06/11/2025
🌾 THE MAIDEN OF THE MOONLIGHT: The Story of Chicheta 🌾 The Dancing Godess.
In the quiet village of Umuaka, where the hills kissed the clouds and the rivers sang softly to the wind, there lived a beautiful maiden named Chichetam but everyone called her Chetam.
She was the kind of girl whose presence stopped conversations. Her skin glowed like morning dew, her smile warmed even the coldest hearts, and her dancing oh, her dancing was like magic itself.
All the maidens were jealous of her beauty and her dancing skills, every bachelor in the village wants her.
When Chetam danced, the drums seemed to follow her heartbeat. The birds stopped singing, and even the wind paused to watch.
But her story did not begin with beauty.
It began with pain.
For ten long years, her mother had prayed to the gods for a child. She had cried at every shrine and poured her heart out under the moon. Then one day, the gods answered. She conceived a child and named her Chichetam “the gods have remembered me.”
But happiness doesn’t always last forever. When Chetam turned fifteen, her beloved mother died, leaving her alone with her father, Okeosisi the hunter.
She was left alone with her father who wasn’t so happy that she was the only child and daughter and no son.
Her father remarried a widow who already had two daughters and a son. From the very first day, Chetam could tell they didn’t like her. They mocked her beauty, they envied her singing, and they called her names behind her back.
Still, she smiled. She danced in the rain. She sang with her best friend, Ifeoma, by the stream. That was how she kept her joy alive.
One night, her late mother appeared to her in a dream, her face glowing softly.
“My daughter,” she said gently,
“You shall be great one day.
I see how they treat you, but do not stop singing or dancing.
The gods are not done with you yet.”
When Chetam woke, tears rolled down her cheeks.
She sang the song her mother used to sing a song of hope and light but her stepsisters yelled from inside,
“Keep quiet, you are making noise!”
She wiped her tears and sang louder.
Her spirit was stronger than their hate.
One afternoon, Chetam ran into the forest, away from home, after her stepbrother tried to r her.
Alone and afraid, she began to dance and sing her sorrows away.
Her voice traveled far across trees and streams until it reached the ears of Prince Arinze, who was passing with his guards.
The prince stopped.
“Whose voice is that?” he asked, “It sounds like a spirit’s song.” he asked, what a sweet voice, he said, bring her to me.
The guards followed the sound until they found Chetam dancing barefoot on the green grass, her waist moving like waves, her laughter echoing in the air.
instead of them to report to the Prince , they were taken by her dancing skills as they have never seen a dancing Goddess in their lives, as they watched her dance.
The prince appears behind them, but they didn’t know that he was watching her dance with excitement.
Even the prince stood frozen.
“If this maiden danced before me every day,” he whispered, “I would never have sorrow again.”will be the most happiest man alive, and she is so beautiful too, her breast standing like the tall mountains of Ukwu oji, who is she” as the prince claps his hands In admiration.
Immediately she heard the clapping by the prince she stopped dancing.
When she turned and saw them, fear filled her heart. She tried to run, but the prince raised his hand. as she recognized him as the prince of their land.
“Do not be afraid, maiden. You are safe.”
He asked her name and her father’s name. She told him, “I am Chetam, daughter of Okeosisi the hunter.”
“You are brave to be alone in the forest,” the prince said softly. Why are you here alone? The Prince asked her , are you not afraid of the wild animals?
She wanted to tell the king what happened, but she knew if she did spill the truth her step brother would be in trouble, so she lied and said each time I miss my late mother I would come here to sing and dance and free my mind from the evil world.. so sorry to hear about that, he prince 👑 replied her.
“May I walk you home?”
She nodded shyly. Thank you my prince.
As they walked, villagers who saw them whispered some in awe, some in jealousy.
Among those who heard the gossip was Ugomma’s friends , the prince’s sweetheart proud, beautiful, and older than Chetam.
Her friends rushed to tell her.
“Ugo! That girl, Chetam, was walking with your prince!”
“She’s very beautiful and she dances like the gods blessed her feet!” that evil girl Cheta is on your man now o, if you do not do anything now, you might lose the Prince , but Ugo said she knew her man, besides Chetam was still a small girl for the prince as she was still 16 years of age, her friends said ok oo , don’t say we didn’t warn you about today, that small girl is very beautiful head to toe, did you see her hair, color, waist and breast?
There is no man that will pass that girl once ,with out turning around, and besides she can sing and dance, I also heard that she’s very respectful and hardworking, the Gods really blessed her.
Ugomma laughed it off.
“She’s just a little girl. The prince will never choose her over me.”
But her friends exchanged worried looks.
They knew what jealousy could do.
“Well what ever will be would be, I can’t start fighting a small girl, besides the Prince had promised me marriage, by the next moonlight dance, he would definitely pick me as the most beautiful maiden in the village, she blushed.
