palm wine. The men eat and drink, and the conversation turns to the customs of
their neighbors.)

Chapter 9
Scene 1: The Disturbed Night

(The scene opens in OKONKWO's obi. The stage is dark and quiet. Okonkwo is in bed,
finally at rest. He wakes briefly, swatting at a mosquito, and a memory of a children's
story flits through his mind. He drifts back to sleep. Suddenly, a loud, frantic banging
on his door. He is startled awake, growling in annoyance.)

OKONKWO: (Voice is deep and rough with sleep) Who is that?

EKWEFI: (Voice from outside the door, filled with raw tragedy and sorrow) Ezinma is
dying.

(Okonkwo springs from his bed, all previous calm gone. He pushes the bolt back and
rushes out. The scene changes to EKWEFI's hut. EZINMA, a young girl, lies shivering on
a mat beside a huge fire. Ekwefi is kneeling beside her, her face a mask of fear and

21
desperation. Okonkwo's expression is one of immediate concern and action. He
doesn't hesitate.)

OKONKWO: (Voice is firm and authoritative, but a hint of worry is in his eyes) It is iba.

(He takes his machete and leaves to collect medicine. Ekwefi kneels beside her sick
child, her palm pressed to Ezinma's forehead, her love and anxiety palpable.)

Scene 2: The Curse of the Ogbanje

(The stage is dimly lit, focusing on a solemn OKONKWO and a MEDICINE MAN. A
small group of villagers stands in the background, listening intently.)

NARRATOR: Ekwefi had suffered a good deal in her life. She had borne ten children,
and nine of them had died in infancy. As she buried one child after another, her
sorrow gave way to despair and then to grim resignation. After the death of her
second child, Okonkwo had gone to a medicine man to inquire what was amiss. This
man told him that the child was an ogbanje—a wicked child who, when it died,
entered its mother's womb to be born again.

OKAGBUE: On what market-day was it born?

OKONKWO: Oye.

OKAGBUE: And it died this morning?

OKONKWO: (His face darkens with a terrible realization) Yes.

(The crowd murmurs, understanding the ominous significance. Okagbue pulls out a
sharp razor and mutilates the child's body before carrying it away to the Evil Forest.
The stage lights dim on the terrified faces of the crowd.)

Scene 3: The Iyi-uwa Hunt

(The scene changes to a few years later. )

NARRATOR: At last, Ezinma was born, and although ailing, she seemed determined
to live. Ekwefi believed deep inside her that Ezinma had come to stay. This faith was

22
strengthened when a year or so ago, a medicine man had dug up Ezinma's iyi-uwa.
Everyone knew then that she would live, because her bond with the world of the
ogbanje had been broken.

OKAGBUE: Where did you bury your iyi-uwa?

EZINMA: (Confused but playful) What is iyi-uwa?

OKAGBUE: You know what it is. You buried it in the ground somewhere so that you
can die and return again to torment your mother.

(Ezinma looks at Ekwefi, then at Okonkwo.)

OKONKWO: (Roaring with frustration) Answer the question at once!

OKAGBUE: (Calmly, motioning Okonkwo to be silent) Leave her to me. (He turns back
to Ezinma.) Where did you bury your iyi-uwa?

EZINMA: Where they bury children.

(The crowd murmurs in awe and follows Ezinma as she leads them on a long, winding
path. She runs, stops, and changes directions, a playful sense of importance in her
movements.)

OKONKWO: (Threateningly) If you bring us all this way for nothing I shall beat sense
into you!

OKAGBUE: (Calmly) I have told you to let her alone. I know how to deal with them.
(After a long trek, Ezinma leads them back to Okonkwo’s obi.)

OKAGBUE: Where did you bury your iyi-uwa?

EZINMA: It is near that orange tree.

OKONKWO: (Furious) And why did you not say so, you wicked daughter of Akalogoli?

(Okagbue ignores Okonkwo, asks for a hoe, and begins to dig. The crowd watches
silently as he digs deeper and deeper, his back glistening with sweat. Okonkwo stands
by, "rumbling like thunder." Ekwefi and Ezinma go into the hut to cook.)

23
EZINMA: There is too much green vegetable.

EKWEFI: Don't you see the pot is full of yams? And you know how leaves become
smaller after cooking.

EZINMA: Yes, that was why the snake-lizard killed his mother.

EKWEFI: Very true.

EZINMA: (A sudden memory comes to her) I remember now. He brought another

seven baskets and cooked them himself. And there were again only three. So he
killed himself too.

(Outside, Okagbue suddenly leaps from the pit.)

