0:03 Don't ever correct me. Old dirty looking
0:06 woman, don't ever correct me. Leave my
0:09 part before I push you to the ground.
0:12 The old woman looked at Ya and murmured
0:16 a curse, watching her as she walked away
0:18 with pride and arrogance. The villagers
0:21 watched in disbelief as she slapped an
0:24 old woman for no reasons. Ya lived with
0:26 her poor mother and father near the
0:29 village shrine. Ya was so rude and
0:32 arrogant. And not just arrogant, she had
0:35 a face that looks like someone who had
0:37 attempted a face surgery and didn't
0:40 finish it. The villagers never liked her
0:42 because of her behavior. They said the
0:44 spirit punished her for her parents'
0:46 crying. Whenever she passed through the
0:49 village square, the women would say,
0:52 "Who will marry this one?" Turning their
0:55 faces in disgust. The men were not nice
0:59 either. They would say, "I pity the man
1:02 who will marry this arrogant and ugly
1:05 thing." Some would even say, "If they
1:08 dash her for free with a plot of land,
1:11 they will still not marry her." Yeah.
1:13 Carried herself like she was the queen
1:15 of the village. She was never bothered
1:18 by what the villagers said. She saw
1:20 herself as the pride of the village.
1:22 Even when the maidens gossip about her,
1:24 saying, "We will all marry the good
1:27 men." Only the drunkards and mad people
1:30 will ask for your hand in marriage. Ya
1:33 would simply say marriage is not in my
1:36 dictionary who marriage helps. She just
1:39 told herself with confidence. Though the
1:41 villagers whispered behind her, their
1:45 words never sank into Ya's heart. Every
1:48 dawn she strutted across the dusty paths
1:50 as though the sun rose just to
1:52 illuminate her presence. Her mother
1:55 would call after her, begging her to
1:58 soften her tone, to humble herself, to
2:01 mend her ways. But Ya only waved her
2:03 hand dismissively. That morning, after
2:06 slapping the old woman without a hint of
2:08 remorse, she lifted her chin and kept
2:11 walking. Children scurried out of her
2:14 way, clutching their mother's clots. The
2:16 market women paused midsail, watching
2:18 her with a mixture of fear and
2:21 irritation. Even the goats stopped
2:23 chewing as though sensing the tension
2:26 that followed her like a shadow. Near
2:28 the shrine path, her father sat carving
2:32 a piece of wood. He looked up as Ya
2:35 approached, her steps loud, her pride
2:38 louder. "Yeah," he said quietly. "You
2:40 walk through the village today like the
2:44 gods owe you tribute." "And they do,"
2:46 she replied, brushing dust from her
2:49 rapper. "Look at me. I am not like these
2:52 villagers who have accepted mediocrity.
2:55 Her father sighed deeply. The kind of
2:57 sigh that carried both exhaustion and resignation.
2:59 resignation.
3:02 One day, yeah, the world will show you
3:04 that beauty of heart weighs more than
3:08 beauty of faith. She scoffed, "Father,
3:10 spare me the wisdom. If the world does
3:13 not value me, then the world is blind."
3:17 Later that day, the gossip grew louder.
3:19 At the well, the maidens gathered in a
3:22 tight circle, their voices hushed but
3:27 excited. Ya approached, bucket in hand,
3:29 her presence slicing through their
3:32 chatter. Ah, so you still stand there
3:35 talking about me? Yah said, staring them
3:39 down. Is my life feeding any of you? One
3:42 of the maidens, Abena, stepped forward.
3:45 We only say what everyone sees. You
3:47 behave as though you are above all of
3:50 us. And I am, Ya answered without
3:54 blinking. The maidens exchanged glances,
3:57 some fearful, some amused, others
4:00 annoyed, but none dead speak again. Ya
4:02 dipped her bucket into the well with
4:05 sharp angry movements, sending ripples
4:07 across the water. As she lifted the
4:11 bucket, she caught her reflection.
4:13 The unevenness of her features, the
4:16 roughness of her skin, the sharpness of
4:20 her jaw, it was all there. The villagers
4:22 often whispered that the gods had carved
4:24 her face in anger, leaving the work
4:28 unfinished. Boa refused to see flaws.
4:30 Instead, she saw uniqueness, something
4:33 that set her apart. When she returned
4:36 home, her mother was peeling cava.
4:39 "Yeah," her mother began softly. They
4:42 say you slapped old mom a cocko today
4:46 and so Ya replied, "She blocked my path.
4:48 She is old enough to be your
4:50 grandmother. Then she should know better
4:53 than to stand in my way." Her mother
4:55 dropped the knife, frustration finally
4:58 breaking through her gentle nature. "Why
5:01 must you always fight the whole world?
5:02 Can you not live peacefully with
5:05 people?" Ya shrugged. "Let them learn to
5:09 accept me. I will not bend for anyone.
