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NOTEBOOK
# 2
SUMMARY II
INTRODUCTION TO
NOTEBOOK
# 2
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NOTEBOOK
# 2
SUMMARY II
INTRODUCTION TO
NOTEBOOK
# 2
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The avenue William Ponty was to Dakar and to Senegalese what is the avenue of Champs Elysées for France and French : the passage of the gods ; these of the liberty as these that preside to imprecations of hours of furies. On William Ponty pass told - one, can - be told it - one again today, the resentment, the pride and the vanity; but also the hope, the unconcern and the spirit.Jo knew this place only under its new name. He had never seen there nothing other that the people cohort, that the young men especially. Juvenile souls that strolled to the shade of baobabs without age ; one would have told that these trees served as body - gards to the great lady many time renovated. Jo has often amused to cross there a youth support conspicuously under the arm an enormous pile of books with used covers, by dint of to be lug on the boulevard. More the pile was important, more its conveyor feels posseded an intelligence to proportions out of the common; vanitas vanitatum. Is not this? Jo smiled. It was not the alone to make it. It could also see from the boulevard a succession of small shops. The smallness of places made that the junk was as much on the sidewalk that to the interior. A population of Lebanese haunt the place day and night. They were happy, these managers ; at each trips the mechanic had the impression that the surveillance of the spectacle of the street forms the essential of their occupations. This diaspora was there, to insure the durability of the antique Phenicie. It made it at Dakar as at Abidjan as at Cotonou ; as it made it already in the ancient time, the splendors time ; as it made it today again, everywhere where Mamon pushes its tentacles ; as much to tell on the whole planet ; Jo the sailor had noticed it.
" It is always a pleasure to stroll on this boulevard. " tells Jo to its companions of promenade Fa and Eshu; These - here do not react. This day - there, the perpetual students were not numerous under the baobabs. Others actors hold the high of paved . Along the perspective indeed, our visitors could observe crowds more or less important and always multicolored people who occupy the sidewalks. Human head hives had formed around multiple panels of display. Jo understanded by reading over crania that the city and the country been found in electoral period, as much to tell, in turbulences period. Cupboards that proclaim the faith of candidates justify these assemblies. At Senegal, as in the rest of the Africa continent, electoral periods are real fairs of grips ; those - here degenerate frequently in dramas on ethnic fury fund. The visitors and their companion could observe that the resentment had not taken again its place within the multitude that pressed around the panels ; Eshu make it to notice. Jo expressed a pride of solidarity; it tells:
" Senegal is a democratic country, you know ? Senegalese have succeeded to limit the intrusion of ethnic group quarrels in their political life "
It was a colonial emotionalism rest without doubt. The man exaggerates the situation; Eshu did not deprive to make it it notice; it tells it:
"You forget the Casamance, I believe. "
IFa went more far; it placed the discussion that begun on a general plan that seems to overflow the alone African framework ; the god tells :
" Does it be necessary to consider ethnic groups or well regionalisms as handicaps for the democracy ? I do not believe it. But, if one can conceive a parliament only as a place of confrontation for ethnic groups or for clannish organizations of some allegiance that this is, then, it is far the day where a nation will be able to see the harmony to reign in the society. "
" If they are there, in the case of Senegal, is not this - a lesser pain? " asked Eshu its peer; but, it is the mechanic that give it a reply. Jo tells :
" A lesser pain that solves any problem ; a pain that gives only the illusion of peace ; you have forgotten the Biafra ; or Congo ; or again the Rwanda ... Examples do not lack ; I deceive? "
" Non, you do not deceive Jo ; replies it Eshu ; but you forget that the problem to the Biafra as to the Rwanda and as in many others contries again, has no ethnic that the appearances. I do not speak, of course, devastating and visible effects that have, to just title, raised the indignation here and there ; I do not speak non more consequences that each pleased to pull some. If you want, we can tell that the indignation has not taken roots of the pain for object. "
"It is to - do ? " asked Jo, that once again, noticed that recent or distant events in order that it was persuaded to have seized the essential are presented it since its encounter with IFa and Eshu as an abyssal zonee whose it does not suspect even the existence. The reply came it from Ifa ; it was enigmatic ; the god tells:
" Here is a motto : the rose that comes to flower is already old of days, month and years consumed. "
Then the god be quiet. The silence reigned for a moment in the small groups ;
Eshu chooses to break it to specify the reach of the motto. The information was destined to the mechanic ; but it was inadequately clarified to give to the man the access to mysteries of the two divinities. Eshu tells:
" IFa speaks flowers ; but you have understood that there are also flowers of the pain... "
" But good God ! Can - you be clearer from time to time. "
" We are clear constantly Jo ; it is you that not understand us the most often ; but, that will come Jo ; that will come " tells it Ifa ; it was a share of consolation that it offered it ; it smiled also for the first time since the departure from Cotonou.
" I Hope " concludes Jo with simplicity.