OKAGBUE: (Excitedly) It is very near now. I have felt it.

(The crowd rushes forward. Okagbue goes back in and, with a few more strokes,
brings up the iyi-uwa—a smooth, shiny pebble wrapped in a dirty rag. The women
shout with joy.)

OKAGBUE: Is this yours?

EZINMA: Yes.

Scene 4: The Cure

(The scene returns to the present. Okonkwo enters Ekwefi’s hut, his face grim and
determined, carrying a large bundle of medicinal plants. Ekwefi is still kneeling by
Ezinma, who is shivering.)

OKONKWO: (Voice is gruff but laced with worry) Get me a pot, and leave the child
alone.

(Ekwefi brings the pot. Okonkwo expertly cuts up the plants and puts them in the pot.
Ekwefi pours water.)

EKWEFI: Is that enough?

24
OKONKWO: (Roaring with a mix of impatience and anxiety) A little more . . . I said a
little. Are you deaf?

(He leaves. Ekwefi tends to the pot, her eyes constantly moving between it and
Ezinma, as if the pot itself were a sick child. Okonkwo returns when the medicine is
ready.)

OKONKWO: (Voice is commanding) Bring me a low stool for Ezinma, and a thick mat.

(He places the pot in front of the stool, rouses Ezinma, and forces her to sit astride the
steaming pot. He throws the mat over them both, holding her down as she struggles
and cries. When the mat is finally removed, Ezinma is drenched in perspiration. Ekwefi
mops her down, and Ezinma falls asleep. Okonkwo’s face softens, a quiet, powerful
sense of relief washing over him as he and Ekwefi look at their sleeping daughter.)

Chapter 10
Scene 1: The Gathering of the Egwugwu

(The stage is bathed in the soft, late-afternoon light. A large crowd is gathered on the
village ilo. On one side are the titled men and elders, seated on their stools. On the
other are two small groups of people, standing at a respectable distance. A pregnant
silence hangs in the air, punctuated by the low hum of conversation.)

NARRATOR: The village gathered on the ilo as the sun's heat began to fade. It was
the time for communal ceremonies, but today, it was clear this was a day for men.
The titled elders sat on their stools, waiting for the trials to begin. In front of them
were nine empty stools, a sign of what was to come. Uzowulu, a man with a case to
plead, stood with his relatives, whispering loudly, while Mgbafo, his wife, and her
brothers stood still as statues, their faces molded in defiance.

(An iron gong sounds, sharp and clear. A wave of expectation sweeps through the
crowd. All eyes turn to the egwugwu house. The gong sounds again, accompanied by
a powerful flute. Guttural, awesome voices begin to emerge from the hut, "Aru oyim
de de de dei!" The women and children, in a momentary stampede, move backward,
but quickly settle.)

25
NARRATOR: The ancestral spirits of the clan were abroad. The egwugwu house was a
pandemonium of quavering voices as the spirits, just emerged from the earth,
greeted themselves in their esoteric language. The metal gong beat continuously
now and the flute, shrill and powerful, floated on the chaos.
(The nine masked spirits, the egwugwu, appear. The women and children let out a
great shout and flee instinctively, though they return almost immediately. Evil Forest,
the leader, whose head is smoking, steps forward. He thrusts his rattling staff into the
earth.)

EVIL FOREST: Umuofia kwenu!

CROWD: (A thunderous reply) Yaa!

EVIL FOREST: Umuofia kwenu!

CROWD: Yaa!

EVIL FOREST: Umuofia kwenu!

CROWD: Yaa!

(Evil Forest takes the first stool, and the other eight egwugwu sit in order. The second
egwugwu, with the springy walk of Okonkwo, sits. His face is a huge, painted wooden
mask. The crowd's chattering subsides as Evil Forest begins to speak.)

Scene 2: The Case of Mgbafo

(Evil Forest addresses the groups.)

EVIL FOREST: Uzowulu's body, I salute you.

(Uzowulu bows and touches the earth with his right hand.)

UZOWULU: Our father, my hand has touched the ground.

EVIL FOREST: Uzowulu's body, do you know me?

UZOWULU: How can I know you, father? You are beyond our knowledge.

26
(Evil Forest then turns to Odukwe.)

EVIL FOREST: The body of Odukwe, I greet you.

(Odukwe bows and touches the earth. Uzowulu steps forward to present his case. His
voice is whiny and aggrieved.)

UZOWULU: That woman standing there is my wife, Mgbafo. I married her with my
money and my yams... One morning three of them came to my house, beat me up
and took my wife and children away... The law of the clan is that you should return
her bride-price... So I have brought the matter to the fathers of the clan. My case is
finished. I salute you.

