Anowa

In the Prologue, an agitated character known as Old Woman enters the stage in a restless state. She never stops moving and is frequently taken by bouts of coughing. She is joined on stage by a character known as Old Man, who is her opposite in demeanor. He is calm, stately, and self-possessed. Together they are known as Being-The-Mouth-That-Eats-Salt-And-Pepper. They describe how the village of Yebi has always been blessed with food, shelter, and good fortune. They attribute this to the gentle, considerate nature of the villagers. However, they say that there is an oddity in the village: a young girl named Anowa. Her mother, Badua, is always playing matchmaker, attempting to pair Anowa with suitors. But Anowa refuses them all. The villagers often blame Badua for her daughter’s reluctance to wed. Some suspect that she might be better suited to life as a priestess, if she is unable to find a mate. The Old woman points out, however, that a woman who refuses to take a husband is a common, disastrous trope in folk tales, and urges patience. She believes that Anowa’s destiny will reveal itself and her reluctance to wed will make sense eventually.