Once upon a time, there was war in the land of the animals. The battlefield was in a distant land. All the animals usually went there to fight the battle.
A particular village had a great warrior. His name was Okugo. He was a brave man and very punctual in the battlefield. He was usually the first to get to the battlefield and the first to get back to the village. Every other village feared to fight his village because of his valor. He was the only child of his parents. His father was already dead, so he was left with his mother. He loved his mother very much. Because of this he built a very big house for her. His mother also loved him dearly. This was because he was her only child and he was also famous in the whole town. Because of the love, she had for him, any day he went to war, his mother would wait at the entrance of her gate until he returned home. Then, she would hold him, sing heroic songs for him, and go home with him.
One day Okugo went to war. His mother waited for him at the entrance of their gate as she usually did. He did not return at the usual time. She was worried as she saw the other animals return one after the other. This was because her son was always the first to get back to the village. When she could not bear the silence any longer, she stopped each animal and sang the following song.
Please have you seen
Okugo the warrior?
The one that goes on time,
The one that returns on time.
Each of them told her that they did not see him,. They were all afraid to tell her what happened to Okugo in the battlefield. When the tortoise came by, she started her song again.
Tortoise my brother,
Please have you seen
Okugo the warrior?
The one that goes on time, The one that returns on time.
The tortoise looked up and down, cleared his throat, and told Okugo’s mother that the other animals did not know how to tell her that Okugo’s mother cried and went back to her house. She locked herself inside her house and refused to be comforted. Also, she refused to eat any kind of food. She made up her mind that she would die with her only child. She refused to receive any visitors.
After some time she decided to receive her visitors but did not speak to them nor accept any advice to eat. The animals went one after the other but none of them succeeded in comforting her.
When every other animal had gone, the hen decided to go to Okugo’s mother. The other animals laughed at her. They made a mockery of her and wondered how she could succeed where they could not. The hen was not discouraged. She went on to visit Okugo’s mother.
When she got to Okugo’s house, the mother received her as she usually did but refused to speak to her or to eat the food she brought. The hen cleared her throat and started singing the following songs.
Okugo’s mother,
Wash your hand and eat,
For the world is worse for the hen.
When the native doctor worships his gods
It is the fowl,
Wash your hand and eat,
For the world is worse for the fowl.
When the kite needs food,
It is the fowl,
Wash your hand and eat,
For the world is worse for the fowl.
When man celebrates his feasts,
It is the fowl,
Wash your hand and eat,
For the world is worse for the fowl.
When the hen realized that Okugo’s mother was listening with interest, she stopped her song. Then she told Okugo’s mother that she hatched twelve chickens and she lost all except a sick one that came with her for the visit. She went on to say that Okugo’s mother was better than her who gave birth to many but had only one. The hen encouraged her to eat her food. Okugo’s mother took the food from her and ate.
As the hen was going home a kite flew down and carried the remaining chick the hen had. The hen started making the following noise, “ko ko ko kooooo,” which means, “Please someone should tell Okugo’s mother that another chick is gone.”