A GRAIN OF WHEAT. By Ngugi wa Thiong'o

The author Ngugi is of course one of Africa's greatest ever writers. This is one of his early books, and an earlymasterpiece. But my concern here is the very tender moving love story between Gikonyo the carpenter, and Mumbi the village belle as it were. Gikonyo loves her from the beginning and his attraction for her increases as she becomes a young woman. He somewhat feels inferior to her, but works wholeheartedly on a gift he is fashioning for her. Would she like it? His joy knows no bounds when she does; and we can revel in this descriptions :

'For a moment she (Mumbi) stood there admiring the new handle ...she pranced towards the hut shouting "Mother! Come and see!" 'Sweet warmth swelled up in Gikonyo. Joy pained him. His work was done. For Mumbi's smile, for that look of appreciation, he would go on making chairs, tables, cupboards; restore leaking roofs and falling houses; repair doors and windows in all Thabai without a cent in return. He would never make money, he would remain poor, but he would have her...' How sweet - Madolyn Chukwu