Olamma episode 1 & 2

OLAMMA.
Episode 1.
By Amah’s Heart.

She spre-ad out the soft asoke over her legs.
It was one of the gifts her father brou-ght back to her from his numerous traveling.
she has alot of beautiful things that other maiden do not have.
Not even her elder sister Adaugo can compete with her possessions.

Maybe it comes with the advantage of being well endowed with beauty that many people will kill and die for.
Her father was also a traveler who deals in fabrics and he was wealthy and never fails to return home with different gifts for her.

She stands out among other maiden and none of them could even compete with her, her beauty can make the men to hold a wrestling contest on her behalf to see who is strong enough to win her heart.

But she was not moved even if they decided to kill their selves.
She was very beautiful and nee-ds a handsome, wealthy prince to marry not just any kind of man.

The sound of a village town crier could be heard from a distance halting Olamma from her sweet thought.

She listened to know exactly what the man was announcing.
The village town crier usually go about in the night when everyone has retired to their be-d or whenever dinner is being served so that his message could be well pas-sed across and everyone can hear and listen to whatever information he carries.

“Ko….ko…ko…ko! The eke market day is coming after the first sight of the moon light, it will be a day for all the youths in the village to come out and gather un-der the big kolanut tree at the market square. the igwe has requested for a contest to mark the first moonlight. There will be different games pla-yed. the young men will p@rticipate in wrestling match, the maiden will grace the occasion with a dance and a beautiful parade. The igwe has promised to reward the winners with different gifts. Failure to attend will attra-ct a fine. This is a message from the igwe. Ko…ko…ko…ko!

Olamma sat up from her be-d as the town crier moves to another location with same message from the igwe.

She stood up and and went her golden lamp stand, one of the treasure her father got for her.
She turned up the lamp and moved it close to a silver mirror hanging on the moulded earth wall.
Not many maiden can afford a mirror but her father bought the mirror for her during his visit to the big city.

The city he said was filled with merchants who has come to sell their wares, traders and buyers looking for a bargain.
Her father has seen it and knew his beautiful daughter will love it.
He bought it and it was carefully wra-pped up for him.
He brou-ght it home and gave it to Olamma who marveled at the decorated shining glas-s which reviewed how much of a great beauty she was.
She has positioned it in her room and stare into the mirror all day long, staring at her beautiful self and marveled how much of a great princess she would have being if she was born in the palace to a king.
But since she wasn’t a princess, she was even beautiful than the princess. She knows someday she will become a queen of a big palace and rule like she felt destined to do.

So many thoughts crossed her mind and she smiled into the mirror.
With the help of the burning oil lamp she can see herself clearly.

The message the village town crier just pas-sed across will make her search out for one of her fine wra-ppers or ask her father to get her something new again.

She later selected one of her fine wra-ppers which she will use for the occasion and took it to her mirror stand.
She hanged it on her shoulder as she imagined how she will make head to turn that day and almost all eyes will be on her.

Olamma lifted the lamp to her face, trying to see her beautiful self more clearly but suddenly the h0tness of the lamp burnt her hand and she quic-kly dropped it to the ground. The oil spilled over the place and the lamp shattered to the ground.

Olamma screamed as fire from the lamp caught up with the oil that spilled on the floor causing a fire.
The wra-pper she selected fell to the ground and was consumed by fire.
Her mother rushed in with her father and quic-kly put out the fire before it could go up and destroy more things.

Olamma was crying for her skin that almost got damaged from the h0tness of the fire and also for her wra-pper that she planned to use for the upcoming occasion which was alre-ady half bunt.

She refused to listen to her father who promised her another lamp and more wra-ppers.
Her parents couldn’t sleep as they all kept V¡rgil for their beautiful daughter, consoling her and ma-king sure she was calm enough till day break.

Adaugo was asked to go and tidy up her younger sister’s room.
Without complaining, she did just as she was asked to do while Olamma sat outside the house entertaining her friends that c@m£ to visit her.

Oby and Nneka are always seen in Olamma’s company.
Olamma was willing to feed them with any latest gifts her father returns back with for her.

Oby was the first to remind Olamma about the village town crier’s message.

“Mma, the message said there will be gifts for the winners…

Olamma quic-kly interrupted her.

“I know, I heard everything that the town crier announced. the gifts are coming to me. Who else is as beautiful as I am in this village??…

Olamma boast in front of her friends.

“…no other maiden should compete with me because I’m far beautiful and endowed than every one of them put together. Did you know my room was almost caught with fire yesterday? The wra-pper I selected for the occasion was ruined but father promised to get me another one before the event day. The stupid fire almost damaged my fine sp©tless skin…

Nneka was irritated by every of Olamma’s pride, unlike Oby who enjoyed Olamma’s company.
Nneka, who couldn’t hide her displea-sure anymore spoke up.

