ABASS SUCCUMBS TO DWARFS
As part of his initiation Abass was taken to
the bush for forty days. He came back home and spent twenty-one days,
after', which he was taken away again for twenty-seven days. In course
of his initiation the dwarfs took him to the peak of a very high mountain
with a thick forest. They looked smallish with their hair in braids.
Looking at their sizes he thought he could sort it out with them and
disentangle himself. He reminded them that he was a Moslem by then.
The dwarfs asked him to pray in his own way in solitude. If his prayers
proved powerful enough they would leave him alone. For some minutes
he prayed to no avail. The dwarfs threatened to throw him down from
the mountain top if he proved difficult. One of them, a female came
and advised him to comply with whatever they were up to doing. He
complied because he thought he could die if he dared challenge them.
He then allowed them to perform all sorts of rituals, some involving
making some petty openings on his body. The cuts were numerous and
painful yet he managed to endure. They did all that in order that
he would be spiritually powerful. They also introduced to him different
kinds of herbal medicine. 'We want you -to help mankind, that's why
we've tried all out to befriend.. >>
