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98 17 The Old Woman 66 Jindwi (Manyika) (Zimbabwe)67 There once lived an old woman who had four daughters and four sons with their two dogs. Her one knee was very large and looked as if it were swollen. She would walk about leaning on a staff. Now, this old woman wished to have some place where she could stay, and in search of this she at last came to a chief. When she had greeted him, he asked what she was seeking. She begged of him to give her a place where she could live. But the councillors whispered to the chief, “Look at her swollen knee. She is a cripple. What will you do with an old woman like her?” He then told her that he could not keep her and that there was no place where she might live. The old woman went on her way. She walked and walked for many days and traveled very far, but each chief she asked refused to let her dwell in his land. At last she came to a great chief and begged him to give her a place where she might live in peace. His councillors said among themselves, “Look at her knee. That is the reason she is unable to find a place to dwell.” But the chief said to her, “I will ask my queens whether one of them will give you shelter.” When he spoke to the queens, the first excused herself, saying she had many children and that there was no room for the old woman. The second one said that she had no food to spare. Thus, they all made excuses, until at last one queen who was not beloved by the chief said, “Though I am poor and have little food to spare, the old woman may stay with me and share what I have. Let her come and live with me.” The chief agreed, and the old woman was taken to the queen’s house. Next morning, the queen gave two cobs of maize to the old woman, saying, “I have but little. This, you may have to eat while I am gone to my field for the day.” The old woman said, “Where are your pots, so that I may get them ready for your return?” But the queen said, “No, no, you must not worry about them, for you are an old crippled woman.” But the old woman asked, “Where can I get fuel?” But the queen answered, “No, no, you are not to fetch fuel. You are not able to walk about.” The old woman then begged her to point out the path leading to the field. The queen said, “Do not walk to the field. It is far and you are a cripple , but this is the path. These wide tracks are made by the cattle coming to and going from the village.” And with that, she left. When all the people had gone from the village, the old woman sat alone in the house. And her four daughters and four sons with the two dogs came out of her knee. Two of the young women quickly ground some rice in a mortar, and the other two fetched wood and water. The young men went off with the dogs to hunt, and later brought back a duiker. They prepared a tasty dish of rice and meat, and then all went back into the old woman’s knee. Then the old woman took a basketful of the food, and hobbled to the queen’s field. When the queen saw her, she was amazed, and said, “Since you find it so far to walk, why do you trouble to come so far?” The old woman said, “I merely brought you a little food,” and she handed the queen the basket. When the queen saw what was in the basket, she cried, “Why, I only left you two cobs of maize, yet you bring me all this food!” She ate of the tasty dish of rice and meat. In the afternoon, they both returned home. For many days, the old woman brought a basketful of food to the queen, who at last decided to tell her husband. When the queen came to the chief, she said to him, “I have something to tell you. Please come to my house.” But, as he did not love her, he refused. She begged, saying, “It is something concerning the old woman.” Jindwi (Zimbabwe...

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