Fatima the Village belle, you will be seeing her very soon. She normally comes around the spring to fetch water before the sun goes down. She walks with elegance of a queen mother yet her mouth is full of venom. Her speech is like a bee sting, it hurts way after she has spoke and causes your heart to swell yet there’s nothing you can do. Nakku softly told Lunkuse
Nakku and her cousin Lunkuse sat down by the spring. They had finished fetching water but wanted to catch up abit. Lunkuse had come from Kampala for holidays and while they fetched water, she needed to be up to date with the village gossip and other details.
“how do you mean, how can her mouth be full of venom?” Lunkuse asked. But just before she could respond. Fatima, walked towards them. A fine belle, with the most colourful waist beads adorned beautiful around her waist. she walked with so much calmness indeed like that of a queen. Her breasts covered with a tinny wrapper that stopped just alittle bit above her naval. Her eyes, like a glow warm. Lunkuse’s jaw dropped while she stared at this beauty. she was like a moon on a dark sky. And when she opened her lips to speak, her white teeth were exposed. ‘she is so beautiful,’ Lunkuse said to her cousin aloud. Fatima smiled.
Fatima was the girl that had all village boys fighting because they wanted to impress her. Some gave up the struggle because of the Venom she spat. she was a wild fire on the village. A beautiful maiden and a warrior yet her speech full of poison. Her mother often said the gods had cursed her for once abusing an old lady. She didnt raise her that way. Some said, her pride grew fatter than her beauty so it destroyed her speech. she had a tongue of fire, very disrespectful and the kind of words she let out didnt resemble the beauty she was. She missed out on the best suitors because she didnt know when it was right for her to speak or when not to.
Lunkuse watched her fetch water and when she was done, she rolled her nkata and lifted her Jerrycan to her head and begun to walk away. Lunkuse kept staring at her until she was nolonger in sight. Nakku tapped her shoulder telling her they need to get going. She stood up in disbelief. ‘I still want to understand how her mouth is full of venom!’ She said.
Well, Lunkuse said. They say, she is a prophet of doom. Everything she says comes to pass. Personally I haven’t experienced it but she once passed by Jajja Kabuye’s garden and jokingly said, nothing will ever grow in it and all the Maize he had planted died and the ground has never been able to hold any food it’s why Jajja rents the farms where he grows his food. “That is very sad.” Lunkuse said.
So all the guys fear to betroth or marry her because they believe she will bring bad lack into their households. ‘I want to be her friend’Lunkuse said. “She has no friends, we have all been told to avoid her because she is bad lack”. ‘How does that transmit, like flu?’ Lunkuse asked disturbed. Well, we all follow what the elders say.
The next day Lunkuse sneaked out of the compound and went to Fatima’s house. She found her wrapping matooke in banana leaves before she could put it on the fire. ‘Hello’ she said as she got off her knees. My mother isn’t home but you can come in and wait. “I came to see you Fatima. I want us some to be friends”. Well, all the maidens in this place were warned to stay away from me incase you haven’t been told. I don’t want to cause you trouble. ‘I have been told but still choose to be your friend. I think there’s more to you than what they all choose to see.’I am humbled. Well take a seat as I finish up then we can sit and converse.
Lunkuse sat down by the verander and waited. When Fatima was done,she joined her. She told her about her troubles and Lunkuse told her about Kampala. She also told her about God. The little she learnt from Sunday school because she hardly attended church as a teenager unless she was in school. They became friends and for the rest of the Holiday she went to Fatima’s house because no household welcomed her. Lunkuse’s auntie had warned her several times but she had insisted on being Fatima’s friend despite the fact that she had been threatened to be sent back to Kampala. She had however tried to explain that Fatima had been born lovable and everything could change if they all welcomed her and tried to help. She needed to be loved and understood that way she could practice to tame her tongue as well.
