She set the pot on the fire and Okonkwo took up his machete to return to his obi.
"You must watch the pot carefully," he said as he went, "and don't allow it to
boil over. If it does its power will be gone." He went away to his hut and Ekwefi began
to tend the medicine pot almost as if it was itself a sick child. Her eyes went constantly
from Ezinma to the boiling pot and back to Ezinma.
Okonkwo returned when he felt the medicine had cooked long anough. He
looked it over and said it was done.
"Bring me a low stool for Ezinma," he said, "and a thick mat."
He took down the pot from the fire and placed it in front of the stool. He then
roused Ezinma and placed her on the stool, astride the steaming pot. The thick mat was
thrown over both. Ezinma struggled to escape from the choking and overpowering
steam, but she was held down. She started to cry.
When the mat was at last removed she was drenched in perspiration. Ekwefi
mopped her with a piece of cloth and she lay down on a dry mat and was soon asleep.