(Evil Forest turns to Odukwe.)

EVIL FOREST: Your words are good. Let us hear Odukwe. His words may also be good.

(Odukwe, short and thickset, steps forward. He speaks with a tone of righteous anger.)

ODUKWE: My in-law has told you that we went to his house, beat him up and took
our sister and her children away. All that is true... My in-law, Uzowulu, is a beast. My
sister lived with him for nine years. During those years no single day passed in the sky
without his beating the woman…

UZOWULU: (Shouting, interrupting) It is a lie!

ODUKWE: Two years ago, when she was pregnant, he beat her until she miscarried.

UZOWULU: (Shouting back) It is a lie. She miscarried after she had gone to sleep with
her lover.

(Evil Forest raises a hand, silencing him.)

EVIL FOREST: Uzowulu's body, I salute you. What kind of lover sleeps with a pregnant
woman?

(A loud murmur of approval ripples through the crowd. Odukwe continues, his voice
now even more forceful.)

27
ODUKWE: Last year when my sister was recovering from an illness, he beat her again
so that if the neighbors had not gone in to save her she would have been killed... If, in
the other hand, Uzowulu should recover from his madness and come in the proper
way to beg his wife to return she will do so on the understanding that if he ever beats
her again we shall cut off his genitals for him.

(The crowd roars with laughter. Evil Forest rises, and order is immediately restored.
He calls the two witnesses, who corroborate Odukwe's story. Evil Forest thrusts his
staff into the earth and runs a few steps towards the women, who flee in mock terror,
then return to their places. The nine egwugwu disappear into their house to consult.)

Scene 3: The Verdict

(After a long silence, the gong and flute sound again. The egwugwu emerge and
reappear on the ilo. The crowd is silent, waiting.)

NARRATOR: The nine egwugwu had returned. They emerged from their underground
home and reappeared on the ilo. Everyone waited with bated breath for their
decision.

EVIL FOREST: (Roaring) Umuofia kwenu!

CROWD: (A thunderous reply) Yaa!

(Evil Forest begins to speak. His voice is measured and grave.)

EVIL FOREST: We have heard both sides of the case. Our duty is not to blame this
man or to praise that, but to settle the dispute. Uzowulu's body, I salute you.

(Uzowulu bows and touches the earth.)

UZOWULU: Our father, my hand has touched the ground.

EVIL FOREST: Go to your in-laws with a pot of wine and beg your wife to return to
you. It is not bravery when a man fights with a woman. (He turns to Odukwe's group.)
Odukwe's body, I greet you.

(Odukwe bows.)

28
ODUKWE: My hand is on the ground.

EVIL FOREST: If your in-law brings wine to you, let your sister go with him. I salute
you.

(Evil Forest thrusts his staff into the earth. The crowd roars. The case is settled. As the
crowd begins to disperse, two elders speak to each other.)

ELDER 1: I don't know why such a trifle should come before the egwugwu.

ELDER 2: Don't you know what kind of man Uzowulu is? He will not listen to any
other decision.

(The two elders fall silent as two new groups of people replace the first, and a great
land case begins. The scene fades.)

Chapter 12
Scene 1: The Morning of the Uri

(The stage is bathed in early morning light. The setting is Obierika's compound, which
is already a hive of activity. Women and children are bustling about, preparing food.
The sound of cooking pots, the rhythmic pounding of pestles in mortars, and cheerful
chatter fills the air. NWOYE'S MOTHER and OJIUGO are ready to leave, baskets in
hand. EKWEFI is in her hut, looking visibly exhausted. EZINMA, rubbing her eyes,
emerges.)

NARRATOR: The neighborhood wore a festive air. It was the day of Obierika's
daughter's uri, a celebration where her suitor would bring palm-wine to her kinsmen.
The whole village was invited, but the ceremony was truly for the women, with the
bride and her mother as the central figures. Okonkwo's family was astir, but Ekwefi
was tired and sleepy from the exhausting experiences of the previous night.

(Ekwefi approaches the other wives.)

EKWEFI: (Voice is soft and weary) I have to wait for Ezinma to wake. Please tell
Obierika's wife that I will be late.

29
NWOYE'S MOTHER: (Gently) You need some sleep yourself. You look very tired.

(Ezinma emerges from the hut and sees the other children with their water pots.)

EZINMA: (Energetically) Let us go!

EKWEFI: (Smiling with a mix of love and concern) Not before you have had your
breakfast.

(Ekwefi goes to warm some soup. Nwoye's mother and Ojiugo leave with their
children. As they pass through Okonkwo's obi, he addresses them. He looks tired, but
his voice is firm.)

