There was once a man who had two wives, one of whom had no children,
and for that reason she was not loved by her husband. Her name was
Numbakatali. The other wife had one daughter who was very black, and
several children besides, but they were all crows. The one who had no
offspring was very downcast on that account, and used to go about
weeping all day.
Once when she was working in her garden, and crying as usual, two doves
came and perched near her. One of them said to the other: “Dove, ask
the woman why she is crying.” So the dove questioned her.
She replied: “It is because I have no children, and my husband does not
love me. His other wife’s children are crows, which come and eat my
corn, and she laughs at me.”
The dove said: “Go home and get two earthen jars, and bring them here.”
Numbakatali went and got them. Then the doves scratched her knees till
the blood flowed, and put the blood in the jars. The woman gave the
doves some corn to eat, after which she took the jars home to her hut,
and set them carefully down in a corner. Every day the two doves came
to be fed, and always told the woman to look at what was in the jars.
At last, when she looked one day, she saw two children, one a boy, the
other a girl, and both very handsome. She was very much delighted at
the sight, but she did not tell any one.
When the children grew a little she made a snug place for them in the
hut, where they were to sit all day, because she did not wish them to
be seen. Always before she went to her work she charged them not to go
out, and as her husband never came to see her, no one knew of the
existence of these children except herself and a servant girl.
But one day, when they were big, she went out, and after she was away
some time, the boy said to his sister: “Come, let us help our mother by
bringing water from the river.”
So they went for water; but they had not reached the river when they
met a company of young men with a chief’s son, who was looking for a
pretty girl to be his wife. The young chief was called Broad Breast,
because his chest was very wide, and it was also made of a glittering
metal that shone in the sun. These men asked for water to drink. The
boy gave them all some water, but the young chief would only take it
from the girl. He was very much smitten with her beauty, and watched
her when she left, so as to find out where she lived.
As soon as the young chief saw the hut that the girl went to, he
returned home with his party and asked his father for cattle with which
to marry her. The chief, who was very rich, gave his son many fine
cattle, with which the young man went to the girl’s mother’s husband,
and said: “I want to marry your daughter.”
So the girl who was very black was told to come, but the young chief
said: “That is not the one I want; the one I saw was lighter in colour
and much prettier.”
The father replied: “I have no other children but crows.”
But Broad Breast persisted, so the man called his wives, both of whom
denied that there was such a girl. However, the servant girl went to
the man and privately told him the truth. In the evening he went to his
wife’s hut, and to his great joy saw the boy and his sister. He was so
delighted that he remained there that night, and after talking it over
with his wife, he agreed to let Broad Breast marry the girl.
In the morning a mat was spread in the yard, and the young chief was
asked to sit down. The two children and the servant girl who told their
father about them were also called, and they all sat down on the mat.
The young chief, as soon as he saw her, said: “This is the girl I
meant.”
He stayed part of the day, and then with his attendants went to his
father for more cattle, which, having obtained, he brought them to the
father of the girl.
The mother of the very black girl and the crows was very jealous when
she saw such a fine young chief coming with so many cattle. She wanted
her daughter to be the one that was to be married; so she dressed her
as finely as she could, but she had no such pretty clothes as the other
girl had. Her name was Mahlunguluza, for she was called after the
crows, who were the other children of her mother. The pretty girl’s
name was Mbulukazi, which name was given to her because her handsome
dress was made of the skin of a mbulu.
The mother of Mahlunguluza spoke to the young chief about her daughter,
and so he married both the girls. Their father gave to each an ox, with
which they went to their new home. Mbulukazi’s ox was a pretty young
one, and Mahlunguluza’s ox was an old and poor one. When they arrived,
Broad Breast gave to Mbulukazi a very nice new house to live in, but to
Mahlunguluza was given an old one quite in ruins.
Then the very black one saw she was not loved, and she became jealous,
so she made a plan to kill her sister. One day she told her she heard
their father was sick, and proposed that they should go to see him.
Mbulukazi consented, and as soon as they obtained leave from their
husband they left. Their road led them along the edge of a cliff, below
which was a deep pool of water.
Mahlunguluza lay down on the rock, and said: “Come, see what is here in
the water.”
Her sister lay down with her head over the edge of the rock, when
Mahlunguluza jumped up quickly and pushed her over. Mbulukazi sank in
the water and was drowned. Then the very black one returned home, and
when her husband asked where Mbulukazi was, she said that she was still
with their father.
The next day the ox of the drowned one came running to the village and
walked about lowing for a while, after which it tore down the old
ruined house of Mahlunguluza with its horns. Its actions attracted the
notice of the men, and they said: “Surely this ox means something, why
is it doing this?”
Then it went to the deep pool of water, the men following it; it smelt
all over the rock, and then jumped into the water and brought out the
body of Mbulukazi. The ox licked her till her life came back, and as
soon as she was strong once more, she told what had happened.
They all went home rejoicing greatly, and informed Broad Breast. When
the young chief heard the story he was angry with Mahlunguluza, and
said to her: “Go home to your father; I never wanted you at all; it was
your mother who brought you to me.”
So she had to go away in sorrow, and Mbulukazi remained the great wife
of the chief.