The Shadow Market
Listen to "The Shadow Market" in its original telling in Fon here
My tale flies and flies and falls on an orphan. His dead father was a fisherman who would bring back fish to sell at the market, while his mother was only a modest vendor.
In these olden times, there was one market that was called “Ku-xi”, the market of the dead. It was said that the spirits frequented this market, invisible to the living, yet their presence was revealed by the strange activity in the stalls, as if life and the afterlife discreetly crossed paths.
The orphan had made a habit of going there. Without anyone noticing, he would sneak pieces of meat to bring back home to enjoy. At each of his trips, he raised the curiosity of Torgboryè, who wondered where these meats were coming from.
One day, unable to stand it any longer, Torgboryè called out to him, “Young orphan, where do you find the meat that you bring back? I would like to accompany you to learn your secret.”
The orphan accepted. Together, they went to the market and hid in the foliage of a great tree nearby, waiting for the right moment.
At the Ku-xi market, the spirits came to trade before the market’s master, leader of the underworld, closed the activities. Once the market had closed, each spirit disappeared, abandoning their goods until the next market.
The two companions waited in silence, observing the strange scene. When Torgboryè glimpsed the spirit master, named Atagban, he murmured his name with insistence. But the orphan, worried, told him to stop, fearing he might attract misfortune.
When the spirits had left the market, leaving behind the meat and goods, the orphan and Torgboryè emerged from their hiding place. They helped themselves to large portions of meat.
However, Torgboryè, greedy and driven by envy, glimpsed a large calabash full of riches. Wanting to grab it, he found his hands, then his feet, stuck to the object. He became immobile, incapable of even the slightest movement.
After the spirits' departure, ferocious beasts would roam the market to feast on abandoned leftovers. That day, a lion approached and saw Torgboryè stuck to the calabash. Taking pity upon him, he came to help Torgboryè. However, the lion, too, was seduced by the same invisible force and became stuck to the calabash. The two of them remained captives. In his despair, Torgboryè made a wish to the calabash:
“Let me leave and keep the lion in my place!”
He repeated these words multiple times in a persistent plea. Finally, he was able to free himself. Seized by fear, he fled and took shelter in the lion’s den, where he found the lion's killed prey. Starving, he ate the meat without restraint.
During this, the lion, too, had narrowly escaped and returned to his den. He was surprised to find Torgboryè inside. Mad with rage, he prepared to devour him, but Torgboryè, trembling, begged, “Spare me. Let me climb this tree. I will throw myself from the treetop and die; then you can eat me easily.”
The lion, tricked by these words, agreed. Torgboryè climbed the tree and, reaching the top, called for help with all his strength. His cries reached passing hunters. They rushed over immediately and, seeing the menacing lion, shot him down without hesitation.
And so, concludes this strange adventure born of the Shadow Market.
Lesson: Greed and reckless curiosity often lead man to his downfall.