A widow went to fetch water in a nearby river leaving her son asleep en their village hut. When she came back, the hut was burning and a good number of villagers were gathered all over the place, screaming and staring at the fire. It was so strong that no body was courageous enough to come closer.
The widow threw down her calabash, jostled the crowd finding her way to the house. The villagers prevented her from going in, fearing that she might die in the fire with her son.
Escaping from their hands, she got into the fire and came out carrying her beloved son covered in a blanket. The fire did not yet touch him. But, the mother was profoundly burnt to the extent that the hospital services saved her from the dying point. Recovering, she kept indelible scars that changed her face from recognition.
Her son grew up, did great studies and became one the most prominent ministers of the country. To celebrate his nomination, he prepared a great banquet, inviting his friends and other political leaders.
While on the heart of the feast and dancing, he heard a big noise at the entrance. Approaching, he saw the security services holding his mother, because she tried to come in without invitation card. In fact, she was not invited. He said gently to her mother: “listen mum, I will be ashamed to present you to my friends. We will see each other later”. Surreptitiously, he asked the security services to keep her mother away from the place because of her disfigurement and scars.
Anonymous author (translated from French by Evarist Shirima).
