Kuba (Chicken)
NOTE
A story of the cause of the enmity between chickens and parrots. When
a chicken comes near to a parrot, the latter turns to one side, saying,
"wâ!"; for fear that the chicken will take his fine feathers from him.
Parrot and Chicken were fowls living in a village of Mankind near
a town; which they had built together. They were living there in
great friendship.
Then Parrot said to Chicken, "Chum! I'm going to make an engagement
for marriage." So, he prepared his journey. And he asked Chicken,
"Chum! give me now thy fine dress!" (For the occasion.) Chicken,
said, "Very good!" and he handed his tail feathers to him. Thereupon,
Parrot went on his marriage journey.
When he came home again, he said to himself, "These feathers become
me. I will not return them to Kuba."
So, when Chicken said to him, "Return me my clothes," he replied,
"I will not return them!" Chicken, seeing that Parrot was retaining
the feathers, said sarcastically, "Accept your clothing!" Thereupon,
Parrot, pretending to be wronged, said, "Fellow! why do you put me
to shame? I did not say that I would take your clothing altogether,
only that we should exchange clothes."
At night, then, Parrot took all his family, and they flew up in the air
away. At once, he decided to stay there, and did not come to live on
the ground again. Chicken was left remaining with Mankind in the town.
Whenever Chicken began to call to Parrot up in the treetops, asking
for his clothes, Parrot only screamed back "wâ! wâ!" That was a mode
of speech by which to mock at Chicken.
TALE 30
THE STORY OF A PANIC
Persons
Edubu (Adder)
Ikingi (Fly)
Ko (Wild-Rat)
Ngomba (Porcupine)
Njâku (Elephant)
Ngubu (Hippopotamus)
Nyati (Ox)
Bejaka (Fishes)
Ngando (Crocodile)
NOTE
Native Africans after bathing, rub more or less of some oil, either
native palm, or foreign pomade, on their bodies.
In the Dry Seasons, when the rivers are low, fish are caught by
building dams across the streams, and then bailing out the water from
the enclosed spaces. Observe flies, as carriers of disease.
Adder went to bathe. He returned, and anointed himself with nyimba oil
(oil of bamboo-palm nuts), and then climbed out on to a branch of a
cayenne-pepper bush.
Fly came and settled upon Adder's back. Adder, being annoyed, drove
Fly away. Then Fly said to Adder, in anger, "Know you not that it is
I who cause even Njâku, with his big tusks, to rot? And that I can
cause Nyati and Ngubu to rot? And I can cause Mankind to rot! Then
how much more you, this Thing who has only ribs and ribs!"
When Adder heard this, he was alarmed, and he entered into the hole
of Wild-Rat. Wild-Rat asked him, "Chum Adder! where do you come
from in such haste?" He answered, "I have seen a Being which does
not hesitate to cause Beasts and even Mankind to rot. Therefore,
I am fled, by reason of fear of Ikingi."
Whereupon Wild-Rat, frightened, arose, and entered hastily into the
town of Porcupine. Porcupine, alarmed, asked Wild-Rat, "What is it?" He
answered, "I'm afraid of Ikingi; Edubu says that it is he who causes
both Mankind and Beasts to rot."
Then Porcupine, in fear went out, running, going to the town of
Hog. Whereupon Hog, being startled, asked him, "Chum! what is it?" He
answered him, "I'm afraid of Ikingi. Ngomba says that he is the one
who causes both Beasts and Mankind to rot."
Hog at once ran out in terror, and went to a river with all his
family. And the water of the river was promptly crowded out, leaving
its channel dry.
Then the Fishes (mistaking this motion of the water) arose in haste,
saying, "The people who bail the river have come!" And they fled.
Then Crocodile opened his mouth wide; and the fishes in their flight
began to enter into his stomach. Among them was ingongo-Kenda (a young
kenda; a fish with spines like a catfish). When Crocodile was about
to swallow, the spines caught fast in his throat. And Crocodile died
at once.
Then the Fishes sang a song of rejoicing.
"Ngando, with stealing,
Ngando died by a sting in his throat."
Such was the death that Crocodile died, on account of his attempt
to swallow Fishes, who had rushed into his open mouth, as they fled,
alarmed by the confusion raised by the panic of the other animals.
TALE 31
A FAMILY QUARREL
Persons
Iheli (Gazelle)
Njâ (Leopard)
NOTE
Among native Africans, in the case of a man and his wife, even
if they fight together, her father or her brother usually do not
interfere. For, every man who is married knows that his own wife will
some day offend himself.
