Soma looked at the sky, asking mother nature several questions. She looked at herself as an unfortunate girl because her parents were categorized as one of the poorest in the Amadi kingdom. As she walked towards her father's tiny yam barn at the foot of Orji Hills, she walked fast so that she would be back home before nightfall. In her mind, she placed herself in the image of a royal, hoping that all her tears would one day be wiped off her cheek.
Hey you, get me my makeup kit.
She rehearsed like a princess would do. As she continued to walk down the hills, an old woman carrying a heavy log of wood was leaping down the hills too. Soma could not help watching as the old woman struggled with her burden. She ran toward her.
Mama, mama. Let me help you with this log. It's too heavy.
The old woman could not struggle for too long with Soma as she helped carry the log to her hut.
Thank you, my daughter. You are a well-trained child. What would I repay you with?
The old woman said thankfully as she loosened the knotted end of her wrapper and brought out a red bead which she handed over to Soma.
This will help you in all that you would be doing from now on.
Soma first rejected the gift from the old woman but upon persuasion, she accepted it. She ran back to her father's yam barn to pick some tubers and raced back home.
Every year in Amadi village, the crown prince will take a new wife who must be a maiden with good dancing skills. Soma's great-grandmother was a skillful dancer but she never won any of the dance competitions which would have made her become the wife of the crown prince. So also was her grandmother and her mother too.
Before the bridal dance that would be displayed in the presence of the crown prince, only maidens who have been selected from the evening village square dance stages would be eligible. Soma's mother, having felt that luck had been against their descendants, discouraged Soma from attending. Besides, their kind of poverty made everyone in Amadi not have anything to do with them.
Mama, it is true we are poor but we are humans and citizens of Amadi. I have an equal right to be at the dance if I am selected from the village square evening dance.
She tried convincing her mother who later obliged her and gave her all the support she needed.
At the village square dance, Soma always wore the bead she received from the old woman as a gift. Each time she wears it, she feels so empowered to go beyond the ordinary.
Soma presented a dance that no one in the history of the Amadi community had ever displayed. As she moved her foot, it appeared like that of four dancers before the spectators. She received a round of applause for her show of brilliance.
After the evening dance, Tamona and the other girls who participated in the dance went to make friends with Soma. The ladies felt that there was something about Soma that they needed to know. Since Soma least expected their friendly gestures, she received them with a warm embrace but her instincts told her to remain silent while the girls did all the talking.
The following market day, the town crier, Njije, beat the gong, inviting all the villagers to the square where he would announce the names of the ladies who would dance before the crown prince.
People of Amadi, I bring you good news as usual. Chief Oyoko, the one in charge of the bridal selection process asked me to announce the names of the seven girls who are qualified to dance before the crown prince.
Everyone at the square was eager to know who the qualified ladies would be.
The ladies are Udo, Ayejie, Efuru, Ewere, Ebi, Uzor, and……….
The town crier held his breath before he went ahead to mention the last name. There was so much suspense. The people had their ears wide open to know who the lucky last lady would be
........ Soma!!!! The bridal dance will be held in the next seven market days.
In the twinkling of an eye, the town crier had disappeared into thin air as the villagers gathered in clusters to discuss the selection. Most of them were taken aback at the selection of Soma but they had no choice but to accept it that way.
Soma got home and told her parents about her selection but they were not happy because it had never brought any good result to them from time immemorial. Despite all that, Soma ensured to learn new dance moves alone in the bush.
On the day of the bridal dance, all sons and daughters of the Amadi kingdom returned home to witness the ceremony.
The dancers were called in one after the other in no particular order. Efuru was the first to grace the dance floor. She danced with so much candor and was applauded for her beautiful stepping. Then Udo and Ewere. The whole six maidens were called in to show their worth on the dance floor. They danced. All were almost perfect.
Soma was the last to be called out. She shyly came out to show the people of Amadi how much of a dancer she was. Her dance moves were quite different. She moved as if she had no bone in her hips. Her legs were so swift and her skin glitters like the sun.
From the very moment she made her first move, the crown prince who had been watching the dancers on his throne, rose and began to dance toward Soma but she did not want to be distracted. Soma danced with more intensity, wagging her waist faster while the bead around her neck shook like that of a royal.
The crown prince wore a liel around Soma's neck, indicating that he had found the one whom his heart approved of. Soma, the shadow dancer became the maiden who the crown prince will be spending the rest of his life with. That brought an end to the poverty in Soma's family. Her little act of kindness to the aged woman had paid off.