Ipenyenye. Then he looked around and said, "Where is Kudu?" A tortoise
stepped out of the bushes, saying "Here I am! You haven't raced."
Antelope raced on until he reached the town of Beyâ. Again looking
around, he said, "Where is Kudu?" A tortoise stepped out, replying,
"I'm here!"
Antelope again raced, until he reached the town Lolabe. Again he
asked, "Where is Kudu?" A tortoise saying to himself, "He hasn't
heard anything," replied, "Here I am!"
Again Antelope raced on as far as from there to a rocky point by the
sea named Ilale-ja-moto; and then he called, "Wherever is Kudu?" A
tortoise ready answered, "Here I am!"
From thence, he came on in the race another stretch of about ten
miles, clear to the town of Bongaheli of the Batanga people. At each
place on the route, when Antelope, losing sight of Tortoise, called,
"Kudu! where are you?" promptly the tortoise on guard at that spot
replied, "I'm here!"
Then on he went, steadily going, going, another stretch of about twenty
miles to Plantation Beach. Still the prompt reply to Antelope's call,
"Kudu, where are you?" was, "I'm here!"
As he started away from Plantation, the wearied Antelope began to
feel his legs tired. However, he pressed on to Small Batanga, hoping
for victory over his despised contestant. But, on his reaching the
edge of Balimba, the tortoise was there ready with his, "I'm here!"
Finally, on reaching the end of the Balimba settlement, Antelope
fell down, dying, froth coming from his mouth, and lay dead, being
utterly exhausted with running. But, when Tortoise arrived, he took
a magic-medicine, and restored Antelope to life; and then exulted
over him by beating him, and saying, "Don't you show me your audacity
another day by daring to run with me! I have surpassed you!"
So, they returned separately to their homes on the Campo
River. Tortoise called together the Tortoise Tribe; and Antelope
called all the Antelope Tribe. And they met in a Council of all the
Animals. Then Tortoise rose and spoke--"All you Kudu Tribe! Mbalanga
said I would not surpass him in a race. But, this day I have
surpassed!"
So the Antelope Tribe had to acknowledge, "Yes, you, Kudu, have
surpassed our champion. It's a great shame to us; for, we had not
supposed that a slow fellow such as we thought you to be, could
possibly do it, or be able to out-run a Mbalanga."
So the Council decided that, of all the tribes of animals, Tortoise
was to be held as greatest; for, that it had out-run Antelope. And
the Animals gave Tortoise the power to rule.
TALE 6
GOAT'S TOURNAMENT
Persons
Tomba (Goat)
Njâ (Leopard)
NOTE
The reason why leopards wander everywhere, and fight all other animals,
is their shame at being overcome by a goat. Their ancestor had said,
"I did not know that a Goat could overcome me."
The Tribe of Goats sent a message to the Tribe of Leopards, saying,
"Let us have a Wrestling Match, in an effort to see which is the
stronger." Then Leopard took counsel with his Tribe, "This Tribe of
Goats! I do not see that they have any strength. Let us agree to the
contest; for, they can do nothing to me."
So, the Goat Tribe gathered all together; and the Leopard Tribe
all together; and they met in a street of a town, to engage in the
drumming and dancing and singing usually preceding such contests.
For the wrestling, they joined in thirty pairs, one from each
tribe. The first pair wrestled; and the representative of the
Leopards was overcome and thrown to the ground. Another pair joined;
and again the Leopard champion was overcome. A third pair joined and
wrestled, contesting desperately; the Leopard in shame, and the Goat
in exultation. Again the Leopard was overcome.
There was, during all this time, drumming by the adherents of both
parties. The Leopard drum was now beaten fiercely to encourage their
side, as they had already been overcome three times in succession.
Then, on the fourth effort, the Leopard succeeded in overcoming. Again
a pair fought; and Leopard overcame a second time. The sixth pair
joined; and Leopard said, "Today we wrestle to settle that doubt as
to which of us is the stronger."
So, pair after pair wrestled, until all of the thirty arranged pairs
had contested. Of these, the Leopard tribe were victors ten times;
and the Goat Tribe twenty times.
Then the Leopard tribe said, "We are ashamed that the report should
go out among all the animals that we beat only ten times, and the
Tomba twenty times. So, we will not stay any longer here, with their
and our towns near together:" for they knew that their Leopard tribe
would always be angry when they should see a company of Goats passing,
remembering how often they were beaten. So, they moved away into the
forest distant from their hated rivals. In their cherished anger at
being beaten, and to cover their shame, Leopard attacks a Goat when
he meets him alone, or any other single beast known to be friendly
to the Goats, e.g., Oxen or Antelopes.
