THE DREAM SONG

Soft chirpings, gentle croaking… aye

Timed drop of water from the cloud, and the trees murmured

Thunder struck and lightening brightened the sky.

There laid young and charming lad; Ayanade

Smiling from his sleep, he shook his head severally and beat the mattress over and over creating a rhythm with nature.

Ayanade from the clan of drummers woke up suddenly, smiling and listen to the rhymes from nature.

The chirpings grew stronger, the frogs and toads croaked like an army ready to devour their enemies, the rain drops happened fasted and the trees made their sounds swiftly all creating an iridescent environment for Ayan.

He immediately clanged to his Bata (talking drum), just then he heard the birds singing in melody.

Running outside his father’s hut, feeling the chillness and freshness of the air,

He beat his Bata to rhyme with all he heard; suddenly, he heard footsteps they started with tiptoes, then coming faster he stopped drumming being furious.

A soft and lovely voice sang a native song of the night. Yes it was Olohunorin. Immediately all the maidens joined him, all dressed in theatre attire.  Real song, real beats and real dance steps over filled the earth.

Bang bang bang! Sounded a drum but distant this time.

They were all startled and amazed. Trying to figure out where the sound was from.

Bang bang bang! It sounded continuously this time. Dende the son of Iyaloja screamed.

Village market!

The all ran swiftly and orderly: getting there the sound and rhythm changed. Ayanade smiled knowing that it was his father Ayangalu beating the old Bata, inherited from his fore-fathers.

The maidens entered the squared, dancing.

The beads on their waists made different rhythms while the male youths stormed the earth with different prolific acrobatics.

The chirping, croaking and raindrops, the murmuring of the trees, lightning and thunder, the singing, dancing and drumming all went down gradually.

Just then Ayanade smiled again from his sleeps; a loud crow from a big cock woke him…he exhaled sadly.

It was a cold morning in Murudu.