---
title: Iv.--how Elili of Inkum Died, and Was Brought Back to Life… — Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria · full text with trees
description: Iv.--how Elili of Inkum Died, and Was Brought Back to Life Again., «Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria» by Elphinstone Dayrell: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: Elili and Aikor were both Inkum women, the wives of Chief Nyip.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg70959/5/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg70959/) / Iv.--how Elili of Inkum Died, and Was…

# Iv.--how Elili of Inkum Died, and Was Brought Back to Life Again.

<!-- .vabout -->
Iv.--how Elili of Inkum Died, and Was Brought Back to Life Again. of «Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria» by Elphinstone Dayrell: the whole text, 96 sentences and 2346 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself.

<!-- div read -->

Elili and Aikor were both Inkum women, the wives of Chief Nyip.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") They each had a female child by him.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics")

Elili was the head wife and looked after the house, and for several years everything went well, until at last Elili became sick, and, after a short illness, died, and was buried.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics")

Her daughter Oga was quite young when her mother died; her breasts were only just beginning to get round, and she had not been circumcised.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics")

On Elili’s death Aikor took charge of the house, and cooked all the food.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") When it was time to hand the food round, Aikor always gave her daughter Nagor the best food, and only gave a very small portion to Oga, as she was a very jealous woman, and disliked Elili and her daughter.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics")

This went on for some time, until one day Oga took the food which was not sufficient for her to her mother’s grave, and sat there crying and calling for her mother until the evening came, when she went home.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") The next day she went again and wept on the grave, until at last the grave opened, and she could see the top of her mother’s head.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") Oga continued to cry until sunset, and then she had to go home.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics")

The following day, as soon as it was light, Oga started off again for the grave, and cried more, and by sundown her mother’s head and shoulders had appeared.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics")

The day after, by constant crying, she induced her mother to come out as far as her waist, and, after a few more days of persistent weeping, she got her mother out altogether.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics")

As it was dusk at the time, Oga led her mother to the back of the house, and hid her in a small room which was used only for storing yams and baskets.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") There she remained undiscovered for three days, and then Oga went to her father and said, “If you will give me a good present, I will show you my mother alive.”[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics")

Her father then gave her a piece of cloth, and Oga took him to the room where Elili was hiding, and said, “Here is my mother, who I have got alive again out of the grave.”[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics")

Chief Nyip was delighted to get his favourite wife back again, and they lived together as they had done before.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics")

Very soon after the return of Elili from the grave, Aikor died, leaving her daughter Nagor in the charge of Elili and Oga.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") Elili then began to revenge herself upon Nagor for the way Oga had been treated.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") Nagor was made to do all the hard work of the house, and was also half starved.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics")

This caused Nagor to go and cry on her mother’s grave.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") After crying bitterly for three days, her mother began to come out of the grave, and on the fourth day, when Aikor’s head and shoulders were showing above the ground, Nagor was so anxious to get her mother out altogether that she caught hold of her head and pulled with all her might, with the result that she pulled her mother’s head off her shoulders.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") Nagor then took the head and placed it in the same room where Oga had put her mother Elili.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics")

She then called her father to come, but when he saw his dead wife’s head, he was very angry with Nagor, and told her to go and bury it again in the grave.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") Instead of doing as she was told, Nagor threw her mother’s head amongst the young palm oil trees.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") This caused them to bear fruit which resembled a woman’s head in shape and size, and even at the present time the young palm trees have bunches of fruit which look like a woman’s head with the plaits of hair all round.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics")

Told by Abassi of Inkum.--\[E.D., 27.5.10.\][25](25/ "tree and pragmatics")

V.--CONCERNING THE HUMAN SACRIFICES WHICH TOOK PLACE ON THE DEATH OF CHIEF INDOMA.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics")

Chief Indoma was a very powerful chief.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") It was he who led the Inkum people to the site of their present town when they were driven out of their own country by the Awalas.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") When he arrived at the Cross River, he established the five compounds which still exist, and ruled over all the people.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") They were very fond of Indoma, as he was a just man.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics")

