A Fair Price

Frances fist met his wife Mary when he was fifteen years old. Mary was collecting water at the town well with the other women and Frances was with his friends and showed off in front of her as boys do, but they never spoke. Frances remembered that Mary was so beautiful and her smile lit up everything and everyone around her.

The problem was that Mary is a Kikuyu and Frances was a Masai. The two tribes in Kenya had a history of hatred and bloodbaths. They did not intermarry or trust each other. They did not even speak.

Two years went by before Frances saw Mary again. He was then seventeen years old and about to leave for Nairobi to attend the schoolteachers’ college. They spoke for a long time. He wanted to ask where she stayed so that he would not lose her again, but he admitted his ego got in the way. Instead, he decided to give her his address in Nairobi feeling that if she really liked him she would write. And she did.

After two years of correspondence, they loved each other deeply and wanted to get married, but both of them worried that their families and tribes would shun them for their relationship. Nevertheless, with great humbleness and anxiety, Frances approached Mary’s parents to ask how much of a bride-price they wanted for her. In Kenya, a bride-price is often the only means a family has to gain wealth. A healthy, hard-working female might bring many cows.

Frances was nervous and said, “I am just a poor schoolteacher, and I haven’t much money. But I love your daughter and want to marry her. I will pay anything you ask.”

Mary’s parents looked at him and replied, “There is much to do to plan a wedding. This is a celebration! We will discuss the bride-price when the two of you are settled.”

That was unheard of. A marriage never occurs in Kenya without payment first. And between their tribes, it was an exceptional situation. A year went by before they had their first child. Frances returned to Mary’s parents and again inquired of the bride-price. As he and Mary were so busy with a new baby, they told him that he should wait until things calmed down a bit.

Several more years passed, and they had another child. Frances returned again to Mary’s parents and insisted that he needed to settle his debt. Once again, he said that he was a poor schoolteacher without much money, but that he was so happy and in love that he would pay anything.

Mary’s mother asked him, “What do you think is a fair price?”

Frances laughed and replied as a joke, “A lifetime of love and devotion from your loyal son-in-law!”

Mary’s mother smiled softly and whispered, “It is enough. The bride-price has been paid.”