By forsaking a crowd to rejoin an other, the gods and Jo behaves as a walker of Sunday on a market to fleas, and that would be to the research of the rare object that it is going be able to buy ; a promenade that would have no purpose identified. After one of its pauses, Ifa turned carelessly to its companions and launched them what resembled a provocation :
" The democracy ! A kindness of days to come ; provided that to forget Greeks ! "
Jo the mechanic was quizzical by listening the god. One had always told it that the democracy to which evolves the whole earth is a contribution of antique Greece ; and that in order that, it had to vow an eternal respect to the memory of Platon, Pericles, Aristote, Socrate and to some other heads that it could not appoint. Here is that to the detour of a corner of Africa, feeds until to burst some sun, one suggests it to be contented the present ; and that alone this present was susceptible adjustment to offer an opening on the future. As to worsen the perplexity of the mechanic, Eshu adds an appendix to the suggestion of the god Ifa ; it tells :
" Or well then, it is necessary to be at least as honest as antique Greece. "
At this point of the exchange, Jo the mechanic asked grace ; it take a supplication voice to tell to its divines neighbor what these - here do not ignore certainly.
" You know, tells them - it, I have not gone as far. I had a lot of difficulty to hold on my feet ; and crutches that one proposes me were not well-off to handle. Then, grace! Remain near the residence. "
"It is necessary again to know were to situate it," added Eshu ; Ifa specifies immediately the declaration of its acolyte ; it tells :
" There in is only one, what that one tells ; it is necessary that men hear, all as much that they are, to live there in peace. "
" And it is the earth? " asked Jo the mechanic ; it was little certain of its opinion ; despite that, gods did not gave any echo to its preoccupation ; On the contrary, Ifa changed subject ; it would leave the mechanic to its affair.
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" Your friend meet up us, Jo ; " tells the god Ifa to the mechanist by turning the head in its direction. Before the man would understand what the Spirit wanted to mean it, a friendly slap destroy on its shoulder ; it vacillated. It avoided the fall only in clutching to Eshu. To the same moment, a tremendous laugh signals the author of the slap. That - here tells it with a thundering voice that betrays the heat of the friendship:" I do not expect find you in Dakar at this time, Jo ; How do you go ? "
The mechanic shakes the head in a gesture of incredulity. It finishes by replying to the new arrive ; it tells it, by laughing to its tour :
" Very well ; but, that does not risk to last if you stun me to each of our encounters. I present you... " tells - it then, by turning to Ifa and Eshu ; but it hesitated after the first words. It looked an instant Ifa, then Eshu ; then, it decided to take the plunge ; "... the gods Ifa and Eshu. " finishes - it by adding ; but between - time, its enthusiasm was fallen ; the voice was discreet ; one would have told that it fears the announcement that it readied to make. Its friend had not the same discretion ; it attack it with a friendly fury ; it tells it, without worrying about the presence of the two divinities:
" You madman of me or what ? Ifa and Eshu are two Spirits of the Yoruba mythology... "
" You knew it ? " Surprised Jo. It was surprised indeed, that Sow knows gods of Yoruba peoples ; that - here confirmed it ; the Senegalese tells:
" Well sure that I know it. I am African, do not forget it ; The vaudou, whole the world has heard some to speak it... "
" Yes, but, one sees there only the folklore ; some times, one conceive it as a heap of animist beliefs ; it is considered more rarely as a religion and less again, as a culture sat on solid foundations. In reality, the essential passes unseen even for believers. "
By these word Eshu give a relative meaning to the certainty of the new come. That - here asked precision, non on convictions of the god, but rather on its intentions. It adopt a scoffing voice to tell :
" And it is to correct this vision that you have taken names of these divinities ? "
Ifa and Eshu did not lend attention to the irony of the purpose ; as much that the mechanic intervenes immediately in the conversation and made it take an other direction.
" You are going to vote soon ; who is your candidate Sow ? " asked it its friend. The named Sow guffawed a thundering laughter that seems not to stop ; when it found its calm finally, it tells :
" To vote yes ; but, you know although at us, it is always a feast ; a feast in the course of which one buys ; one sells ; one angers and one is sold. "
Eshu seems elsewhere while Sow speaks ; it feigned to be not interested in what tells the Senegalese. The god advanced calmly an other vision of the problem ; while scrutinising with more attention a group of strollers that animate the sidewalk on their left, and without looking its friends, it tells :
" Elsewhere also. "
" Oh, as not much that here ; as not much that at us in Africa. " retorted Sow. Eshu does not share this opinion ; it decided to specify its thought. It turned resolutely to its speaker and it tells it :
" You deceive ; the practice to which you are alluded is an universal step ; alone change means that are put opens some and methods that are employed. Elsewhere, in countries that we tell developed, in these regions that we consider as champions of the democracy, the applicant to the conduct of public businesses asks to the individual to leave it its place without... "
" This is normal ! " Exclaimed Sow that interrupts thus this debut of analysis of the god. It explained then by telling :
" You do not think nevertheless that millions of residents of a country could direct each, individually, businesses ; this would be the anarchy... "
"of course ; " conceded Eshu to the Senegalese before to specify its thing vision. It tells:
"The question is not there ; the question is not that each person puts to orders ; non ; if the democracy puts that the people is the source of the management power, it is necessary to structure it in order to make people the unique guards - leader madman ; this is rarely the case. The consequence is that we assist popular jolts, to justly bring leaders to take more some counts aspirations of the moment. Well sure, here or there, one strives sometimes to be to the listening of the city ; but what is more frequent, it is that the approach is made to convince that the steady way is the maid, and non to find that that would reply to preoccupations of the social group while preparing following day. More serious again, this are means that are put opens some to skirt the popular will. On the other hand, there are degrees to respect that have to take account the level of controversy of the society. As you know, this level is very variable from a society to the other ; I speak the quality of the debate ; but also, the serenity in which it has to unfold. It is essential that the emotionalism does not take it on the reason. Here, in your country, this level progresses regularly ; but in the totality of societies, it remains again low. The democracy in this case would have to follow by ways that drive to the harmony of the different ethnic groups and that accompany the evolution of mentalities to precisely reach, perhaps to spread the harmony beyond the alone neighbour ethnic groups.
