The old woman went to see a hairdresser called Kumba Damba and gave her a little box saying, “This box contains oil from the buttertree.  Rub it into Sia’s hair when she calls you to plait her hair.  It contains bashi, a magic medicine that causes love.”

When Kumba Damba was called by Sia to wash, oil, and plait her hair, she rubbed the magic oil in Sia’s hair.  At once Sia rose and ran to Mamadi, crying, “Mamadi, I want to be with you, can I come to you?” Mamadi said, “Come to my cabin tonight.”

Sia went back and asked Kumba Damba to make her up really beautifully for the night.  Meanwhile, Mamadi called his groom Belali, saying, “Tonight you will put on my clothes, and my slippers, sleep in my bed, and if a woman comes, take her.”  Belali obeyed, for he was only a slave.  That night Sia arrived, found the slippers which she recognized as Mamadi’s, and lay down beside the man in the bed.  He turned around and embraced her in the dark.  She thought it was her lover.

The next morning, Mamadi appeared, opened the door, and called: “Belali, why did you not water the horses?  Why have you not harnessed my stallion, Samba’s son, ready for me to ride today?”  Belali replied from the bed: “Yes master, at once, master, forgive me.  I was sleeping with this beautiful woman of Wagadu.  I am coming now.”  He jumped up to do his master’s bidding, and ran out of the house.

Mamadi “discovers” the faithless Sia in bed with the slave Belali, and by shaming here he is avenged.

Sia was covered in shame.  She had slept with a slave! She stole out of the house, past Mamadi, her head covered and bent.  She went home and died of shame.  Thus Mamadi took his revenge.  He loved her once.  For her he had sacrificed his citizenship of Wagadu with the golden streets.  For her he had fought the dragon Bida.  He saved her from death in the dragon’s jaws.  She had said she would be his wife once she was free, once he had rescued her.  But she loved him only for his gold.  Without gold no love.  She broke her word, and with it, Wagadu.

The people and their animals left the city one after another.  Soon it was empty.  The wind blew over the streets where the gold had become sand.  For gold does not stay with wasteful people. Gold stays where there is love and faith.  Without faith there is no marriage, and without marriage there is no family, no children, no next generation.  Who will keep up the walls, repair the houses, if not those who are young today?  Bida had gone, the goddess of Wagadu who had given her city to Lagarre to rule.  When the gods are no longer honored, the land will die.  Oh Jerra, Agada, Genna, Silla! Oh Fasa!