Beautiful fat wife who melted away African Folktale is a very dramatic African folklore story reminding us to speak kindly to each other and celebrate our difference.
There
was once a very beautiful fat woman who was made of oil. She was very beautiful, and many
young wealthy farmers asked for her hand in marriage but the mother always
refused, as she said it was impossible for her daughter to work on a farm, as
she would melt in the sun. At last a stranger came from a far-distant country
and fell in love with the beautiful fat woman, and he promised if her mother
would hand her to him that he would keep her in the shade. At last the mother
agreed, and he took his new wife away.
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When
he arrived at his house, his resentful mother immediately became very jealous,
because when there was work to be done, firewood to be collected, or water to
be carried, the fat woman stayed at home and never helped, as she was
frightened of the heat.
One
day when the husband was absent, the jealous mother spoke to the fat woman so badly
that she finally agreed to go and work on the farm, although her little sister,
whom she had brought from home with her, implored her not to go, reminding her
that their mother had always told them ever since they were born that she would
melt away if she went into the sun.
All
the way to the farm the fat woman managed to keep in the shade, and when they
arrived at the farm the sun was very hot, so the fat woman remained in the
shade of a big tree. When the jealous mother saw this she again began teasing
her, and asked her why she did not do her share of the work. At last the fat
woman could stand the nagging no longer, and although her little sister tried
very hard to prevent her, the fat woman went out into the sun to work, and
immediately began to melt away.
There
was very soon nothing left of the fat woman but one big toe, which had been
covered by a leaf. This her little sister observed, and with tears in her eyes
she picked up the toe, which was all that remained of the fat woman, and having
covered it carefully with leaves, placed it in the bottom of her basket. When
she arrived at the house the little sister placed the toe in an earthen pot,
filled it with water, and covered the top up with clay.
When
the husband returned, he said, "Where is my beautiful fat wife?" The
little sister, crying bitterly, told him that his jealous mother had made her
go out into the sun, and that she had melted away. She then showed him the pot
with the remains of her sister, and told him that her sister would come to life
again in three months’ time quite complete, but he must send away his jealous mother
to live with her daughter, so that there should be no more trouble; if he
refused to do this, the little girl said she would take the pot back to their
mother, and when her sister became complete again they would remain at home.
The
husband was very upset with his mother for disobeying him and abusing his new
wife. The husband decided in order to have peace in his household he would take
his jealous mother to their sister house to live with her and husband. The husband came back home and grieved
3 months for his beautiful fat wife. When the three months had elapsed, the
little sister opened the pot and the beautiful fat woman emerged, quite as fat
and beautiful as she had been before. The husband was so delighted that he gave
a feast to all his friends and neighbors of the return of his beautiful fat
wife.
