Pauper, Brawler and Slanderer

by Amos Tutuola

Pauper, Brawler, and Slanderer are expelled from their Nigerian village and encounter unexpected adventures during their exile

Genres: Africa, Fiction, Nigeria, African Literature, 20th Century

156 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1987

About the author

Amos Tutuola (20 June 1920 – 8 June 1997) was a Nigerian writer famous for his books based in part on Yoruba folk-tales.
Despite his short formal education, Tutuola wrote his novels in English. His writing's grammar often relies more on Yoruba orality than on standard English.

Reviews

[Zadignose]

Tutuola again demonstrates his excellent storytelling skills, he maintains his own unique style, while he has developed in a new direction in terms of narrative structure. Not quite as bizarre and anarchic as his first two books, this story has more of a mythic quality, as a kind of parable on destiny, strife, and the characters of man. At the same time, it's got a lot of humor, adventure, slapstick and wit. Anyone who has read Tutuola before will be familiar with such language as is displayed in the description of the beautiful Popondoro:

After a little while, when Popondoro grew up further, Creator changed her beauty suddenly in a queer way to that of a mesmerism which was greater than the knowledge of a human being. This her kind of beauty was attracting people with full force like the magnet which attracts another iron forcibly.

This time, Tutuola's story has many repeated elements, aphorisms, and leitmotivs. Many things in the story happen "in a wink of crab's eye." Many times, you will be advised of the wisdom that "the shelf is just telling a lie, the loads belong to the ceiling." How you interpret that is on you.

One thing that this has in common with Palm-wine Drinkard is that there are characters whose nature is defined by one trait, which is at once a destiny and a profession. Pauper is a pauper, Brawler is a brawler, Slanderer is a slanderer... even if these words have a rather different meaning in Tutuola's lexicon than they may in yours.

Amazingly, as much as Brawler is constantly brawling many hot brawls that are beyond the knowledge of man, it's very hard to guess just what a brawl is, or how she brawls them. At many times, Tutuola is quite happy to tell, not show... and that's just as it should be.

I'd say that it's quite natural, correct, and reasonable that Tutuola should have developed as a writer, not to be limited to repeating what he began with or performing schtick... and in any case, later Tutuola is just as great as earlier Tutuola without being identical to it. So one should hope the reading world would embrace the entirety of his oeuvre, rather than focusing only on the mini-sensation (in itself largely obscure) created by the first discovery of his early works.

Having said that, I do still feel somewhat more fond My Life in the Bush of ghosts, precisely because it was so startling a discovery. (Is it possible that among his perfect works, that one is perfecter or perfectest?) But perhaps, just as in the case of Fellini movies, the years taught me that I could give equal love to Satyricon and Nights of Cabiria (i.e., "out there" cinema oddity and more conventional heart-felt human interest tale), so I can appreciate the charms of Tutuola's oneiric madness and his creation-myth world-folk literature.

[Kamakana · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you like this review, i now have website: www.michaelkamakana.com

190610: 3 times read. i remember this as one of the first books i bought for my new life in montreal (downtown bookstore i recall). my new life meant new books from authors completely unfamiliar. so this is my first nigerian work, something different from lit from europe or japan, reading like an anthropology myth written out and expanded. i read this before his famous The Palm-Wine Drinkard. i have read some african critics are annoyed that he writes so, technically, poor grammar, words, and whether he has done more than transcribe yoruba myths (an argument which can be used against however many western works from joyce to atwood). i am in no position to join the latter debate, but as far as style, perhaps it would not translate to say french, it would be derided, but the rhythms i find cast a poetic spell. have now read some litcrit as well World Authors Series - Amos Tutuola Revisited yes it is the nature of english perhaps nowhere else so apparent, that you cannot help but write poetry in this language (Beckett). i enjoyed reading ‘broken english’. it is certainly liberating to see language so playfully offered...

