The Girl Who Bargained With Death

There was once a girl named *Adunni* in a small village near Ibadan. She was the only child of a poor widow.

One year, famine came. The farm dried up, food finished, and Death started visiting houses.

When Death came to Adunni’s hut, the widow cried and begged, “Take me instead. My daughter is young.”
Death shook his head. “The law is the law.”

Adunni stepped forward and said, “O Death, before you take me, can I cook you one last meal? The best pounded yam and egusi you’ve ever tasted.”

Death was hungry. “Fine. But hurry.”

Adunni cooked for 3 days. The smell traveled across 7 villages. When it was ready, she served Death and said, “Eat, but there’s one rule. You cannot take anyone while you are eating.”

Death ate and ate. He ate so much he fell asleep on the mat, snoring.

Adunni and her mother quickly packed their things and ran to the next village. They planted a new farm, and because they left before Death woke up, he could never find them again.

Years later, Death was still searching. People would say, “If you see a woman with very sweet cooking, run. That’s Adunni. She tricked Death with egusi.”

*Moral:* _Wisdom and quick thinking can save you even when things look impossible._

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