Inspired Stories: The Love Gift - by Lovis Kwasi Armah

While growing up, Ewuraba now 24 years, had desired nothing but to marry a rich young man. She dreamt every day of all the goodies that would come with having a rich lover- grand wedding, comfortable living, fine clothing, good food and drink, good times at the cinemas, and many more. She often wondered how one could live with poor lover like Ato, her next door neighbor, who gave her nothing but apples to show his love - until Kate, her best friend, told her about the Prince one afternoon.

“Ewuraba, have you heard? The king of the next town is in search of a wife for his son,” Kate said.

“Really?” Ewuraba asked, dropping her basket.

“Yes and the good news is that any young woman can be considered – the only condition is to live with the Prince for a day, and the one who bestows the perfect love gift to the Prince gets to be the wife,” Kate continued, her voice now in whisper.

“As simple as that?”

“Yes, I am just from the palace and I met several other young beautiful ladies. People have visited and given all manner of gifts, But I guess none will match what I gave the Prince” Kate said, shaking her body.

Ewuraba stood quietly and thought: The Prince is my dream kind of man and I am sure that I will love him and He will love me more. He will be unlike Ato, who is just kind, the prince can provide the goodies. Hu…. Na Kindness we go chop?

“Thank you Kate, I must pick something from Grandma so talk to you later,” Ewuraba said, not giving any hint of interest to Kate. Ewuraba hurries home to see grandma. Hearing grandma’s usual humming in the kitchen, Ewuraba calls out

“Grandma, grandma, please tell me the best gift to win the prince for myself,” Ewuraba hurriedly said, without even exchanging pleasantries.

“Ewuraba…Ewuraba…hmm.. not even a simple good afternoon? Anyway, I will be right back. Taka this basket full of apples and these gold beads. But remember this: give him first the apples, and then the gold beads when exiting,” Grandma said, her voice concealing the fact that she felt offended that Ewuraba had no courtesy to greet.

The day finally dawned when it was Ewuraba’s turn to spend a day with the Prince.

“Aaaw, the Prince is charming, see, he is dazzlingly dressed, and something within me is even loosing up….hmmmm…., I have a peaceful feeling. I am in love with this Prince, and the way my heart feels is my proof that the Prince can provide for me: the means that can forever sustain the feeling of love,” Ewuraba thought as she moves on to meet him.

My Prince, I am Ewuraba!

“I can bestow on you riches that neither your poor self nor anyone in your generation can ever get, I already own one third of the kingdom, I will soon be declared majesty, a reminder as you step before me,” the Prince said, as Ewuraba was ushered in his presence

The Prince is very boastful, Ewuraba thought, and sounds disrespectful, my poor self...mcheeew! He doesn’t even know that a man should speak in a soft, kind and pleasant manner to a woman.”

“Look at him…His demeanor is so irritating. So pompous. No no, I am not sure I will be able to love this man. I am even beginning to feel bored, Let me take a bite of the apple I brought.”

Ordinarily, eating apple puts Ewuraba in a good mood. This gave her enough patience to bear with what she considered irritating all day - the bragging, arrogant, and self-seeking nature of the Prince. Finally she grudgingly gave a bitten apple to the Prince and left the Palace.

The day of decision finally came and the king called a gathering. One could hear sounds of people muttering in the background eager to hear the Chosen bride.

“Hear me, all who are herein gathered. Ewuraba is my choice. She presented an apple-love as a gift and best comported herself throughout despite my irritability. She is therefore the best fit for me,” The Prince announced.

Ewuraba was asked to accept the toast and guess, what she said:

‘Love gifts are like apples and gold beads- the apples are the virtues possessed and displayed by a loved one whereas the gold beads form the extras such as the passion of love, romance, and all other vanity that are used to sustain such erotic feeling. I did not fully understand my grandma’s advice that the best are the apples gift until the one-day that I lived with the Prince. I accidentally gave apple gift to the Prince, but realizing the kind of impact it has made on him, I have no doubt of it being the best gift.” Ewuraba started, and at this the whole place was quiet.

“I cannot state exactly what combination of apples and gold beads will fully turn-on love, but if I am to choose one perfect gift then I no longer harbor doubts about what it will be – and it surely will and must be apple-love gifts: being respectful and tolerant to someone in all things, looking for the best in someone, encouraging and saying kind words and all that cannot be touched but will definitely make someone better and feel loved. And these gift must never be considered inferior.”

“I did not get apple gift from the Prince so I cannot accept his gold gift. I am therefore saying yes to Ato, my next door neighbor, who has bestowed on me brighter apple-love gifts than that of gold. Sorry my Prince.”