OKONKWO: (To Ojiugo) Who will prepare my afternoon meal?

OJIUGO: I shall return to do it.

(The scene changes to a small group of men gathered in Obierika's compound. The
conversation is light, filled with jokes and stories.)

YOUNG MAN: The market of Umuike is a wonderful place. There are so many people
on it that if you threw up a grain of sand it would not find a way to fall to earth again.

OBIERIKA: (Smiling) It is the result of a great medicine. The people of Umuike wanted
their market to grow and swallow up the markets of their neighbors. So they made a
powerful medicine... With this magic fan she beckons to the market all the
neighboring clans.

ANOTHER MAN: And so everybody comes, honest men and thieves. They can steal
your cloth from off your waist in that market.

OBIERIKA: There was once a man who went to sell a goat... But as he walked through
the market he realized that what he led at the end of the tether was not a goat but a
heavy log of wood.

(The men laugh. The scene fades as the women rush out in a sudden, collective frenzy,
a cry sounding in the distance: "Oji odu achu ijiji-o-o!")

30
Scene 2: The Arrival of the Suitors

(The sun's heat begins to soften. Obierika's son, MADUKA, sweeps the ground in front
of his father's obi. Soon, men begin to arrive, each with a goatskin bag and a rolled
mat. Okonkwo is among them. They sit in a half-circle, their conversations a mix of
friendly chatter and anticipation.)

NARRATOR: As the day wore on, the men began to arrive. They sat in a half-circle
and talked of many things, their eyes occasionally glancing down the path, waiting for
the suitors.

(Okonkwo offers snuff to OGBUEFI EZENWA, a man sitting next to him. Ezenwa takes
it with a deliberate, practiced motion.)

EZENWA: (Tapping the snuff on his kneecap) I hope our in-laws will bring many pots
of wine. Although they come from a village that is known for being closefisted, they
ought to know that Akueke is the bride for a king.

OKONKWO: (Confidently) They dare not bring fewer than thirty pots. I shall tell them
my mind if they do.

(Maduka leads out a giant goat. The men admire it with nods and impressed
murmurs.)

(Soon after, the suitors arrive. Young men and boys carry pots of palm-wine in a
single file. Obierika's relatives count them as they come. The numbers grow from
twenty to fifty, and the hosts' faces show approval. The groom, IBE, and the elders of
his family arrive. They complete the circle. Akueke, the bride, and her mother, along
with other women, emerge from the inner compound. Akueke's body is gleaming with
cam wood, and her brass anklets rattle softly. They go around the circle, shaking
hands shyly.)

Scene 3: The Feast and the Dance

(The women retire, and Obierika presents kola nuts to his in-laws. His eldest brother
breaks the first one.)

OBIERIKA'S ELDEST BROTHER: Life to all of us. And let there be friendship between
your family and ours.

31
CROWD: (A unified chant) Ee-e-e!

OBIERIKA'S ELDEST BROTHER: We are giving you our daughter today. She will be a
good wife to you. She will bear you nine sons like the mother of our town.

CROWD: Ee-e-e!

(An old man from the visitors’ camp stands to reply.)

OLD MAN: It will be good for you and it will be good for us.

CROWD: Ee-e-e!

OLD MAN: This is not the first time my people have come to marry your daughter.
My mother was one of you.
CROWD: Ee-e-e!

OLD MAN: And this will not be the last, because you understand us and we
understand you. You are a great family... Your daughter will bear us sons like you.

CROWD: Ee-e-e!

(The kola is eaten, and the drinking begins. As night falls, torches are lit. Young men
begin to sing, moving around the circle and singing the praises of each man. They
stop at Okonkwo.)

SINGER: Okonkwo was the greatest wrestler and warrior alive!

(The young men settle in the center, and girls, including the bride, come out to dance.
A loud cheer rises from the crowd as Akueke, holding a cock , begins to dance. The
musicians play with great energy.)

NARRATOR: Her brass anklets rattled as she danced, and her body gleamed in the
soft yellow light. The musicians with their wood, clay, and metal instruments went
from song to song. And they were all gay.

(The singers sing a new song with a rhythmic beat.)

32
SINGERS: "If I hold her hand, She says, 'Don't touch!' If I hold her foot, She says,
'Don't touch!' But when I hold her waist-beads, She pretends not to know."

(The night is far spent. The guests rise to go, taking the bride with them. They sing on
their way and pay short courtesy visits to prominent men like Okonkwo, who gives
them a present of two cocks, before finally leaving for their village. The scene fades.)

33