(The original, in the o Tyi-hereró or Damara language, is in the
Library of Sir G. Grey, J. Rath’s Manuscript, pp. 27, 29.)
Two things, the Elephant and the Rain, had a dispute. The Elephant
said, “If you say that you nourish me, in what way is it that you do
so?” The Rain answered, “If you say that I do not nourish you, when I
go away, will you not die?” And the Rain then departed.
The Elephant said, “Vulture! cast lots to make rain for me?” The
Vulture said, “I will not cast lots.”
Then the Elephant said to the Crow, “Cast lots!” who answered, “Give
the things with which I may cast lots.” The Crow cast lots and rain
fell. It rained at the lagoons, but they dried up, and only one lagoon
remained.
The Elephant went a-hunting. There was, however, the Tortoise, to whom
the Elephant said, “Tortoise, remain at the water!” Thus the Tortoise
was left behind when the Elephant went a-hunting.
There came the Giraffe, and said to the Tortoise, “Give me water!” The
Tortoise answered, “The water belongs to the Elephant.”
There came the Zebra, who said to the Tortoise, “Give me water!” The
Tortoise answered, “The water belongs to the Elephant.”
There came the Gemsbok, and said to the Tortoise, “Give me water!” The
Tortoise answered, “The water belongs to the Elephant.”
There came the Wildebeest, and said, “Give me water!” The Tortoise
said, “The water belongs to the Elephant.”
There came the Roodebok, and said to the Tortoise, “Give me water!” The
Tortoise answered, “The water belongs to the Elephant.”
There came the Springbok, and said to the Tortoise, “Give me water!”
The Tortoise said, “The water belongs to the Elephant.”
There came the Jackal, and said to the Tortoise, “Give me water!” The
Tortoise said, “The water belongs to the Elephant.”
There came the Lion, and said, “Little Tortoise, give me water!” When
the little Tortoise was about to say something, the Lion got hold of it
and beat it; the Lion drank of the water, and since then the animals
drink water.
When the Elephant came back from the hunting, he said, “Little
Tortoise, is there water?” The Tortoise answered, “The animals have
drunk the water.” The Elephant asked, “Little Tortoise, shall I chew
you or swallow you down?” The little Tortoise said, “Swallow me, if you
please;” and the Elephant swallowed it whole.
After the Elephant had swallowed the little Tortoise, and it had
entered his body, it tore off his liver, heart, and kidneys. The
Elephant said, “Little Tortoise, you kill me.”
So the Elephant died; but the little Tortoise came out of his dead
body, and went wherever it liked.