A long-forgotten tale of sorcery and a severed head

The case of Dicky Powys was more infamous in its day than the Happy Valley murder of Lord Erroll

From magazine issue: 18 December 2021

The coroner decided that Dicky’s pony had shied from a lion, throwing the rider who broke his neck [ephotocorp / Alamy Stock Photo]

issue 18 December 2021

Text size

Small

Medium

Large
Line Spacing

Compact

Normal

Spacious
Comments
Share
Share

Aidan Hartley

A long-forgotten tale of sorcery and a severed head
Linkedin

Messenger

Email

Laikipia Plateau, Kenya

Our local chief Panta wore a government-issue khaki uniform with epaulettes, beret and swagger stick. On a pleasant stroll to our farm springs, he observed how plenty of blood had been spilled over this water. We sat on the glassy-smooth black rocks around the water pools and the chief retold for me a story more infamous in its day than the Happy Valley tale of Lord Erroll’s murder, but now completely forgotten.