A few years after they had built their compound, the two adjoining countries, Inde and Akparabong, made war against the Inkum, but Chief Indoma, who was skilled in warfare, led his people so well and wisely that both countries were driven back, and they have occupied the land ever since.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics")

Indoma had two sons by his wife Isibe, whose names were Agatin and Ogum.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") When they were grown up, Chief Indoma died.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") All the country people were very sorry, and a big play was held, and the mourning was kept up for a long time.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics")

Then a large and deep grave was dug, and a number of slaves were killed by knocking them on the head with wooden clubs.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") Their bodies were placed in the bottom of the grave, and Chief Indoma’s body was put on top.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") The head chief then ordered four young men to be caught alive and bound.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") One was placed under Indoma’s head as a pillow, another under his feet to make him more comfortable, and the other two were placed one on either side of the corpse, so that it was surrounded by living boys.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics")

Then the head chief remembered that Indoma had been very fond of a boy named Edim, so they caught him, and, having tied him up, placed him in the grave near the dead chief’s head, so that he and the other four young men should be able to work for their master in the spirit land.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics")

As the grave was very big and deep they put sticks across it, wedged firmly into the sides, planks were then placed over the sticks, and the planks were covered with sand.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics")

By this time the grave was about half full, and the people left it until the next day, when more slaves were being brought in from the farms to be killed and put in the grave to fill it up.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics")

When night time came, Edim, who had not been very securely fastened, called to the other four boys, and, managing to get his teeth to the tie-tie which bound the boy nearest to him, he bit it through, and the boy who was then released undid Edim’s thongs, and together they freed the other three boys.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") Edim then made a hole in the planks and sand, and got out of the grave.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics")

When he had helped the others out, they all ran down to the beach, where they seized a canoe and paddled down river as hard as they could go to Akuna Muna.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") When they got there they presented themselves to King Egugo, and told him their story.[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics")

The King then took Edim as one of his boys, and, finding him to be intelligent, made him his head canoe boy.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics")

After five years had elapsed Edim had made a lot of money, so he returned to Inkum with the other four boys, knowing that, even if he were recognised, he would not be killed, as the people had filled the grave with bodies the day after he had escaped.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics")

Edim very shortly afterwards became one of the head men of the town under Agatin and Ogum.[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") He married some wives, and many children, and lived to a good age.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics")

Told by Abassi of Inkum.--\[E.D., 27.5.10.\][50](50/ "tree and pragmatics")

VI.--THE STORY OF THE WITCH WHO TRIED TO KILL HER HUSBAND; OR, WHY NATIVE DOGS REFUSE TO OBEY THEIR MASTERS.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics")

Chief Leku of Inkum married a woman called Achor, and lived with her for some years.[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics")

At that time there was a very fine woman walking about the towns named Akoba.[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") She was a yellow (light skin) woman, and had many hairs from the elephant’s tail, and beads round her neck.[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") She did not wear any clothes, as she preferred to walk about naked, so that everyone could see her fine skin.[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") Akoba had very large breasts, which hung down, but this did not in any way spoil her beauty in the young men’s eyes.[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics")

Many of them, including chiefs, wanted to marry her, but Akoba refused them all, as she made a lot of money out of them, and would not bind herself down to one man.[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics")

When she saw that so many men were bidding for her, she got a calabash and painted it different colours.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") Having placed the calabash some little distance off, Akoba said that anyone who wanted to marry her must hit the calabash with a small stone.[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics")

Many young men and chiefs tried who were anxious to possess her, but did not succeed, as she had put a ju-ju on them.[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics")

At last, however, Chief Leku managed to hit the calabash with a stone, and at once took Akoba home as his wife.[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") He then called all the women together and held a big play, fired guns off in the town, rubbed Akoba with camwood, and told all people that she was his wife.[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics")

Akoba lived with Chief Leku for a little time, but very soon got tired of him.[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") So she made up her mind that she would kill him and resume her former life.[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") She said to herself, “It is very dull living with Leku all the time.[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") If I kill him, I can have any man I fancy and make plenty of money, as all the young men want me, and are willing to pay, whereas now I have to do all the housework, and work hard on the farm, and Leku does not ‘dash’ me anything.”[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics")

