The Lion and The Jewel main character Sidi sitting in the middle of the picture wearing a striped dress with the outlines of two male faces on other side of her

The Lion and the Jewel

by Wole Soyinka

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Student Question

What events led to the stranger's visit to Ilujinle in "The Lion and the Jewel"?

Quick answer:

In "The Lion and the Jewel," the stranger visits Ilujinle after his car breaks down in the jungle. Lakunle, acting as the "lost traveler," mimics the stranger's journey, which includes encounters with wildlife and mishaps, such as slipping into water. The traveler, equipped with a helmet, camera, and whisky, reaches the village after being led by sounds and sights, including Sidi. Ultimately, he is brought to the town center, where Baroka greets him.

Expert Answers

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Lakunle plays the role of the "lost traveler" who ends up in the remote village of Ilujinle. The mime scene begins when four girls enter the stage, pretending to be the wheels of a car. Lakunle takes his place in the middle of the girls and pretends to drive the vehicle. Lakunle portrays how the stranger's car breaks down in the middle of the jungle and he abandons it to begin his aimless trek. Before he leaves his car, he takes his helmet, a camera, and a flask of whisky. The forest is ominous, and when Lakunle attempts to rest his head against a tree, a snake slithers by and scares him. The stranger runs and continues to take swigs of his whisky to calm his nerves. Then, a monkey drops down into the middle of the path and quickly scampers off. Lakunle hears a roar and takes another swig, then begins to chug the alcohol. He gets upset at his unfortunate situation and begins to beat the ground until he hears a woman singing. The traveler is convinced he's hearing noises and takes the last drink from his flask before he throws the flask into the jungle. He hears a splash and then the sound of someone screaming as if they'd been hit by the flask. Lakunle walks towards the bushes and peers out through them. He takes his camera out and begins to snap photos. In the midst of taking photos, he carelessly slips and falls into the body of the water. Then, Sidi appears wearing a piece of cloth partially covering her. The traveler loses everything except his camera, and is taken to the center of town in front of the 'Odan' tree. Baroka enters the stage from behind the tree and greets the traveler as the scene ends.

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