TALE 7
WHY GOATS BECAME DOMESTIC
Persons
Tomba-Ya-Taba (Goat)
With Etoli, plural Betoli (Rat)
Vyâdu (Antelope, plural Lâdu)
Njâ (Leopard)
Ko (Wild-Rat)
Njâku (Elephant)
Mankind
Nyati (Ox)
Goat and his mother lived alone in their village. He said to her,
"I have here a magic-medicine to strengthen one in wrestling. There
is no one who can overcome me, or cast me down; I can overcome any
other person."
The other Beasts heard of this boast; and they took up the
challenge. First, house-Rats, hundreds of them, came to Goat's village,
to test him. And they began the wrestling. He overcame them, one by
one, to the number of two hundred. So, the Rats went back to their
places, admitting that they were not able to overcome him.
Then, forest-Rat came to wrestle with Goat. He overcame them also,
all of them. And they went back to their own place defeated.
Then, the Antelope came to wrestle with Goat. He overcame all the
Antelopes, every one of them; not one was able to withstand him. And
they also went back to their places.
Also, Elephant with all the elephants, came on that same
challenge. Goat overcame all the Elephants; and they too, went back
to their place.
Thus, all the Beasts came, in the same way, and were overcome in the
same way, and went back in the same way.
But, there still remained one Beast, only one, Leopard, who had not
made the attempt. So he said he would go; as he was sure he could
overcome. He came. Goat overcame him also. So, it was proved that
not a single beast could withstand Goat.
Then the Father of All-the-Leopards said, "I am ashamed that this Beast
should overcome me. I will kill him!" And he made a plan to do so. He
went to the spring where Mankind got their drinking-water. And he
stood, hiding at the spring. Men of the town went to the spring to get
water; Leopard killed two of them. The people went to tell Goat, "Go
away from here, for Leopard is killing Mankind on your account." The
Mother of Goat said to him, "If that is so, let us go to my brother
Vyâdu." So they both went to go to Uncle Antelope. And they came
to his village. When they told him their errand, he bravely said,
"Remain here! Let me see Njâ come here with his audacity!"
They were then at Antelope's village, about two days. On the third
day, about eight o'clock in the morning, Leopard came there as if for
a walk. When Antelope saw him, Goat and his mother hid themselves;
and Antelope asked Leopard, "What is your anger? Why are you angry
with my nephew?"
At that very moment while Antelope was speaking, Leopard seized him
on the ear. Antelope cried out, "What are you killing me for?" Leopard
replied, "Show me the place where Tomba-Taba and his mother are." So,
Antelope being afraid said, "Come tonight, and I will show you where
they sleep. And you kill them; but don't kill me."
While he was saying this, Goat overheard, and said to his mother,
"We must flee, lest Njâ kill us." So, at sun-down, that evening, Goat
and his mother fled to the village of Elephant. About midnight, Leopard
came to Antelope's village, according to appointment, and looked for
Goat, but did not find him. Leopard went to all the houses of the
village, and when he came to Antelope's own, in his disappointment,
he killed him.
Leopard kept up his search, and followed to find where Goat had
gone. Following the tracks, he came to the village of Elephant. When
he arrived there, Elephant demanded, "What's the matter?" And the same
conversation was held, as at Antelope's village, and the incidents
happened as at that village, ending with Elephant's being killed
by Leopard. For, Goat and his mother had fled, and had gone to the
village of Ox.
Leopard followed, and came to Ox's village. There all the same things
were said and done, as in the other villages, and ending with Goat
and his mother fleeing, and Ox being killed.
Then, the mother, wearying of flight, and sorry at causing their
entertainers to be killed, said, "My child! if we continue to flee to
the villages of other beasts, Njâ will follow, and will kill them. Let
us flee to the homes of Mankind."
So, they fled again, and came to the town of Man, and told him their
story. He received them kindly. He took Goat and his mother as guests,
and gave them a house to live in.
One time, at night, Leopard came to the town of Man, in pursuit
of Goat. But Man said to Leopard, "Those Beasts whom you killed,
failed to find a way in which to kill you. But, if you come here,
we will find a way." So, that night, Leopard went back to his village.
On another day, Mankind began to make a big trap, with two rooms
in it. They took Goat and put him in one room of the trap. Night
came. Leopard left his village, still going to seek for Goat; and
he came again to the town of Man. Leopard stood still, listened, and
sniffed the air. He smelled the odor of Goat, and was glad, and said,
"So! this night I will kill him!"
