For many years I have been collecting folklore stories such as are told round the fires of the Congo villages--stories that have been handed down from generation to generation; and are so well known that sentences from them are often quoted, and have thus become the proverbs with which the natives so freely interlard their talk.

To have printed all the stories collected would have meant a bulky volume; but these selected for publication are typical of those that remain, although every story has its own peculiarity of plot, explanation, or teaching.

Between most of the stories told on the Upper Congo and those related on the Lower Congo there is, as a rule, this marked difference: the former try to explain why things are as they are, i. e. why people steal, lie and die; why women run away from their husbands; and why some birds have nests and other birds none: the latter are didactic parables. The former are explanatory of habits and customs, and the latter contain the wit, the wisdom and the moral teaching of many generations, and sum up their view of life--that the cheat will himself be cheated; that 361the unreasonable will be outwitted by craftiness; the tyrant and bully will eventually be punished, and kindness rewarded with timely succour. I am of opinion that the former--the explanatory--stage indicates a more primitive state than the latter or teaching stage, still it would be a very interesting study to decide this point.

These stories belong to the Lower Congo, and more especially to the districts around San Salvador (Portuguese Congo), and Ngombe Lutete (or Wathen in Congo Belge). Some of the Upper River stories I hope to publish on a future occasion.

While living at San Salvador many years ago, the lads and I, on our recreation evenings, told each other tales, and it was then that I heard for the first time some of these stories; a few others I have culled from the pages of a native magazine called Ngonde ye Ngonde (= “Month by Month”), printed and published by our Mission at San Salvador; but by far the larger number were written for me by the teachers and boys of the Wathen Mission School to whom I gave exercise-books with the request that they would write out such stories as they could remember, or could gather from their friends.

I never suggested a story nor a plot to them, for to me personally they would lose their value if they were the result of any such promptings. It was not until a large number of them had been collected that any idea of presenting them in this 362form entered the mind of the collector. And folklorists may rest assured that the stories here set before them are genuinely native in plot, situation, explanation and “teaching,” and, wherever possible, in idiom also.

In these stories the different birds, insects, reptiles and animals speak, marry, attend markets, transact business and lay their cases for decision before the elders as though they were human beings. The heroes among them are endowed with those qualities most admired by the natives, while those that are “fooled” are the personification of such characteristics as awaken only their ridicule and contempt. ’Cuteness, craftiness and wit are at a premium in these stories, and it is curious to note that these qualities seem to be the peculiar property of the small animals, such as the gazelle, the mouse, the squirrel, etc.; and rarely the possession of the larger animals, as the elephant, buffalo and leopard; or when two species of the same order--the driver-ant and the small-ant--are brought into rivalry it is the latter that wins; two birds, as in “The Crow and the Dove,” it is again the weaker one who triumphs in the end.

On the other hand gullibility, dupability, utter stupidity and lack of foresight are associated with bulk, i. e. the larger animals are, as a rule, thoroughly fooled. They have laughed many a time at the way the Gazelle “fooled” the Leopard, yet I do not think there was one who 363would not rather have been the Leopard than the Gazelle--they were not so good as their philosophy.

Greediness in eating is condemned by all natives, and it is interesting to note that the only time, in these stories, the Gazelle is caught and punished it is his greediness that leads to his downfall; and, again, in the story of the Gazelle and the Palm-rat, the latter is choked, not so much because he broke his promise--that is regarded as ’cuteness by the natives--but because he refused to share the palm-nuts with his companion--an act condemned by all natives. This is a trait well marked in the native character. Any one of them will scramble and wrangle for as big a portion of anything going as he can get; but once he has it he will share it with any of his family, or his companions, or even with strangers who happen to be present when he is eating it.

Again and again, when I have given portions of food or salt to a boy, the recipient has shared it equally with his comrades. Here is a monkey to be divided among a dozen boatmen. Two of them will be set to clean it and divide it into twelve portions, and they will be very careful to make all the divisions equal, because by an unwritten law, which I have never seen infringed, the two who apportioned the meat will not take their shares until the others have selected theirs. This is a guarantee that all the portions will be alike, otherwise the last would come off very badly. Each as he chooses will select what he 364considers to be the largest heap; but once he has it, he is quite willing to share it with any or all of his comrades.

