Chinua Achebe - Chike and the River

Chike gave in. The proverb was very convincing. Chike had heard it used before about Peter Nwaba, the miserly trader. Someone said Mr. Nwaba lived on the Niger and yet washed his hands with spittle; he was very rich and yet lived like a pauper.

Chike did not care to be likened to Mr. Nwaba. So he gave in. He bought four eggs and received threepence change. He gave S.M.O.G. two of the eggs and put two in his pocket. Then they went in search of suya .

Chike felt like a grown man. He had never spent threepence at one blow and had never eaten a whole skewer of suya before. He had only eaten one or two small pieces given him by Ezekiel or S.M.O.G. Today he was going to eat a whole stick.

S.M.O.G. knew his way about and they soon found the suya people. Chike was fascinated by the way it was prepared. Small pieces of meat were skewered on a slender piece of stick. They were then dipped in a mixture of palm oil, pepper, groundnut, and salt. The sticks or spits were then stuck into the ground round an open fire which cooked the meat slowly.

S.M.O.G. paid threepence and took two hot and appetizing skewers. Chike almost danced with excitement. He wanted to start eating at once but S.M.O.G. insisted that they should go to the shade of a nearby mango tree.

“We must not eat like people without home-training, eating and walking along the street,” he said.

Chike felt somewhat ashamed of himself and agreed with S.M.O.G. They sat on the exposed roots of a mango tree and began to munch their suya , pulling off the small pieces of meat from the spit with their teeth.

When they had eaten the suya , S.M.O.G. suggested that they play a little game with their eggs. He knocked each of his eggs against his front teeth and from the sound decided which had the harder shell. He held it in his closed palm allowing the pointed end to show between his thumb and first finger. Then he asked Chike to knock one of his eggs against it.

“If your egg cracks it will become mine but if mine cracks I will give it to you,” he said.

Chike tried each egg on his teeth and selected one. He rubbed its pointed end on his palm and then blew on it with his breath.

“Go on. Don’t waste my time,” said S.M.O.G. Chike knocked his egg against his friend’s. There was a sound of cracking, but at first it was not clear which one had broken. Chike looked at his and it was whole; then he saw that he had smashed S.M.O.G.’s. He leapt up in joy. Very sadly S.M.O.G. gave him the broken egg. Now he had only one. “Let us try the other two,” suggested Chike. But S.M.O.G. refused.

“Get out!” he said angrily in English.

“Come in!” replied Chike, as he carefully removed the shell of the broken egg. “Why are you crying? You suggested the game.”

“Who is crying?” said S.M.O.G. “Mind yourself,” he added, again in English.

Chike laughed as he ate the egg he had won. S.M.O.G. broke his remaining egg against a mango root and began to eat it silently. Chike began to whistle a song about a boy who cries at play whenever the game goes against him.

S.M.O.G. stood up and began to look for something. Soon he picked up an overripe mango that lay on the ground. Something had eaten part of it and left a small round hole. S.M.O.G. held the fruit close to his ear, smiling. Then he gave it to Chike.

“There is something singing inside here. Listen to it.”

Chike was suspicious and held the mango at arm’s length.

“He is afraid,” sneered S.M.O.G. “Does a mango bite? If it were eating eggs you would become bold.”

Chike brought the fruit nearer to his ear. In doing so he closed the round hole with his palm. Then something stung him in the palm and he dropped the fruit and cried out at the same time.

S.M.O.G. laughed and laughed and laughed. “Bush boy,” he said.

Chike’s palm was smarting very badly and he kept rubbing and scratching it. Then he turned and began to go home, still scratching his palm. S.M.O.G. had a sudden change of mind. He went to Chike and said he was sorry. At first Chike ignored him. But S.M.O.G. persisted and very soon they were friends again. The pain from the bee’s sting was much reduced. Before they got home Chike presented one of his eggs to S.M.O.G.

The next day S.M.O.G. had to go to the General Hospital to see his sick mother. So he could not accompany Chike to the money-doubler. But he described carefully the way to the man’s place and Chike set out on his own.

The place was not difficult to find. The signboard outside read:

PROFFESSOR CHANDUS

FAMOUS MARGICIAN, AND HERBALISTS

A TRIAL WILL CONVINSE YOU

He was a short man and wore a white singlet that had turned brown. His shorts were oversized. They were made from very hard material like tarpaulin and creaked when he sat down.

“What do you want?” he asked.

“I want you to double my money,” said Chike.

“How much?” asked the man.

“Threepence.”

“Three what?”

“Threepence,” said Chike. “That is all I have.”

“Ha ha ha ha ha. He has brought threepence to Professor Chandus. Ha ha ha ha ha!”

“That is all I have,” said Chike again.

“All right,” said Chandus. “I like you very much. What is your name?”

“Chike.”

“Chike. I like you. What is your father’s occupation?”

“My father is dead,” replied Chike.

“Yes, I knew that but I wanted to test you,” said Chandus.

Chike wondered how he knew. It showed he was a real magician.

“Professor Chandus does not double threepence but he will help you,” he said. “I will give you something which will bring you plenty of money. Look at me.”

Chike looked steadily at him. He brought out a six-inch nail from one of his pockets and pushed it into his nostril until the whole length had disappeared.

“Call me Professor Chandus,” he said.

“Professor Chandus,” said Chike.

“That is my name. I am alpha and omega. Abracadabra. Pick up that piece of paper.”

Chike picked up a small, dirty piece of paper from the floor and gave it to the man.

“Watch carefully,” said Chandus. He squashed the paper between his palms and whispered something into the closed fist. Then he opened his hands and there was a small ring of wire there. He gave this to Chike.

“When you get home,” said Chandus, “dip it in water seven times. Then put it under your pillow when you sleep. In the morning it will bring you plenty of money.”

Chike took the ring and thanked Chandus and was about to go.

“The spirits want something from you,” said Chandus.

“I have nothing but this threepence,” replied Chike.

“It will do,” said Chandus. “Tomorrow the spirits will reward you.”

Chike reluctantly gave him the threepence.

When he got home he did as Chandus had told him. He dipped the ring in water seven times and placed it under his pillow when he went to sleep. He woke up twice in the night thinking it was dawn. On the second occasion he woke up Michael and asked if it was morning yet. Michael grumbled angrily and warned Chike not to disturb his sleep again.

When morning finally came Chike was sleeping peacefully and deeply and Michael had to shake him vigorously to wake him up.

He sat up, grumbling and rubbing his eyes. There was something on his mind but he could not say what it was. Then, like a flash, his mind went to the ring. He pushed aside his pillow. The ring lay on the mat as nakedly as he had left it.