The Cowries of the River Spirit. An Enthralling African Folktale!
Afrigriot Folktales
[{'start': '1.480', 'end': '14.240', 'text': '[Music]'}, {'start': '11.599', 'end': '17.160', 'text': 'Grandma, why do you always tell me not'}, {'start': '14.240', 'end': '20.119', 'text': 'to waste what I have? You see, my little'}, {'start': '17.160', 'end': '22.800', 'text': "firefly, one day you'll really"}, {'start': '20.119', 'end': '26.080', 'text': 'understand. But tonight, let me tell you'}, {'start': '22.800', 'end': '27.920', 'text': 'a story of a young man named Mizmbbe and'}, {'start': '26.080', 'end': '30.880', 'text': 'the night he met the mermaid of the'}, {'start': '27.920', 'end': '30.880', 'text': 'river.'}, {'start': '39.840', 'end': '45.680', 'text': 'Long ago in a quiet village surrounded'}, {'start': '42.800', 'end': '46.600', 'text': 'by forests and rivers lived a young man'}, {'start': '45.680', 'end': '50.079', 'text': 'named'}, {'start': '46.600', 'end': '53.199', 'text': 'Musebe. He was known by all, not for his'}, {'start': '50.079', 'end': '55.680', 'text': 'strength or wisdom, but for his laziness'}, {'start': '53.199', 'end': '58.719', 'text': 'and constant complaints.'}, {'start': '55.680', 'end': '61.359', 'text': 'Born into poverty, Misenbe blamed his'}, {'start': '58.719', 'end': '64.000', 'text': 'misfortune on his parents and the gods,'}, {'start': '61.359', 'end': '66.720', 'text': 'saying, "How can a man climb when his'}, {'start': '64.000', 'end': '69.760', 'text': 'roots are buried in the mud? He had no'}, {'start': '66.720', 'end': '73.600', 'text': 'friends, for he did not work, and he had'}, {'start': '69.760', 'end': '76.080', 'text': 'no woman, for he had nothing to offer.'}, {'start': '73.600', 'end': '78.479', 'text': 'Every day he wandered the village with'}, {'start': '76.080', 'end': '81.360', 'text': 'slouched shoulders and a face full of'}, {'start': '78.479', 'end': '84.159', 'text': 'bitterness.'}, {'start': '81.360', 'end': '86.080', 'text': 'One moonlit night, Mizmbbe grudgingly'}, {'start': '84.159', 'end': '89.520', 'text': 'took a calabash gourd to the river to'}, {'start': '86.080', 'end': '91.600', 'text': 'fetch water. He muttered to himself,'}, {'start': '89.520', 'end': '94.040', 'text': 'cursed the darkness, and stumbled'}, {'start': '91.600', 'end': '97.600', 'text': 'through the bush until he reached the'}, {'start': '94.040', 'end': '100.320', 'text': 'riverbank. Weary and full of sorrow, he'}, {'start': '97.600', 'end': '102.119', 'text': "sat by the water's edge and fell asleep"}, {'start': '100.320', 'end': '106.159', 'text': 'under the watchful'}, {'start': '102.119', 'end': '108.799', 'text': 'stars. At the hour when spirits stir and'}, {'start': '106.159', 'end': '112.159', 'text': 'the world is silent, the river'}, {'start': '108.799', 'end': '114.720', 'text': 'shimmerred with magic, a young mermaid,'}, {'start': '112.159', 'end': '117.920', 'text': 'radiant and graceful, rose from the'}, {'start': '114.720', 'end': '120.560', 'text': 'waters to bathe. She removed a golden'}, {'start': '117.920', 'end': '123.240', 'text': 'ring from her right hand, and in an'}, {'start': '120.560', 'end': '127.040', 'text': 'instant, her shimmering tail turned into'}, {'start': '123.240', 'end': '129.360', 'text': 'legs. She became human.'}, {'start': '127.040', 'end': '132.319', 'text': 'Startled by the rustling of leaves, she'}, {'start': '129.360', 'end': '133.160', 'text': 'turned and there stood Mazbe, wideeyed'}, {'start': '132.319', 'end': '136.160', 'text': 'and'}, {'start': '133.160', 'end': '138.400', 'text': 'trembling. "If you try to run or speak,"'}, {'start': '136.160', 'end': '140.599', 'text': 'he threatened. "I will tell everyone'}, {'start': '138.400', 'end': '143.360', 'text': 'what I\'ve seen." The mermaid did not'}, {'start': '140.599', 'end': '146.640', 'text': 'flinch. Instead, she looked upon him'}, {'start': '143.360', 'end': '149.440', 'text': 'with knowing eyes and said, "You have'}, {'start': '146.640', 'end': '152.080', 'text': 'seen what few mortals live to tell. But'}, {'start': '149.440', 'end': '154.000', 'text': 'I will not harm you. Instead, I will'}, {'start': '152.080', 'end': '156.560', 'text': 'give you a gift, though whether it'}, {'start': '154.000', 'end': '159.120', 'text': 'becomes a blessing or a curse is up to'}, {'start': '156.560', 'end': '162.560', 'text': 'you. She brought out a pouch filled with'}, {'start': '159.120', 'end': '165.080', 'text': 'glowing cowies and handed it to him.'