Part 6: On consideration, kindness, and thoughtfulness

I

The blemish of the yam is the blemish of the knife; whoever besmirches other people's names besmirches his/her own.

The calabash of a kind-heated person never breaks; the china plate of a kind-hearted person never cracks; both riches and children ever converge in the home of a kind-hearted person.

The calabash belonging to a patient person never breaks; the china plate belonging to a patient person never cracks.

The home of a kind-hearted person never collapses completely; the home of a wicked person always collapses, leaving nothing standing.

To visit the home of a generous person is to be plied with food aplenty; who would think of visiting a miser?

Ill will “is the” medicine that ensures misfortune.

Good will towards others does not kill; it only gets one into trouble.

“The pounded yam is good and the stew is delicious” killed Akíndélé on his farm at Ìgbájọ́ “God, I will not give you some food to eat” is what killed the priest at Ìkiré.

The wife ate the yam-flour meal and ate the calabash with it.

5. The idea is that if one peels a yam with a knife and streaks show on the yam, the flaw is the knife's, not the yam's.  [Back to text]

6. Presumably Akíndélé would not share the pounded yam and stew because they were delicious, and the priest kept all the things meant for sacrifice to the god for himself.  [Back to text]