Chapter Twelve

The next day, the villagers were very festive because Obierika's daughter's fiance was bringing a lot of palm wine for everyone, as is their custom. The reader learns that Okonkwo actually went to the cave like five times before Ekwefi and Chielo got there. This is just another example of how stubborn and thick-headed their men are. Many women went to Obierika's compound to help prepare the meal. They were eating goat soup (I'm assuming it's some kind of treat??) at the feast. Obierika even sent someone to Umuike to get a goat as large as a cow. A cow got loose during the day. The majority of the women ran out to catch it before it destroyed all of their crops and such. At first I thought it was kind of ridiculous to send so many people after a loose cow, but I guess their crops are really all that they have. The family whose cow got loose also had to pay a fine. Okonkwo and Obierika were pleased that the suitor brought fifty pots of palm wine. Then they did a sort of questioning/ceremony/dancing type thing. I don't think it was the actual wedding, maybe just kind of like a bachelorette party??