In my entire life of hunting I had never seen a good-looking gazelle like the one which was standing few few steps away from me, Rarua the chief hunter.
It was a cool morning and the sun’s rays were forcing its way up the horizon. In my twenty five years of hunting, I had become a splendid sharp shooter. The only time I did not kill an animal was only when I decided to spare the poor animal from an unanticipated death. On this day, it was during a prolonged drought and all wild animals were dying of thirst and lack of pasture. Normally, gazelles graze in groups of tens and since they are a prey to lions and wild dogs, they are always alert.
My bow was in place and ready to release the arrow but I had a change of mind. I withdrew the arrow and rubbed my eyes as if I had encountered morning mist. I took a close look at the beautiful animal which was standing before me. I made half a stride with my right leg to get a clear view. In the whole village people referred me as Rarua the sharp shooter. I was certain that I was going to shoot as usual. But before I took the life out of the poor animal, the urge to admire it was stirring in me. Confusion mingled together with excitement and for a short period I didn’t know what to do. The little history I had about gazelles was that they are a genus (gazella) found in the antelope family, six species of which can be found throughout Africa. I took a keen look at the dazzling eyes, small shaped nose, strong planted horns and a long neck.
“I won’t kill this gazelle now,” I said to myself.
“Keep calm Rarua, it is not yet time.”
I took one step backward so that I could come up with a smart plan. The thought of holding its horns firmly in my palms left a thrilling anticipation inside my belly. I made another glance at the beautiful gazelle and this time I was salivating.
“Camouflage Rarua, it will give you a chance to be more closer to it.” I whispered to myself.
I took out the antelope’s skin which was inside my bag. The sun was very hot and therefore, the gazelle could not move from the shade. I covered myself with the antelope’s skin and moved towards the gazelle on my knees. Surprisingly, it did not move an inch and for a moment I felt as though I had changed to a gazelle.
As the sun was setting on the horizon, I realized that I had nothing to take back home for my two wives and seven children. Confusion mingled together with shock which made my heart skip a beat. I had spend the whole day feeding the beautiful gazelle and funny enough I was enjoying the moment. When I got closer home I started limping.
“I had one of the worst days my dear wife, I hurt my leg.” I had to cheat so that to cover up my shame of coming home empty handed.
“I know tomorrow I must kill an animal. Rarua never comes home empty handed.”
The following days were similar because I spent all my hunting time with the beautiful gazelle under the shades in the forest. My agony started one day when I found the gazelle lying down and it could not even move its tooth. The poor animal stayed in pain and day in day out. Things even got worse when I also got sick and started losing weight. I lost interest in hunting and finally my two wives had to nurse me in my little hut.
I looked at the lion’s skin which I had hanged on the wall, I felt helpless and worthless. The virus that I had acquired had no cure. As days went by, pain and guilty was eating a hole in my heart. One day when my wife brought me bone supu, I felt guilty wash me like an acid bath. I turned on my bamboo bed and faced the wall. “Rarua will never use his bows and arrows again.” I sobbed painfully.
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