Matar So 1 Complete Hausa Novel

Tired, I entered the house carrying my school bag, breathing heavily from exhaustion. From the living room, I could already hear Umma’s voice scolding someone. I got up and went into Mama Amarya’s room and sat on the chair close to her. She was reciting her litanies; when she saw me, she ended them and smiled at me, saying,

“Mother of the household, you’re back already.”

I nodded and lay back calmly, watching the TV in her room. After a while, I looked at her and said,

“Mama Amarya, what happened? I heard Umma’s voice scolding like that. Did something happen?”

She smiled, full of frustration, then turned her attention back to the TV before saying,

“It’s between her and Gausiya. Apparently, Gausiya did something, and her husband called her and was saying the kind of things he said to her.”

I sat up, surprised. Honestly, when I came in and saw Baba Yasmen’s car, I now understood what was going on.

Not knowing what else to say, I lay back down, thinking about how Aunt Gausiya treats her husband unfairly, and it made me angry. I clicked my tongue aloud and said,

“An onion doesn’t behave like water. If she continues to disgrace her marriage, she’ll be the one crying in the end.”

In a tearful voice, Mama Amarya looked at me and said,

“Maryam Sajida, what will I do about Gausiya? You can see how much that boy serves her. Among all the children in this house, she is the most pampered. Even when I called Malam, he said he has nothing to do with it—‘Sajida, what should I do about Gausiya?’ Her lack of discipline has reached the point where she follows her husband outside and embarrasses him.”

Alarmed, I got down from the bed and sat in front of her, saying,

“Mama Amarya, here we are—Rahima and Rahila—we will never allow you to shed tears, okay Mama? Please be patient. And I know that if Aunt Shema’u and Aunt Asma’u hear about this, they won’t let it slide.”

“Maryam Sajida, you’re the one sitting here consoling Mama. I really dislike Aunt Gausiya—it’s as if she’s not Malam’s child. And really, it’s all Mama’s fault for taking worries into her heart. Wallahi, Mama, whoever Malam chooses for us, we will live with him until he is the one who says he doesn’t want to live with us anymore—even us sisters.”

We didn’t even look at them because they had broken the rule—none of them greeted us. Seeing that, Rahima picked up her bag and came in greeting us. I laughed and responded, then Rahila did the same. We all leaned into Mama’s lap, comforting her.

While we were doing that, Umma lifted the curtain and greeted us. We responded, and she entered with Aunt Gausiya. Rahila clicked her tongue and left the living room; Rahima did the same. I was the only one who managed to look at Umma and Gausiya and greet them, and once I was done, I left the room.

Filled with annoyance, she looked at Umma and said,

“Umma, what did I do to them?”

Umma smiled and said,

“Just a bit of defiance. Parents and a husband are the ones who raise you; someone who didn’t even raise you cannot raise you.”

She lowered her head sadly and said nothing more.

Umma continued, saying,

“Amarya, be patient. You give birth to a child, but you don’t give birth to their character. No matter how much you wish, you won’t always get what you want. And I have warned her—she will stop.”