Nnenna was the most beautiful girl in her village. She was tall and fair with dark long hair like a mermaid but had one flaw. She was offensively impolite.
In spite of her rudeness everyone wanted to be friends with her. She was the toast of all the men and the envy of all the women in the village.
Due to her ravishing beauty nothing was good enough for her, it was hard to please her. She was just too proud!
When she came of age, a lot of young men came seeking her hand in marriage but she’d always turn them down indignantly and sometimes going as far as spitting on them.
Her parents were very worried that Nnenna would end up never marrying if she continued with her ill-mannered behavior.
Her mother called her and sat her down one day.
“My daughter you’ve rejected every man that has asked your hand in marriage, I’m afraid you’ll never get married and it would be a shame to your father and I.”
Nnenna laughed,
“Don’t worry mama, the right man for me hasn’t shown up yet, when he does I’d know and I’ll be his wife.”
Nnenna continued to reject more marriage offers and was more rude to her visitors, chasing them away and even threw stones at them. Igniting fear in the heart of the young men, soon the men stopped showing up.
Nnenna feared that probably her mother’s words would come to pass, her father’s compound was no longer bustling with excited youths wanting to marry her. More so, all her mates were married with one or more kids.
Some years later a man walked into her father’s compound, a very handsome man. He wanted to marry Nnenna but strangely, he came alone.
Her father knew it was wrong for a man to show up alone to pick a wife but he kept mute.
Her father called her out like he usually did and asked if she was interested. To everyone’s surprise Nnenna said yes.
First, she felt she was getting old and might not have another opportunity and secondly, she was captivated by him. She had fallen head over heels in love with this handsome stranger. She agreed to go with him as his wife.
Her mother called her aside.
“My daughter you cannot be serious, we don’t know who this man is.”
“Come on mama,” she laughed. “He is my husband, I once told you I would know when he comes.”
Nnenna and the stranger journeyed for many days through the forest. She was very very tired and hungry.
“Are we not there yet?”
She asked.
“Not yet my wife.”
They continued for three more days. At this time Nnenna was very weak she couldn’t go on.
“I can’t continue, I want to go back home.”
“Home?” The stranger laughed cruelly and told her she couldn’t.
“You’re my wife now and we belong together.”
Nnenna was angry and began to scream. He laughed even more, after the incessant laughter had stopped, he glared at her and revealed his real self to be an evil spirit, one of the demons of the forest.
“This is your home now, you will roam this forest with me for the rest of your life.”
Nnenna was stunned. She cried and cried, what had she done to herself?
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