5:12 Even evening brought no calm. As the
5:14 village prepared for nightfall, whispers
5:16 continued to flow through the air like
5:20 drifting smoke. Men sitting under the
5:22 bowab tree joked loudly. Her mouth is
5:24 sharper than the hunter's blade. One
5:27 laughed. "And her heart colder than
5:30 river stones," another added. The third
5:33 man shook his head. "Imagine waking up
5:36 beside that face every morning. The gods
5:39 forbid. Their laughter echoed through
5:43 the square. But yeah, passing nearby,
5:45 pretended not to hear. She walked with
5:47 her head high, hips swaying with
5:51 confidence that bothered on defiance.
5:54 Inside her chest, however, a small
5:56 tightness formed a feeling she refused
6:00 to name. Still, she kept walking, dust
6:03 rising behind her like a small storm.
6:05 The shrine drums began to beat in the
6:09 distance as dusk settled. The smell of
6:11 burning herbs drifted into the air,
6:14 mixing with the scent of cooking fires.
6:17 The village slowly grew quieter, but
6:19 Ya's name still floated on the tongues
6:23 of many. Some spoke with irritation,
6:26 some with fear, some with curiosity, but
6:30 they all spoke. And yeah, returning home
6:32 with the last light of day, whispered to
6:35 herself again, "I am the pride of this
6:38 village. One day they will see it." She
6:41 repeated it like a chance, letting the
6:43 words wrap around her like ammo as the
6:46 shadows lengthened and the night crept
6:50 in. "That night, as Ya slept, the moon
6:53 hid behind a thick veil of clouds. The
6:55 wind whispered through the trees behind
6:58 their small compound, carrying with it
7:00 the faint echo of the words the old
7:02 woman had murmured after Ya slapped her.
7:05 No one in the village had heard what she
7:09 said, but the spirits had. Just before
7:13 dawn, Ya began to toss on her rafia mat.
7:16 Her breath grew heavy and a strange heat
7:20 washed over her body. She turned,
7:22 groaned, and felt her skin tighten and
7:24 prickle as though unseen hands were
7:27 shaping her in the darkness. When the
7:30 first rooster crowed, Ya jolted awake.
7:33 Her mother, already by the hearth, heard
7:36 a scream sharp and trembling. She rushed
7:42 into Ya's room. A Ya, what is it? What
7:45 is? But the words died in her throat.
7:48 Where Ya sat, clutching her face with
7:51 trembling hands. Her skin had changed.
7:54 Dark patches crept across her cheeks,
7:57 swelling into rough bumps. Her lips had
8:01 twisted, one side drooping unnaturally.
8:03 Her eyes, once sharp with arrogance,
8:06 were now mismatched, once swollen shut.
8:11 Mother. Yeah, cried her voice. What is
8:13 happening to me? Her mother staggered
8:17 back, covering her mouth. Yeah.
8:20 Yeah. The goats have touched your face.
8:23 By the time the song rose fully, the
8:24 news had traveled through the entire
8:27 village like wildfire. Ya's face had
8:30 transformed overnight. People gathered
8:33 outside her compound, whispering loudly,
8:35 pointing, craning their necks for a
8:39 glimpse. Some laughed openly. "Ah, she
8:41 thought she was queen. Look at her now."
8:45 She deserves it. Pride goes before
8:48 destruction. H the spirits have finally
8:51 humbled her. Others, especially the
8:53 older women, shook their heads with
8:58 pity. A my child, this is not ordinary.
9:01 Something strong has touched her. May
9:04 the god soften the hearts of whoever
9:08 cursed her. But Yah heard every voice,
9:11 every laugh, every whisper. It felt like
9:13 the whole village was squeezing her
9:15 heart in their fists. When her father
9:18 returned from the shrine path and saw
9:22 her, he froze like stone. "We must go to
9:25 the herbalist," he said shakily. "This
9:28 is beyond human understanding. The
9:30 herbalist hut was filled with a scent of
9:33 herbs and smoke. The walls lined with
9:36 jars containing leaves, powders, and
9:39 strange roots." As soon as he stepped
9:42 in, the old man looked up, eyes
9:44 narrowing as though he had been
9:48 expecting her. Ah, he said slowly. So,
9:51 it has begun. Ya's mother dropped to her
9:55 knees. Please, wise one, heal our
9:58 daughter. The herbalist shook his head.
10:00 This sickness is not one leaf, one
10:03 medicine, or one man can cure. Her
10:06 father swallowed hard. Then what can
10:09 kill her? The ebalis picked up his
10:12 calories, shook them in both hands, and
10:15 spilled them onto a goat skin mat. He
10:17 stayed at their pattern for a long
10:20 moment before speaking. It is the old
10:23 woman she slapped, he said. She laid a
10:27 curse on Ya. Ya's eyes widened. "That
10:30 dirty looking old woman, me, beg her.
10:34 Never." Her father turned sharply. Yeah,
10:37 this is not the time for such talk. But
10:40 Yah shook her head stubbornly, her
10:43 swollen face tightening with anger. I
10:45 will not kneel before that woman. Let
10:48 these villagers laugh. I will not beg
10:50 her. She is beneath me. Her mother
10:53 grabbed her hands, tears streaming. My
10:56 daughter, your face, your body is
11:00 changing. This is no ordinary sickness.