[Fadillah · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Hissing precedes weeping, remorse follows a mistake, all the wise men of the country assemble but find no sacrifice for the mistake”.
- Pauper, Brawler, Slanderer by Amos Tutuola
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Short Summary :
1. This reminds me of a little bit of ‘Pak Kadur, Pak Pandir’, ‘Si Luncai’, ‘Badang’ - at least 25% from the character Pauper, Brawler and Slanderer.
2. It’s a folklore - it is supposed to be peculiar, thrilling and took you into an exciting adventure even it was the misfortune one.
3. I dont get how brawler continue brawling - because Amos tutuola never showed us clearly how she brawling, is it explicitly fighting? Is it throwing a hissy fit? Is it just a shouting match?
4. The english doesn’t bother me at all but probably because it is not my mother tongue hence the pidgin doesn’t really bother me.
5. This is top-tier story telling.
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About the author :
Amos tutuola is the first Nigerian who was recognized internationally by reinventing Yoruba folklore in the English language
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Theme of the story : Destiny / How wretchedness, Brawling and Slandering continue to be part of humanity by troubling them.
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Cultural influence -
Esent Aye : The Ritual of Destiny Reading that Babalawo (Priest) did to the baby.
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Characters :
1. Pauper : Son of IBO (King) - Ex Prince - real name : Adegun
2. Brawler : Daughter of OTUN OBA (like a ‘Laksamana’) - real name is Ajao
3. Slanderer : Son of OSI (Like a ‘Temenggung’) - real name is Alagemo
4. Peace : Relative of Pauper’s mother
5. Joy : Relative of Brawler’s Mother
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The brief plot for each chapter:
Pauper escaped death. After the scuffle, all of them are banished from Laketu Town. Pauper and Slanderer arrived at abalabi town meanwhile Brawler got lost and could not chased Pauper anymore. One women in the town named Popondoro (beauty of magnet) - both pauper and slanderer wanted her as wife. Unfortunately, most young men in the town as well wanted her. They dont work at the farm anymore and just follow her. The elders are worried that this will caused famine and held a competition so that they can select Popondoro’s suitors.
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Slanderer was banished from Abalabi town because he used trick and played dirty in the competition. Pauper lost Popondoro because Brawler finally caught up with him and continued chasing and tormenting him. Both arrived at Mokoloki Town. All three of them
were reunited in this town and were being fed by the chief of the town. However, soon they were tricked to leave the town by the Chief as the chief knew that these 3 will not fit well to stay in the town.
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Slanderer cause another problem due to his wickedness in Ofadafajuro town. He stole villagers money under the pretence that he will double it. The decision has been made by the chief, all of these 3 strange persons will be expelled from town. Pauper remains gullible thinking that it is her wife’s constant brawling caused them to be removed from the town. Pauper and Slanderer planned to leave Brawler and venture to a new town without her.
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Araromi Town is where Pauper discovered Slanderer true color. Pauper has been doing well with his farm and Slanderer could not stand it so he lied by telling Pauper that the chief of the town wanted every farmers to cut down all their maize crops. Once Pauper has cut it, Slanderer stopped visiting him. Pauper being a good friend decided to visit slanderer only to find out that his maize farm remain intact. Thats where Pauper found out about Slanderer deceit.
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The tale proceeded with Pauper, Brawler and Slanderer escaped to Aiku Town. This happened after one of the villagers told Pauper that they might lose their lives if they stay as the chief already decided to punish them on Friday. Although it is largely because slanderer’s deceit, Pauper and Brawler were implicated as well.
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Afterwards we saw that Pauper orchestrated his revenge during Slanderer’s wedding ceremony procession. He imposed as a powerful spirit, causing injurious harm to Slanderer and forcing slanderer’s wife to abandon him. Pauper then reminded slanderer that this is a payback to what he did to his maize farm. Slanderer was bitter as he was subjected to the embarrassment of not being able to bring the supposed bride decided to use Brawler to get back at Pauper.
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Pauper then decided to become slaver in Aiku Town only to be turned into the one who was being sold into the slavery. His destiny of wretchedness never rest and Pauper worked hard for his master. With his hard earned money, he bought his freedom and left to Owode town to become a trader. His attempt to be a good trader is almost achievable but when he has Brawler and Slanderer by his side, his effort is futile. When Brawler and Slanderer were being taken by the stream after tragedy befell upon his canoe and Pauper could not trace them, Pauper left to another town.
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Pauper then were installed as Chief/King at the town of women by the elder woman who’ve found her resting under the tree nearby the town. The town were previously known as the town of glory but once the war broke out and all the men left to fight the war and died in in, the town is known as the town of women. The elderly knew that Pauper is of a royal blood hence decided to put him on the throne. Pauper no longer has to work hard and can enjoy the life blissfully but he has only one thing to do is to stay away from the grove of enthronement and the house of gold and silver. Pauper doesn’t have any issue obeying this except when Slanderer ventured into the same town , thats when the bad decision ensued. Slanderer whose at that time has become the right hand for the pauper persuaded Pauper to enter the gold and silver room. That’s where they found themselves back into their previous appearance, no longer a king and a king’s right hand.
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Pauper then is reunited with his wife, Brawler in Agbinogbinyo town whereby his wife has lived there for many years. Slanderer also followed Brawler to Sojourner lot that has been assigned by the town for their guests to stay. Pauper carved the wood and Brawler will sell
in the market. However, Slanderer decided to stir yet another trouble, has been stealing from the chief and has kept it in his room. When being exposed against the crime he has committed, Slanderer accused another person and managed to buy his time to escape to another time. Pauper and brawler decided to do the same as they are always being implicated together.
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At the end of the day, when Pauper, Brawler and Slanderer faced the creator together- they found our their true purpose as to why they were created together. We also found out why the reasons Peace and Joy who’ve never stay long whenever Peace, Brawl and Slanderer is there. Everything comes to a full circle and you can see how witty and playful this folklore is in educating and inserting good values in their tale. Overall, i cannot wait to hunt more for Amos Tutuola’s book.