}, {'start': '162.560', 'end': '167.920', 'text': 'This is the bouch of fortune, she'}, {'start': '165.080', 'end': '170.480', 'text': 'explained. Each time you use a cowery to'}, {'start': '167.920', 'end': '173.760', 'text': 'create or multiply wealth, be it by'}, {'start': '170.480', 'end': '176.879', 'text': 'trade, farming, or craft, 10 more shall'}, {'start': '173.760', 'end': '179.040', 'text': 'appear in its place. But beware, for'}, {'start': '176.879', 'end': '181.159', 'text': 'every cowry you waste on pleasure or'}, {'start': '179.040', 'end': '184.159', 'text': 'pride, 20 shall'}, {'start': '181.159', 'end': '187.200', 'text': "vanish. Mimbe's eyes widened as he took"}, {'start': '184.159', 'end': '189.120', 'text': 'the pouch. He thanked her hastily and'}, {'start': '187.200', 'end': '191.920', 'text': 'ran back to his hut with excitement'}, {'start': '189.120', 'end': '191.920', 'text': 'pounding in his'}, {'start': '193.080', 'end': '198.319', 'text': 'chest. In the days that followed,'}, {'start': '195.920', 'end': '200.239', 'text': 'Mizmbbe forgot every word of the'}, {'start': '198.319', 'end': '202.959', 'text': "mermaid's warning."}, {'start': '200.239', 'end': '206.080', 'text': 'He used the cowies to gamble, to buy'}, {'start': '202.959', 'end': '208.800', 'text': 'palm wine for strangers, to woo women'}, {'start': '206.080', 'end': '211.239', 'text': 'who once scorned him. His home was'}, {'start': '208.800', 'end': '214.080', 'text': 'filled with laughter, music, and false'}, {'start': '211.239', 'end': '216.710', 'text': 'friends. But not once did he attempt to'}, {'start': '214.080', 'end': '220.959', 'text': 'multiply what he had.'}, {'start': '216.710', 'end': '223.680', 'text': '[Music]'}, {'start': '220.959', 'end': '226.480', 'text': 'One day he leached into the pouch, but'}, {'start': '223.680', 'end': '229.440', 'text': 'found it empty. He had used all the'}, {'start': '226.480', 'end': '233.200', 'text': 'calories for pleasure and fun. Within'}, {'start': '229.440', 'end': '235.840', 'text': 'weeks, his fake friends disappeared. The'}, {'start': '233.200', 'end': '239.000', 'text': 'women turned their backs on him. His'}, {'start': '235.840', 'end': '242.000', 'text': 'heart fell silent and his hunger'}, {'start': '239.000', 'end': '245.159', 'text': 'returned. Mmbbe was poorer than he had'}, {'start': '242.000', 'end': '247.840', 'text': 'ever been. In a fit of rage and'}, {'start': '245.159', 'end': '250.879', 'text': 'desperation, he returned to the river,'}, {'start': '247.840', 'end': '250.879', 'text': 'shalting into the'}, {'start': '251.000', 'end': '259.199', 'text': 'night. Mermaid, mermaid, come out, you'}, {'start': '255.599', 'end': '260.880', 'text': 'wicked spirit. You m to me. Give me more'}, {'start': '259.199', 'end': '262.600', 'text': 'calories or I will tell the world what'}, {'start': '260.880', 'end': '267.040', 'text': 'you'}, {'start': '262.600', 'end': '270.639', 'text': 'areing stew. Then like mist from the'}, {'start': '267.040', 'end': '273.360', 'text': 'water, the mermaid appeared once more.'}, {'start': '270.639', 'end': '276.520', 'text': 'But this time there was no gentleness in'}, {'start': '273.360', 'end': '279.680', 'text': 'her eyes. You were given a gift, not a'}, {'start': '276.520', 'end': '282.479', 'text': 'shortcut. You chose waste over wisdom,'}, {'start': '279.680', 'end': '285.840', 'text': 'pleasure over purpose. Now you shall see'}, {'start': '282.479', 'end': '288.000', 'text': 'the world as you truly are in darkness.'}, {'start': '285.840', 'end': '292.000', 'text': 'With a wave of her hand, a cold wind'}, {'start': '288.000', 'end': '295.720', 'text': "blew and MMBbe's eyes dimmed. He fell to"}, {'start': '292.000', 'end': '298.720', 'text': 'his knees, blind and'}, {'start': '295.720', 'end': '300.639', 'text': 'broken. And from that day he wandered'}, {'start': '298.720', 'end': '303.440', 'text': 'the village with empty hands and'}, {'start': '300.639', 'end': '307.160', 'text': 'sightless eyes, his tale whispered to'}, {'start': '303.440', 'end': '307.160', 'text': 'children by fireside.'}, {'start': '307.580', 'end': '334.110', 'text': '[Music]'}, {'start': '330.600', 'end': '338.489', 'text': 'Jumple. Jimple.'}, {'start': '334.110', 'end': '338.489', 'text': '[Music]'}, {'start': '338.560', 'end': '345.889', 'text': "Don't go."}, {'start': '340.160', 'end': '345.889', 'text': '[Music]'}]