"What supposes? " asked Sow.
"What supposes what I have already told ; but, we will be able to return there. "
The god turned then to the mechanic to spread its purpose ; it tells :
"To the risk to surprise you all the two, it is in the developed world, I mean economically, that a new approaches of the democracy has to be researched of all emergency... "
"Ah ! " Surprised at a same time Sow and the mechanic ; Ifa take then the continuation of Eshu to specify the thought of this last. It tells, the tone was jovial as if it was in the process to play a good tour to its companions.
"Oh yes ! " tells - it ; Eshu has reason ; because, to the present day, these countries constitute the reference. The danger for the man does not come from the delay of some countries - these that one told under - developed - in their step to a democratic government system ; a system in which the society is source and outcome to it power ; the danger comes from elsewhere. It is due to the fact that in the reality, the man is increasingly absent what is the foundation of governments. Or well then, when the society is taken in account, that is made, the most often, on an emotional plan first ; because it is the means most subtle to impose the options that do not reply necessarily to aspirations of men. Furthermore, we live a period where few societies remain isolated of others ; models of the great countries have tendency and will have increasingly tendency to generalise, and to need, by a constraint that does not tell its name. Here is why most powerful States, server as fact references, it invite watch to what the democracy at their level is reconsidered in view of what will be the unique society of men. Because, this universal society will be harmonious or then, it will not be.
" It remain to Eshu then to specify the senses that will have to cover this harmony ; it tells:
" Well sure, it is necessary to understand Jo, that the harmony does not hold only to the democracy. "
"Recognise nevertheless that Senegal is one countries of Africa where the democratic practice in the public life, puts the less problems... "
" Without doubts, Sow, you have reason ; I grant it you. " tells Eshu to reply to the petition of the Senegalese. Ifa intervened immediately to specify and to spread the notion of democracy, such that the two Spirits seem to envisage it. Ifa tells indeed :
" Yes ; it is true ; but, that is it only if we hold us to the vision that most men and women of all countries possess on the manner to drive businesses of the city ; you understand what we mean ? "
" Yes " Replied the two men. The mechanic did not see what other meaning the notion of democracy could have coat ; it marked its astonishment by telling:
"There is only one democracy ; what other senses do you want that one gives to the thing ? "
Its Senegalese friend was less sure of it ; it feels that the god had not exposed all elements of its vision ; it asked while its new friends unveil the depths of their thought. More albeit the difference of idea that Ifa or Eshu could have to the democracy, as compared to that that is generally admitted, the Senegalese feels that the representation of the two divinities goes beyond to the continent, and well beyond to equally of simple management of businesses of the city. It is with hesitation that it asked :
"You seem to tell that we are far the account ; I deceive ? "
Sow seems anxious. Jo by listening it would ask why ; Is the reply to come who makes it fear ? But the mechanic keeps the silence ; it waits that Eshu or Ifa wants to reply. The reply had come from Eshu. The god began by reassuring Jo, to the great astonishment of that - here, because, it had not left anything to appear its anxiety after the purposes of its friend. Eshu began thus :
"Reassure - you J o ; our friend puts questions ; in reality, it has not waited us, you and me, to make it ; and its interrogations do not focus on the best manner to drive the world ; they carry only on the most adequate manner to structure its steps... "
" How do you know it ? " grumbled the Senegalese ; it was stunned to see put itself to naked with so much insurance.
"Oh ! Don't you in suitable ; are not gods in the man ? "
Sow was contented to emit a " Hum ! " dubitatif ; then it added by accelerating the walking :
"It is that ! " It was on it's guards, the Senegalese ; it was surely and solitary. The god does not react ; it do quietly the development of its thought ; it tells :
"We told that the democracy, this is not only listened popular aspirations and to reply there. It is necessary equally to lend its attention to many others interrogations. Take, for example, the case that you know well, that Senegal ; leaders do they have the means to listen the people ? I mean, if they have the liberty to make it. Then, it is necessary to seek namely if they have means and possibilities to satisfy them ; because, when one speaks liberty of a man, it is necessarily as compared to others men ; and in the case of a people, relationships with others peoples play a determining role; especially, that that authorities can have with powerful countries that have means of pressure over their. This there are the factors who it is necessary to take account in the appreciation of actions of political leaders. This does not decrease their responsibility ; but it is important to do not lose all these factors of view. It is this necessity that Ifa underlines, there is an instant. "
" This goes far this ! " Tells Jo. The mechanic seems frightened.
