Kuartam Part 4

The Spirits
“Ah yes,” the shaman uttered. “I see it now so clearly. Your intuition has served you well, daughter. The tree frog was rightly angry at being ridiculed and so transformed himself into a jaguar, whereupon he attacked and ate your husband. I’m sorry to say that your husband is no more. This is the work of the spirits. They wanted to teach the man a lesson. For they had been watching him and had grown angry at his lack of proper regard for the rainforest’s creatures. This is what has come to pass. Your prediction was correct and he should have heeded your words. Foolish, foolish man.”

He began to come out of the trance, but continued to pronounce his advice: “It does not do to act foolishly towards nature. It does not do at all. Imitating animals, be they big or small, is never a good idea. Nature and the spirits have their own rules, they are not ruled by us. We must show respect for nature at every moment. Even just a momentary lapse, like that of your husband’s can spell out our downfall. It is a terrible business, but he asked for the fate he was bestowed with. He was always full of disrespect.”

For a while, she stayed silent, partly because she could not get a word in edgeways and partly because she was in a state of shock. She was now beginning a new chapter of her life as a widow. When she was able to speak, she asked him, “Wh- what should I do?”

“I think you yourself know.”

She looked him in the eyes and realised that he was indeed wise, for he had seen her thoughts by just looking into her eyes. And her thoughts spoke of a plan which had been formulating in her mind all through the night about what she should do if it transpired that the tree frog really had killed her husband.

“Yes,” she answered. “And you think it wise?”

“I believe that it is something that you must do for your own peace of mind, and it will beneficial to others also.”

“Then, without seeming impolite, I must go now.”

“Yes, go my child. May the spirits be with you.”

…to be continued!