Prologue two

The night had fallen completely. Babida was lying on his ebony-made bed topless, but his pajama trousers were on, reminiscing about the unexpected encounter he had in the day.

The image of the just-adult and dark in complexion girl with whirling hair, and dressed in a pink silk short robe with a butterfly knot could not get away from his mind.

The mighty lumberjack was hit by a wave that shook him in all directions, making him thus lose control of himself. For the first time in a long moment, he felt weak. The fascination he was having for the unknown pretty maiden was now viral.

"I wonder where the young maiden in pink dress dwells?" Babida whispered to himself.

"I bet she lives in the neighboring village Okala. I have never spotted her around." He persuaded himself.

"Tomorrow early morning before I go to Ekule's forest, I will stop by Okala to look for her." He concluded and then fell asleep.

Before dawn, Babida woke up. He geared up but this time was a bit different. He mirrored himself in the bathroom, shaved his enormous beard, and made his mustache clean-cut. Then he wiped his face with lemon juice to eradicate the dead cells and the recalcitrant pimples.

And after a particularly attentive bath, he sprayed rose fragrance on his armpits, neck, cheeks, and voluminous chest. He then squirted a few drops of it onto the palms of his hands and rubbed slightly his face and the rest of his body.

Lastly, he wore a long perfectly white boubou with a brown kufi hat and covered his feet with brown leather sandals.

Done with clothing, he took the way to Okala and arrived at the main arteries of the village. They were bustling as usual. Charcoal merchants, butchers, fish sellers, tailors, jewelers, customers, passers-by, and running kids were animating the streets.

Babida started his inquiry. He asked passers-by if they knew the whereabouts of a slim and black-skinned woman of eighteen years of age or above with curling hair who could wear to perfection a silk robe, notably a pink one with a butterfly knot on the front side.

People had no idea who the young miss was. Desperate, Babida held on for a moment. He stood in a corner, thinking about what he would do next. A group of three kids about twelve years old who were playing and had remarked on him walked up to him.

One of the teenagers, who seemed like the chief of the others, spoke to him and affirmed with an imperious tone: "Ho! I know someone who can help you find whoever you are looking for."

Babida was disturbed by the small boy's lack of tact but preferred to focus on how the latter could assist him in his quest.

"Oh really? Well, I'm all ears, speak!" The lumberjack reacted.

"Look to your left, straight! Over there is the Witch's street." The toddler said while showing the direction with his index finger.

"Go there and all your questions will be met with answers!" He commanded.