" We will tell it, Jo. Replied Eshu ; then it make a proposal; it tells :
" For the moment, go on to see the ancient. "
" The ancient ? " Questioned Sow that did not see what Eshu wanted to speak. Ifa gave the precision that would ask the Senegalese ; but it do it under the form of a lesson ; it tells :
" Yes ; Gorée is not far isn't this -? It is a place of memory! An already ancient memory that it is necessary to maintain with constancy without ceasing to think of those of the present ; we will see them, those - there later. "
" Oh yes! I see. " Tells Sow, before to offer itself immediately to serve as guide to its friends.
" Go on ; the next boat will leave in an hour. " added - t - it while same time that it took ahead.
The smoke, the noise and the fury envelop our four friends in a very frequented restaurant of Dakar - Fan. The establishment was held by an Italian (it was what it claims! ) Senegalese regulars had some doubt to the authenticity of the osso - buco that was the speciality of the chief ; but having no references, they made as if it was - there, the summit of the Italian kitchen. The group of the two divinities and their friends had rendered there to finish their seconds day at Dakar. To the end of a moment, while the meal occupies guests, Eshu rested its fork ; the god looked the two sailors tour to tour. Jo and Sow lifted the head of their plates and look Eshu to question it and they hold their forks in the air. Eshu pushed a sigh, then it tells :
" One would tell a meal of good-bye. "
"Not good-bye, dear friend ; not good-bye ! " Replied Sow that borrowed to be made the accent small Negro well known, and that it likes to imitate in its moments of conviviality ; more particularly, when it been found in company of white men. Jo knew this propensity of its friend ; it burst laughter, and Ifa and Eshu do similarly. The hilarity of Ifa lasted only an instant ; Jo had already noticed that Ifa laughed little, and ever long time ; it would ask why without daring to inform. The mechanic had noticed also that in the presence the god, it feels a great serenity to born in itself ; it felt in peace, and it feels some a real pleasure, even if that schemes it ; even if it could not in to find reasons. Ifa had told it once : "don't worry Jo ; the peace also can be difficult for carry. " It was on the boat before they accost to Dakar ; the god had added : " It is necessary to pose very early essential questions to hope to find them a reply in ten, twenty or thirty years ; and often, later again. " This day - there, Jo did not know what it can think to this advice ; it did not find anything to tell ; it was annoyed ; it abandoned the god on the bridge this day - there, to flee in a meditative silence ; but since, the purpose has not left its spirit an alone instant. In the restaurant this evening - there, it tells abruptly:
"What questions are essential ? What questions does it be necessary to pose and when to make it ? "
The purpose had escaped Jo ; it did not understand why it had told these words. Its question had for effect to make cease immediately the buffoonery's of its friend. Sow become to the reality and asked to understand.
"Forgiveness? " Tells - it. Without waiting the explanation that the mechanic could have provide it, it pulled a conclusion falsely quiet ; it was for him, a manner to refocused its spirit on itself ; it tells:
"Oh, you spoken to gods! "
To this moment, Eshu decided to orient the conversation on an other theme ; it chooses to go in an other direction, that where men have foot more easily. The god tells indeed :
"You go westward, I believe ; when do you think to iron out by Dakar ? "
The purpose addressed to Sow ; but, the Senegalese ignored the question ; it wanted to understand what its sailor friend meant. It wanted to seize the senses of its reflection ; and why no, to find some reasons. It holds there ; because, it was indeed, the time first, since that they knew, that Jo appeared it so worried. It feels its preoccupied friend, non by the life and the alive, but by itself . One would have told that the man tempts to give components of its personality to their places ; a personality that a jocular Spirit would have disconnect ; then, it would have dispersed the pieces to winds. Sow posed quietly its fork ; its calm contrasted with the ambient din but equally with the borrowed conviviality that it demonstrates some second to the earlier. The Senegalese will cross the arms on the torso ; it leaned then to its chair. It was necessary that it is comfortably installed before to ask its friend to exit from itself. When this was made, it tells :
"Jo, what questions do you speak ? And to who pose them ? You not speak of boat neither money or girls, isn't this ? "
The mechanic does not leave it eyes while Sow speaks. It seemed to Eshu that observes them that Jo was on the point to reply ; its lips moved imperceptibly. They begun to half-open. One would have told that the mouth prepared to enter in action. But, the man renounced, and the body obeys ; lips shut. Sow pushed a sigh. It will know to wait. A later instant, it turned to gods to reply to the question that Eshu had posed it. It tells:
"Yes, my freighter goes to Brazil ; then, we will go in Argentina ; after, I don't knowing ; I am not the master. "
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The night was well advanced when each regained its edge. However, the city rustle again ; yes, the African night is made of a particular resonance ; it is a mix of innocent laughter, childish, generous and instantaneous ; the night is made of guttural shouts as to hail the existence and order it order to advance, and again to advance what ever be the case. Sacredness men ! so fragile, and nevertheless tireless.The freighter of Sow, the Senegalese, lifted the anchor very early the morning following day. Jo and its divine companions have again some hours to pass in the city ; they will leave Dakar only the following day. The historical city of Saint - Louis is not far from there. On the path of the return after the visit of the city, Jo wanted to know the opinion of its friends on the white elephant's problem ; but, it hesitated to pose them the question. In the meantime to find the best manner to approach the subject, the mechanic contemplates the monotonous landscape that ran the long of the pane of the vehicle ; a spectacle of pebbles drowned in a fog of dusts from which emerge some scrubby bushes. This vegetation - there seems to ask grace, in vain, to the sun without ever renouncing to the existence. To the end of a moment, Jo decided, but, it advanced to matted. It exclaimed simply ; it tells:
" It is incredible! "
This was to invite the god to ask it a question ; that precisely that would allow it to approach the subject that it wishes to process. The god had intervened indeed.
