The story of Adamu & Ifu is evidently a parallel tale to that of Adam & Eve, that is, the classic tale of the origin of humanity and its fall from grace. However, there are some subtle differences between the two stories. For example, Eve was created by the rib of Adam, but Adamu & Ifu were created by Kanu Masala simultaneously. As we continue through the Limba tale, we also see that as infidelity is a major theme throughout, perhaps reflecting on the Limba’s own culture. The snake character sleeps with Ifu in the story, and “They travelled far in that love.” Some theorists believe that this is implied in the story of Adam & Eve and relates to the subsequent story of the first sin where Cain kills his brother Abel out of envy, where they surmise that Abel is the son of Satan. However, this is never explicitly stated in any of the variations of the bible that exist and is a pretty big departure from the Christian Genesis story.

     Furthermore, in this Limba tale, the serpent is also punished for his misdeeds, where in the Christian story not much is heard of the snake after Adam and Eve have disobeyed God. After sharing love with Ifu, he is banished to the bushes by Kanu Masala, and is doomed to be killed whenever he comes across humans. Unlike the Christian story, where the snake is a physical manifestation of Satan, the bangkiboro snake is no more than what he appears to be. Next comes the punishment of the humans in the story, which is much more elaborate than simply being exiled from the paradise God created for them. The man is sentenced to labour, effective immediately. He is told he must spend his wealth and woo a woman to wed her, build his own house for his wives when he finds them and wishes to begin a family and must start a farm. These punishments are evident reflections of the Limba culture, giving an explanation for why they practice the customs that are present in modern day society.

        The woman is punished by having to live in the shadow of the man. Kanu Masala says that once she is married she is to live in the power of her husband. The pain of childbirth is also a punishment listed by Kanu Masala as well as having to work on the land that the man has hoed and plowed. Kanu Masala instructs the woman to take the punishment of the rain and sun beating down on her back as she works on the land because she was tricked by the snake and condemned her husband by betraying his trust to an outside lover.

       In closing, the story of Adamu & Ifu is an interesting ‘reimagining’, if it can be called such, of the story of Adam & Eve. The tale has elements of the Christian tale of how man fell out of grace with God, but also has elements exclusive to that of the Limba people, like the accepted practice of polygamy, and the human like animals that are often present in African folktales. These subtle changes in the narrative of the tale suggest the Limba people are more rural than urban as they practice agriculture as opposed to buying food, and have a strict social structure where the woman is not to supersede the man in domestic problems when they arise. Polygamy is almost explicitly stated to exist within the Limba people during Kanu Masala’s punishment of Adamu. Finally, the Limba and their practices bear some relation to those practiced by us in America or Christians worldwide, but they certainly have their own unique customs and traits that were touched on in this brief folktale.

-Mr. D