He saw an open way to a small house. He thought it was a door. He
entered, and was caught in the trap. He could see Goat through the
cracks in the wall, but could not get at him. Goat jeered at him,
"My friend! you were about to kill me, but you are unable."
Daybreak came. And people of Man's town found Leopard in the trap,
caught fast. They took machetes and guns, and killed him. Then Man said
to Goat, "You shall not go back to the Forest; remain here always."
This is the reason that Goats like to live with mankind, through fear
of Leopards.
TALE 8
IGWANA'S FORKED TONGUE
Persons
Ngâmbi (Igwana)
Njâ (Leopard)
Betoli (Rats)
Vyâdu (Antelope)
Iheli (Gazelle)
Ehibo (Red Antelope)
NOTE
Natives believe that the Igwana kills with its long tongue. This story
assigns the fear of leopards as a reason why Igwanas like to live near
water. Igwanas swim readily, while leopards (as all the cat-tribe)
do not like even to wet their feet.
There were two friends, Igwana and Leopard, living in the same
village, one at each end. Igwana had six wives; Leopard also had
six. Leopard begot twenty children; Igwana had eight. One time, at
night, they were sitting with their wives and children in the street,
in a conversation. Leopard said to Igwana, "Ngâmbi! I have a word to
say to you." Igwana said, "Speak."
Then Leopard said, "I wish you and me to have our food
together." Igwana agreed, "Well." And Leopard arranged, "For two
months, you shall come and eat in my house; and then, for two months,
I at your house."
And they separated, to go to their houses for sleep.
Soon the night passed, and day broke.
Leopard went to the forest and killed an Antelope. He and Igwana and
their families spent four days in eating it.
On another day, Leopard went to the forest and killed a Gazelle. It
also was finished in four days.
And again, Leopard went to the forest, and killed a Red Antelope. They
were occupied in eating it also four days.
So, they continued all the two months. Then Leopard said, "Ngâmbi! it
is your time to begin the food." Igwana replied, "I have no wild meat,
only vegetables."
On the following day, Igwana got ready his food and sent word for
Leopard to come to eat. He came and ate, there being on the table only
vegetables and salt. Then the day darkened; and, in the evening they
all came together in one place, as usual. Leopard said to Igwana,
"I began my turn with meats in my house, and you ate them. I cannot
eat only vegetables and salt." Igwana explained, "I do not know the
arts for killing beasts." Leopard told him, "Begin now to try the
art of how to catch beasts." Igwana replied, "If I begin a plan for
catching Beasts, that plan will be a dreadful one." Leopard exclaimed,
"Good! begin!"
Igwana promised, "Tomorrow I will begin."
And they all went to their houses to sleep their sleep. The night
passed, and day broke.
Igwana started out very early in the morning. On the way, he came to
a big tree. He stood at its base, and, with a cord, he loosely tied
his own hands and feet around the tree. Then he began to squeak as
if in pain, "Hwa! hwa! hwa!" three times.
At that same time, a child of Leopard had gone wandering out into the
forest. He found Igwana tied to the tree and crying. Igwana said to
him, "Ah! my child! come near me, and untie me."
The child of Leopard came near to him; and then Igwana thrust
his forked tongue into the nostrils of young leopard, and pulled
his brains out, so that the child died. Then Igwana untied himself,
skinned the young leopard, divided it, tied the pieces in a big bundle
of leaves, and took them and the skin to the village. There he gave
the meat to his wife, who put it in a pot. And he went to his house,
and left the skin hanging in his bedroom.
Then when the meat was cooked, he sent word for Leopard to come and
eat. Leopard came and sat down at the table, and they ate. As they
were eating, Leopard said, "Ah! my friend! You said you did not know
how to catch beasts! What is this fine meat?"
Igwana replied, "I am unable to tell you. Just you eat it." So, they
ate, and finished eating. Igwana continued that way for two weeks,
killing the young leopards.
At that Leopard said to himself, "I had begotten twenty children, but
now I find only ten. Where are the other ten?" He asked his children
where their brothers were. They answered that they did not know,
"Perhaps they were lost in the forest." The while that Igwana was
killing the young leopards, he had hidden their skins all in his
bedroom.
On another day, Leopard and Igwana began a journey together to a
place about forty miles distant. Before he started, Igwana closed his
house, and said to his children, "Njâ and I are going on a journey;
while I am away, do not let any one enter into my bedroom." And they
two went together on their journey. They reached their journey's end,
and were there for the duration of seven days. While they were gone,
there was no one to get meat for their people, and there came on
their village a great njangu (hunger for meat).
