Farar Taska Part 1 Complete Hausa Novel

1

Hurrying along at great speed, that was how she was walking, glancing back over her shoulder as she noticed how the children were following him, singing mockingly at him. Some were even holding onto his long robe and pulling him, until he staggered as though he would fall to the ground. She entered the house and headed toward where her mother was trying to light charcoal in order to cook. She quickly placed the grain basket in front of her and turned to leave, but her mother said, “What is the rush? Where are you going? Didn’t you just come in now?”

She pouted as if she were about to cry, troubled and upset, and said, “Mother, I just saw children following Baba with songs. I’m thinking he has gone to drink that thing you don’t like, the one he drinks all the time.”

Without saying a word, she clicked her tongue sharply and turned back to tending the fire. Seeing this made the little girl, who was about ten years old, hurry off to where their father was. The children caught sight of her and started running, shouting, “Meelah is coming! Everybody run so she won’t break his forehead!” All of them ran away and left him.

With great annoyance, after she reached where he was, she looked at him and said, “Baba, you know our mother does not like you drinking that thing. Why won’t you stop? Aren’t you ashamed of the way the village children follow you every day singing? Our mother told us that what you drink is not good. In fact, our religion forbids it, and she said it affects human health. Even we must never dare say that one day we will drink it. Why won’t you stop, if only for the sake of Allah, who forbids it?”

He opened his eyes and looked at her sternly, pointing at her with his finger as he said, “I’ll beat the hell out of you now if you say that kind of thing to me again. Move aside and let me pass, or I’ll put my foot on you and kick you and cause you harm. I don’t have money for medicine.”

She held his hand and they started walking, while she prayed silently that Allah should not let him beat Inna. Sometimes, after he had drunk, he would leave his senses like that and go and beat her in front of them. Ever since they were children until they grew up, he had continued in this manner and had not stopped.

When they arrived home, Inna did not even raise her head to look at them; she continued with what she was doing while calling Safeenah. Quickly she came out of the room and said, “Our mother, you call me so sharply as if you want to split my head open. I’m praying.”

Annoyed, she looked at her and said, “So by Allah, Safeenah, is it only now that you are coming from Asr prayer?” She said, “Please forgive me, don’t beat me, Inna. I was overcome by sleep and didn’t know the time had come.” She snapped, saying, “Come and finish the soup ingredients now before the tuwo is ready.” She said, “All right, our mother,” and quickly came over to her.

Audi looked at her while intoxicated and said, “You, Ummy, aren’t you seeing me, that you ignored me as if I were a nobody?” She slowly raised her head and looked at him, saying, “Please, welcome back.” He said, “Because you belittle me, it is only after I speak that you will greet me. Fine, keep your greeting. I don’t want it, but your body will tell you today, since you still have no sense and don’t know how to pamper a husband.”

At once all the children opened their eyes wide and looked at him. Meelah said, “Please, Baba, don’t beat her today. Please, forgive her and leave her alone.” He said, “Be quiet before I smash your mouth right now.” He headed for where he kept his whip, in serious anger.

When our mother saw this, she got up and went into the room, not because of anything else but because she did not want the neighbors to hear the beating he was giving her. The children began to cry bitterly, begging him, but he did not listen to them. They heard him beating their mother hard, and there was nothing they could do to help her. They could hear her gasping, a sign that the beating was entering deep into her body, but she would not open her mouth and cry out, so as not to alarm her children. Only when he grew tired did he leave the room and go to his own place. Quickly, all three of them rushed into the room and went to their mother. Together they fell onto her, crying in a way that was heartbreaking to see, as they watched her lying there with tears flowing from the corners of her eyes, while the marks of the whip showed on her body and thighs. They covered her thighs and held her even tighter, with deep love and pity for their mother.

She said, “Safeenah, go and finish the cooking. You can do it, can’t you?”

Safeenah nodded, wiping away tears, before getting up and leaving quietly. Meelah said, “Our mother, would you like some water? Should I bring you some?” She nodded softly. Meelah quickly got up and left the room; she did not stay long before returning with a cup of water. She sat in front of her and said, “Get up and drink, our mother.” She slowly got up, squeezing her eyes shut and holding her lower abdomen as she sat down. Meelah brought the cup of water to her mouth and began to let her drink, and when she saw her turn her head away, she set the cup down and said, “Our mother, should I go and pour hot water so I can warm your body with it?” She shook her head gently and said, “Leave it; when I rest a little, I’ll go and bathe.”

Thus they continued attending to their mother with love and care, even though they were children; that did not stop them from understanding that their father did not treat their mother well.

Malam Audi, originally from Jere, was a drunkard. When I say drunkard, I mean he could do anything just to get alcohol. By the time he was twenty, he had developed the habit of drinking and disobedience. Because of this, his parents went and found him a good woman from Buzu and married her to him, hoping that by God’s will he would reform his ways. Since his marriage to Ummy Aysha, instead of them seeing a change