Not long afterwards, ’Nyambi opened the door and found Chief Oga asleep in his wife’s bed; so he fastened the door securely, and, having got his knife ready, made the fire blaze and woke the chief up.
When Oga awoke he saw ’Nyambi standing over him with his knife pointing at his breast. ’Nyambi told him to be quiet and not to make a noise or he would kill him at once.
He then said, “I find you as a thief and one who would commit adultery with my wife. I will not receive any present from you; I do not want to kill you, but I intend to take one of two things from your body, and, if you refuse, I shall kill you at once.” On hearing this, Chief Oga was very much frightened, as he was no match for ’Nyambi in strength; so he lay there for some time, thinking of his life, his wealth, and his wives, until at last he asked ’Nyambi what it was he wished to take from his body so that he might go.
’Nyambi said, “I intend either to take your eyes out, which will prevent your looking at pretty girls any more, or else I will cut a certain part of your body off, which will stop your doing them any harm in the future.”
Oga said he could not part with his eyes, so at last he consented to ’Nyambi’s cutting the part off his body, provided he promised not to kill him and to let him go.
’Nyambi promised, and having told Oga not to make a noise, he cut the thing off, and turned the chief out of his house. Chief Oga then went home, but did not tell anyone what had happened to him. He was in such pain all the night that he was unable to sleep, and when the morning came, he asked one of his wives to boil some water and bring it to him. She did as she was told, and the chief went into the back-yard and bathed and dressed the wound.
He then sent one of his boys to call ’Nyambi to him. When ’Nyambi arrived he did not go inside the house, but stood a few paces from the door, as he thought that Oga might try to do him some injury; but the chief said he did not intend to hurt him and that he might safely come inside. Chief Oga then implored ’Nyambi not to tell any of the young men of the town what he had done to him, and begged him to keep it secret until the day of his death. ’Nyambi promised, and went home and told his wife.
The chief’s wound took many days to heal, and at night, when his wives came to him, he had to send them away, saying he was not well. This went on for some time, until at last his wives got tired of being alone and began to desert him and go to other men, and very soon he was left with only boys in the house.
The chief then sent for all his wives to hear his last words. When they arrived, he said, “My dear wives, I am not angry with you for leaving me, for love of women has caused me to lose the dearest part of my body. But I will ask one favour of you, and that is, when I die you will all come and cry and mourn for me, as is usual. Then you will know why I did not sleep with you.”
The women then asked the chief what was the matter with him, so he pointed to his waist, and said he had great pain there, and was unable to move that part of his body. He then told them all to go away.