There is a delightful absence of proportion in these stories, for in them mice and birds marry young women; a mouse carries the head of a leopard in his bag and brags that he has eaten nine leopards, and although he punishes the elephant and the buffalo he has to cry for help against the hyena; the gazelle eats whole pigs and goats; and a chameleon snarls and the elephant, leopard and other animals run away in terror. Nothing is strange or incongruous in a land where witch-doctors abounded, and were credited with performing wonders by their supposed magical powers. If you questioned any feat, you were at once told most emphatically: “Well, it was done by his magic, or his fetish, or his charm performed it.”

In all the animal stories in this collection the different animals mostly address each other as “uncle,” irrespective of sex; but as this would have been confusing to the reader, I have only retained the term where it fits the sex of the one addressed. In the Congo language there is no gender, and the animals belong to various classes (there are fifteen classes in the Lower Congo language); but directly they are used in stories, and have human characteristics ascribed to them, they are removed from their different classes and placed in the first, or personal, class, e.g. Nsexi 365is in the second class, and its pronominal prefix is i singular, and zi plural; but being moved into the first class it becomes a person, and its prefix is o singular, and be plural--the animal is no longer an “it,” but a “he” or “she.”

Included in this collection are a few stories that are not animal ones, as "The Water-Fairies save a Child"--a warning to parents not to be unreasonable in their punishments; "The Story of two Young Women"--a lesson on vanity, and that wealth does not always bring happiness; and "The Adventures of the Twins"--a whimsical criticism on how human beings should be made in order to avoid the inconveniences, limitations and troubles that attend their present mode of construction.

The reader must not be surprised to find that some of these stories are similar to those made famous by Uncle Remus,^[68] and the reason is not far to seek. About three generations ago the Congo natives were transported in large numbers as slaves to America, and naturally they carried with them their language and their stories. The goobah in Uncle Remus is a corruption of nguba, the Lower Congo word for peanut; and 366Brer Rabbit is the gazelle,^[69] Brer Fox is the leopard, and the Tar-baby is the fetish called Nkondi; but in the Tar-baby a concession is made to civilization, for in Uncle Remus’s account the image is covered with tar to account for Brer Rabbit sticking to it, whereas in what I believe to be the original story the Nkondi image causes the victim to stick by its own inherent fetish power. In “Cunnie Rabbit, Mr. Spider and the other Beef,” there is a story of a Wax-girl, which has all the elements of the Tar-baby, and here again the wax that causes the sticking is a concession, I think, to civilization like the tar.

All raw natives would believe that a fetish by its own magical powers could hold tightly its victim without the aid of such extraneous things as tar and wax. It is apparent that the narrators have lost faith in the magical powers of their fetish, and have introduced the wax and the tar to render their stories a little more reasonable to themselves. It is interesting to note that when Brer Rabbit was thrown among the leaves of the briar bush he unsticks from the Tar-baby, and in the Leopard sticking to the Nkondi the Gazelle “cuts some leaves and made a charm to set the 367Leopard free.” One can discover many similarities between these stories and those told by Uncle Remus. There is little doubt that most, if not all, the stories of Remus were told around the Congo village fires before they delighted the hearts and lightened the burdens of the negro slaves on the southern plantations of America. Yet is Congo the original home of these stories? Or have they travelled far by devious ways, perhaps even doubling back in their course, so that their real home is now lost in antiquity, and the road to it obliterated by the swamps of time across which the human family has wandered in its many journeyings?

The natives in their talk often use phrases from their stories which are quite sufficient to recall to the hearers the whole fable and its teaching, as “sour grapes” with us conjures up the fox looking with longing eyes at the fruit beyond his reach. Many of these concentrated sentences have become the proverbs of to-day, and the Lower Congo language is rich in such mots, and one could, in fact, gain a very clear idea of the Congo man’s philosophy from an analysis of the sentences culled from their stories which have become their maxims.