One of those days, in the village, so great was that famine that the
children of Leopard were searching for rats for food. The rats ran
away to the house of Igwana that was shut up; and the children of
Leopard pursued. But the children of Igwana said to them, "Do not
enter the house! Our father forbade it! Stop at the door-way!"
But the young leopards replied, "No! all the Betoli have run in
there. We must follow." So, they broke down the door. There they found
skins of young leopards, and they exclaimed, "So! indeed! Ngâmbi
kills our brothers!" And two days later, the two fathers came back
to the village.
The young igwanas told their father that the young leopards had broken
the door, and found leopard-skins hanging inside. Igwana asked them,
"Really? They saw?" The young igwanas answered, "Yes! they saw!" Then
Igwana said, "Be on your guard! For, Njâ will be angry with me."
Also, the young leopards said to their father, "Paia! so it is that
Ngâmbi killed our brothers. We saw their skins in his bedroom." Leopard
asked, "Truly?" They answered, "Yes! we saw!" He said only, "Well,
let it be."
On another day, Leopard said, "This night I will go to Ngâmbi to kill
him and all his children." The wife of Igwana heard this, and told
him, "Tonight, Njâ will come to kill you and our children." At this,
Igwana said to himself "But! we must flee, I, and my children, and
my wives!" So, they all went and hid in the water of a small stream.
Leopard came, in the dark of the morning, to Igwana's house, and
entered it; but he saw no people, only the skins of his children. So
he exclaimed, "At whatever place I shall see Ngâmbi, I will kill and
eat him. We, he and I, have no more friendship!"
TALE 9
WHAT CAUSED THEIR DEATHS?
Persons
Mbwa (Dog)
Kudu (Tortoise)
Mbala (Squirrel)
NOTE
Dog and squirrel were of the same age, and they met with the same
end. They each had an object of their special liking, the excessive
use of which finally was the cause of their death.
Dog, Squirrel, Tortoise and others were living in one town. They all,
at that time, ate of the same kind of food. But, they were at peace
in that village during only two weeks. Then Squirrel and Dog said
to Tortoise, "Let us divide, and have peace each at our separate
villages. You, Kudu, and the others can stay at this spot if you like."
Squirrel said he would remove to a place about three miles distant
north. Dog went about three miles in the opposite direction. So,
each had his own little hamlet.
On another day, Squirrel said to his wife, "I am going on a journey
to see my friend Mbwa." He started, came to Dog's place, and entered
the house. Dog welcomed him, played with him, and killed a fowl for
their dinner. With Squirrel had come one of his wives.
While the women were cooking inside the house, Dog and Squirrel
were sitting in the ikenga (reception-room). They were conversing
there. After awhile, Dog said to Squirrel "Excuse me, I will go to
see about the food." He went inside, and lay down near the fire,
and Squirrel was left alone.
Dog stayed there inside the house, until the food was cooked. Then
he came out to his friend, and began to set the table, while the
women came in with the food, and put it on the table. Dog drew up
by the table ready to eat; and Squirrel also; and Squirrel's wife,
and Dog's wife also, making four at the table.
During the eating, Squirrel said to Dog, "My friend! when you left me
here in the ikenga, where did you go to, the while that the women were
cooking the food?" Dog answered, "Ah! my friend, you know that I like
fire very much. While we were talking here, you and I, cold seized me."
Then Squirrel said, "Ah! my friend, you like fire too much; I think
you will die of fire some day."
They finished the food; and after that, Squirrel prepared his return
journey to his village. And he said to Dog, "My friend Mbwa, how many
days before you shall come to my place?" Dog answered, "In two days,
then will I come."
So, Squirrel returned to his village. His wives and children told
him the daily news of what had occurred in the village while he was
away. And he told them about what he had seen at Dog's. And he added,
"But, there is one thing I noticed; my friend Mbwa likes fire very
much."
He waited the two days; Dog came on his visit; and Squirrel killed
a fowl for his guest. And he bade his woman cook the fowl. In the
meanwhile, Dog and Squirrel sat in the ikenga conversing. Presently
Squirrel said to Dog, "Excuse me, I am going. I will return."
Squirrel went out into his garden, and climbed up a banana stalk,
and began eating the ripe fruit at the top of the bunch. After awhile,
he came down again. And he went into the ikenga to prepare the table
for the food. When it was ready, Dog sat up at the table. With him
were his wife, and Squirrel and Squirrel's wife.