“Mma, you are only worried about your fine skin rather than the chaos that you would have brou-ght upon your family. what if the whole house was razed down by fire and caused more damage, what would you have done? I guess you won’t be sitting down here and glorying over your beauty and how you will win the coming contest. Mma, you are not the Only beautiful girl in this village… st©p acting like no other maiden exist except you. Don’t be surprised that you may end up losing in the contest. What do you even do in the house except to admire your beauty while Adaugo, your elder sister does all the work. She fetches water from the stream and wood from the farm, Adaugo cooks and cleans up the house while you do nothing. You are too lazy and considering the fact that you will become someb©dy’s wife and a mother someday, I fear for what your future will become…

Olamma stood up angrily and sl@pped Nneka across the face and she fell back from the strike she received from Olamma.

“I will not have you talk to me anyhow. You dares not insult me with that ugly mouth of yours. I’m far too beautiful to have any maiden challenge me. I will win the contest and also marry a handsome prince, there will be servants at my every nee-ds. Deal with that bitter truth because it will definitely happen.

Oby stood beside Olamma and said.

“Mma, plea-se is okay. Don’t mind Nneka, she is only jealous of you. She wish to be like you but is unfortunate that she can never be you…

Nneka stood up and left and Olamma warned her not to ever come close to her again.

That was how their friendsh!pended.
Oby acted like a good friend by telling Olamma every gossip she hears about her.

The eke day finally c@m£, Olamma takes her time to dress up in the new wra-pper her father bought for her before leaving with Oby, her close friend.

OLAMMA.
Episode 2.
By Amah’s Heart.

“Hey…Ada wait! where are you going?

Her mother asked her as she saw her first daughter all dressed and leaving the house for the moonlight celebr@tion.

“Ah mama… I’m going for to the market square for the moonlight celebr@tion. Olamma has gone with her friends since when I was still cooking and now I’m done with everything I’m doing and set for the…

Her mother interrupted.

“I thought you are supposed to take the dirty cloths to the river for washing. Some of Olamma’s used cloths are piled up in her room.

“Mama, the cloths can wait till tomorrow biko. If I don’t attend, the umuala youth will storm our compound to collect fine. You know failure to go will attra-ct a fee. Beside mama, when is Olamma going to start doing things by herself. I can’t be her servant forever… even though I’m used to the house chores and is totally nothing to me but Olamma nee-ds to learn too. I won’t be with her forever…

Her mother laughed sarcastically before replying Adaugo.

“Olamma bu akwa ndu. (Olamma is Uncooked egg) she is very fragile and her skin is nnyo (glas-s mirror) that can easily be broken. Is not her fault that she is the most beautiful maiden in this village. Mmadu nile mara si na nwam Olamma mara mma nke ukwu u. (Everyb©dy knows that my daughter Olamma is very beautiful) and I know she will attra-ct suitors fas-ter than you. Not ordinary suitors but men from Royal background. Olamma doesn’t suppose to suffer, she is too beautiful for chores. While you on the other hand resemble your father even though your father will always argue with me that you took after me. But is Olamma that took after me. You probably resemble one of your old late grannies…

Adaugo did not feel bad with what her mother was saying.
She was used to it and never allows anything to bother her.

“Mama anugom, Biko Kam ga soro umu agbogo ibem gbara egwu maka mbuta onwa mbu. ( Mama I have heard, plea-se let me go and join other maiden like me and dance for the celebr@tion of the new moon.)

She turned and left her mother.

Olamma was indeed the live of the p@rty as she led other maiden in dance and parade.
So many people marvel at her beauty and the way she move her w@!st gracefully.
She made many heads to turn and stare.
Some even said that her beauty was from the river, some say she looks like a goddess.

Even as the men admires her none has the courage to approach her, for they have heard and seen she was very arrogant and disrespectful both to the young and old.
The men kept their distance from her.

Olamma, Just as she has wanted won the maiden parade another maiden emerged as the dance winner.

They all received their different gifts just as the igwe promised them.

Olamma was given a decorated bead and expensive wra-pper.

After becoming the parade winner her pride was doubled up as many maiden want to as-sociate with her.
Even Nneka wanted to go and make peace with her but changed her mind from doing that because Olamma may end up insulting and embarras-sing her.

Adaugo continued in her duties without Olamma’s help.
She had tried to talk to Olamma in helping her out with some of the house chores, like cleaning her room in the morning, fetching water or even as-sist in ma-king food so that she will learn how to cook but Olamma never pays her attention.
She does whatever plea-ses her and refused to be cautioned by anyone.

As time flies suitors began to come for her and Adaugo her elder sister.
But Olamma insulted any man that comes to ask her hand in marriage.

If you are not a king or prince she will become very rude and insult who ever comes her way.

While Adaugo was looking out for a ha-rd -working man, who can cultivate the soil and bring fort farm products.
A man who is kind, humble and who will take care of her and their children when the gods bless them.
Olamma was busy looking out for a handsome prince charming who will take her to a palace and she will become the queen of a big kingdom.

The two sisters knew what they wanted in a man and silently wish the gods will grant their de-sires.

And the gods were also busy listening and watching…

Tbc