In these pages will be found some puzzle stories, such as “The Four Fools” and “The Four Wonders.” These are propounded and cause no end of discussion as to which has performed the greatest feat of skill, and thus earned 368the fowl that laid money (i. e. beads); and also who had committed the greatest wrong against the usual order of mundane affairs, and thus deserved the most blame. Each fool and each wonder-worker has his adherents, who will argue in his favour with so much vehemence and gesticulation that the listener who does not know them will think them on the verge of a most desperate fight. After long and toilsome journeys the writer has heard his carriers argue about these problem stories far into the night; and they would return again and again to the charge, each individual (or party) supporting his favourite character with all the natural eloquence at his command. Night after night they would revert to the same story in order to give expression to the arguments, in favour of their views, that had come into their minds through the day while journeying with their loads up and down the hills. One problem story has furnished them, sometimes, with sufficient discussion to last four or five nights.

The stories are told round the fire on nights that are too dark for dancing. The various groups will arrange themselves round the blazing hearths, and after the news of the day has been exhausted, one will tell a story suggested by some item of news, or the action of a friend, or the saying of an enemy. The story is told with dramatic power and forcible eloquence, the narrator acting the various parts and imitating the 369sounds of the different animals. In some of the stories there are choruses, and these are taken up and sung heartily to the clapping of their hands.

There is no greater treat than to listen to a Congo story told in the original by one of these born story-tellers--the lights and shadows caused by the flickering fire, the swaying body of the narrator, the fixed attention and grunts of approval of the listeners, the great dark beyond, the many mystic sounds issuing from the surrounding bush and forest lend a peculiar weirdness to the story and its teller.

A father correcting his children will tell them a story to enforce his teaching, and though wise words might be forgotten, the story will remain in the memory with guiding or deterrent power; sons and daughters repeat these stories to their parents if they think they are not being properly treated according to native ideas.

During a lawsuit the native advocates in stating the case for their clients will tell stories with great effect, or will illustrate a point against their opponents by relating a parable suitable to the occasion; and the judge will often give his verdict by recounting a fable, and if they do not know one appropriate to the case they will invent one, and should it happen to be a happy invention it will pass from mouth to mouth, and thus into the folklore of the district; the current stories, known to all, are a survival of the fittest, and some of them are here placed before the reader.

370CONGO FOLKLORE TALES

I How the Fowl evaded his Debt

Once upon a time a cock Fowl and a Leopard began a friendship, and not very long afterwards the Leopard lent some money to the Fowl. It was arranged that on a certain day the Leopard should receive the money at the Fowl’s residence.

On the morning of the appointed day the Fowl ground up some red peppers, and mixed them with water so that it looked like blood, and when he heard that the Leopard was on the way to his house he went into his courtyard and said to his slaves: “When the Leopard arrives and asks for me, tell him my head has been cut off and carried to the women in the farms to be combed and cleaned.” Then he hid his head under his wings and told them to pour some of the pepper water on his neck, which they did, and it fell to the ground like blood.

The Leopard arrived and asked for his friend the Fowl. The slaves repeated what they had 371been told, and, on the Leopard hearing it, he wished to be allowed a closer view of the marvel, and on beholding the red-pepper water dropping to the ground, he thought it was all true.

On returning later he asked the Fowl how it was done, and the Fowl replied: “When you reach your town, you cut off your head, and send it to the farm to be combed and cleaned, and there you are.”

“Oh! thank you, friend,” said the Leopard, “I will astonish the natives of my town.”

Away he went to his town, and told all his wives that he had been taught some wonderful magic by his friend the Fowl.

“What is it?” they asked.

“Well, my head is cut off,” said the Leopard, “and then you take it to the farm to comb and clean, and then you bring it back.”

“All right,” they cried in chorus.

The Leopard sent messengers to all the towns in his district, inviting the folk on a certain day to come and see the wonder. On the day a great crowd of people arrived, and when all was ready the Leopard went into the centre, and his head was cut off, but his legs gave way, and he fell down.

The head was returned after being combed and cleaned, but when they put it on the neck 372it would not stay there. Thus died the Leopard because of his conceit in thinking he could do all that others did; and also because he did not use his common sense to perceive the foolishness of what the Fowl told him. Do not believe all you see and hear.

373

II Why the Small-ant was the Winner

One day a fierce Driver-ant^[70] and a Small-ant had a long discussion as to which of them was the stronger. The Driver-ant boasted of his size, the strength of his mandibles, and the fierceness of his bite.

“Yes, all that may be true,” quietly answered the Small-ant, “and yet with all your size and strong jaws you cannot do what I can do.”