As the prince walked Chetam to her house, her step sisters and stepmother were shocked, we have been looking for her, and now she appears with the prince of our land, the next king, who does she thinks she is ? The prince left and bade her goodbye.
But Chetam never left the Prince mind, he was always thinking about her, sometimes he would even go to the bush to see if he can find her there, but she was no where to be found, and he doesn’t want to go to their house not to spark dating rumors because of Ugomma.
“My prince it seems you are in-love with that girl, his friend said to him one day, you no longer concentrate, go for what you want and like for your happiness, don’t mind what people will say as long as you are happy”, his best friend cheered him up. But he was still thinking not to hurt Ugomma.
Soon, it was time for the grand Moonlight Festival, when the prince would choose his bride among the maidens.
All the beautiful maidens would appear and the prince will choose his bride, anyone he presented to his father would be his wife, all the maidens were getting ready to go for the festival and dance
Every girl in the village prepared beads, wrappers, and makeup filled the air with color.
But they were not that much excited as they already knew that the prince would pick Ugonmma as his bride since they were already seeing each other.
But they were still going to be there, because it’s the tradition for the prince to pick anyone he likes as his wife. Dating you or not dating you. He makes his choice that special night.
Everyone believed Ugomma would be chosen. Everyone… except destiny.
People we’re going to the market shopping items, preparing for the event expect Chetam.
That night, Chetam dreamed again of her mother.
“My princess,” her mother’s voice whispered,
“Go to the festival. “But mother I am not interested in going, besides I am too young to dance with those maidens, they have a group. And I don’t have any attire for the occasion, no beads, no apparel, I will look like a joke there”
“I have prepared you for this occasion, you will go and meet my best friend, she will direct you on what to do. My friend will help you shine tonight”She woke up and ran outside the house to breathe and understand what her mother had just said in the dream.
Chetam visited her mother’s old friend, Mama Nneka, who smiled as soon as she saw her.
“Your mother came to me last night too,” she said.
“She told me to give you this.”
She brought out a wrapped bundle. Inside was the most beautiful attire golden beads, a shimmering wrapper, and anklets that jingled like silver rain.
“Your mother bought this expensive attire for your moonlight festivals dance, she told me that once you are ready to dance, i should present it to you so you can shine, she selected this from a woman that customize it only for you”.
Tears filled Chetam’s eyes.
“Mother never forgot me,” she whispered.
As she got home she was still crying, her step sisters were laughing at her, as the prepare with their own attire, dancing. Their mother had gone to market for them, and selected items for them. But no one knows what is going to happen next.
That day Chetam went to see her friend Ifeoma”I think we should go to the festival now, because I am so ready to go” I told you we should go but you didn’t want to go, if you don’t go I will go at least to enjoy myself.
So on that night of the festival, all the villagers had gathered at the village square, everyone dressed in his or her best attire and beads, the maidens shining, Ugomma’s friends had already congratulated her ahead of time. “ Our Next Crown future Queen “ they hailed her. Congratulations in advance!! She smiled and said thank you to her friends.
When Chetam stepped into the village square that night, the drums paused.
The firelight danced on her skin, her beads sparkled like stars, and everyone turned to look.
She waited quietly until the drummer called out.
All the groups danced, and finally, the speaker said, “Is there maiden left who has not danced ?” as the drums started playing again. Chetam was moved to dance, they were playing her favorite song, she stepped out gradually and gracefully dancing to the tunes in front of everyone, eyes on her, as she displayed her dancing skills.
But one of Ugomma’s friends ran out to stop her from dancing , but Chetas friend Ifeoma came out too to fight her, the men cautioned Ugomma’s friends to step aside and allow the young girl to dance, no one could believe the design of her attire, it was rich and unique.
The drums began again slow and deep.
Chetam took a step forward.
Then another.
Then she moved like the wind, her waist swaying, her arms rising gracefully.
The crowd went silent.
The prince rose from his seat.
Even the jealous maidens couldn’t believe their eyes.
When she finished, she danced like five minutes , everyone was cheering her , clapping their hands in excitement , the prince walked up to her.
His voice was calm but firm.
“I have lost you once, but I will not lose you again.” Iam not going to let you slip away from me again.
He took her hand and led her to his father, the king.
“Father, I have found my bride. Her name is Chichetam, daughter of Okeosisi the hunter.”
The drums exploded with joy.
Ugomma fainted where she stood.
Okeosisi, standing among the crowd, was too shocked to move.
“Is the father here? The king asks, yes your majesty, I am here . Okeosisi stepped in front of the king.
“My daughter… the prince’s bride?” he whispered, tears in his eyes.
The king smiled proudly.
“Then the gods have truly remembered you, Okeosisi and your daughter’s name was never a mistake.”
And that was how the poor hunter’s daughter, the girl who danced in the rain and sang her pain into joy, became the bride of the prince chosen not by power or wealth,
but by destiny.