Gazelle and Leopard built a town; living this one at his end of it;
that one at the other end. After they had built; they cleared the
forest for plantations; they married wives; and they sat down,
resting in their seats.
Gazelle had married the sister of Leopard who was of a proud
disposition. And Leopard had publicly threatened, "The person who
makes trouble for my sister, I will show him a thing."
One day, the sister of Leopard began to give Gazelle some
impertinence. Gazelle said to her, "Shut your mouth!" She replied, "I
won't shut it!" Gazelle threatened, "Lest I beat you!" She dared him,
"Come and beat me! You will see my brother coming to chew you!" Gazelle
ran after her, struck her, ndo! and knocked her to the ground, ndi! As
she lay there, he kept on beating her, and beating her, and shouting,
"Who has married! Who has not married?"
Leopard bristled up his whole mane, full of anger, and was about to
go to Gazelle's end of the town to fight. But the older people said
to him, "You hear what Iheli says, 'Who has not married'?"
Leopard was at once disheartened. He saw there was no place for his
bravery in a matter of marriage.
TALE 32
THE GIANT GOAT
Persons
Kudu (Tortoise)
Njâ (Leopard)
A Giant Goat (Mbodi)
Ngweya (Hog)
Betoli (Rats)
Ngwai (Partridge)
NOTE
Tortoise and Leopard had lived in peace in the same town, until
their mutual use and abuse of the great Goat, the gift of Njambe,
the Creator. A leopard is not satisfied unless he first takes the
heart of the animal he has killed.
Tortoise and Leopard built a town together. There they stayed. After
they had built, they cleared plantations. Their food was only
vegetables; for, they had no meat. Their hunger for meat became
great. Their hunters killed nothing.
One day, Tortoise, as he went in search of food, going and penetrating
in the forest, came upon the Goat of Njambe (a mythical, enormous
animal) in the forest by itself, and tied. It told Tortoise who
and what it was, and invited him to enter. He said to It, "Mbodi,
Friend-of-Njambe! open for me your house!" The Goat opened an aperture
of its body; Tortoise entered in; and It closed the aperture. Inside
of the Goat, Tortoise cut pieces of fine fat, and tied them into two
bundles. Then he said, "Mbodi, friend of Njambe! open for me the
house!" It opened the aperture; Tortoise at once went out; and It
shut it.
Tortoise returned to his town, and cut up the meat. He said to his
women, "Make ready leaves for momba!" (bundles of green plantain leaves
in which meats are cooked over hot coals). They at once plucked the
leaves, tied up the momba, and put them over the fireplace. They set
soup also on the fireplace. When it was boiled, they spread the table,
sat down together, and ate.
The children of Leopard, smelling a tempting odor, came to Tortoise's
end of the town. The children of Tortoise showed their food to them,
saying, exultingly, "Ye! do you eat such as that?" A child of Leopard
said, "Chum! let me taste it!" And he allowed him to taste it.
The children of Leopard went off hurriedly to their father, saying,
"Father! such an animal as your friend has killed! Perhaps it is
Ngweya; we do not know."
Then Leopard went to where Tortoise was, and he asked him, "Chum! as
to this meat-hunger, what shall we do? Let us arrange for the
town." Tortoise responded. "Yes, I am willing." So, in the evening, he
invited his friend Leopard that he should come and eat food. Leopard
came; they sat down together; and they ate. When Leopard had tasted,
he exclaimed, "Man! what animal is this?" But Tortoise would not
tell him. When they had finished eating, Leopard said to himself,
"I must know where Tortoise goes!"
On the next day, before the Ngwai (a Bird, that announces the first
coming of daylight) had sounded, Tortoise went out clear on to
where was that giant Goat. He spoke, as on his previous journey,
"O! Mbodi! Friend of the Creator! open for me the house!" It at
once opened the aperture; he entered in; and began to slice pieces
of meat from the Goat's inside. When he had finished, he said,
"Open for me the house!" It opened the aperture; and he emerged
and went back to his town. There he spoke to his women, saying,
"Cook ye!" They boiled the meat; it was cooked; he invited Leopard;
they ate; and finished. And Leopard went back to his house.
But, when night came, Leopard took ashes, and, going to the house
of Tortoise, thrust the ashes into Tortoise's traveling-bag, and
stabbed holes in it. Said he to himself, "When Tortoise carries it,
then the ashes will fall down." This he did, so that he might follow
to the place where Tortoise would go.
