Ijya

Ijya was born into a world of the rain and of the forest. She was surrounded by the sounds of wild animals like the tigers, monkeys, and birds. The whistling sounds of the birds often sang her into a deep sleep. Ijya was kept in a wooden basket, and was carried around on her mother’s back. She watched her mother scavenge for fruits.

Other tribes of men arrived and had forced her people from their homes. Ijya wept throughout the entire pilgrimage to a new home. One night, a green bird watched her from a tree branch. As it groomed itself, a large colorful feather fell from its wing. Ijya kept the bird’s feather for the remainder of the journey.

Ijya was brought to a strange and desolate area. The tribe struggled daily for food and water. Ijya was able to grow into a young child. She was adventurous and would explore the neighboring wilderness. During one of her explorations, Ijya came across a familiar green feather. She spent several days trying to locate more of these green feathers.

Then, she wandered into an area full of tall trees filled with large leaves. Strange animals called out to her. It was the calm whistling of a bird that she responded to. Ijya stopped when she came across a path of green feathers. She bent down to retrieve one of the feathers. Other feathers began falling all around her like rain. Ijya began dancing in the feathers. Then the strangest of this occurred. An egg fell into her hands.

Ijya carried the egg back to her home, to her tribe. For a month she did all she could to protect the egg, and keep it warm. After the baby bird hatched, she struggled even harder to keep it alive. The bird became strong and full of vibrant green feathers. The baby bird taught itself to fly. However, it never abandoned Ijya or the tribe.

The desolate land became fully barren. Many of the tribesmen perished. Ijya was unable to care for the bird, and it passed away. The girl wept for her loss. She also wept for the loss of her tribe. As weakness had started overwhelming her, Ijya carried the deceased bird from her home. She muttered a prayer as she buried her bird. Ijya returned home feeling only desperation.

The very next evening, a powerful rain fell onto the land. Ijya was reminded of her time in the forest with the green bird. Once the rain had stopped, a pear tree had grown where Ijya had buried her bird. The tribe consumed the pears that grew from this tree. These pears allowed the tribe to survive a deadly year.

Ijya grew into an old and wise woman. She loved sharing the stories of her youth with the tribe. Even as she became ill, she never stopped telling her tales. The tribesmen had started to notice that the fabled pear tree was becoming diseased. As Ijya became sicker, so did the pear tree. Soon, the pears it grew were withered and poisonous. As Ijya approached her death hour, she walked out to the decaying pear tree. Ijya collapsed at the base of the tree and uttered a prayer for her people. Ijya slipped into a deep sleep.

That very morning, a flock of green feathered birds arrived at the pear tree. They ate the withered pears and flew away. The birds rapidly fell ill and died in various places around the tribe. A strong rainstorm arrived, and lasted for several days. After the storm ended, the tribesmen say that pear trees had grown from where each of the birds died. Ijya’s sacrifice had never been forgotten by the people of her tribe. Her people never forgot the gifts of her Turaco bird and the gifts of the pear tree.