Ewa

Ewa as her name implies, she was renowned throughout the region for her extraordinary beauty and her unwavering belief that beauty was the key to happiness. Ewa cherished her reflection, and her appearance was her greatest source of pride.

Every day, she would spend hours admiring herself, taking delight in her glowing skin, her lustrous hair, and her captivating eyes. She reveled in the compliments and admiration of the villagers and scoffed at the idea that there could be anything more important than her beauty.

One bright day, a traveling carnival arrived in the Yoruba village, and among its wonders was a mystical mirror said to reveal the deepest desires of one's heart. Ewa, curious and proud, could not resist the allure of the mirror.

As she gazed into the mystical mirror, she saw her reflection as she always had—radiant and beautiful. But the mirror had more to reveal. It showed her a different path, one where her beauty was not the center of her universe. In this reflection, Adunni saw herself helping the needy, spreading kindness, and nurturing her inner self. She saw a life filled with love, empathy, and genuine happiness.

Dismissing the mirror's vision as nonsense, Ewa continued to revel in her beauty and disregard the lessons it offered. She laughed at the notion that there was more to life than being the most beautiful girl in the village.

Days turned into weeks, and Adunni's obsession with her beauty grew stronger. She neglected her family, friends, and all her responsibilities. Her beauty began to fade as her inner beauty withered away, replaced by arrogance and selfishness. The villagers who once admired her began to resent her.

One day, a mysterious crisis struck the village, leaving many in need of care and assistance. Ewa, wrapped in her own vanity, refused to help. She believed she was above the troubles of the common people and that her beauty was far too precious to be marred by the suffering of others.

The villagers were dismayed by her selfishness and turned to each other for support, forming a close-knit community. They realized that true beauty lay in their unity, compassion, and selflessness, qualities that Ewa had forsaken. Their bonds grew stronger as they cared for one another.

One evening, as Ewa gazed into her cherished mirror, she was shocked to see her reflection. Her beauty had faded, and her face was etched with lines of bitterness and regret. Her heart sank as she realized that she had lost the one thing she held most dear—her beauty—and she had gained nothing of true value in return.

With tears in her eyes, Ewa ventured out of her mansion for the first time in weeks, seeking forgiveness from the villagers she had neglected. But they had moved on without her, finding happiness and fulfillment in their newfound community.

Ewa's heart ached as she witnessed the joy and beauty in the lives of those she had abandoned. She longed to be a part of their world, but it was too late. She had lost everything precious to her—the admiration of the villagers, her inner beauty, and her own happiness.

In the end, Ewa learned a valuable lesson. Beauty, though captivating, was fleeting. It was the beauty of the heart, kindness, and selflessness that truly mattered. She vowed to change, but her regret was a heavy burden to bear, a reminder of the time she had wasted chasing a shallow dream.

And so, the once-proud girl, humbled by her own vanity, began a journey to rediscover her inner beauty and make amends for her past mistakes. It was a long and difficult road, but she knew that true beauty could only be found within the depths of her own heart.