title which a man could take in the clan. It was for this man that Okonkwo worked to
earn his first seed yams.
He took a pot of palm-wine and a cock to Nwakibie. Two elderly neighbours
were sent for, and Nwakibie's two grown-up sons were also present in his obi. He
presented a kola nut and an alligator pepper, which were passed round for all to see and
then returned to him. He broke the nut saying: We shall all live. We pray for life,
children, a good harvest and happiness. You will have what is good for you and I will
have what is good for me. Let the kite perch and let the eagle perch too. If one says no
to the other, let his wing break."
After the kola nut had been eaten Okonkwo brought his palm-wine from the
corner of the hut where it had been placed and stood it in the centre of the group. He
addressed Nwakibie, calling him "Our father."
"Nna ayi," he said. "1 have brought you this little kola. As our people say, a man
who pays respect to the great paves the way for his own greatness. I have come to pay
you my respects and also to ask a favour. But let us drink the wine first."
Everybody thanked Okonkwo and the neighbours brought out their drinking
horns from the goatskin bags they carried. Nwakibie brought down his own horn, which
was fastened to the rafters. The younger of his sons, who was also the youngest man in
the group, moved to the centre, raised the pot on his left knee and began to pour out the
wine. The first cup went to Okonkwo, who must taste his wine before anyone else. Then
the group drank, beginning with the eldest man. When everyone had drunk two or three
horns, Nwakibie sent for his wives. Some of them were not at home and only four came
in.
"Is Anasi not in?" he asked them. They said she was coming. Anasi was the first
wife and the others could not drink before her, and so they stood waiting.
Anasi was a middle-aged woman, tall and strongly built. There was authority in
her bearing and she looked every inch the ruler of the womenfolk in a large and