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But Ezinma's iyi…uwa had looked real enough。 It was a smooth pebble wrapped in a dirty rag。 The man who dug it up was the same Okagbue who was famous in all the clan for his knowledge in these matters。 Ezinma had not wanted to cooperate with him at first。 But that was only to be expected。 No ogbanje would yield her secrets easily； and most of them never did because they died too young … before they could be asked questions。
〃Where did you bury your iyi…uwa？〃 Okagbue had asked Ezinma。 She was nine then and was just recovering from a serious illness。
〃What is iyi…uwa？〃 she asked in return。
〃You know what it is。 You buried it in the ground somewhere so that you can die and return again to torment your mother。〃
Ezinma looked at her mother； whose eyes； sad and pleading； were fixed on her。 【 txtbbs ， TXT论坛，TXT BBS，搜刮各类TXT小说。欢迎您来推荐好书！】
〃Answer the question at once；〃 roared Okonkwo； who stood beside her。 All the family were there and some of the neighbors too。
〃Leave her to me；〃 the medicine man told Okonkwo in a cool； confident voice。 He turned again to Ezinma。 〃Where did you bury your iyi…uwa？〃
〃Where they bury children；〃 she replied； and the quiet spectators murmured to themselves。
〃e along then and show me the spot；〃 said the medicine man。
The crowd set out with Ezinma leading the way and Okagbue following closely behind her。 Okonkwo came next and Ekwefi followed him。 When she came to the main road； Ezinma turned left as if she was going to the stream。
〃But you said it was where they bury children？〃 asked the medicine man。
〃No；〃 said Ezinma； whose feeling of importance was manifest in her sprightly walk。 She sometimes broke into a run and stopped again suddenly。 The crowd followed her silently。 Women and children returning from the stream with pots of water on their heads wondered what was happening until they saw Okagbue and guessed that it must be something to do with ogbanje。 And they all knew Ekwefi and her daughter very well。
When she got to the big udala tree Ezinma turned left into the bush； and the crowd followed her。 Because of her size she made her way through trees and creepers more quickly than her followers。 The bush was alive with the tread of feet on dry leaves and sticks and the moving aside of tree branches。 Ezinma went deeper and deeper and the crowd went with her。 Then she suddenly turned round and began to walk back to the road。 Everybody stood to let her pass and then filed after her。
〃If you bring us all this way for nothing I shall beat sense into you；〃 Okonkwo threatened。
〃1 have told you to let her alone。 1 know how to deal with them；〃 said Okagbue。
Ezinma led the way back to the road； looked left and right and turned right。 And so they arrived home again。
〃Where did you bury your iyi…uwa？〃 asked Okagbue when Ezinma finally stopped outside her father's obi。 Okagbue's voice was unchanged。 It was quiet and confident。
〃It is near that orange tree；〃 Ezinma said。
〃And why did you not say so； you wicked daughter of Akalogoli？〃 Okonkwo swore furiously。 The medicine man ignored him。
〃e and show me the exact spot；〃 he said quietly to Ezinma。
〃It is here；〃 she said when they got to the tree。
〃Point at the spot with your finger；〃 said Okagbue。
〃It is here；〃 said Ezinma touching the ground with her finger。 Okonkwo stood by； rumbling like thunder in the rainy season。
〃Bring me a hoe；〃 said Okagbue。
'When Ekwefi brought the hoe； he had already put aside his goatskin bag and his big cloth and was in his underwear； a long and thin strip of cloth wound round the waist like a belt and then passed between the legs to be fastened to the belt behind。 He immediately set to work digging a pit where Ezinma had indicated。 The neighbors sat around watching the pit being deeper and deeper。 The dark top soil soon gave way to the bright red earth with which women scrubbed the floors and walls of huts。 Okagbue worked tirelessly and in silence； his back shining with perspiration。 Okonkwo stood by the pit。 He asked Okagbue to e up and rest while he took a hand。 But Okagbue said he was not tired yet。
Ekwefi went into her hut to cook yams。 Her husband had brought out more yams than usual because the medicine man had to be fed。 Ezinma went with her and helped in preparing the vegetables。
〃There is too much green vegetable；〃 she said。
〃Don't you see the pot is full of yams？〃 Ekwefi asked。 〃And you know how leaves bee smaller after cooking。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Ezinma； 〃that was why the snake…lizard killed his mother。〃
〃Very true；〃 said Ekwefi。
〃He gave his mother seven baskets of vegetables to cook and in the end there were only three。 And so he killed her；〃 said Ezinma。
〃That is not the end of the story。〃
〃Oho；〃 said Ezinma。 〃I remember now。 He brought another seven baskets and cooked them himself。 And there were again only three。 So he killed himself too。〃
Outside the obi Okagbue and Okonkwo were digging the pit to find where Ezinma had buried her iyi…uwa。 Neighbors sat around； watching。 The pit was now so deep that they no longer saw the digger。 They only saw the red earth he threw up mounting higher and higher。 Okonkwo's son； Nwoye； stood near the edge of the pit because he wanted to take in all that happened。
Okagbue had again taken over the digging from Okonkwo。 He worked； as usual； in silence。 The neighbors and Okonkwo's wives were now talking。 The children had lost interest and were playing。
Suddenly Okagbue sprang to the surface with the agility of a leopard。
〃It is very near now；〃 he said。 〃I have felt it。〃
There was immediate excitement and those who were sitting jumped to their feet。
〃Call your wife and child；〃 he said to Okonkwo。 But Ekwefi and Ezinma had heard the noise and run out to see what it was。
Okagbue went back into the pit； which was now surrounded by spectators。 After a few more hoe…fuls of earth he struck the iyi…uwa。 He raised it carefully with the hoe and threw it to the surface。 Some women ran away in fear when it was thrown。 But they soon returned and everyone was gazing at the rag from a reasonable distance。 Okagbue emerged and without saying a word or even looking at the spectators he went to his goatskin bag； took out two leaves and began to chew them。 When he had swallowed them； he took up the rag with his left hand and began to untie it。 And then the smooth； shiny pebble fell out。 He picked it up。
〃Is this yours？〃 he asked Ezinma。
〃Yes；〃 she replied。 All the women shouted with joy because Ekwefi's troubles were at last ended。
All this had happened more than a year ago and Ezinma had not been ill since。 And then suddenly she had begun to shiver in the night。 Ekwefi brought her to the fireplace； spread her mat on the floor and built a fire。 But she had got worse and worse。 As she knelt by her； feeling with her palm the wet； burning forehead； she prayed a thousand times。 Although her husband's wives were saying that it was nothing more than iba； she did not hear them。
Okonkwo returned from the bush carrying on his left shoulder a large bundle of grasses and leaves； roots and barks of