the property of his or her deceased. But in this case Totofioko was not the right person to be in charge of Dele and Deji’s father’s and mother’s property. Of course, these two boys did not realize that Totofioko was not their eldest brother and was not related to them in any way.
So they gathered all of their father’s and mother’s property together. They brought all to Totofioko, and he put it all inside one of the rooms, and he kept the key in his pocket.
In the mid-night, when Totofioko saw that the two boys slept deeply, he opened the door of that room. He carried all the property to his village, and he returned before daybreak. So the boys never knew that their inherited property had gone to Totofioko’s village.
Having spent a few days more with Dele and Deji, Totofioko advised them, ‘As I see, things are not moving fast in this our village. So, I shall take you to the big town from which I have recently come. You will be working there and earning a large sum of money. And, I believe, in one year’s time, each of you will surely become a rich man. Out of your earnings, you will marry beautiful ladies and after that you will come back to this village.’
‘Many thanks, brother, for your useful advice. But who will take care of our property after we have left our house?’ Dele and Deji asked doubtfully.
‘Never mind about the property, my junior brothers. And you should not be afraid. There is not any thief who can break into our house and steal our property. Look at this juju-leaf. It is a strong charm which has the power to scare away thieves, and I am going to hang it on the main door now.’ Totofioko showed Dele and Deji an empty leaf, and then he stood up; he went to the main door, and he hung the leaf there.
Then at four o’clock in the morning, before the people of the village had woken up, Totofioko, with his usual tricks, took Dele and Deji to his village. He hardly had entered his house when he pulled down the flat stone which he had put on his back, and which he had used to deceive the boys that he had a hunch like them. Now the boys knew that it was a flat stone Totofioko put on his back and not a hunch. And in their presence, he sold all their father’s and mother’s property to an auctioneer.
‘Oh! This is our inherited property! Don’t sell these things!’ Dele and Deji shouted unhappily when it was revealed to them now that Totofioko had carried their inherited property to his village and that he was selling it all.
‘Shut your mouths there! Or don’t you know who you are talking to?’ Totofioko boomed on the boys and then struck their mouths with a stick.
‘Brother, don’t be harsh to us this time. For you have confessed to us that you are our eldest brother whose name is “Remember the day after tomorrow”,’ Dele bravely reminded Totofioko.
‘Who is your eldest brother? Tell me now! I say, tell me!’ Totofioko shouted loudly with a fearful voice. But Dele and Deji became dumb with fear. They could not speak out.
‘I am afraid that things have changed now!’ Deji whispered to Dele.
Dele nodded and whispered back to Deji, ‘I believe this man is a kidnapper of children and not our eldest brother or relative. This is not “Remember the day after tomorrow” at all.’
The following morning, and without giving food to the boys, Totofioko sold them to a slave dealer who lived in the next village. One morning, as Dele and Deji were working on the farm of their buyer, Totofioko, who had dressed in a costly garment, came up to them.
Proudly, he explained to them. ‘Yes, there you are now. I am sorry that it is too late for you to understand that “Remember the day after tomorrow” is not the name of a person, but it is a warning for the future. And it would have been better if you had asked the meaning of it from your father before he died. Then there could be no deceiver like me who would deceive you like this. And it is a good practice for a young boy who
So they gathered all of their father’s and mother’s property together. They brought all to Totofioko, and he put it all inside one of the rooms, and he kept the key in his pocket.
In the mid-night, when Totofioko saw that the two boys slept deeply, he opened the door of that room. He carried all the property to his village, and he returned before daybreak. So the boys never knew that their inherited property had gone to Totofioko’s village.
Having spent a few days more with Dele and Deji, Totofioko advised them, ‘As I see, things are not moving fast in this our village. So, I shall take you to the big town from which I have recently come. You will be working there and earning a large sum of money. And, I believe, in one year’s time, each of you will surely become a rich man. Out of your earnings, you will marry beautiful ladies and after that you will come back to this village.’
‘Many thanks, brother, for your useful advice. But who will take care of our property after we have left our house?’ Dele and Deji asked doubtfully.
‘Never mind about the property, my junior brothers. And you should not be afraid. There is not any thief who can break into our house and steal our property. Look at this juju-leaf. It is a strong charm which has the power to scare away thieves, and I am going to hang it on the main door now.’ Totofioko showed Dele and Deji an empty leaf, and then he stood up; he went to the main door, and he hung the leaf there.
Then at four o’clock in the morning, before the people of the village had woken up, Totofioko, with his usual tricks, took Dele and Deji to his village. He hardly had entered his house when he pulled down the flat stone which he had put on his back, and which he had used to deceive the boys that he had a hunch like them. Now the boys knew that it was a flat stone Totofioko put on his back and not a hunch. And in their presence, he sold all their father’s and mother’s property to an auctioneer.
‘Oh! This is our inherited property! Don’t sell these things!’ Dele and Deji shouted unhappily when it was revealed to them now that Totofioko had carried their inherited property to his village and that he was selling it all.
‘Shut your mouths there! Or don’t you know who you are talking to?’ Totofioko boomed on the boys and then struck their mouths with a stick.
‘Brother, don’t be harsh to us this time. For you have confessed to us that you are our eldest brother whose name is “Remember the day after tomorrow”,’ Dele bravely reminded Totofioko.
‘Who is your eldest brother? Tell me now! I say, tell me!’ Totofioko shouted loudly with a fearful voice. But Dele and Deji became dumb with fear. They could not speak out.
‘I am afraid that things have changed now!’ Deji whispered to Dele.
Dele nodded and whispered back to Deji, ‘I believe this man is a kidnapper of children and not our eldest brother or relative. This is not “Remember the day after tomorrow” at all.’
The following morning, and without giving food to the boys, Totofioko sold them to a slave dealer who lived in the next village. One morning, as Dele and Deji were working on the farm of their buyer, Totofioko, who had dressed in a costly garment, came up to them.
Proudly, he explained to them. ‘Yes, there you are now. I am sorry that it is too late for you to understand that “Remember the day after tomorrow” is not the name of a person, but it is a warning for the future. And it would have been better if you had asked the meaning of it from your father before he died. Then there could be no deceiver like me who would deceive you like this. And it is a good practice for a young boy who
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