" What ? Jo " asked immediately Ifa ; the god specified then its question ; it added : " The dust or the elephants ? " The mechanic returned briskly to it. Up till now, it had not told about elephant neither the dust of elsewhere. It was furious. Can not - it therefore to think, without that its friends do not rape the secret of its meditation. It is going to revolt against this spiritual promiscuity ; but, Eshu is more speed ; the Spirit of crossroads tells, while bursting laughter :
" Gods are in us, isn't this, Jo ? Then, do not surprise ; because, gods can exist only if the man exists ; gods can howl only if the man howls. Serenity and harmony are masters - words, and these words make gods to make the man ; these words can not pass from the power to the existence that if men and gods are in symbiosis. "
" I did not know you philosophical ; " satirised Jo to the continuation of the speech of Eshu ; it recognised by - there even, the calming virtues of purposes that it comes to hear. It finds the smile, when it heard to retort by its protagonist :
" Since the man is it. "
Ifa had regained the silence meanwhile. Jo could approach finally the white elephant's question ; it tells :
" And elephants ! Confess that it is revolted to see a such waste beside so miseries. You know, I am in fury, despite me, each time that I am found in the presence of these unfinished yards and that never will be it probably. Whole that, because I don't know what quidam has stolen the financing... "
" But then, you have to be furious all time and everywhere you go ! " asked it Eshu by interrupting the diatribe in which the mechanic had launched. To these words, Jo calmed ; one would have told that the purposes of the god had cut it the breath ; then, abruptly, it changed it's mind as if it comes to understand all to knock the sense of the intervention of the god.
" Ah ! Why that ? " Tells - it with astonishment t but, gods kept the silence and the diatribe died.
When Jo lives the two youths girl, a white , sober; and a black, shiny of beauty, to direct to it on the terrace where it savours the sun before to resume to the sea, it would ask what they could well want it. In the meantime to know it, it licked the lips although it finds them too young again. When they were near it, the Black addressed to the mechanic and tells it :
" Can we speak you about Saints of the First Morning ? " They were timid all two ; the purpose would lack insurance. Jo did not understand them first of all ; youths girl speak Saints, and it thinks " breasts ". It finishes by overcoming its surprise ; it asked precision with a curiosity of tone that was not feigned ;
" The... breasts ? " Tells - it in a sort of hesitation, not having again decided what it is going to make with the reply.
" Yes ; The Saints of our church ; the Saints of the First Morning " replied - they in a same time.
" Ah ! good : " exclaimed Jo who is found finally on the same length of wave. The mechanic become seriousness ; it sent its retort ; it was decided to does not leave to entail in this gender of debate ; it asked to the two youths girl :
" The first morning ? The man had already had the time to sin? "
" It is the name of our... "
" Listen ; tell me, what do you have against my God ? You find that It is not well, mine ? "
Jo was in anger ; it is always thus, each time that it was requested by sects ; in Africa, that become a sore. It dismissed without caution them two girl youths ; or rather, it dismissed. It tells indeed, at the same time that it lifted to leave :
" I am already followed by two gods ; then... "
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" Again a week on the sea " tells Jo to its two companions without ceasing to fix the wake of the freighter on which they had regained since the day before. The three friends were leaning on the bulwark. Jo no longer worries about comments of its sailor colleagues ; these - here had taken the habit of their one side to see the mechanic to soliloquise by moments. For them, the mechanic was good for the asylum. They feared only that a unpredictable and brutal crisis not to throw it in the violence, and brought it to take some to them. However, the calm whose it made proof reassures them as much that the machinery of the ship was perfectly maintained. Despite that, all look forward, the arrival to Bordeaux.From Dakar to Bordeaux, seven days are necessary to cover the distance. There are not long again, some steamships borrow the essential of this maritime road and finish their journeys to Marseilles. Marseilles, a port for all races ; a port for all cultures ; races and cultures that make this city one of the crucibles of the world where would exit, hopes - one, an other humanity. Only here is, the hope is in wait since the ancient Greeks ; and nevertheless, this is not for lack of to have opened arms. Today, one would have told that the city scrutinises the horizon and offers regularly to welcome, with the cheeky humour and the smile in corner, all people that, from despair to despair, finish by failing on its beaches.
