Kuyanga Part 1 Complete Hausa Novel

Sarki Abdallah was a composed and dignified king who loved his people. He had three wives and two children. His first wife, the head wife, was Hauwa, called *UMMAH*. The second was Saratu, called *MAMAH*. The third was the king’s bride, Fatima, but she was called *FATU*. UMMAH was a woman with intense jealousy. She had pride and authority; she was a daughter of the royal house and exercised her power in the king’s house because King Abdallah loved her, and that was why she always showed off her greatness in the palace. Everyone feared her, from the palace guards, the male servants and the housemaids, to everyone in the palace, even her co-wives.

Her only child was Prince Anwar, whom she spoiled with care and indulgence. He completed his education from secondary school up to higher secondary school, and staying there caused him no small corruption in character, for after he finished his studies he refused to return. He got himself a place where there was no scolding and no frowning until the news of what he was doing reached the ears of His Majesty, and a strict summons was sent and he was brought back. He was severely rebuked; he was even threatened, and the king told him that if he did not stop, he would marry him off within the family, or search out any woman at all and arrange a marriage for him.

Anwar’s work there was looking for worthless women, those Europeans had corrupted him like that, and those were the bad friends he associated with. They had no job at all except going from club to club, lounging around with women, drinking alcohol, and dancing. But he was more attached to one white woman who insisted on being called RIHANNA, and no matter how much he disgraced her, she always swallowed it. The only thing that made him enjoy her company was that she knew how to handle a man. In every field of deception and skillful romance she was highly experienced, and that was where she excelled. Besides that, she was very jealous. She had received many lashes from women who came to attack him, but even so he kept rejecting her and going to sleep with whoever he wanted, because she feared him and would not let him behave freely again.

Anwar was full of pride and mercy; he regarded himself as some kind of king. So in his heart he always felt that whatever he did, no one had the power to stand in his way, because he was the son of a king and the heir apparent. His mother kept adding to the feeling of pride in his heart every day; she always reminded him that he was the king of tomorrow, even though he did not really want to become king, because he knew that if he became king he would have to sit in one place and leave everything he was doing then.

King Abdallah was always filled with sorrow over what his son Anwar was doing, and he did not know what to do with him because he loved him, since he was his eldest son, the one who would one day have to become king in the town. He knew that his mother was the one encouraging him, since he had forbidden him from living in Europe, but she said he should be left there to rest, and before long she did not want anything that would upset him. The king’s other wives were also happy in their own way, because the middle one, MAMAH, had never given birth, while the king’s bride FATU had given him a son, the only one she bore, five years after Anwar. The boy’s name was LAMIDO.

UMMAH did not like FATU and her son because Fatu had not been in the house long before she became pregnant. Even MAMAH, who had come before her, did not resent Fatu, because MAMAH was a woman of trust; the world did not trouble her. She treated each child of theirs as though she had given birth to him herself. But as they grew up, she came to love Lamido more, because he was a sensible boy and did not bother with talk. He studied in Nigeria. When he was old enough to enter university, at that time the king wanted to send him to Europe too, but FATU refused to agree, because in her view a child living in Europe without a mother and without a father is ruined and his good character changes to bad, since even Anwar, after going there, was not like that before; later he learned some of the king’s ways. She was not upset about that, because she brought him solid reasons for not wanting him to go to Europe, and he was satisfied. MAMAH also did not see any fault in it, because she knew everything, and their hearts were joined. The two of them. UMMAH used to say they were united against her. The way they feared her was what made them not interfere in her affairs.

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Since Anwar returned to Nigeria, after nearly five months he grew tired of staying cooped up. He no longer went out to the club, let alone chasing women, because there was no chance. Everywhere he went, eyes were on him, and if he did anything outside, the king might hear of it, and then it would be said that he had disgraced the house. So he preferred to go out and let Rihanna keep pestering him that if he did not return to Europe, she would pack her things and follow him to search out where he was. His mind was troubled, because he knew she could do it, and he knew that if she came, his end would be sealed in the house. Without delay he began packing the things he would travel with, because he had promised her he would come within the week; even two days was enough for him to go. He was thinking about how to persuade the king to let him go, and he entered the house, toward his mother’s section, in order to first bring up the matter so they could find a solution.

As he walked through the courtyard of the house with a dignified royal stride and a fine fragrance and royal majesty, male servants and female maids carrying out their duties passed by him and bowed as they offered their greetings to the prince, the king of tomorrow. A *KUYANGA* caught his eye as he saw her sweeping near the place where the horses were kept, her head without a veil, with only the scarf she had wrapped around her head slipping loose. She was fair, beautiful, with hips and full breasts filling her chest. She raised her head to leave the place, and he called to her. She hurried over to him obediently and knelt to greet him. He looked at her again for a few seconds, then said with elegance, “What are you doing there?” With a trembling voice she said, “I... I’m... I’m sweeping...” He said, “So this horse area is the one you people, the women or the men servants, are cleaning?” She lowered her head and said in a softer voice, “May Allah help you, Prince, I’m begging your pardon; it’s not my job. I’m helping MAHBUB; he went somewhere for an errand.” He said, “MAHBUB! And who is *MAHBUB*?” She began to stammer, thinking perhaps she had done something wrong. She said, “He is my friend; we both came together. He is also helping me with the work, which is why I’m helping him.”

As she spoke, she attracted him. Her mouth looked as though a heart had been carved there, and he stared at it as it moved slowly. When she fell silent, he too remained silent, only looking at her. Something kept occurring to him in his heart. When he stayed quiet, she quickly raised her head, thinking he had gone, but she saw that he was still there. She quickly lowered her head so they would not meet eyes. He said to her, “What is your name?” She said, “My name is *KUYANGA*!!” He said, “You, I asked for your name, so you will tell me the truth. KUYANGA is not a name to me; that word is Arabic. In Hausa it means slave girl.” She said, “My name is *ZEENATU*.” He nodded only and passed her, while continuing to think things over in his heart.

When he entered his mother’s room, he found her there with her female attendants serving her: one was pressing her feet and massaging her, another was peeling banana for her, and she was eating it. When he entered, the attendants offered him their greetings too. He replied briefly. She pointed toward the door, gesturing that they should go out and give them privacy. After they left, he settled himself and said, “UMMAH, greetings and good health to you.” She smiled. “Yes, greetings to you too, my pride, Prince, heir apparent, king of tomorrow, by the will of Allah.” He smiled and said, “Mother, the remedy for your crying has come to you today. I have brought the thing for which you are crying; I know there is no problem on your side, you will wipe away the tears. It is only His Majesty I am worried about.”

She said, “Say whatever it is, I will do it for you, and I will order it to be done for you.”

He said, “Ummah, I want to return to Europe. I am tired of staying in Nigeria; I do not go out for work, and almost every day I stay at home. I do not exercise; boredom is troubling me. Help me and let me tell His Majesty...”