In the days when all the animals and birds lived together they were
always on friendly terms, even the eagles and hawks did not molest the
hens and ducks. At that time the eagle was king over all the birds,
and a very small grey-coloured antelope was made king of the animals.
This antelope was appointed king because he was so cunning, and always
knew when danger was near, having a very fine sense of smell and keen
eyesight. The hunters were never able to kill him, because when they
saw him, which was very seldom, it would be when he went to a pool to
drink; then they would wait for the antelope to put his head down to
the water, but this he never did, as he drank through small holes in
his feet. He would then smell the hunters while they were watching him,
and run away before they could kill him.
The eagle was elected king of the birds because he lived higher up in
the air than any of the other birds, and could thus direct them better.
One day the eagle went to the antelope and challenged him to play at
a game of hiding between the birds and animals. He chose the hawk to
represent the birds, and the antelope selected the bush cow on the
animals’ side. They arranged that one should hide himself in the bush
and the other should try to find him, but that if he failed to do so,
the one hiding would be considered the winner and the loser would have
to pay a large number of rods as a forfeit.
The first day the hawk was told to hide in the forest and the bush cow
had to find him. So in the early morning the hawk flew off to where
he knew there was a very tall tree covered with creepers. He then hid
himself in the densest part and went to sleep. All day long the bush
cow wandered about trying to find the hawk, but without success, and
when the evening came he was quite tired and went home and reported his
bad luck to the antelope. Later in the evening the eagle took the hawk
to the antelope’s house and said that as the bush cow had been unable
to find him, he was the winner, to which the antelope agreed and paid
over the rods to the eagle. The antelope was not satisfied, so they
arranged to have another match; but the same thing happened and the
antelope had to pay again.
On the third day the antelope said to the eagle, “It seems to be very
easy to hide; let the bush cow go and hide and the hawk look for him.”
The eagle agreed to this, and the match was for the same number of
rods. As soon as it was light enough to see, the bush cow went off
into the forest until he came to a favourite swamp of his where he lay
down and wallowed in the mud, leaving only a little of his head and
back exposed to view. The hawk circled round and round and, knowing
the habits of the bush cow and having very sharp sight, he very soon
caught sight of the bush cow, so he swooped down and took a mouthful
of hair and flew back to the eagle and reported that he had found the
bush cow, and produced the hair as proof. That night the antelope had
to pay again, and by this time he had lost quite a lot of money, so
he arranged with the eagle that the hawk should hide the next day and
the bush cow should try again. When the eagle had gone, the antelope
told the bush cow that he was very angry indeed with him, and that if
he failed to find the hawk again he would make him repay all the money
he had lost to the eagle. The hawk flew off the next morning, and very
shortly afterwards the bush cow dashed off into the forest to look for
him. As the hawk had always won so easily, he thought he would have
some fun with the bush cow, so he left the shelter of his tree and
circled up high in the air. The hawk very soon caught sight of the bush
cow rushing about through the forest, so he flew down very quietly
behind the bush cow and perched himself on the horns of the bush cow
quite softly. For some time the bush cow ran about in all directions
searching for the hawk, until at last, as he could not find him, he
thought the hawk must have gone home, so he charged back again through
the bush to the hawk’s house and at times the hawk had to follow him
by flying as the bush was so thick, but when the country was open he
quickly settled quite softly on the bush cow’s horns again. As the
bush cow went through the town he saw several different birds, and
asked each of them as he passed whether they had seen the hawk about
anywhere, but although they could all see the hawk perched on the bush
cow’s horns, no one answered him. When he reached the hawk’s house, the
bush cow searched everywhere for him, but finding he was not there, he
rushed out again and went round another part of the town to see if he
could find him. On his way he passed several cocks and hens, and asked
them where the hawk was, but they only laughed at him. The bush cow
then asked them again, but they continued to laugh. At last he became
so angry that he threatened to trample on them if they did not tell
him. So the cock said, “What you are looking for is sitting on your
head; if you wave one of your arms over your head you will find what
you want.” The bush cow would not believe the cow at first, and all
the birds continued to laugh at him. At last, however, the bush cow
did as the cock suggested, to find out if what he had said was true,
and at once the hawk flew up and was seen by the bush cow who at once
galloped off and told the antelope that he had found the hawk and had
very nearly caught him with his hoof. The eagle was then sent for, and,
although he grumbled very much, had to pay the amount of the bet.
That night the hawk told the eagle that it was the cock and hens who
told the bush cow to wave his arm over his horns, otherwise he never
would have been found. So the eagle sent for them and said, “It was you
who told the bush cow where the hawk was hiding and in consequence I
have had to pay a large amount to the antelope as a punishment; for the
future I shall allow the hawk to always kill your children whenever he
can catch them.” Now at this time the cocks and hens, who were related
to the bush fowls, used to live with them in the same place, and when
the eagle told them that the hawk would kill their chickens, they made
up their minds to go and live with the men. When the bush fowls heard
this they begged the cock and hen not to do so, and told them that the
men would kill and eat them, but the cocks and hens replied that they
would rather take their chance with the men than have their chickens
killed by the hawk in the bush. The following morning, therefore, the
cocks and hens set off with their children, carrying a piece of bark
with them and told the other people they were going to get some fire.
When they got to the men’s houses they looked about and found that
there was so much to eat and they were so comfortable that they at once
decided to stay, and have lived with the men ever since, while their
cousins the bush fowls live in the bush. The hawks still continue to
kill the chickens, but the cocks and hens always run and take shelter
when they see the hawk coming. In the early morning before the sun
rises you can always hear the bush fowls calling to the cocks and hens
to come back and live with them, and shortly afterwards you can hear
the cocks answering them, saying that they prefer to live in safety
with the men.