Bride Prize

Five: A marriage plan

It was while they were walking in a single file back to their various hamlets that Venda drew Bem aside and confided in him his small secret.

“This coming Saturday,” Venda said in a hushed tone,

“Zasha has invited us to a farm meet.” “I am aware of it,” Bem conceded.

“Zasha is planning big. He has tied a huge he-goat...” “That is also common knowledge,” Bem interrupted.

“Venda, tell me straight what is on your mind.” “Okay here it is. Did you know about Iveren?” Bem hesitated.

“Yes, I know she is Zasha’s pretty daughter. I’ve seen her a few times coming from the stream. What about her?” 

“Did you know that Zasha is secretly planning to select her husband at the farm meet?” 

This brought Bem to a dead stop.

“Are you kidding me?” Bem asked. “How did you come about this information?” 

Venda looked serious when he said, “My father confided in me just the other day.” “Is he certain?” Beam asked. 

“Of course he is certain. Zasha and my father are on good terms.” 

Bem continued walking.

“So what are you planning to do about it?”

“Precisely,” Venda said. “I am planning to take Iveren as my wife.”

Again this brought Bem to halt. He searched Venda’s face to be sure he had heard right. Bem knew a lot about Venda’s affairs and didn’t for one moment imagine Venda wanting to settle down suddenly with one woman.  

“Do you really mean what you are saying?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’ve thought a lot about it and I think that is about time I took a wife and settled down, you know I am not getting any younger.”

“Well, if you think that’s what is best for you then so be it.”

“I know that I am very good with the hoe,” Venda continued, “and I stand a very good chance of proving my prowess at the farm meet...” he left the rest hanging, as if unsure of what to say.

“That’s true. I know when you mean business you can really handle the hoe, so what’s troubling you?” Venda took a deep breath.

“My father tells me that already there seems to be someone showing interest in Iveren. He didn’t tell me who though.”

“Is that why you are worried?” Bem asked, laughing quietly. “There aren’t many young men our age around these parts. He shouldn’t be too hard to figure out.”

“That’s not the only problem,” Venda said. “If such a person exists, he would be gearing up for the farm meet.”

Bem glanced at Venda, wondering if this young man was after all not as good with the hoe as he and the rest of his friends thought. He suddenly saw a weakness that he had never before seen in his old time friend and it worried him a little. 

“How many men around here can compete with your pace?” Bem asked. “I don’t see how that should bother you. Perhaps you should drink less and sleep less with women. If you sleep with Mbayongu for example, on the night before the farm meet, you can be sure even I will beat you to it.”

Venda’s voice hardened.  

“Of course I know all of that. You don’t have to remind me. What I am saying is if you knew someone who could prepare something strong for me to take along to the farm meet, because I cannot afford to lose.”

“I think that you are taking this matter a bit too far,” Bem argued. 

They were now left alone on the narrow bush path.

Kumeh and the rest of the guys had gone on their way.

Venda scratched his head.  

“Listen, Bem you don’t understand what it means to me to take Iveren as my bride.”

Bem thought for a minute, then said, “Are you so sure that winning at the farm meet would guarantee Iveren marrying you? What if Zasha has other criteria to consider? Imagine if Zasha knew of Mbayongu for example.”

Venda made a vicious movement with his hand.

“Forget that fat harlot for God’s sake! What’s the matter with you? Why do you keep bringing up her name in this?” 

“Because she is fresh on my mind,” Bem answered, getting a little angry himself. “We all noticed the way she treated you differently. Okay, what about Adoo the other

day, and Big Joe and pot affair?”

This hit Venda like a visible blow.

“What? So it was Big Joe that carried me inside the pot that day?”  

Venda looked mildly surprised. 

“You mean that you didn’t know?” 

Venda could only shake his head, remembering how Big Joe had bought him a drink and listened to the whole story from him! At that moment he hated Big Joe with his entire mind. He sat down on the grass, too weak to stand.

It took a few minutes for him to get himself back. 

Bem squatted beside him quietly, saying nothing.

“Venda, look here, if you will listen to my suggestion,” he said, “forget about getting any charms or anything like that. You are strong and very good with the hoe as it is without complicating matters. Have you tried to approach Iveren herself to see if maybe she likes you?” Venda shook his head negatively.

“Then maybe you should clean up yourself and also make proper introductions. Let Zasha know of your intention, this will put you in clear contention as Iveren’s future husband.”

Venda nodded. When he spoke, there was a lump in his throat. “Alright, I’m not sure but I’ll try,” he said in a small voice. “But as you know time is too short now to start all of that long-winded process of introduction. The farm meet is only a week from now.”

“A week is a long time to start courting, man. How long does it take you to slam any of those women?”

“Bem, cut that out,” Venda snapped, getting back his old tough voice. “Look, at least you boys can arrange something. Maybe try and put something in the man’s drink to make him weak during the farm meet. If I can win at the farm meet it should put me in a good position to start the courtship.”

Bem thought this over.

“Okay, we’ll see what can be done, but first we have to find out who the man is before we can make a move.”

“Alright then,” Venda said gravely, rising to his feet and dusting off his butt as the continued along the footpath.