Tohajie

On a hot Monday morning, two figures faced each other in the centre of the Mole Dagbani settlement. One of them was Tohajie, known as the Red Hunter, because of his fair complexion and his hunting prowess. His opponent was a large royal python, coiled next to the only available well.

This posed a big problem to Tohajie who did not want to risk killing a snake so close to the only source of water. He had to draw it away even if it meant doing something undignified. So he stamped his feet, clapped his hands loudly, made rude faces at it and even insulted it.

But like the royal python it was, it ignored his antics by turning it's head away from him. Irritated, Tohajie threw his machete at it, cutting it above it's left eye. It's eyes widened and it raised its head in anger. Tohajie grinned. 'Good, now I have your attention'.

He threw all his hunting knives at it, striking it on the head. It hissed fiercely and slithered towards him. He ran backwards with his eyes facing the snake, slowing down when it seemed too far away and speeding up just when it was about to pounce.

He led it past the settlement and into the bush nest to a freshly dug grave.

The python hesitated briefly as if realising that this was a trap but by then Tohajie lunges towards it, his machete raised. He slashed it's head off in one swing and kicked the body into the open grave. It took him two hours to bury the python, ensuring that no wild beasts and birds were drawn to its carcass.

He then wiped the sweat from his brow and headed towards the settlement to tell his people the good new