[Celien · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ander gebruik van de Engelse taal dan in Tutuola's meer metaforische en ritmische boeken uit de jaren 1950 (My Life in the Bush of Ghosts/ Simbi and the Satyr of the Dark Jungle). Doordat het ook nog eens een langer boek is en er minder fantastische elementen in voorkomen, voelt de kenmerkende verhaallijn van personages die van dorp naar dorp trekken langdradig aan.

[Trevor Pearson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story Pauper, Brawler and Slanderer by Amos Tutuola is a modern take on a Yoruba folk tradition that sees the lives of three unaware ill-fated infants destined for prejudice and persecution live their lives not only shunned by their community but also their blue-blooded religious devotee parents. As they tragically realize their fate they embark on a journey that will find them settling in and being expelled from such towns as: Abalabi, Moko Loki, Ofadafa Juro, Araromi, Aiku, Owode, and even a Town Of Women. These cursed immortal souls simply can’t help themselves as their Achilles heel presents itself once again. The story begins in a small city in Ogun, Nigeria called Laketu, where there is a time honoured tradition of parents taking their newborns to a Babalawo (or a priest) to find out what the future of the baby's life would entail. Their life stories are assumed to be written in the stars or a flow of water in this case, so worshiping parents take each child on their three day birthday to a local majestic seer named Kabiyesi to have their fates revealed. Whether good news or bad, all the locals participated in this custom and for three high ranking residents they would live to show you that money, power, or respect can provide a lot of things but it is not always enough to ensure a fulfilling destiny for their children. Well, the lives of esteemed Oba's (King), Otun Oba(Chief) and Osi Oba (Lieutenant) get the bad news that their children will not live up to the family name, and in truth will be nothing but trouble. They’re told that it’s only a matter of time before they are kicked out of the family home, expelled from the city and forced to go about their lives alone, and all because a wise old man said so. In a story like this there’s no need for formalities: Pauper is a young man that must endure a destiny compiled of poverty and misery, Brawler is a beautiful young lady that faces a life of violently arguing about anything and with everyone; victimizing any innocent bystanders within earshot, last but certainly not least is a young man named Slanderer who is a ne’er do well character that transforms himself like a chameleon to an environment when the moment forces a call to malevolent action. They lose their identity and give themselves to their nicknames handed out by a godlike figure which may seem sad at times but there are enough moments to alter moods for the reader.

A respected King and Queen draw the short straw and it is revealed to them, in a more subtle, indirect way that their newborn son would be a disgrace to the throne and is predicted to live a life of poverty and anguish. As time went on this unfortunate predestination settled in and became larger and more insurmountable. The frustrated King was left with no other alternative and eventually had to kick the shamed Prince Pauper out of the house. For all the trials that Pauper had to endure he also had immense strength which would prove to be beneficial as he lived his life in squalor, eating garbage and wearing clothes that were forever in tatters. One of the many Alagbenko children, there was one that was beautiful like the others but had a few distinct differences that constituted the unforgettable nature of her abnormal character. The patriarch of the family was a lieutenant who served as the right hand man for the chief, he was a courteous man that taught his children to share this quality with other less privileged people of Laketu. Unfortunately he had a daughter that argued day and night with little love in her heart, limited potential, and a habit of wandering aimlessly. In a not to distant future she would be left with no love, no place to call home but her wandering would have a purpose. She would go on in the world referred to as Brawler, and it would suit her well as she could barely take time to consume food without some sort of antagonistic utterance. A Laketu father has a rather strong opinion on the evil ways of wicked individuals, well, to be frank, he felt that if you took part in any sort of transgression he would have you hunted, killed and put on public display to serve as a reminder for the rest of the locals. A bit harsh, but that’s the way he, an honest and opinionated man felt made a strong neighborhood by which families could be raised. Leave it to fate, a cruel fate at that for this man to have a boy that would be served a fate predestined for nefarious purposes. His son would be called Slanderer and he would prove to be one of the lowest common denominators when it came to goodwill and mankind.

