Yashim was a great hunter. He was always in the forest.

He killed animals with the gun, he set traps, and also hunted in caves. He dug up burrows for smaller game. He returned home only when hungry or thirsty.

He always found buyers.

How much is this porcupine?" a woman asked. "Five thousand naira," Yashim replied. "Ah! How much would you sell an antelope?" The woman asked. "Pay three thousand naira," Yashim replied.

Yashim was very friendly and his game was cheap.

Yashim's wife was Adoo. She was very hardworking. She planted cassava, yam, maize, groundnuts and bambara nuts on her farms. She also planted sorghum and beans. Her children helped her on the farm.

For their soup, Yashim gave them the entrails, skins and the heads of the game.

Yashim started drinking too much. He even drank on credit. Whenever he was asked to pay up, he asked his creditors not to disturb him since others also owed him.

Yashim became habitually drunk. Every night, Adoo was called to take him home in a wheelbarrow from the market square.

Yashim started collecting items like soap and slippers on credit. He would ask the shopkeepers to collect their money from those owing him.

People stopped buying game from him to avoid such problems. They said he was spoiling their names. Women also started avoiding Adoo.

One day, Yashim went hunting. He saw a dry human skull on the ground. He asked the old skull, "What happened to you and what are you doing here?"

The skull replied, "My mouth led me to death. Yours too will lead you into trouble."

Yashim rushed to the king's palace. He saluted the king, "Long live the king!"

Yashim told the king that he came across a speaking skull in the forest. "If you go and find that I'm lying, banish me from the land!"

The king ordered his bodyguards to follow Yashim. They finally reached the place. Yashim asked the skull, "Repeat what you told me yesterday, let the king's bodyguards also hear."

The skull was quiet. He kicked the skull. It rolled over but it remained silent.

The bodyguards started pushing Yashim back to the palace in anger.

Yashim wondered, "Was it the beer I drank that made me hear the skull speak yesterday?"

When they reached the palace, the king asked, "Did the skull speak when you were there?"

Yashim replied, "My mouth has put me into trouble. Your Highness, the skull didn't speak!"