Next day, Tortoise was up at the same time with the first Ngwai. And
at daybreak, Leopard followed, observing the ground closely with
his eyes; and he saw the ashes. The fellow, at once, went on his
journey, striding quickly, quickly, until he reached to where the
great Goat was standing. It explained to him, as it had to Tortoise,
its use, and invited him to enter. Said he, "O! Mbodi of my father
Njambe! open to me the house!" And It opened the hole. He entered;
and he discovered Tortoise cutting meat. Tortoise was displeased,
and said to him, "Chum! is that the way you do?" They cut pieces of
meat, they got ready, and they went back to town.
The next day, although Tortoise was vexed at Leopard, they started
together on their journey; and they arrived at the Goat. They said
as before, "O! Mbodi! Friend! open to us the house!" It opened the
aperture; and they entered. Tortoise warned Leopard, "Chum! Njâ! don't
touch the heart!" They cut meat. Then Leopard said that he was going
to lay hold of the heart. But Tortoise said, "No!" Leopard cut and
cut, and was going on to the heart. Tortoise again said to him, "Not
so!" They went on cutting. Finally Leopard laid hold of the heart! The
Goat at once made a great outcry, "Ma-a! Mba-a!" and died instantly.
The people of the town that was near by, heard, and they said, "The
Mbodi! what has happened to it? Young men! go ye! Hasten ye! for,
that Mbodi is crying!" They went, and discovered the body of the Goat
stretched out. They went back to the town and told the people that,
"The Mbodi is dead!"
While this was going on, as soon as Tortoise inside the body knew that
the Goat was dying, he began to seek for a hiding-place. He said,
"I am for the stomach!" Leopard said, "No! that is the hiding-place
of the elder one" (himself). Then Tortoise said, "I will go and hide
in the bowels." Leopard said, "That also is the hiding place of the
elder." Then Tortoise said, "Well! I'm going to hide in the fountain
of the water of the belly" (the urinary bladder). Leopard said,
"Yes! that is the share of the younger." Tortoise thrust himself in
there. Leopard jumped into the stomach.
When the people came, they discovered the Goat lying flat, and
they said, "Tie ye it!" (to carry it away). Others said, "No! let
it be butchered here." They all said, "Yes!" And they cut it in
pieces. They took out the entire stomach, and laid it aside. They
took that fountain, and flung it out in the bushes.
Concealed by the bushes, Tortoise crawled out of the sac, and,
pretending to be displeased, called out, "Who dashed that dirty water
in my face, as I was coming here, seeking for my fungi here in the
forest?" They apologized, saying. "Chum! we did not know you were
in those bushes. But, come, and join us." So, he went there; and
he, in pretence, exclaimed, "What thing can so suddenly have killed
Friend-Creator his Mbodi there? Alas! But, Ime! what a large stomach
that is! Would you say that it was not it that killed Mbodi? Let us
send some children to pierce that stomach. But ye! when ye shall go
to pierce it, first bring spears, then jab the spears through it. I
have not seen such a stomach as that!"
They finished the cutting in pieces; and they gave Tortoise his
share of the animal. He left, bidding them await his return. He went
hastily with the meat to his town, and sat down to rest for only
a little while. Then he rapidly went back again to see what would
happen to Leopard.
The family of Njambe had taken that stomach and laid it in the water
of a stream. Then they took spears, and they stabbed it. Leopard,
being wounded, struggled up and down as he tried to emerge from
inside the stomach. The people, when they saw this, shouted,
"Aw! lâ! lâ! lâ!" And there was Leopard lying dead! For, in stabbing
that stomach, the spears had reached Leopard.
Tortoise said to them, "Give me the skin of Leopard!" So they handed
it to him. He went off with it to his house. When it was dried, he
took it into his inner room, and hung it up. He said to his children,
"Let no person bring any of the children of Njâ into this room."
Before that time, the children of Tortoise and of Leopard always
hunted small animals; and they were accustomed daily to kill rats in
their houses.
On another day, the children of Leopard having no meat, and not knowing
that their father was dead said, "A hunt for Betoli tomorrow!" The
children of Tortoise replied, "Yes!"
Early in the next day then, the children of Leopard made ready and
called for those of Tortoise; and they all started together.
They began at first at Leopard's end of the town; and, going from house
to house, opened the houses and killed rats. They passed on toward
Tortoise's end of the town, opening houses, and killing rats. When they
came to the room of Tortoise himself, his children said to the others,
"No!" The children of Leopard asked them, "Why?" As they arrived at
the door, the children of Tortoise said, "Our father said that, even
for catching rats, we should not enter that room." But the children
of Leopard broke down the door, and entered into the room. There they
lifted their eyes, and discovered the skin of their father Leopard
hanging! At once, they all hasted out of the house. But, suppressing
their sorrow and indignation, shortly after this, they all said,
"To go to throw wheels on the beach!" (a game; solid wheels, about
eight or ten inches in diameter, and some three inches thick, chopped
out of an enormous tuber). They made ready their little spears, and
they all went in a company. Their challenge was, "To the beach!" These
arranged themselves on one side, and those on the other.