“What is that?” sneeringly asked the Driver-ant.

“You cannot cut a piece of skin off the back of that man’s hand, and drop it down here,” replied the Small-ant.

“Can’t I? All of you wait and see,” said the Driver-ant.

Away he climbed up the man until he reached the back of his hand. At the first bite of the strong mandibles, the man started, and, looking down at his hand, saw the Driver-ant, picked it off, and dropped it dead at his feet right among the waiting crowd of ants.

374The Small-ant then climbed to the place, and gently, softly, with great patience he worked round a piece of skin until it was loose, and he was able to drop it to the ground. The waiting throng of ants proclaimed him the winner, for he had done by his gentleness and patience what the other had failed to do by his strength and fierceness.

375

III How the Animals imitated the Gazelle and brought Trouble upon Themselves

Once upon a time a Leopard gave birth to seven cubs, and she asked the Jackal to act as nurse for her while she was away hunting.

Shortly after the departure of the Leopard the Gazelle arrived, and said to the Jackal: “Let us eat one of the cubs and then you will have six left.”

“What shall I do when the Leopard returns?” asked the Jackal.

“Oh! I will help you,” quickly promised the Gazelle.

Thereupon the Jackal gave up a cub, and then another, and another, until at last all the cubs were eaten.

The Gazelle then tied the Jackal to a tree and said: "When you hear the Leopard coming, shout out loudly, ‘Murder! Thieves!’"

In a little time the Jackal heard the Leopard bounding through the forest, and he began to cry 376out: “We are robbed! we are robbed! Help! Thieves!”

“What is the matter? What are you crying about?” asked the Leopard.

“Oh!” sobbed the Jackal, “I don’t know at all who tied me up, but all of your children are eaten.” The Leopard, on hearing this, was very angry.

The reckless, daring Gazelle scampered off, and by and by reached a place where all the animals were gambling with dice. A Pigeon gave him the dice to throw, and the Gazelle threw a “Leopard” (the name of a winning throw). “Oh, dear me!” said the Gazelle, when he saw his luck, “I have eaten seven young leopards, and nothing has happened to me.”

The other animals thought this was a lucky saying, so they repeated the words every time they threw the dice. The Gazelle warned them not to imitate the sayings of others, or trouble would come upon them. But they, thinking he only wanted to keep his good luck to himself, repeated the words more earnestly. The Gazelle slipped away to call the Leopard, and begged her not to be angry with what she would hear.

The Leopard went to the games, and when she heard one animal after another say: “Oh, dear me! I have eaten seven young leopards, and 377nothing has happened to me,” she became so angry that she fought with the different animals and killed them all. As for the Gazelle, he took himself out of the way. Thus the animals, through apeing others, lost their lives.

378

IV Why the Fowls never shut their Doors

There lived once a chief who owned a large number of Fowls. On arising early one morning he found that the door of their house had been left open all night. He thereupon woke up the Head Cock and asked why he had not shut the door.

The Cock replied: “We did not go to sleep very early last night, as we quarrelled over who should shut the door. I told one to do it, and he told another, and at last we became so angry with each other that no one would shut the door, so we went to sleep leaving it open.”

The owner snapped his fingers in speechless surprise at the Fowl’s excuse, and walked away.

Another day the chief went to see his wives’ farms and found them all clean and well weeded, but the road leading to the farms, which was nobody’s work, was choked with tall grass and weeds. That evening the chief called out loudly so that all the town could hear: “You women, I went to your farms to-day, and found the road covered with tall grass and weeds. Truly you 379are near relatives of the fowls, who sleep with open door because each tells the other to shut it. To-morrow all of you go and clear the road.”

When the Fowls heard these remarks they were very vexed, and the Cock said: “You have heard what our owner has shouted out to the whole town. He has held us up as a bad example to all in the place, yet when I went to a neighbouring town the day before yesterday I saw a buffalo rotting by the roadside.”

“Why was it rotting there?” asked the Black Hen of her husband.