To the evening finishing of the second day on sea since the Senegalese pause, Jo contemplates the desert that parades in the distance. In reality, one guesses hardly these earth of desolation ; it were rather its dreams that the mechanic contemplates. It emerges from the daydreaming by moments, to surprise to not see again its friend Ifa and Eshu ; they would lack it. Jo thought that they are may - be ill ; an idea that came it to this moment - there, make it smile ; it told to low voice : " the pain of sea ! And if they had the pain of seas ; sick gods ? Who knows ? " The smile be come more frank ; that translated from the tenderness. Jo reminded legends of Mesopotamia that one had told it once, in what port, it no longer knew ; it tells with a meditative air: " It would be necessary to create a goddess Ninti to heal them " .
" Are we gods of the wisdom, Jo ? "
The mechanic jumped ; it returned briskly and lives Eshu cheerful that made it face.
" Good blood ! cried it ; it is always similar with you."
Jo was furious by this unexpected and abrupt arrival. It would have some to have the habit ; nevertheless, each time that that happens, it would leave to surprise. It calmed rapidly this evening - there ; but it would stand face to the god. One would have told that it seeks the continuation that it had to give to its anger in order that it has a meaning. Yes, it was necessary a continuation to mean to the gods that it has two legs, two arm, a head and some other things, that form what one calls a man ; it is - to - tell, some thing that is extremely fragile, but that is paradoxically, indestructible, even by gods. Jo does not find anything in tell. Abruptly, Eshu and the mechanic were leaning with a same movement against the bulwark ; one would have told that they had given the word. An instant of silence again, and the sailor turned the head to the god and asked it on the tone of the confidence:
" The desert, you already went there? "
Eshu does not tell anything first ; The look of the god does not leave the line of horizon ; it keeps the silence and leash to the question the time to occupy the space. Jo also comes to scrutinise the horizon; one guesses there a landscape scrambled ; a landscape that was made, may - be, with wind of sand, but necessary with emanations of so successive miseries that have finished by giving this sensation of eternity that one feels each time that one is found there dived. Eshu finishes by replying to the question of the sailor ; it do it without leaving the distant of the look, as if it seeks there rests of an already ancient souvenir, but that refuses to blur entirely. It tells:
" Yes, we have gone there, we the gods. We have gone there, and we have not returned from there...
" Ah no ! " It was a roar ; Before even that the mechanic has resumed its breath to tell its annoyance, Eshu turned the head in to it with an abruptness such, that Jo remained the mouth open without being able to emit the lesser its. It discovered for the first time, that Eshu could have a fearsome air. The god restored its head to the position that it had an instant earlier. It tells then, with a voice whose calm contrasted with the abruptness of the preceding gesture:
" Yes, Jo ; we have gone there. Here is the history ; or the legend, if you prefer. It had a moment where The Powerful Whole tidied to gods to render in the forest. We come northern; we had to go there by crossing the desert ; that that we see to parade ahead we at this time. The gods go on the way. It was a noisy and happy troop that starts the journey. Men were with us ; and as we, they were gay and carefree. You can imagine a cohort of children, women and men of all ages and all conditions? We sung and danced. Women, whose we know the charm when they know to be women, made a rapture of each nothing that the chance brought to us. The wind, first clement, because, it was a breeze that cools hardly dressed bodies, changes sometimes in whirlwinds. In these moments - there, each thrown a suspicious look to Osanyi, the god of medicines. I was equally the object of the ambient distrust in these hours where the wind enveloped us with dusts. Gods and men would ask indeed, if, by one of my mockeries on infirmities of the god, I had not released, once again, the anger of this valiant Spirit but too sensitive. As you know without doubt, the god of medicines is infirm ; it is one-armed, one-legged and voiceless. A day of great festivities, it was before we did not take the road of the desert, I have amused to attract one more the attention on its state ; that put it off ; the atmosphere of entertainment increases more again its anger. It take then the wind ; it enclosed there all winds and all known sicknesses; and equally all those that are to come. It make to whirl the whole with anger; a risen tenfold anger by laughter of gods and these of men. Thus it is that the god of medicines sowed the world of all diseases...
