How many remember Rumpelstiltskin? How many remember that the story came about because a certain miner made a crazy boast about his daughter, which his king heard about, and commanded him to do the impossible? Facing compounded misery and certain death, Rumpelstiltskin came to the rescue of the daughter. But he made the lady promise to give him her child after he had helped her do the impossible. It took a song for Rumpelstiltskin’s riddle to the lady, to be unravelled.

Here is the thing, my neighbor said he happened on a young man by the entrance to Mogadishu Cantonment, in Abuja last week, singing what he called a strange song.

What’s that song you are singing?
Rumpelstiltskin new song, sir
Who’s Rumpelstiltskin?
My teacher told me about him
What about him?
He was a powerful creature that loved to sing
Was it a bird?
Only birds sing, you know
My teacher didn’t tell us that
What did your teacher tell you?
Rumpelstiltskin’s new song What is it?
Should I sing it for you?
Go ahead

Oh winds, from the four corners of this plain, come
To the theatre, the theatre of war
Blow, oh blow for the children
Blow strong, blow fierce and don’t stop

Oh trees and grass, from every part of this plain, come
To the theatre, the theatre of war
Sway, oh sway for the children
Sway strong, sway fierce and don’t stop

Oh branches, from every tree from this plain, come
To the theatre, the theatre of war
Swing, oh swing for the children
Swing strong, swing fierce and don’t stop

Oh grounds of every part this plain, rise up
In the theatre, the theatre of war
Move, shake, do more, for the children
Move, shake, do more, strongly, fiercely and don’t stop

What subject was your teacher on when he taught you Rumpelstiltskin’s latest song?
Riddles, sir
What’s the riddle in the latest song?
We’re meant to figure it out ourselves, sir.