The Cock replied: "When I reached the town the other day I heard that Don’t-care, who is the son of Peter Pay-if-you-like, went outside his house and saw a buffalo; he aroused his companions and told them to go and shoot it; but they said: ‘Go and shoot it yourself.’ ‘What! am I to see the buffalo and shoot it also?’ he asked. Thereupon Wise-man fired at the buffalo, and told another to go and see if it were killed. He came back and said it was wounded; so another went and killed it; but he would not cut it up; and another went and cut it into pieces. Then each thought that the other should carry the flesh into the town; consequently it was left in the bush, and that was why the buffalo meat rotted at the roadside."

380The Black Hen said: “Indeed, is that so?” But the Speckled Hen observed: “That it would be better for human beings if they looked better after their own business, instead of poking their noses into affairs belonging to Fowls, and holding them up as a bad example to their women.”

The Head Cock said: “That from that day neither he, nor his children, nor his grandchildren should ever shut the doors of their houses, no matter how cold it might be, or what risks they might run of being eaten by wild animals.” Thus it is that Fowls never shut their doors at night. They are angry that human beings, who conduct their own affairs so badly, should find fault with the way in which Fowls look after theirs.

381

V Why the Dog and the Palm-rat hate each other

One day the Dog, the Palm-rat, the Hawk, and the Eagle arranged to take a journey together, but before starting they agreed not to thwart each other in any matter.

They had not gone very far when the Eagle saw a bunch of unripe palm-nuts, and said: “When these palm-nuts are ripe, and I have eaten them, then we will proceed on our way.”

They waited many days until the palm-nuts ripened and were eaten by the Eagle, then they started again, and by and by the Hawk espied the bush (a great space covered with tall grass, canes, and stunted trees), and said: “When this bush is burnt, and I have eaten the locusts, and drunk in the smoke from the fire, then we will go.”

So they waited while the bush dried, and was burnt, and the Hawk ate his locusts, and drank in the smoke from the burning grass, then they were ready to start again; but when the Palm-rat saw the bush was burnt, he said: “We remain here until the grass and canes have grown again, 382so that I may eat the young canes, for remember we agreed not to thwart or oppose each other on this journey.”

They waited there some months until the canes grew again, and the Palm-rat had eaten them.

Once more they started on their travels, and on reaching a large forest the Dog said: “Now I will dry my nose.”

His companions answered: “All right, we will go for firewood.”

The Palm-rat and the Hawk fetched the wood, and the Eagle went for the fire. The Dog put his nose near the fire, but every time it dried he made it wet again by licking it. They remained a long time in the forest, but the Dog’s nose never became properly dry: it was an endless job. His companions became vexed, and the Hawk and the Eagle flew away, leaving the Palm-rat and the Dog alone. At last the patience of the Palm-rat was exhausted, and he, too, ran away; but the Dog chased him to kill him, and this is the reason why the Dog and the Palm-rat hate each other. He would not wait until the Dog’s nose was dry.

383

VI The Leopard boils his Mother’s Teeth

One day the Gazelle bought some maize at the market, and while he was boiling them at home, the Leopard paid him a visit, and asked him: “Friend Gazelle, what are you boiling in the saucepan?”

The Gazelle replied: “I am boiling my mother’s teeth.”

“Indeed!” exclaimed the Leopard, “let me taste them.” So the Gazelle gave him some of the cooked maize, and the Leopard ate them, and thought them so good that he went home and pulled out all his mother’s teeth, and put them to boil in a saucepan.

The Gazelle, passing the house, called in, and seeing the saucepan on the fire, asked the Leopard what he was cooking. “I am cooking my mother’s teeth, but they don’t get soft,” answered the Leopard.

The Gazelle laughingly said: “I meant maize, and you have pulled out and are boiling all your mother’s teeth.” The Leopard was so angry at what he had foolishly done, that he drove the 384Gazelle off and wanted to kill him, but the Gazelle ran away and hid in a log of wood.

The Leopard, returning from his pursuit of the Gazelle, saw the firewood and carried it home, and, as he was splitting it, out jumped a fine dog. The Leopard admired the dog so much that he told his wives never to beat it.

One day one of the wives pointed her finger at it, and the dog was so insulted at having a finger pointed at him that he howled so long and loudly that the Leopard came and killed his wife for insulting his dog; and thus he killed them one after the other; and when they were all dead, the dog changed back into a Gazelle, and ran away laughing at the Leopard for his foolishness in mistaking maize for teeth, and a Gazelle for a dog.

