Once upon a time there was a hunter who lived in a remote village somewhere in Africa. One day, as it was his wont, he went on a hunting expedition, promising his family that he would come back with assorted game, so they could feast.
However, after stalking the forest for a several days and several nights there was no game in sight. He thought perhaps, if he went farther into the forest, he would get lucky. But the farther he went, the more tranguil the forest became, not a rumble or a stir. He did not even glimpse a rodent. He ran out of water and food. He began to starve. But lack of food did not worry him as much as lack of water. Yet, he kept pushing deeper into the forest. Hunting for game was no longer his priority; he was desperate in need of water and maybe food. But he met with no luck. He began to hallucinate and he feared that he might die. Well, given the circumstances he found himself in, dying would not be such a tragedy.
However, if that was his fate, at least he should find a cave or somewhere a little concealed to lay his head and die so that wild animals would not feast on his body.
As he stood, swaying on one spot, drunk with thirst and hunger, he suddenly saw a narrow path that he did not notice before. He thought perhaps he was still hallucinating. But he followed the path. Overhead, tree branches formed heavy canopies that shut out the sky. He trudged on, still hoping to find a spot hidden enough to hold his body.
He had not gone beyond a few meters when he came upok an open field that looked like the courtyard of somebody's house.
When he managed to look up, lo and behold, what did he see? A signboard that said 'food is ready'As if that was not exhilarating enough, underneath this advertisement qas written 'All you can eat for free, your ancestors have paid for your food'.
With the last energy he could muster, he trudged towards tge direction that the signboard pointed and he soon found himself in a big compound. Everyone he saw appeared busy, dedicated to the affairs of the stomach. Some were pounding yam, some were cooking soup, some where fetching water.
As the fanished hunter stood bewildered in the middle of all the frenetic activities of cooking and frying and cutting, he wondered what make of the whole scene. Could it be that he died and has ended in heaven? He was still trying to make sense of the situation when he saw two ladies walk towards him with two crystal jugs of what looked like milk. In all his entire life he has never beheld such enchanting beauty.
One of them handed him the jug she was carrying. He frantically grabbed and downed it's entire content in jiffy. The two ladies then led him to a room and sat him on a cushion, so soft, softer than any he had ever sat on. He summoned the courage to as the two ladies ' is true what i saw outside, that food is free because my ancestors had paid? They confirmed that it was true.He could as much eat and drink as much as he could for free, because his parents and parent's parent had paid for everything.
*The End*
beautiful