Now, Chief Leku was a hunter, and made his living by killing animals (bush cows, buck, and kobs) and selling their meat.[67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") He had five dogs who were very clever, and had been taught to follow animals by scent.[68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") When they were young, a ju-ju was made for them, and certain leaves were mashed up and rubbed on their noses, which gave them very strong smelling powers, and they could follow wounded animals in the bush, which was most useful to Chief Leku.[69](69/ "tree and pragmatics")

The morning after Akoba had made up her mind to kill her husband, she said to him, “I want you to come into the forest with me to cut some palm nuts, but leave your hunting dogs behind as I do not like them.”[70](70/ "tree and pragmatics") Chief Leku, suspecting nothing, agreed, and they started off together.[71](71/ "tree and pragmatics")

When they got to the palm tree, the chief put his climbing belt of tie-tie round the tree, and, having secured it round his back, walked up to the top and commenced to cut the leaves or branches off round the nuts.[72](72/ "tree and pragmatics")

Akoba then beat her breast, and produced a sharp axe with which she began to cut down the tree, at the same time calling out to her husband that she was going to kill him.[73](73/ "tree and pragmatics") Very soon, the tree began to fall, but was fortunately caught by another tree growing near.[74](74/ "tree and pragmatics") Then Leku climbed into the other tree.[75](75/ "tree and pragmatics") Akoba, who was a witch, then started to cut down the tree in which her husband had taken refuge.[76](76/ "tree and pragmatics")

So the chief called a bird to him and sent it off with a message to his hunting dogs to come and rescue him.[77](77/ "tree and pragmatics") Immediately the dogs got the message they started off to help their master, but the witch Akoba caused a flood to overflow the path, so that the dogs could not track her.[78](78/ "tree and pragmatics") At last one of the dogs jumped into the water and swam across, and was very soon followed by the other four.[79](79/ "tree and pragmatics")

When they reached the foot of the tree the Chief told them to kill the woman, so they all leaped on her, and bit her until she died.[80](80/ "tree and pragmatics")

Then the chief came down from the tree, and divided Akoba’s body into five bundles, and told his dogs to carry them to his house, which they did.[81](81/ "tree and pragmatics")

When they reached the house it was night time, so the chief went to bed and told Achor what had happened to his new wife.[82](82/ "tree and pragmatics")

In the morning Achor saw the five bundles outside, and asked her husband how he had managed to carry them all, but he refused to tell her.[83](83/ "tree and pragmatics") So when night came and the chief went to bed, Achor said to him, “I will not sleep with you unless you tell me how you managed to carry those five bundles.”[84](84/ "tree and pragmatics") Now, Chief Leku was very fond of Achor, and wanted her badly, so he gave in, and told her that his hunting dogs had carried the bundles for him.[85](85/ "tree and pragmatics") Achor then went to bed, but the next morning she rose early, and calling the dogs to follow her, she went to the farm, where she collected five bundles of firewood and placed them in a row.[86](86/ "tree and pragmatics") Then Achor said to the dogs: “If you can carry bundles for your master, you can carry my firewood.[87](87/ "tree and pragmatics") Take those loads to my house at once.”[88](88/ "tree and pragmatics")

The dogs did not answer, but picked up their loads and carried them to the house.[89](89/ "tree and pragmatics") As each dog placed its load of firewood on the ground, it dropped down dead.[90](90/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the chief came out and said to Achor, “Look what you have done.[91](91/ "tree and pragmatics") All my hunting dogs are dead.[92](92/ "tree and pragmatics") This is what comes of telling you that my dogs carried the bundles for me.”[93](93/ "tree and pragmatics")

Ever since that day dogs never speak or do anything for their masters, although they can understand quite well.[94](94/ "tree and pragmatics") The reason the dogs will not obey now is because they say that the chief broke their dog law when he told his wife what they did for him.[95](95/ "tree and pragmatics")

Told by Abassi of Inkum.--\[E.D., 27.5.10.\][96](96/ "tree and pragmatics")

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [Ii.--the Cunning Hare; Or, Why the Tortoise Has a Patched Shell.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg70959/4/)
- next →: [Vii.--how Two Friends Fell Out: the Spider and the Grasshopper.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg70959/6/)
- ↑ back to [Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg70959/)