The children of Tortoise began the game, rolling the wheel to the
children of Leopard. These latter, as the wheel rolled by, pierced
its center with all their spears; none failed. The Leopard company
shouted in victory. "Boho, eh?" And the Tortoise company dared
them with, "Iwâ!" Then the Leopard company insultingly retorted,
"We are the ones who are accustomed to sleep with people's sisters,
and continue to eat with them!" (i.e., that they could commit crimes
with impunity, and still be allowed the intimate friendship of eating
together, without the others daring to punish them).
Then the Leopard company bowled the wheel toward the side of the
Tortoise company. These latter pierced the wheel with all their spears;
none missed. The Tortoise company shouted for victory, "Boho! eh?" And
the Leopard company dared them with, "Iwâ!" Then the Tortoise children
shouted boastfully, "We are those who are accustomed to kill people's
fathers, and hang up their skins, eh?"
At this, the Leopard children began to rage, and joined a fight with
the children of Tortoise.
The children of Tortoise, and himself, and their wives and their
children, fled and scattered over the logs into the stream of water,
and hid themselves in holes, and never came back to town.
TALE 33
THE FIGHTS OF MBUMA-TYETYE AND AN ORIGIN OF THE
LEOPARD
Persons
Mekuku, and Two of His Sons Mbuma-Tyetye and Njâ
King Njambu
Betoli (Rats)
Mwamba (Snakes)
Ngângâlâ (Millepedes)
Kedi (Stinging Ants)
Njambu Ya Mekuku (Spirits), and His Town
Women Hidden in Chests
Ngwaye (Partridge)
Kâ (Snails)
Ihonga-Honga (A Giant Tooth)
Hova (A Magic Gourd)
Tângâ (Horn)
Ibumbu (Bundle of Medicine)
Kanja (A Bowl)
Ikanga (Spear)
Ngalo (A Magic Amulet)
NOTE
Ngalo is a powerful fetish-charm. Sitting in a visitor's lap for a
few moments, is a mode of welcome.
"Njambu" is one of their forms of spelling the name of the Creator;
very commonly used also for human beings. The account of the
wrestling-match is suggestive of the surroundings of a modern
athletic field.
Njambu built a Town. He continued there a long time. After he had
finished the town, he married very many wives. After a short time
they all of them bore children. Those births were of many sons. He
gave them names: Among them were, Upuma-mwa-penda (Year-of-doubt),
and Njâ (Leopard).
And again, his wives, after a short time, all of them became
mothers. This time, they gave birth to a large number of daughters. He
gave them also names.
His town was full with men and women; they were crowded. And all
busy. They that worked at stakes, went to cut saplings; those that
made rattan-ropes, went to cut the rattan-vine; they that shaped the
bamboo for building, went to cut the bamboo-palms; they that made
thatch went to gather the palm-leaves; they that set up the stakes of
the house-frame went to thrust them into the ground; they who fastened
the walls, fastened them; they who tied thatch on the roof, tied it;
they who split the rattan vines for tying, split them.
The town was full of noise. The children of Njambu kept their father's
town in motion. They rejoiced in the abundance of people and their
force. They took dowries also for their sisters, and gave them in
marriage to young men of other towns.
Arguments were discussed; stories about White Men were told; amusements
were played; food was eaten; and the sons of Njambu married wives.
One of Njambu's sons, Upuma-mwa-penda, said to his mother, "Make me
mekima," (mashed plantain). His mother asked him, "Where are you going
with the mekima?" He answered, "I'm going to seek a marriage." And
she said "Good!"
In the morning, he took his rolls of mashed plantains, and started to
go on his journey. He said to his mother, "You must keep my house." She
replied, "It is well."
He went on, on, on, until, on the road ahead, he met with two Rats,
who were fighting. He took an ukima-roll, divided it, and gave
to them, saying, "Take ye and eat." They accepted, and told him,
"You shall arrive at the end."
He goes on stepping quickly, quickly; and meets two Snakes fighting. He
parted them. He took an ukima-roll and gave to them; they ate. They
said to him, "You shall reach the end."
He goes on with his journey, until ahead were two Millepedes
fighting. He said to them, "For what are you killing each other?" He
parted them, and gave them an ukima-roll. They took it and said,
"You shall reach the end!"
