In this Ikom folk story, a hawk rescues a twin abandoned in the forest and raises him as its own. Years later, when the boy’s birth mother attempts to reclaim him, the hawk demands a reward for the care it has given him. Their dispute leads to an unusual bargain and offers a traditional explanation for why hawks carry off chickens.
The Twin Child Saved by a Hawk
Awu was a woman from Inkum, a town on the right bank of the Cross River. She enjoyed singing, dancing and visiting neighbouring towns. She had many male friends but did not wish to marry, believing that married life would bring too much work.
One day, while she was about eight months pregnant, Awu went into the forest to gather firewood for her morning meal. As she worked, a branch fell from a tree and struck her belly. The blow brought on her labour, and she gave birth to twins in the forest.
The first child was a girl named Aro, while the second was a boy named Agbor.
Awu was ashamed and afraid to return to town with both babies. She feared that the people would kill the children and drive her away to starve in the bush. She decided to take Aro home but left Agbor beneath a tree.
Soon afterwards, driver ants found the abandoned baby and covered his body. Their bites made him cry. High above the forest, a hawk was circling in search of food. When it noticed the child, it swooped down, lifted Agbor in its claws and carried him to the top of a tall tree.
The hawk saw that the baby was a fine child and decided to save his life. It lit a fire, boiled water and washed the ants from Agbor’s body. Once the child was safe, the hawk cared for him and brought him up.
Aro Meets Her Lost Twin
Agbor grew up under the hawk’s protection. One day, Awu sent Aro to fetch some fire. After wandering through the forest, the girl arrived at the hawk’s home, where she saw a young man sitting nearby.
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Aro was struck by Agbor’s appearance and stared at him without speaking. He asked why she was looking at him so closely, but she did not answer.
Agbor then asked whether he resembled either her father or her mother. He declared that if he did, the fire she was carrying would go out. Immediately, the fire went out.
Aro gathered more fire, but Agbor repeated the question, and the same thing happened. This occurred three times.
Aro hurried home and told her mother about the handsome young man she had seen and the strange way the fire had repeatedly gone out.
When Awu heard the account, she realised that the young man must be Agbor, the son she had abandoned in the forest. She decided to visit him the following morning.
At first cockcrow, Awu rose and went to the hawk’s home. When she saw Agbor, she took a great liking to him and wanted to take him away to live with her. However, she could not see how to persuade the hawk to surrender the boy.
Awu’s Plan to Reclaim Agbor
Awu sought the help of a porcupine known throughout the country for his cleverness. The porcupine was also a lot caster, and after casting lots, he advised her to go to a house and pretend to be dead.
He explained that when the hawk heard of her supposed death, it would send Agbor to mourn beside her. Awu could then seize her son.
Awu paid the porcupine for his advice and followed his instructions.
When the hawk heard that Awu had died, it told Agbor to visit her the following day and mourn for her. The next morning, the hawk dressed Agbor, and the young man set off for the house where his mother lay.
When Agbor arrived, he wanted to sit at the head of his mother. Those gathered around the supposed dead woman would not allow it and directed him to sit at her feet.
As soon as he sat down, Awu sprang up and seized him. She declared that she would not let him go again.
The hawk soon arrived to take Agbor back, but Awu refused to release him. Angered by her actions, the hawk addressed the people who had gathered.
It explained that Awu had given birth to twins in the forest years earlier and had abandoned her baby boy beneath a tree, leaving him to be eaten by driver ants. The hawk reminded everyone that it had rescued Agbor, removed the ants from his body, fed him and raised him.
Having done all this, the hawk demanded that Agbor be returned to it.
The Hawk’s Reward
The people tried to settle the dispute by offering the hawk a slave in exchange for Agbor, but the bird refused. They next offered cows, sheep, goats and pigs. The hawk rejected these gifts as well.
The people then suggested giving the hawk some cocks and hens. The bird replied that, although it would not accept these in exchange for Agbor, the offer was closer to what it might agree to take.
Finally, the people offered a large basket of eggs. The hawk accepted the bargain, handed Agbor over to his mother and flew away with the basket of eggs held in its claws.
Early the next morning, the hawk began visiting houses throughout the country. It left one egg in each house until the basket was empty, then returned home.
Several months passed. Eventually, the hawk decided that the time had come to take revenge on the people for taking Agbor away from it.
It began flying from town to town, carrying off chickens from different compounds.
According to the tale, this is why hawks take chickens wherever they find them. In the story’s earlier days, people did not complain when a hawk seized a chicken because they remembered the bird’s sacrifice in saving Agbor and the basket of eggs given in return. By the time the story was recorded, however, people had forgotten the old tale and shouted at hawks or tried to kill them when they carried off their chickens.
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Moral Lesson
The story teaches us to appreciate kindness and remember those who help us in times of need. The hawk rescued Agbor when he was helpless and cared for him as he grew. Its actions remind us that genuine care and sacrifice should not be forgotten. The tale also warns against taking others’ kindness for granted and shows how greed, ingratitude and broken trust can lead to conflict.
Knowledge Check
1. Where was Awu from?
Awu was from Inkum, a town on the right bank of the Cross River.
2. What were the names of Awu’s twins?
The girl was named Aro, and the boy was named Agbor.
3. Why did Awu abandon Agbor in the forest?
She feared the consequences of returning to town with both babies and worried that the people would kill them and drive her away.
4. How did the hawk save Agbor?
It carried him to the top of a tall tree, removed the driver ants from his body with boiled water and raised him.
5. How did Awu manage to take Agbor away from the hawk?
Following the porcupine’s advice, she pretended to be dead so that Agbor would be brought to mourn beside her. She then seized him.
6. According to the tale, why do hawks carry off chickens?
The hawk began taking chickens as revenge after the people reclaimed Agbor, whom it had rescued and raised.
Source
Source: Adapted from “How an Inkum Woman Abandoned One of Her Twins in the Forest, and How it was Saved by the Hawk,” recorded by Elphinstone Dayrell in Ikom Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria (1913).
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