where his mother was waiting. As soon as he was down she engulfed him into a suffocating hug, kissing and slobbering all over him while her husband looked on at the two of them proudly. When the family reunion was done with, the boy slowly walked up to Rain, looking weak and exhausted, and thanked him profusely. Then he was ushered inside by Peppina to get some rest.
“How can I thank you?” asked a visibly moved Pepito.
“Well, I am here with a purpose.” replied Rain, seizing the opportunity. “You could help me with that. Do you have a village elder, or a leader?”
“Yes. Our village head Kane Kunga died an untimely death a year ago. His son Dammy Kunga acts as the village head now.”
“Could you take me to him?”
“But of course. Please follow me.”
Pepito led the way to the village head’s house, which he said was not very far away. On the way there, Rain saw a man with frazzled white hair and a long, bony body rolled in reams of flimsy red cloth, dancing and swaying while singing his lungs out.
Who’s that? Rain projected the thought to his Geeya.
That’s the village soothsayer . She answered him.
Rain stared at the ridiculously dressed man now thumping out a beat on his head.
Looks like a lunatic . He snorted, unable to tear his eyes off the madman as they passed him.
The village head’s house was huge compared to the tiny huts that dotted the rest of the village. It was the only house made of bricks.
Rain waited outside the gates while Pepito entered inside to inform the village head of the waiting visitor. Pepito narrated to Dammy Kunga the entire sequence of events that had taken place until now and a short while later, the village head came outside to greet Rain himself.
The man looked young, like he was maybe in his late twenties. Rain was shown the way inside the house where a lavish lunch was served up for him and Pepito. After lunch, they were served fragrant herbal tea.
Rain decided it was time to reveal the reason why he was here and was wondering how to bring up the subject when Dammy Kunga himself provided the perfect opening for it.
“So tell me what brings you here, Rain?” inquired Dammy Kunga, fingering a huge jewel studded ring on his index finger absently.
“I have come here on a Quest, actually. I am searching for a wisdom.” replied Rain, carefully sipping the hot tea.
Dammy Kunga stopped toying with his rings. He stared at Rain with a strange expression on his face, making Rain squirm in his seat, wondering if he had said something wrong.
Dammy Kunga rose silently from his seat and disappeared somewhere within the large house. Rain glanced nervously at Pepito, who looked as confused as Rain felt. Dammy Kunga returned a short while later with a large rectangular box made of ornately carved wood with ivory inlay work. Each side of the four sides of the box had a heavy lock on it. Dammy Kunga barked a few orders to his waiting servants who scurried forward and cleared the leftovers and empty tea-cups. They then placed a short glass table down before the gentlemen and left the room. Dammy Kunga placed the box on the table gently and with great care, as though it contained something very precious.
“My father gave me this box before he died and he gave me four riddles to solve along with it. Each riddle that I solve will allow me to open one of these locks. Once I have opened all the four locks I will get the gift that my father has left me.” said Dammy Kunga, looking intently at Rain.
“My father forbade me from marrying unless I had opened the box. I begged him for some sort of clue, some help. He told me this - that I will not be able to solve the riddles until the day there is rain…heavy, heavy rain. And that day, along with the rain, there will be sun. And the sun will help me solve the riddles …” he trailed off, looking at Rain’s blonde hair with its streaks of burnished gold. Rain stared back blankly for a moment and then his eyes
“How can I thank you?” asked a visibly moved Pepito.
“Well, I am here with a purpose.” replied Rain, seizing the opportunity. “You could help me with that. Do you have a village elder, or a leader?”
“Yes. Our village head Kane Kunga died an untimely death a year ago. His son Dammy Kunga acts as the village head now.”
“Could you take me to him?”
“But of course. Please follow me.”
Pepito led the way to the village head’s house, which he said was not very far away. On the way there, Rain saw a man with frazzled white hair and a long, bony body rolled in reams of flimsy red cloth, dancing and swaying while singing his lungs out.
Who’s that? Rain projected the thought to his Geeya.
That’s the village soothsayer . She answered him.
Rain stared at the ridiculously dressed man now thumping out a beat on his head.
Looks like a lunatic . He snorted, unable to tear his eyes off the madman as they passed him.
The village head’s house was huge compared to the tiny huts that dotted the rest of the village. It was the only house made of bricks.
Rain waited outside the gates while Pepito entered inside to inform the village head of the waiting visitor. Pepito narrated to Dammy Kunga the entire sequence of events that had taken place until now and a short while later, the village head came outside to greet Rain himself.
The man looked young, like he was maybe in his late twenties. Rain was shown the way inside the house where a lavish lunch was served up for him and Pepito. After lunch, they were served fragrant herbal tea.
Rain decided it was time to reveal the reason why he was here and was wondering how to bring up the subject when Dammy Kunga himself provided the perfect opening for it.
“So tell me what brings you here, Rain?” inquired Dammy Kunga, fingering a huge jewel studded ring on his index finger absently.
“I have come here on a Quest, actually. I am searching for a wisdom.” replied Rain, carefully sipping the hot tea.
Dammy Kunga stopped toying with his rings. He stared at Rain with a strange expression on his face, making Rain squirm in his seat, wondering if he had said something wrong.
Dammy Kunga rose silently from his seat and disappeared somewhere within the large house. Rain glanced nervously at Pepito, who looked as confused as Rain felt. Dammy Kunga returned a short while later with a large rectangular box made of ornately carved wood with ivory inlay work. Each side of the four sides of the box had a heavy lock on it. Dammy Kunga barked a few orders to his waiting servants who scurried forward and cleared the leftovers and empty tea-cups. They then placed a short glass table down before the gentlemen and left the room. Dammy Kunga placed the box on the table gently and with great care, as though it contained something very precious.
“My father gave me this box before he died and he gave me four riddles to solve along with it. Each riddle that I solve will allow me to open one of these locks. Once I have opened all the four locks I will get the gift that my father has left me.” said Dammy Kunga, looking intently at Rain.
“My father forbade me from marrying unless I had opened the box. I begged him for some sort of clue, some help. He told me this - that I will not be able to solve the riddles until the day there is rain…heavy, heavy rain. And that day, along with the rain, there will be sun. And the sun will help me solve the riddles …” he trailed off, looking at Rain’s blonde hair with its streaks of burnished gold. Rain stared back blankly for a moment and then his eyes
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