The Surprises of Life

A wandering craftsman and storyteller, Mokoubamba drifts through the streets of Paris with his brightly colored burnous, scarlet chechia and a drum‑major’s staff, peddling everything from rush‑bottomed chairs to whispered fortunes. His velvety black eyes and crocodile‑like grin draw passersby into lively conversations that feel both market‑hustle and intimate confession. When the city’s “reformers” bring cheap wine to the masses, his sudden death leaves a palpable gap in the neighborhood’s quirky rhythm.

The narrator, still haunted by the man’s cryptic wisdom, persuades the late mystic’s spirit to recount the winding tapestry of his life. Mokoubamba’s philosophy—life as a never‑ending procession of delights—offers a gentle reminder that every loss makes room for new wonder. Listeners are invited to travel with him from the Niger’s banks to distant Indian fakirs, discovering how a humble chair‑mender became a living archive of the world’s hidden marvels.