The King of Katunga

By Jenny Mohan

The King of Katunga is a moral fable for modern times; a bedtime story told by a grandmother, Jocelyn, to her grandson, Rufus.

It all starts one fine day, when little Rufus gifts his grandmother a birthday present – a rose he innocently 'picks' from a local flower shop. Touched by his kind gesture, but doubtful about where the rose actually came from, Jocelyn asks Rufus, who tells her that he plucked it from the garden at school. Aware of the sensitivity of a youthful, petty fib, Jocelyn is reluctant to confront little Rufus directly. Instead, she explains the principle of honesty through a bedtime story, drawing him into the magical world of The King of Katunga.

This fairy tale begins in the tranquil West African village of Katunga; a community where only harmony and bliss exist, and where lives the respected King Adebiyi (“The Enlightened Royal”). The king is loved by all the people of the village due to his righteousness and humility. He has only one child, the beautiful Princess Yeni.

Upon returning to the village from the doctor, the king informs his daughter that his health is deteriorating, and he needs to find an heir to the throne – someone who will take good care of the village, its people and its princess. When King Adebiyi tells the princess this, she confides in her father that she is already in love with Adom, a village tailor. Although initially, the king is apprehensive and distressed, his undying love and trust in his daughter leads to Adom becoming one of the candidates for the heir, much to the disapproval of the Council of Elders.

There are two other candidates – Amadir Okafor, landlord and owner of Katunga Goldmine and Akin Chukwu, son of the respected Mr.Chukwu who is on the Council of Elders, both from elite and reputable backgrounds. The three suitors are put to the test in 'The King's Game' where true love, honesty and patience will determine the successor.

The king explains to the villagers that these three men must each take home a flowerpot with different flower seeds, picked at random. These must grow to become fragrant and beautiful just like the king's daughter, Princess Yeni. In three weeks, whoever cares for their plants with the right ingredients of water, sunlight and attention will prove himself to be responsible enough to bring sunshine into the life of the princess and into the lives of all the people of Katunga.

Not only are members of the royal household concerned about the princess, but even the princess's lady in waiting, Fahima (“the intelligent one”), is wary and sceptical about Adom's true intentions. She is aware of the tension that can arise when a common village boy comes up against powerful figures in society.
She decides to pay him a clandestine visit, and issues him a stern warning to keep away from Princess Yeni....

....and so our story unfolds.

Rufus listens intently as his mind is transported into the fascinating world of Katunga.
In the end he is both fascinated with his grandmother’s magical tale and transformed by the moral of the story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jenny Mohan
• Release date: Mar 31, 2020
• ISBN: 9780950215211

Jenny Mohan

JENNY MOHAN was born in Accra, Ghana in 1964 and is of Indian origin.Having lived in England, India, Dubai, and Africa, one could say she is a humble citizen of the world.While raising her two sons in a multitude of cultural backgrounds in a fast-changing, technological world, she felt that it was essential to instill in her children positive values and inner virtues to guide them through their early stages and their onward journey of life.She achieved this through years of magical storytelling based on virtues; namely love, honesty, humility, and respect.She now wants to share the same stories for the benefit of all and in particular her grandchildren, who will hopefully pass on the very same imperishable values for generations to come.

Book preview

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