I read this somewhere and found it worth sharing.

A Lesson from Iya Rhoda's Pot of Wisdom!

"Ohun ti o wa ninu igba kii jeki a le gbe igba lo nigba miran" - meaning what's inside the calabash doesn't allow it to be taken away sometimes!
Now THE STORY!
Iya Rhoda called me one day and said Ayodele omo mi, I replied yes maami. She said, be strong in character, let your integrity be your navigator, don't fall for cheap blackmail, but above all let love and humility rule your life, because even the devil can not resist LOVE.
Ah! Maami kilode? I asked. Then she said, sit down let me tell you this story.
"There was a woman who was a witch. This woman was average in wealth but lost her husband which is the major reason she joined the coven. She had only one child who happened to be a girl. This girl was well trained but she retrained herself. She was HUMBLE, LOVABLE, INTELLIGENT and exhibited LOVELY character always.

As the practice were, all member of this coven had to at a point in time bring their children for atonement. After a while, it was the turn of this woman to bring her only daughter.
But because this girl was extremely nice and lovely, she didn't have the boldness to use her. So, she requested for a favour from her colleagues (coven mates), "Please my colleagues, I know I'm obligated to bring my own sacrifice, I have collected from you all, so you have to collect mine too. But please do me this favour, I can't bring this girl by myself, so, I will mystically put her soul inside calabash, and request you to come and pick it on a day that I won't be around''. Her colleagues accepted. They obliged her and gave her that honour.

So, on the said day, the woman did as she had promised, placed her daughter's soul in a calabash, covered it up and gave it to the daughter with some instructions. Don't try to open it, some women will come looking for me, just give it to them. She then left the house.

The lady kept the calabash under the bed and began to wait for their August visitors. At around midday, they arrived. As the lady spotted them from afar, she jumped up to meet them, knelt down and greeted them very warmly. She collected their bags and led them inside the house.

Immediately they got inside, she ran straight to bring cold water for them to drink. She also fetched water for them to wash their legs because their legs were dirty for effect of the journey. She entered the kitchen and made them hot pounded yam.

They ate and were satisfied. Then she went inside to bring the calabash and knelt down to say "maami ni ki ngbe igba yi fun yin ti e ba de!'' - my mother asked me to give you this calabash when you come.

They both looked at themselves, shook their heads and said, return the calabash. When your mother comes, tell her that "Ohun ti o wa ninu igba ko le jeki a gbe igba lo!"
She passionately pleaded, "Maami, abi e nbinu ni?" - Mothers are you angry? No! They chorused! We are not. Just tell your mother what we said. She will understand.

Her mother returned and was expecting sympathizers to begin telling her what happened. But no one said anything other than the normal, "E kaabo mama."
She was getting close to the house, yet no cry from anywhere.
Haba! Ki lonsele! - what's happening? She soliloquised. Suddenly, her daughter saw her and jumped out to greet her, with warm embrace.

She promptly queried her; how about the people I said will come, didn't they come? She replied, Maami they came o! Didn't you give them the calabash?
She answered, I gave them ma, but they said "what is inside the calabash could not allow them to take it away''.
The mother looked up and with tears rolling down her cheeks, told her daughter, "Keep doing what you know how to do best!"

My son, do I still have to explain the lessons in this story? I said, no ma, I understand perfectly. Eh heen, Omo daadaa; - yes good child, I know you are full of wisdom.

The Bible says "if a man's way pleases the Lord, he will make even his enemies become his friends''.

Lesson Questions:
1. Did you teach your children to be respectful, lovely and hospitable?
2. Do you encourage them to teach their growing children same?
3. Do you cause them to speak your language (Yoruba or your dialect)?
4. Can you start remedial rescue mission to correct this obvious omission, if any?

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