385

VII How the Ants saved the Partridge’s Eggs

Once upon a time a Partridge having laid her eggs, was driven from them by a Python, who took possession of them by coiling herself round and round the eggs.

The Partridge, seeing she had been deprived of her eggs, began to call for help. A Buffalo, hearing her, came and asked what was the matter.

The Partridge said: “The Python has rolled herself round my eggs, and I want a wise body to save them for me.”

“Don’t worry,” said the Buffalo, “I will go and stamp on her.”

“Not you,” cried the Partridge; “while you are stamping on her you will smash my eggs. I am looking for a wise body to help me.”

The Partridge continued to call, and the Elephant came asking what was the matter.

“Oh!” sobbed the Partridge, “the Python has curled round my eggs, and I want a wise body to save them.”

386“Never mind,” replied the Elephant, “I will go and smash her to pulp.”

“Not you,” cried the Partridge, “you will break all my eggs.”

So one animal after another offered help, but they were rejected, as they could not drive the Python away without endangering the eggs. The poor Partridge was at her wits’ end, when an army of Driver-ants arrived and inquired the reason of her calling for help. When they heard the cause they marched right up to where the Python was, and at once began to nip, nip, nip with their strong mandibles, and the Python unrolled herself and glided away as fast as she could. Thus the Ants rescued the stolen eggs that would otherwise have been broken by the clumsy attempts of the Buffalo and the Elephant.

387

VIII The Leopard sticks to the Nkondi (Wooden Image)

In the long ago both the Leopard and the Gazelle made new maize farms. When the ground was ready for planting, the Gazelle put some maize in a saucepan to boil, and hid the rest of his maize in another place. While the pot was on the fire the Leopard arrived, and asked: “Friend Gazelle, what are you boiling?”

“Some maize,” said the Gazelle, “and when it is cooked I am going to plant maize in my farm.”

The Leopard exclaimed, “Indeed! do you plant boiled maize?”

“Yes,” answered the Gazelle. “I boil all my maize, for then it grows better.”

The Leopard returned home at once and rubbed all his maize off their cobs, and boiled the maize. The next morning they both went and planted their maize in their farms. During the following night, however, the Gazelle went and planted some unboiled maize in the Leopard’s farm.

After a few days they went to have a look at their farms, and in the Gazelle’s the whole of the 388maize was sprouting well, but in the Leopard’s only the raw maize the Gazelle had planted was growing. The Leopard could not understand it, for he said: “I well boiled all my maize, and yet it does not grow.”

By and by the maize was ripe for plucking, and the Gazelle and Leopard went and pulled what they wanted and returned home. For several nights after that the Leopard went stealing maize in the Gazelle’s farm, and one day the Gazelle said to him: “Friend Leopard, who is stealing maize from my farm?”

“I don’t know,” replied the Leopard. The Gazelle carved a wooden fetish called the Nkondi, and put it in his farm.

The next night the Leopard went and stole some more maize, and as he was leaving the farm the Nkondi said: “Oh, you are the thief, are you?”

“If you talk like that,” growled the Leopard, “I will hit you.”

“Hit me,” said the Nkondi. The Leopard hit him, and his paw stuck to the image.

“Let go,” cried the Leopard, “or I will hit you with my other hand.”

“Hit me,” repeated the Nkondi. The Leopard hit him with the other hand, and that stuck also to the image.

389“Let go,” angrily cried the Leopard, “or I will kick and bite you.” Which he at once did, as the Nkondi would not let him go, and his feet and mouth stuck to the image; then both the Leopard and the Nkondi fell to the ground together.

By and by the Gazelle arrived, and when he saw the Leopard sticking to the Nkondi he said: “Oh, you are the thief,” and, having punished him, he cut some leaves and made a charm to set the Leopard free. After that the Leopard never again went stealing in the Gazelle’s maize farm.

390

IX How the Mouse won his Wife

On one occasion a daughter was born to a lonely pair, and the father said: “Any one who wants to marry my daughter must first cut down the mahogany tree standing in my garden.” Years passed, and when the father was dying he sent and told his wife that only he who felled the mahogany tree could marry his daughter.