11:03 Please swallow your pride. Beg her
11:06 before it becomes worse. But Ya pulled
11:10 her hands away. No, I said no. The
11:13 healer sighed deeply, looking at her
11:16 with a mixture of sorrow and warning.
11:18 Then may your heart be strong, child,
11:21 because this curse does not stop here.
11:24 Her parents looked at each other in
11:28 terror. Already the patches on Ya's face
11:31 were spreading. Her breathing grew
11:33 heavier. And a strange ache crawled into
11:36 her bones. Even standing became
11:38 difficult. Her sickness was getting
11:42 worse, and the entire village watched,
11:44 waiting to see what would become of the
11:46 girl who refused to bend. Ya's sickness
11:50 worsened with each passing day. The
11:52 swelling spread down her neck. Her skin
11:55 tightened painfully, and sharp aches
11:57 shot through her joints whenever she
12:00 moved. Sleep became a battle. Eating
12:03 became a struggle. Even breathing felt
12:06 like a punishment. For the first time in
12:10 her life, Ya, proud, fearless. Ya felt
12:13 fear settle inside her like a heavy
12:15 stone. The laughter in the village
12:17 softened over time, replaced by mummos
12:21 of pity. Yet Ya still refused to seek
12:23 the old woman. She clung to her pride
12:25 like a shield, even as her body
12:28 weakened. But pride crumbles quickly
12:31 under the weight of suffering. One night
12:34 the pain became unbearable.
12:37 Y lay curled on her mat, tears streaming
12:40 silently as her mother wiped her face
12:43 with trembling hands. Yeah, her mother
12:46 whispered, voice breaking. You will die
12:49 if you do not humble yourself. Her
12:52 father sat beside her, his head bowed.
12:56 My daughter, we cannot lose you. Please
12:58 beg her. Even stones soften when the
13:01 hammer strikes enough. Ya looked at
13:04 their faces tired, frightened, full of
13:07 love, and something inside her cracked.
13:12 At dawn, before the sun rose fully, Ya
13:15 wrapped a cloth around her head, covered
13:18 her disfigured face, and left the house.
13:20 She did not tell her parents. She did
13:23 not tell the villagers. She simply
13:26 walked. She walked past the shrine path,
13:29 across farmlands, through dusty roads,
13:32 and into the forest paths where the old
13:35 woman was rumored to leave. Her legs
13:38 trembled. Her breath came in painful
13:42 gasps, but she kept walking 1 mile, 2
13:45 mi, then three. By midafter afternoon,
13:48 she saw a small hut made of mud and palm
13:51 frrons, smoke rising from its roof. The
13:54 old woman was sitting outside, grinding
13:57 herbs with slow, steady movement. Ya's
14:01 heart pounded. Her knees shook. The
14:04 words tasted bitter in her mouth, but
14:06 she forced her legs to move. She stepped
14:10 forward and fell to her knees. "Mother,"
14:13 she whispered. "Forgive me. Forgive me
14:15 for my pride. Forgive me for
14:18 disrespecting you." The old woman did
14:21 not look surprised. She gazed at Ya with
14:24 calm, knowing eyes. "I knew you would
14:28 come," she said. "Pain teaches where
14:31 words fail." Ya bowed her head, tears
14:34 dripping down her swollen cheeks. "I am
14:37 sorry. I was wrong." The old woman
14:40 reached out and lifted Ya's chin gently.
14:44 "Go home," she said. "And change your
14:47 ways. Respect those older than you.
14:51 Treat people kindly. Let humility dwell
14:54 in you. When your heart changes, your
14:56 body will follow. She did not give her
15:00 herbs. She did not chant incantations.
15:03 She simply turned away and entered her
15:07 hut. And strangely, Ya felt something
15:10 loosen within her like invisible chains
15:13 falling away. She returned home
15:16 exhausted but hopeful. Her parents
15:19 rushed to her, embracing her with relief
15:22 when she whispered. I begged her. From
15:26 that day onward, Yah began to change.
15:29 She greeted elders with respect. She
15:31 helped her mother fetch water. She
15:33 apologized to people she had wronged.
15:35 She no longer walked with her chin high
15:38 and her heart filled with arrogance. And
15:41 slowly, very slowly, the swelling faded.
15:44 The patches on her skin softened. Her
15:47 breathing eased. Her face regained its
15:50 shape. Not perfect, but peaceful. The
15:53 villagers watched in amazement as the
15:55 once arrogant Ya transformed into a
15:58 humble, respectful young woman. Little
16:01 by little, their whispers changed from
16:04 mockery to admiration. Even the old
16:06 woman passed through the village one
16:09 evening, and when Ya greeted her with a
16:12 deep bow, the woman smiled, "You have
16:16 learned." And yet smiled too genuine,
16:20 gentle, healed from the inside out. Life
16:23 lesson. Pride blinds the heart and
