Reading Notes: Nigerian Folktales Part A

The Disobedient Daughter Who Married a Skull

Front view of Skull

There was a young woman named Afiong who was very beautiful but also very vain. Many men wanted to marry her and her parents tried to arrange it, but she refused them as she wanted a young, strong and good looking man to love her properly. The Skull, who lived in the spirit land, heard of the woman and wished to possess her. He borrowed several body parts to make up a fine young man and went to find Afiong. He admired her, and when she saw him, she fell in love with him and invited him to her house. The Skull met Afiong's parents and asked for her hand in marriage, at first they refused but eventually agreed. After two days, he decided he wanted to take Afiong back to her country, which her parents tried to prevent her from doing but failed. After they had gone, the father consulted his Ju Ju man, who discovered that Afiong had married The Skull from the spirit land and would soon be killed. When Afiong and The Skull arrived at the spirit land, he returned all of his body parts until only his ugliness remained; Afiong wanted to leave but had to stay and arrived in The Skull's house. Afiong helped the Skull's mother who became fond of her and decided to help her escape. She had the spider dress Afiong's hair and then called on a Ju Ju a wind to take her back to her country. When Afiong returned, there was a celebration that lasted eight days and then she married a friend of her father's. 

Story source: Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria by Elphinstone Dayrell (1910).