"Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe, Chapters 14–19

He was taking his family of three wives and their children to seek refuge in his motherland.

A vague scent of life and green vegetation was diffused in the air.

As the rain began to fall more soberly and in smaller liquid drops, children sought for shelter, and all were happy, refreshed and thankful.

He is an exile, condemned for seven years to live in a strange land.

There is something ominous behind the silence.

Evil men and all the heathen who in their blindness bowed to wood and stone were thrown into a fire that burned like palm-oil.

When this was interpreted to the men of Mbanta they broke into derisive laughter. These men must be mad, they said to themselves.

Then the missionaries burst into song. It was one of those gay and rollicking tunes of evangelism which had the power of plucking at silent and dusty chords in the heart of an Ibo man.

It was not very easy getting the men of high title and the elders together after the excitement of the first day. But the missionaries persevered, and in the end they were received by the rulers of Mbanta.

And so excitement mounted in the village as the seventh week approached since the impudent missionaries built their church in the Evil Forest.

Her husband and his family were already becoming highly critical of such a woman and were not unduly perturbed when they found she had fled to join the Christians.

How then could he have begotten a son like Nwoye, degenerate and effeminate?

The two outcasts shaved off their hair, and soon they were the strongest adherents of the new faith.

Everybody in the assembly spoke, and in the end it was decided to ostracize the Christians.

"What does it all mean?" asked Mr. Kiaga, who was greatly perplexed.