What a Wonderful Dialogue

Loosely translated dialogue of one of my most recent bush outings with M (Weyti).



Random Fulani Man (RFM): Weyti, you should give her (referring to me) to be my wife.
M: You already have one wife don’t you?
RFM: Yes, she will be my second wife.
M: She doesn’t want to be a second wife. She wants to be the only wife.
RFM: Ok, give her to me.
M: Do you have 300 cattle?
RFM: No.
M: Well she is worth 300 cattle.
RFM: She is worth too much.
M: She has an education, a house, she knows English and a little bit of Hausa. She is worth 300 cattle.
RFM: Yes, but she doesn’t know Fulfulde.
M: Ahh, she starts Fulfulde study on Monday so then she will be worth 500 cattle. Do you have 500 cattle?
RFM: No.
M: Then her father will refuse the marriage.


Dear Dad, if you were ever wondering how much your precious daughters are worth, I found out….500 cattle.