The Boy Gift — Meja Mwangi

"You will not believe the evil that has fallen on this valley. You cannot imagine the sadness, and the madness, that a little boy has brought on us. People have gone wild with talk of magic and witchcraft, and some are ready to commit murder over a baby." Toma Tomei, a father of nine daughters, must have a son in order to succeed his own father as the paramount chief of Happy Valley. Trouble starts brewing, however, when his wife gives birth to a light-skinned, green-eyed baby. Such a strange and mysterious child has never before been seen in Happy Valley. According to the clan's laws on succession, the boy must look like him, if Tomei is to succeed in his quest for the throne. Taboo and superstition come to a boil during the search for a successor to the throne, as the appearance of a boy causes fear and suspicion, arousing hostility among a gentle and harmonious people.