By the time they had coached Wandani on his duties, he knew the honor given him was balanced with the weight of responsibility he bore. The only remaining question was if Metutu would like him. That was quickly settled to the joy of all--Metutu was delighted with him.
It would be unkind to suggest that Wandani was only doing his job. Metutu was a gentle soul, much like his mother. He didn’t have the charm of his father, but he had no lack of compassion as far as his sheltered life would let him understand it. Wandani quickly warmed to this, and it was expressed in the zealous way he carried out his job.
Metutu knew that he was different from the others. He knew that other children were not as privileged, and had to work harder. He also knew that others, including Wandani, had a sort of beauty on the outside that he lacked. Once Metutu asked him if he were really so plain, and Wandani was beside himself with passionate denials. But Metutu knew he was no great prize, and he reaffirmed his belief by a quick glance at his reflection in the water.
Wandani, in a moment of great maturity, told Metutu that his beauty was on the inside. It was little comfort when Metutu took a great deal of ribbing about it from some the other youths. They seized upon his name as a cruel taunt. Still, he never forgot what Wandani said. Like most young males, he was not overly demonstrative about his feelings toward his playmates. But in his love for Wandani, he would often call him by the name he would come to bear himself: Rafiki Wandani, “my dearest friend Wandani.”
Most of the time Metutu played with Wandani and Asumini, the daughter of Chief Scribe Busara. It was rumored that this Asumini was named after an old lioness that used to visit Busara’s cave.
Those two friends were his circle, and with his parents formed much of his world. Kinara often wondered if it would be healthy for his young son, or if it would withdraw him from the world. If ANYTHING, an up and coming politician must be able to mix with people well. There lay the problem: Kinara wanted him to like other people but not imitate them. He would invite the “right” people to his home after coaching Metutu on what to say and how to behave. Metutu would shyly stammer through the mandatory greetings when others came by, and then would more likely than not hide himself away at the first chance. But around Wandani and Asumini he was bubbly, friendly, and even a little bit of a show-off.
Every time Kinara would contemplate doing something to change his son into a small version of himself, Neema would quietly and subtly change his mind. She was in her meek, quiet way the greatest power in the village. And she liked Metutu just the way he was. Her love for him was unconditional, and her only plan for him was to find happiness.
On the other hand, a bully, named Duma, devoted himself to making Metutu's life miserable. He was about Wandani’s age, but otherwise he was everything Wandani was not--crude, unfair, and quick to say things that cut the spirit to the deep arteries. His knack was in finding Metutu and Wandani when the other adults were not around. And worse, he always had several of his own shiftless friends with him. But when it comes to actually pounding Metutu into the ground, he would draw the line. As loyal Wandani would quickly remind him, "You better not! I’ll go call the Chief and YOU’LL be sorry.”
The threat was a magic talisman, a mark of the great respect paid Kinara by young and old alike. Metutu was glad for the safety, and he was also glad that he did not have to utter the shameful excuse himself. Still, bullies could come and go, but he would always be plain. Sometimes he would sneak away and cry until he was ready to face the world once more.
CHAPTER 3: UNDER CONTROL
“Four large stones he had tossed, and still the leopard came closer. Little Brother Chako had only the small one left. This he tossed at a nearby hornet’s nest. Kerplunk! It fell onto the leopard’s back, and with great anger the hornets came out to avenge this outrage. Only they directed their attack at the leopard who had to run for his life! And Little Brother Chako laughed loudly. ‘It’s not how big the rock is, but how you throw it that counts!’”
Metutu, Wandani and Asumini had been playing tag, but it eventually lost its edge and they sought new pursuits.
“I know where there is this great tree with lots of vines,” Metutu said. “Come on.”
He headed off into the jungle where there were no paths. “Where are we going?” Wandani asked. “This place is dangerous!”
“Dangerous?” Asumini said. “I don’t know about this.”
“Aw, don’t be such a big mwana! I’ve been here lots of times. It’s safe!”
Wandani threw up his hands. “You’ve been sneaking away again. You know your dad would whack me good if he knew.”
“Yeah, but he doesn’t know. And he won’t know if you don’t tell him. The way I look at it is this--he doesn’t think we should do fun stuff till we’re too old to have fun doing it. I mean, how many times have you seen HIM swinging from a vine?”
Wandani scratched his head. “I still don’t like it.” Still he came, and Asumini followed. The subtle marks on tree trunks showed that Metutu HAD been that way at least once before and left his trail. He skipped through the brush with such enthusiasm that before long they were all wondering just how good it could be to risk a spanking for twice.
And then they found it. Twin trees in the middle of a clearing with lots of vines that reached the ground. Metutu pointed excitedly. “Check this out!”
“Yeah!” Wandani forgot about his unease. He grabbed a vine, stepped back a few paces and pulled up his feet. “Oh, this is so neat!” As he swung, he bellowed out, “Asante sana, squash banana! We we nugu, mi mi apana!”
Asumini sprang for another vine. It easily held her weight, and she quickly climbed hand-over-hand to a low branch. She put her knees over the branch and hung upside down. “Hey Metutu, look!”
“Don’t do that!” Metutu was beside himself. “You could get killed!”
“I’m fine. You ought to--oh my gods!”
“Are you all right?? Hold on, I’ll get you!”
“Leopard! Get up, get up!!”
For only a second, Metutu thought it might be a joke. Then he thought better and sprang for a vine, quickly pulling himself up. Seconds later, a huge spotted cat lunged and touched the bottom of his foot with a swipe of the paw. Metutu did not stop until he was safely in a crotch of the tree between two strong branches. He glanced around for Wandani, but found him hanging from a branch about halfway up the tree.
“You’re lucky I saw her,” Asumini said. “You might have been killed.” She pulled herself upright and shivered.
“Oh, I wasn’t a’skeerd,” Metutu said. “I was just worried about you two. You gotta let them know who’s boss. They smell fear, you know.”
“Really?” Wandani asked.
“Sure. Look at that ugly nose. See, she’s sniffing. Sniffing for someone that’s afraid, because she won’t attack unless you’re afraid. She wouldn’t dare tangle with me.”
“Well I’m not afraid,” Wandani said, pulling a nut and tossing it down. It fell with a plop beside the great cat, and she looked down at it with a huff.
“Can’t you hit a target that big?” Metutu pulled a nut and chucked it at her. With a sudden growl, the leopardess wheeled around and struck with her claws. “Right on the behind!” Metutu said. “This one will go right between the eyes.”
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Asumini said. “Big cats have a sense of pride. If you make her mad, she’ll come for you.”