The picky princess

The princess of Okuje was the most beautiful maiden in the land. Her skin was smooth and dark, her eyes were bright and lively, and her hair was long and silky. She was also very intelligent, witty, and brave. She had everything a woman could wish for, except for one thing: a husband. 

The princess was very picky when it came to choosing a suitor. She rejected every man who came to ask for her hand, no matter how rich, powerful, or handsome he was. She always found something wrong with them: they were too old, too young, too short, too tall, too fat, too thin, too proud, too humble, too boring, too wild, and so on. She said she was waiting for the perfect man, who would love her for who she was and not for her beauty or her wealth. 

 

Her father, the king, was very worried about his daughter's future. He wanted her to marry a good man who would take care of her and give him grandchildren. He searched far and wide for a suitable match for her, but she rebuffed all of them, citing one excuse or the other. Her mother, the queen, tried to persuade her to be more reasonable and flexible, but she refused to listen. Her parents got tired of her excuses and left her to her own designs, hoping that she would change her mind someday. 

 

News of the princess spread far and wide, even in the spirit kingdom. One of the spirits, who was very cunning and greedy, swore to get her for himself. He had no body of his own, but he could borrow whatever body parts he was missing from his fellow spirits. He also gathered his spirit friends and they embarked on the journey to marry the princess. They disguised themselves as human beings and brought along many gifts and treasures to impress the king and the princess. 

 

When they got to their destination, they were welcomed by the king and his court. The princess was excited when she saw the spirit in human form. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen. He had a fair complexion, blue eyes, blond hair, and a charming smile. His entourage and the large number of gifts they bore added to their swagger. He introduced himself as the prince of a faraway land, and asked for the princess's hand in marriage. 

 

The king was apprehensive, so were his elders. None of them knew or had heard of the land the strangers spoke of. They sensed something was not right about them, but they could not put their finger on it. They tried to warn the princess, but all their warnings fell on deaf ears. The princess was smitten by the spirit, and agreed to marry him without hesitation. She packed her belongings and followed the strange suitor home, leaving behind her family and her people. 

 

She soon realized her mistake, but it was too late. The spirit revealed his true nature to her, and showed her his borrowed body parts. He told her that he had tricked her into marrying him, and that he would keep her as his slave and his toy. He also told her that his spirit friends had taken over her father's kingdom, and that they would devour all the humans there. The princess was horrified and heartbroken. She wished she had listened to her parents and her elders, and not judged a man by his appearance. She wondered if there was any hope for her, or for her people. She prayed to the gods to save her, but no one answered her prayers. 

 

One night, she decided to escape from the spirit's clutches. She waited until he was asleep, and then stole his keys and his horse. She rode as fast as she could, hoping to reach her father's kingdom before dawn. She did not know that the spirit had woken up and noticed her absence. He was furious and summoned his spirit friends to chase after her. They flew in the air, following her trail. 

 

They caught up with her near the border of her father's kingdom. They attacked her from all sides, trying to drag her back to the spirit's lair. The princess fought back with all her strength, but she was outnumbered and overpowered. She felt a sharp pain in her back, as one of the spirits tore a portion of her flesh with his claws. She screamed in agony, and fell from her horse. She lay on the ground, bleeding and unconscious. 

 

The spirit who had married her was about to finish her off, when he heard a loud roar. He looked up and saw a lion, the symbol of her father's kingdom, standing over the princess. The lion was the king himself, who had been transformed by the gods to protect his daughter. He had heard her scream and rushed to her aid. He glared at the spirit and his friends, and bared his teeth. He was ready to fight them to the death. 

 

The spirit and his friends were terrified by the sight of the lion. They knew they had no chance against him. They decided to flee, and flew away as fast as they could. They did not dare to look back, or to return to the spirit's lair. They scattered in different directions, and never bothered the princess or her people again. 

 

The lion gently lifted the princess with his mouth, and carried her to his palace. He laid her on a bed, and licked her wounds. He prayed to the gods to heal her, and to forgive him for his negligence. He vowed to be a better father and a better king, He also hoped that his daughter would find true love someday, and be happy. 

 

The gods heard his prayers, and granted him his wishes. They restored his human form, and healed the princess's wounds. They also sent a good man to marry her, who loved her for who she was and not for her beauty or her wealth. He was the son of a neighboring king, who had heard of the princess's ordeal and admired her courage and resilience. He came to visit her, and they fell in love at first sight. They had a grand wedding, and lived happily ever after. 

 

However, the princess's back was never the same again. The scar left by the spirit's claws remained, and gave her back an s shape. She did not mind it, though. She saw it as a reminder of her past, and a lesson for her future. She learned to be more humble and grateful, and to look beyond the surface and see the person's character and values. She also taught her children and her people these values, and they respected and loved her for that. 

 

The princess's back became a mark of distinction and beauty among her people. They believed that it was a sign of the gods' favor and protection. They also believed that it was a sign of wisdom and courage. They started to imitate her back, and bent their backs in an s shape. They did this to honor the princess, and to emulate her virtues. They also did this to ward off evil spirits, who feared the lion and the princess. 

 

This is how humans got their s shaped backs, according to the legend of the princess of Okuje.

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