KAMSI'S ADVENTURES

THE MYSTERIOUS POOL

Kamsi excitedly ran the two miles to Farmer Ebuka’s house. The old farmer had invited him to his house and this was a treat the boy could not refuse. He always longed to be far away from his father’s red eyes and his mother’s scolding tongue. Farmer Ebuka’s house was a place where every child in the neighbourhood always wanted to be. The farmer was a lover of children and he often bought them gifts and taught them about animals.

            Farmer Ebuka was a man of sixty two. He reared all kind of animals in his large compound and he also grew a few trees. Although he lived with neither wife nor child, he was never lonely because he was as friendly with his animals as he was with humans. Some people believed that he could understand animal language.  His little green house could best be described as a cottage and his compound looked more like an animal farm. In addition to a horde of animals and a few trees, the compound housed a pool, which was called The Mysterious Pool. People were restricted from going there to swim. But no one knew the reason behind this. Not even the old farmer himself. The pool had been there ever since he was a boy and he had inherited it alongside his father’s house. Funny but true, the old farmer was somewhat a prisoner in his own house.

 The farmer’s fat cheeks went red with excitement as soon as he saw Kamsi. His animals rushed out excitedly to welcome Kamsi as they always did whenever the farmer had a guest. The boy was somewhat afraid as he feared an attack but the farmer reassured him, patting him on the back.

            ‘They always get excited when they see a new face. Trust me, they mean no harm.’ And so, Kamsi felt at ease. He stroked a puppy that had come close, sticking out its tongue.

            ‘A moment, please,’ said the farmer, and he disappeared into the house. And for the first time Kamsi had an opportunity to admire the famer’s compound. It suited the descriptions he had often heard. He wished he lived in such a large compound with his father and mother. His father’s compound was a small one and there was nothing exciting there. His father was a teacher, not a farmer and so he had no business with animals or plants. His father lived an unexciting life, he often thought. Married to books morning, afternoon, night.

Soon Kamsi caught sight of something that completely stole his attention. Surely this was the pool he had heard so much about. Many of his friends who had visited the farmer’s house on previous occasions had told him how the farmer had refused to allow them to swim there, his excuse being that it was a magical pool. But how did the pool find its way into his compound? This was a question the farmer had always refrained from answering. All his life Kamsi had longed to go swimming but his father would never let him. And now he was not going to be denied a golden opportunity because of one silly, fabricated story. Immediately he ran towards the pool, a rabbit and a dog closely following behind.

            The moment Kamsi took off his clothes and prepared to plunge into the water, the rabbit and the dog made some frightened sounds but the boy could not understand what they were saying. Nevertheless he rightly guessed they were trying to warn him as Farmer Ebuka always warned. Yet he would remain the stubborn boy that he was. For a moment he stood, peering into the blue water. It seemed quite harmless. Then he made a dive. Straight away, Farmer Ebuka arrived and when he learnt what had happened he ran as quickly as his wobbly legs could permit.

            ‘Come out, come out, I say’ cried the terrified farmer.

            ‘Why, what’s the problem?’ asked Kamsi, gasping for breath. ‘I’m having a nice time here.’

            ‘Do come out. That water is unsafe. It has magic.’

            ‘Magic?’ asked Kamsi in disbelief. ‘Pooh! Who believes in magic these days? That’s an old wives’ tale.’