By and by an Elephant arrived, and, sitting down in the town, asked the girl for a drink of water. She poured some water into a calabash and gave it to him, and he then asked her: “Are you married?” and she replied: “No, I am not yet married.” The Elephant said: “I will marry you.” Whereupon the mother called out: “You can marry her; but you must first cut down the mahogany tree.” The Elephant took an axe and cut, cut, cut until he was tired, and then went and rested under the eave of the house so long that when he went again to the tree it was just as it was before he cut it. When the Elephant saw that, he threw down the axe, saying: “It is not my wedding, the woman costs too much.”

391As the Elephant was going away he met the Buffalo, and told him all about it, saying: “I came to marry, but I am not able to fell the tree.” The Buffalo picked up the axe and cut, cut, cut, and then rested under the verandah of the house. When he returned to the tree he found it had grown again to its former size. Down he threw the axe and bolted.

As the Buffalo was rushing away a Lion shouted out: “Where have you come from?” The Buffalo stopped and told him all his troubles. “Oh,” said the Lion, “give me an axe, I’ll marry her.” But the same thing happened to him, and to the Hyena, and to the Leopard also. They all cut at the tree, got tired, rested too long, and each ran away, saying: “I came to marry, but the girl is not worth the trouble.”

As the Leopard was bounding away, a Mouse asked him: “What is the matter?” and the Leopard growled out: “I went to marry a woman, but whoever marries her must fell the mahogany tree.” Thereupon the Mouse went and gnawed, gnawed, gnawed without stopping, until at last the tree toppled over and fell to the ground. When the mother saw the tree fall, she said: “Mouse, you can sleep here, and in the morning take your wife.”

In the morning they cut up six pigs and twenty 392loaves, then the Mouse took his wife, and they started on their journey to his town. They reached a stream where they camped for a time, and while there the Elephant arrived, and the Mouse said to him: “See, this is my wife.”

The Elephant would not agree to that, but said: “She is mine, I married her.”

“No,” said the Mouse, “she is mine. Accept of two pigs for dinner.”

When the Elephant heard that, he began to beat the Mouse, but the Mouse entered his trunk and gave him such pain that the Elephant cried: “Come out, and I will give you two pigs.” The Mouse came out, received his two pigs, and went off with his wife.

They reached another camping-place, and while resting and eating there, the Buffalo arrived. “Welcome to you, father,” said the Mouse. But the Buffalo did not want his welcome, and said he had married the woman, and when the Mouse would not give her up, the Buffalo hit him on the back with a stick. The Mouse entered the Buffalo’s ear and gave him so much pain that he bellowed: “Come out, and I will give you five sheep.” The Mouse came out, received his five sheep, and went away with his wife.

As they journeyed along they met the Hyena, who said: “Why, that is my wife,” and when the 393Mouse denied it, the Hyena became very angry, and beat the Mouse about in his weakness and made him cry. The Mouse called the Squirrels, who came and fought the Hyena, and while they were fighting, the Mouse hurried off with his wife.

They travelled until they came to a high plateau, where they met a large Rat, who said: “Give me that woman.”

To him the Mouse replied: “I cannot give her, for I have had plenty of trouble to gain her.”

“Very well,” answered the Rat; “let us go to the drinking-booth, and I will give you some palm-wine.”

While sitting there the Mouse took a rat’s head out of his bag.

“Where did you get that?” asked the Rat.

“Oh,” boasted the Mouse, “I have eaten nine rats, and you will be the tenth.” So alarmed was the Rat that he ran away and never said “Good-bye.”

At last the Mouse reached his town and gave his wife a house. There they feasted on the pigs and sheep they had gained on the road. But one day the Leopard paid a visit to the Mouse, and said: “Uncle Mouse, let us jointly make a maize farm.” This they did, and while the Mouse was watching the maize one day, the Leopard tried to run away with his wife. The Mouse, hearing 394this, invited the Leopard to drink wine in his house, and while they were drinking, the Mouse took out of his bag a Leopard’s head.

“Where did you get that?” asked the Leopard.

“Down in the drinking-booth I killed and ate nine,” said the Mouse, “and“and you will be the tenth.” The Leopard was so frightened at this, that when the Mouse told him to get into the calabash, he went right in at once. The Mouse put in the cork, and then put the calabash on the fire, and thus the Leopard died. The Mouse said: “I will govern in this country, for there is not another chief left.” Thus was the Mouse rewarded for his courage, wit, and perseverance.