He lay down in the forest at night. At midnight, his mother saw, in her
sleep, something that said, "Go with thy two daughters in the morning,
and take food for Mbuma-Tyetye (another name for Upuma-mwa-penda)."
Early in the morning, she awoke her two daughters, and said, "Come! let
us go to follow after your brother; he is still on his way."
They started, on, on, on, until they found him sitting down in the
path. They brought out the food from their traveling-bag, and they
said, "We have come to give you food." They prepared the meal, and
they ate. And they slept that night in the forest.
Next morning, they started again, and they walked on, on, on, with
their journey. As they came on their way, they listened ahead, and
they heard something, saying, "Eh! fellows, eh! eh! fellows eh! Nobody
shall pass! Nobody shall pass here!"
When they drew near, they met an immense quantity of Red stinging
Ants spread from the ground up to the tree-tops, entirely closing the
way. Mbuma-tyetye and his company said, "Ah! these are they who were
shouting here!" He advanced to the fight, and called to his younger
sister, "Come on!"
She lifted her foot just to tread upon the Ants; and they instantly
entirely covered her. He and his company tried in vain to draw her
back. The Ants shouted, to strengthen themselves. "Eh! fellows, eh!"
He, still fighting, called to the elder sister, "On ahead!" Just as
she lifted her foot, there came all the Tribe of Red Ants, and would
have covered her up. The woman jumped to one side vigorously, and
stood there in that spot, fanning away the sweat of her exertions, pe,
pe, pe. She returned again to the Ants; and they met. She called out,
"Ngalo! hot water!" and it appeared. She took it, and dashed it at the
Red Ants. But they all went into their holes; and came out at another
opening, again closing the path. She still stood there ready to fight;
but they covered her, and dragged her behind them.
The Ants shouted over their victory, "Eh! fellows, eh! Today no person
passes here!"
The son called to his mother, "Mother! come on!" His mother said,
"My child! I am unable." He called, "Ngalo! Fire!" Fire at once
appeared. Having drawn back the corpses of his sisters, he seized
the fire, and thrust it into the nests of the Ants. He thrust it also
among the trees. The flame ignited them; and the surrounding forest
burned to ashes with all the trees. And the Ants were all burned too.
Then he brought his sisters to life, by taking that ashes, and throwing
it over them, and down their throats into their stomachs.
When the day darkened, he said, "Ngalo! a house!" A tent at once
appeared, with a table, and tumblers, and water, and all food. They
sat there and ate. When they finished eating, they set tea on the
table. They drank; they talked of their experiences. When they ended,
they said, "Let us lie down together." So they lay down for the night.
As the next day was coming, a Partridge gave forth its voice,
"Rise! tyâtyâ lâ! tyâtyâ lâ!" And the day broke also. They wash
their faces; they set tea on the table, and drank it. They folded
the tent-house, and swallowed it, (as a mode of carrying it). They
started with their journey, and went conversing on the way.
As they came along, Something was heard ahead. They listened,
and heard a song. "Gribâmbâ! eh! Gribâmbâ! eh!" Mbuma-tyetye
and his mother and sisters kept on going toward the sound, which
continued, "Dingâlâ! eh! A person will not pass! No doubt about
it! Dingâlâ! eh! Wherever he comes from, he can pass here only by
coming from above."
The man and his company approached the source of the song, and
exclaimed, "There it is!" They went on and found the entire tribe
of Snails filling the road hither and yonder. He said to his mother,
"What shall we do with the Kâ Tribe?" They sat down to consider. They
decided, "A fight! this very day!" They sat still, and rested
for a while. Then he went ahead and shouted to his younger sister,
"Come!" She called out, "Ngalo! a short sword!" It appeared. She called
again, "A strong cloth!" It appeared, and she dressed herself with it.
As she approached the Snails, one of them fell on her head with a
thud, ndi! She took the sword, and struck it, ko! The Snails shouted,
"We're nearing you!" A crowd of them came rapidly, one after another;
in a heap, they entirely covered her, vyâ! And she lay a corpse! The
Snails swarmed over her, and taking her, threw her behind them. They
shouted in victory, "Tâkâ! Dingâlâ! eh!"
Then the elder sister said she was going to help her brother in facing
the Snails. Her mother objected, "You? Stay!" But she replied, "Let me
go!" She girded her body tightly, and then she entered the fight. The
Snails surrounded her. They were about to drag her to their rear, when,
she, at the side of the path, attempted to spring from them. But they
swarmed over her. And she lay a corpse! The mother was crying out,
"O! My child!" when the Snails covered her too.