" In sum, tells Jo that would listen with attention ; in sum, tells - it, it is you the responsible and they are men that pay the price... "
" Not entirely ; replied Eshu ; gods also are put to contribution ; but you will understand it later. In the desert to this moment - there, this was not the same situation. These whirlwinds pass only ; these winds - there, were not carrier pains. The procession, hilarious and carefree, sinks slowly in the immensity of the desert; a bare immensity that spread to loss of view ; an immensity that swallows the clamour of our group, as it swallows gods and men. When arrive whirlwinds with the dust that accompanies it, each lost momentarily seen its neighbour ; but each time, the wind ceases to blow as abruptly as it lifts ; we continued our journey, and the gaiety returns. After several days of this regime, the wind lifted again ; this wind - there, was different these that we had known. It amplifies from instant to instant and blows everywhere both. It comes from northern, as from the southern, as from the west and as from the eastern. Gods and men thinks that they come to change world. Men wondered by what loophole to engulf to find the serenity of past. We asked us if our steps had not behaved us in a universe where alone the wind and the winds had a reality ; the wind and the dust that was inseparable from it. Whirlwinds in squalls, then squalls in squalls, the hurricane had dispersed all the troop ; each of us had not more than the dust and the sand as neighbours ; each of us saw only dust and sand where that it lifts the eyes, when it could make it. That had lasted long, very long. The cyclone did it have raged during days, months or years ? Null could not tell it. When finally Duduwa deigned to pacify the elements, men no longer see any god around them ; Alone, they had returned from the gale. Men scrutinised the sky ; and they scrutinised the horizon. Men seek horizons ; but, they discovered only them - same ; they hear only their clean groans ; they were alone. They take slowly account that they had to continue their road in solitary in the existence. It would remain them however, enough imagination and reminiscences. No longer feeling in measure to advance neither to retreat, the man without gods decides to remain on the spot ; it decided to remain there where the destiny had behaved it.
The man waits there the gods. It had days ; it had months and it had years. The man counted days, then it counted weeks, then months. It finishes by no longer counting and looking in it - even. And there, it was surprised to discover so treasures bury in it self ; it thanked. It rendered thanks to Powerful Whole. It rendered grace, but, it had fear. " The swallow asked the meat, one brought it a bullock ; we told Ifa. The bird had fear and escapes by shouting : it is too; it is too ; it is too ! "
Upstart at this point of the narration, Eshu be silent. It does not leave the horizon of eyes. Meditates - it, would ask Jo ; but, the mechanic does not dare to interrupt this silence - there ; it waits. The god turned slowly the head to it some later instants, and it takes again its purpose ; it tells it:
" You see, Jo ; the man had no again conscience it - even ; it had not it sufficiently to accept and assume what it discovered. It does not possess it enough again, even now. In its desert, the man looks the ground after the storm that had to subtract gods to its look ; it had discovered there the cumulus and the sucker bot. One asked the man what it made in this desert - there; it replied: " Who put us there." This was not a question. Some, among men understands that it was there, whole what appeared from gods bury.
Men, installed in their desert, saw to pass birds in a senses then in an other. To each passage, fowl would leave to fall that, a twig, picked under what sky; the man ignores it. That a feather, snatch to what victim ? The man could not know it. Each gift had its properties and its abilities. The earth gave its fruit ; and each - of them had its efficiency. The man contemplates all that ; it decided that it was - there; what gods send it. It decided that it was the wisdom of gods. It make it the rites ; then, it make it a ritual when these that understood again the sucker bot of Spirits had disappeared. Thus it is that all had returned to gods. One had forgotten what come from the man. One had forgotten what come from the earth. One had forgotten equally what come of the nature. Yes Jo, the desert, we have gone there; we have gone there, and we have not returned it ; or rather, we have returned it ; but, we have become unrecognisable by men. "
" Not so unrecognisable that , if I judge it by the cult that millions of persons devote you ; I deceive ? "
" This is not entirely true Jo ; or then you have not understood the meaning of the legend. The real question is : what is the senses of the cult ? Or again : To what does one vow the cult ? But we shall tell it again ; patience and serenity, isn't this? " The mechanic is going to react and tell its convictions, those of its religious education ; or more exactly, those of the culture in which its childhood was soaked ; but, it renounced there. It renounced, no by lack of convictions, but because its trips had taught it the illusion of furies when it concerns human thinks. It chooses to understand first, then to compare before to commit a controversy if the question poses ; and especially, if it feels size. " The modesty is not a defect " had told it Ifa one day of great audacity. It had told it equally that the essential it was that the seed was sown ; " if the earth is good, it will germinate sooner or later ; otherwise, patience and serenity ".
" I am going to know if the earth is good and if the grain is going to germinate, dear friend " tells the mechanic by distancing the god. Before to disappear in the gangways, it heard Eshu to tell it with a tone that it would have attributed rather to the god Ifa. Eshu told it :
" It is good Jo ; the earth is good, I can to insure it you. "
The freighter passed away to Acores island ; this was in deep night. Jo could not sleep in the same moment on its bunk ; it does not get lull. If there was not this background noise, an intersected permanent purr of rattle, that transforms into an alive mechanism all ship in displacement, the mechanic would have strongly indisposed its comrades ; these - here slept. They had no divine companions, to shout them " wake - you ; wake - you and watch! " Jo watches therefore. Jo watches, but, it could not prevent to wonder what were horizons that it was necessary it to watch. By moments, the envy to renounce took it ; to renounce and find these happy days where which its alone concerns were to insure that it possesses always two feet, two arm, a head and some other appendices. It had not while to insure the good functioning of this mechanics - there. Jo pampers it ; it took it for the extreme wealth of the existence ; here is that now, it has the delicious resentment to glimpse the door of the Eternity; loser by the same opportunity this comfortable mark that reads : " Born the... Die the... "
" That is - what I earn there, me! " Say - it with rage ; it found no reply ; but, as one insures that the earth is good, it calmed and finishes by lulling.
