When ordinary people come before the king, they say: “Long live the king forever!”
Once, in ancient times, there lived a man who, upon coming to the court, always said: “There is no king but God.” He repeated the same sentence constantly, which greatly angered the king who eventually decided to kill him. The man was given two silver rings by the king, who claimed to be gifting them to him, but secretly plotted revenge. The man, who was then called No-King-But-God, placed the rings in a dry and empty ram’s horn, which he gave to his wife for safekeeping. A week later, the king sent him to a distant village to bring people to build the city walls. As soon as he left, the king called his wife and, offering her a million cowrie shells (small shells used as currency and jewelry), fabrics for a hundred scarves, and a hundred bales of cloth for clothing, he asked her to hand over what she had been entrusted by her husband to keep safe. Tempted by the lavish gifts, the woman brought the ram’s horn in which both rings were still present. The king took the horn and handed it to his servants, instructing them. It was said to throw it far into the lake that never dries up. They carried out the command. As they threw the horn, a large fish swam next to them and immediately swallowed it.
On his way back home, No-King-But-God met friends who were going fishing. He joined them and caught a big fish. While cleaning it, his son hit something hard with the knife and called his father right away. Cutting open the fish’s belly, the man found the horn and inside it was the ring given to him by the king.
“It’s true,” he said, “No king but God.” They were still swimming when the king’s messenger appeared with an order for No-King-But-God to come to the court immediately. The man asked his wife about the horn he left her to watch, and she promptly replied that she couldn’t find it because a rat had probably swallowed it.
The man went to the court. All the advisors greeted the king with the words, “Long live the king!”, only he said, “No king but God.” The king silenced the advisors and walked towards the man, asking him: “Is it true that there is no king equal to God?” The man replied: “It is true.” Then the king demanded that he return what he had received, and the guards closed in, preparing to kill him on the spot. No-King-Like-God calmly slipped his hand under his robes, pulled out a horn, and handed it to the king. Inside were rings, and when the king saw them, he said, “It is true, there is no king like God.”
All the advisors enthusiastically approved. Then the king divided the city and handed over one half to be governed by No-King-Like-God.
African mythology, a story from Nigeria
Selected by: Vesna Bosnar