Ogun is referred to by many as the gateway to Nigeria, the three characters that the story revolves around would demonstrate that they never had a chance; the proverbial swinging gate was smashed in their face at the ripe age of three days. The lives of these three unlucky in life lottery participants would intersect and make for an interesting read with a number of humorous occurrences. What makes this story even more intriguing is the fact that there really is nothing to take away from it, there’s no moral to the story, and what you’re left with is that old Frank Sinatra song echoing in your ear talking about being a puppet, a pauper and a pirate but what he really was getting at was “That's Life”. The concept of being exiled from your family home, having a town despise you, persecuted by your neighbours and left feeling dehumanized with your name stripped from you is a rather weighty subject in any form. But what I’m left feeling after completion of the book is the lighter side of having a violent and intolerable madwoman for a wife seemingly travel by foot to the opposite end of the world in order to force her presence upon her deadbeat runaway husband. Or a so called “friend" going to great lengths to best you any chance he got to better his own life leaving many victims in his wake. With friends like these who needs enemies? Am I right?

Obviously the concept of destiny being debated against the presence of coincidences in life as it relates to fate was a major theme in the story. The author showed one characters unwillingness to believe in tradition and focus more on hard work and perseverance in spite of all the troubles that found him. The story itself is quite funny, in a calamity of errors fashion, but also grating at times as the result remained the same as well as the annoyance of some characters. If you’re into some schadenfreude for deserving characters or even a bit of sympathy for a hard luck, forgiving and decent character then give this unique reading experience a try. Recommended.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm much in awe of Tutuola's writing style, and look forward to it each time I pick up his books. The only reason I'm not giving this one the full five stars is more to do with my own impatience with characters such as Pauper, his wife Brawler, and 'friend' Slanderer (and who needs enemies if one has a friend like Slanderer?). I know it's fiction, I know there's a reason the characters are written the way they are, and I know that's the whole basis of the story. Still...
I enjoy the Yoruba proverbs and the little language lessions, and I'm now entirely used to the plethora of sentences beginning with "But...", where 'but' doesn't mean what we usually assign it to mean, such as 'however' or 'on the other hand'.
I recomment that, if you're new to Amos Tutuloa, you start with The Palm-Wine Drinkard rather than this one. That was a read I didn't want to end, ever.

[Philisiwe Twijnstra · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite authors... anything he has written I want to read it. His imagination, his child like innocence in his writing. The Yoruba folk tradition and his style of writing makes me love folk stories even more. Reminds me of my gran. Hawu! Kodwa baba Amos.

[Erich Stoltzfus · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite fantastical epic

[Will · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grounded in Yoruba folktales, and making use of a hybrid English, Tutuola's voice is both readable and strange. His 'The Palm Wine Drinkard' and 'My Life in the Bush of Ghosts' are better books, and a better place to start than this book. In the combined edition, these works have an introduction that helps to situate Tutuola's work. If you have read and liked those books, Pauper, Brawler, and Slanderer might interest you, but it is not without problems.

Pauper, Brawler, and Slanderer has no introduction, and is immediately confusing, in part because the Brawler character (Pauper's wife) is not a fighter, as the word usually means, but, from context, has noisy fits or uncontrollable outbursts. Though gods and fate play a major role throughout the book, the gods are not as strange or as varied as the spirits in My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, and the intervention of fate seems sometimes like a convenience used by the author to move from one short story idea to the next, disrupting whatever stability the characters achieve by fate-driven collapse and failure. In Palm Wine Drinkard, the main character's drinking is a direct cause of much of his misfortune, allowing for a more developed character and more interesting plot than these three types, defined from the outset and adrift at the mercy of fate, can produce.

[Tony Schnyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

An entertaining book about the three folkloric characters of the title. Some of the words are Yoruba so the writing seems quite different to other English language novels. The expressions used by Amos Tutuola also seem unique. For example, a frightening sculpture Pauper uses as a disguise is described as hideous and tawdry. That seems like a unique way of describing something that is frightening.
Pauper and Slandered have opposing views on the determinism or destiny. This appears to be an important theme in the novel. Pauper's future, as well as Brawler’s and Slanderer’s, are divined by a shaman at the start of book. The divination is that he will be a pauper, hence his nickname. Pauper does not believe that this is his destiny. Slanderer has more belief in this prophecy.
Brawler is the wife of Pauper and according to her destiny she gets in fights. The three title characters are primarily referred to by their nicknames.

[Starlon]

A lot of fun. This book tries to answer the question on whether or not destiny exist and if it does then how does free choice factor into life? The way this question is dealt with is something like a series of Nigerian slapstick skits.

[Ileana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Lots of fun. Very crazy book. Not sure what the writer's intentions are. I like its storytelling quality.

[Paul Adams]

See review on my reader's page, here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...