THE ORPHAN AND THE DANCING TREE

Written by Chidimma Lucky

Episode 8

All the villagers heard the announcement and they all left what they were doing and went to the palace because if any one is seen at home will be punished severely by the King

The villagers gathered in the palace,The King guards opened the prison and took Ifeyinwa to the palace,she was weak and tired.

Chidi and Amara cried and rolled themselves on the ground when they saw Ifeyinwa.

“Oh will today be the last day we will see Ifeyinwa,so she will be barnished out of our community forever”Chidi muttered to himself as tears rolled out from his eyes.

“Please you all should listen to me, Ifeyinwa is not a witch”Chidi said with boldness

“Chidi will you shut up”His mother shouted at him

The villagers still didn’t believe on what Chidi was saying.

The cloud changed, there was heavy wind and thunderstorms and lightening, It was a bad sign.

The King and the villagers wondered why the bright,sunny weather changed suddenly.

Ifeyinwa was crying.She told the people that she was innocent

“Please igwe don’t barnished me from my father’s land,I’m innocent, I’m not a witch, I’m a poor child I have no where to go”Ifeyinwa pleaded

It started raining heavily

The King still refused to believe her

“Let’s go now”The King ordered them

On their way going

They were closed to the boundary

The Ezeumuo of the community was coming from afar with his staff it makes tinkling sounds when he struck it on the ground,he was coming with anger.

On seeing the Ezeumuo the King and the villagers waited for him.

The Ezeumuo got to where they stood.

“Igwe why do you want to barnish an innocent child?”The Ezeumuo asked

“Wise one she is a witch and does magic,she made the Iroko tree in the village square to dance”The King replied him

The Ezeumuo laughed and shook his head.

“Igwe Ifeyinwa isn’t a witch but she has supernatural powers, her voice is magical, her voice heals..”The Ezeumuo said

“Ezeomu no way this girl is a witch,she needs to be barnished from this community before something else happens to us”The King said in ignorance

“Ears that doesn’t listen will accompany the head when it is chopped off to the grave,Igwe don’t say I didn’t warn you”The Ezeumuo said and left

The King was ignorance.

Ifeyinwa was finally barnished out of the community, she travelled to another community,they accepted her,she was staying with a farmer and his family, They loves her and takes good care of her.

The gods was protecting Ifeyinwa.

TBC