" We have passed Acores Island this night. "
It is by this sentence that the mechanic saluted, the following day, its friends, when it found them on the bridge of the freighter. It had to the accomplished screen all tasks that its commander had confided it for the day.
" We know it, Jo " replied the two Spirits. They hold side by side, the back supported against the framework that supports a boat of rescue. The mechanic approached slowly them ; all obviousness, it wishes to speak; but, this was Eshu that addressed it the word the first. It tells it :
" Looks Jo ; dolphins accompany us "
" Yes, I see tells the mechanic ; it is frequent to meet them by here. It is pretty. I am always charmed by their games."
" It is by thinking of the dolphin that one has told that " whole the man is not in the man. " By these words, Ifa transforms the harmless amusement spectacle that offered dolphins in an opening on a mythology that did not make leave of the unusual of the sailor. The god returns thus the mechanic on a terrain that that - here would have preferred to avoid ; it was a manner for it to resume its breath. The mechanic renders account that it does not belong it to decide some ; it resigned ; it was contented to ask :
" It is to - do? "
Ifa that had provoked the yaw hushed ; it had sown the seed ; it returned to Eshu to weed, if it was necessary. Eshu had to intervene indeed ; it could not abandon the man. The god tempted to reveal to Jo the mythical content of the purpose of Ifa. The god of the crossroads advanced to Jo that did not know very well how it had to react to the silence of Ifa. Eshu take the mechanic by the shoulder ; they make some steps ; the god had declined the head ; Jo would ask what driven the god to adopt this attitude, it was indeed, this was the first time that it saw it thus. The man worries ; the man waits. The god tells it, without lifting the head :
" Listening Jo, it concerns a legend ; another one again ! Men tell that originally, the dolphin was a girl youth ; a youth gay and beautiful girl ; a girl youth that, as all youths girl of the world, builds its future dreams ; and, as always in these cases - there, there was a young man behind the cloud... "
" And as always in these cases - there, chained Jo ; the parent do not approve ! "
" How do you know it? " Surprised Eshu that seems sincerely surprised.
" Eh ! I am not god ; but, the histories of men are everywhere the same ; this earth is one ; isn't this ? "
The god lifted the head ; it smiles. Jo was reassured ; it tells then :
" And how evolves your version of the history of the youth and inconsolable girl ? "
" It threw in the sea, and it was transformed into dolphin. But, it never ceased to research the company of humans. "
Jo had the impression that its companion comes to conclude its history. The mechanic that had not forgotten the enigmatic sentence of the god Ifa surprises that there is no apparent relationship between the legend that it comes to hear and what the god under - hears ; it is - to - tell, " whole the man is not in the man. " It make it to know without hesitations to the Spirit that holds it again by the shoulder. It stopped to walk and obliges the god to make the same thing. Jo turned then the head to it, while inclining slightly the chest to the rear ; it tells :
" Good ! This is there, only a legend ; one of those that I can hear everywhere ; one of those that tell to all periods. When sometimes, there were variants, those - here translate only the cultural specificity. I see no relation with your friend purposes... "
" You can not speak friendship, Jo ; I have already told it you. As for your remark, I recognise that you have reason. What I have not told again, it is that this legend is associated with two others. Two legends of Ifa. This totality gives access in the senses that you seek. But, in the practice of the initiation, the association at the child is made only later, after the puberty; and it is to children itself to realise it. It has to establish alone, the relation between the myths. It is necessary to know finally that the comprehension of the three legends does not suffice ; it is necessary to add there that the real function of the god of the thunderbolt. I repeat it ; it is to the young man to establish relations that unite these different elements ; it is to the man to make it, if it is capable... "
" If the earth is good ? "
" Yes, if the earth is good, and if it is well prepared. The first of the three legends of Ifa speaks on a man that decided to buy a slave that would be on the point to deliver ; if, at the birth, the baby is a girl, it would enclose it far all male look, including his, until its puberty. Then it would become its woman without having known anything on the man. Our individual take its project on the way ; the god Ifa finds that that is inadmissible ; it do therefore the necessary in order that the hour of the nuptials arrival, the man notices the inanity of its thought.
The seconds legend speaks on the creation of the woman. A part of " work " does not give whole satisfaction to the Powerful Whole ; The Supreme God decided to leave it thus in the meantime to find better. Consequences that resulted some within the society were a scandal for Eshu that, after having rummaged Ifa, corrected the defect with the assistance of an other divinity...
" What ? You have dared ? "
"Congratulation, Jo ; it is exactly the reaction that it is necessary to have to understand the senses of this legend. Sure, I have given to you only a summary. "
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