Presently, Dog inquired of Squirrel, "My friend! when you left
me sitting here alone, where did you go to?" Squirrel answered,
"My friend! you know I like to eat bananas. So, I was up the tree,"
Then Dog said, "My friend! you love bananas too much; some day,
you will die with them."
When they had finished their food, Dog said, "I am on my return to
my village." So he returned thither. But he was arrived there only
two days when he happened to fall into the fire-place. And he died
in the fire. The news was carried to his friend Squirrel, "Your
friend Mbwa is dead by fire." Squirrel replied, "Yes, I said so;
for he loved fire too much."
On another day, in Man's town, a person went to look for food at his
banana tree. And he saw that the fruit was eaten at the top, by some
animal. So, that Man made a snare at the Banana tree. On the next day,
Squirrel said to himself, "I'm going to eat my banana food wherever
I shall find it."
He came to the town of Man, and climbed the tree. The snare caught
and killed him; and he died there. The Man came and found the body
of Squirrel; and he exclaimed "Good!"
The news was carried to the village of Squirrel's children, "Your
father is dead, at a banana tree."
And they said, "Yes; for our father loved bananas very much. He had
said that Mbwa would die by fire because he loved fire. And himself
also loved bananas."
TALE 10
A QUARREL ABOUT SENIORITY
Persons
Ihendi (Squirrel)
And 2 children
Ikundu (Vengeance)
Ihana (Help)
Pe (Viper)
A Hunter
NOTE
This story suggests that when a neighbor flatters another, suspicion is
raised that he is plotting some evil. Squirrel and the Adder professed
great friendship; but their friendship was soon broken.
Claims of seniority are a constant cause of native quarrels.
A certain fetish-charm or "medicine" (generally poisonous) is supposed
to be able to decide, on its being drunk by accused parties, as to
their guilt or innocence.
There is a common belief in premonitions by unusual beats of the heart,
or twitching of any muscle.
Squirrel and Adder were great friends, living in the same town. Each
of them had two wives.
One day, in the afternoon, Squirrel and one of his wives went into the
house of Adder. The latter said to his wife, "Make ready food." So,
she made a great deal of food. Then he said to his friend Squirrel,
"Come, eat!" But Squirrel said, "I won't eat alone without my wife." So
he called his wife to eat. His wife came and ate at the table. Then
he said to Adder, "Also, you call your wife to eat with us." So
Adder's wife came. And Squirrel said to Adder, "Now let us eat; for,
everything is right." So they began to eat.
While they were eating, Adder said, "I have a word to say about you,
Ihendi." Squirrel replied, "Speak your word; I will listen." Then Adder
asked, "You, Ihendi, and I, Pe; which is the elder? And your wife
and my wife; also which is the elder?" Squirrel replied, "I am the
elder, and my wife is older than your wife." But Adder said, "No! I
am the elder; and my wife is older than yours." Squirrel responded,
"I will give you my answer tomorrow in my own house." This occurred
in the evening.
Then the day darkened, and Squirrel went to his house to lie
down. Adder also went to lie down in his bedroom.
In the night, Squirrel remarked to his wife, "My wife! what sort of
a word is this that Pe has spoken about so to me? I don't know about
his birth, and he does not know of mine. We have no other person in
the town who is able to decide which of us is the elder, and which the
younger. This question has some affair behind it." His wife replied
"I think that Pe wants to get up a quarrel in order to kill you or our
children." Squirrel had two children, one named Vengeance and the other
Help. Squirrel replied to his wife, "No! I will have no discussion
with Pe; but tomorrow there shall be only a test of Medicine."
Soon the day broke. Squirrel sent word to Pe, "Chum! you and I will
have today nothing else but a medicine-test and no quarrel. For, you
and I profess to love each other. I do this to prove both yourself
and myself, lest you get up some affair against me, even though we
love each other very much." Adder consented, "Yes; get the Medicine. I
will know then what I shall say."
Squirrel went to the forest to get leaves and bark of a certain
tree for the kwai (test). On his return, he said to Adder, "Here is
the test; let us drink of it." Adder replied, "The Medicine is of
your getting. You first drink of it." Squirrel agreed, "Yes, I will
drink first."
So, Squirrel, conscious of his innocence, drank the test and swore
an oath, "If I meet Pe's mother, it shall be only in peace. Or his
father, only peace; or his children, only peace." Squirrel added,
"I have finished speaking for my part." And he sat down on the ground.