395

X The Gazelle outwits the Leopard

Once upon a time a Leopard and a Gazelle lived together with their wives and families in the same town. One day the Leopard said: “Friend Gazelle, let us go and buy some drums in the Zombo country.” “All right,” replied the Gazelle; “but“but where is the money?” “I have the money by me,” answered the Leopard.

They started, and when they had walked a little way the Leopard growled out: “Wait here. I must return to the town, as I have forgotten something.” The Leopard returned to the town and went to the Gazelle’s wife and said: “My friend has sent me for his children.” Mrs. Gazelle gave them to him, and putting them into a bag, he returned to the place where he left the Gazelle. They started again, and when they had travelled a long distance the Leopard saw some honey in a hole in one of the trees, whereupon he said to the Gazelle: “Wait for me here while I go to eat the honey, but you must not undo the sack.”

396The Gazelle was left to guard the sack, which he untied, and looking in, he exclaimed: “Why, they are my children!” He put the sack on his back and hurried to the town, gave his children back to his wife, and went to the Leopard’s house and said: “My friend has sent me for his children.” Mrs. Leopard gave them to him. He put them in the sack and returned quickly to the spot where the Leopard had left him. After a time the Leopard arrived, licking the honey off his lips, and, picking up the bag, away they went again on their journey. By and by they reached Zombo and bought some drums, and when the Leopard paid the money for them, he whispered: “Don’t undo the bag now, there are some gazelles in it.”

As they were returning home they tried the drums. The Leopard beat a tune and sang: “The stupid people go on foolish journeys.” For the Leopard thought the Gazelle had helped to sell his own children for drums. The Gazelle then beat a tune and sang: “At the place where they ate honey they left their bag of wisdom.” The Leopard did not know he had exchanged his own children for drums.

On their way home they played and sang in many towns, and received goats and pigs as presents for their entertainment. On reaching 397their town the Gazelle hurried to his house, and sent off his wife and children to hide.

The Leopard went to his house, and, looking round, he asked his wife: “Where are my children?” “Why, you sent the Gazelle for them,” she replied; "and now you ask: ‘Where are the children?’" The Leopard went in great rage to the Gazelle’s house, but the Gazelle ran away, and as he was escaping, he cried out: “I am the wise Gazelle who has outwitted your craftiness.”

398

XI The Gazelle punishes the Palm-rat for breaking his promise

One day a Gazelle, being very hungry, went in search of food, and saw a fine bunch of palm-nuts hanging from a palm-tree; but having only hoofs he could not climb the tree. He therefore went in search of his friend the Palm-rat, and said to him: “I know where there is a fine bunch of palm-nuts, and if you will promise to give me some I will show you where it is.”

The Palm-rat readily promised to share the nuts. So together they went to the forest, and the Gazelle pointed out the nuts to his friend. With his strong, sharp claws the Palm-rat quickly mounted the palm-tree, and found there three bunches of palm-nuts; but instead of cutting them down, he sat on a palm-frond and began to eat them.

After a time the Gazelle shouted out: “Friend Palm-rat, throw me down some of the nuts according to your promise.”

“Oh,” cried the Palm-rat, “when I am eating 399I am deaf, and cannot hear what is said to me.” And he continued to munch away at the nuts.

The Gazelle waited a little, and again called out: “Please throw me some of the palm-nuts, for I have hoofs, and cannot climb a tree like you.” But the Palm-rat ate greedily on, and took no notice of his friend’s request, except to say that he was deaf when eating.

The Gazelle thereupon gathered some leaves, grass, twigs, and stubble, and made a large fire at the bottom of the palm-tree. In a short time the Palm-rat called out: “Uncle Gazelle, put out your fire, the heat and smoke are choking me.”

“Oh,” replied the Gazelle, “when I am warming myself by the fire I cannot hear what is said to me.” And he heaped more firewood and dried grass on the fire.

The Palm-rat, choking with the smoke, lost his grip on the tree, and fell to the ground dead. The Gazelle returned to the town and took possession of all the goods belonging to the Palm-rat. If you make a promise, keep it; and if you want a kindness shown to you, you must do kind things to others.

400

XII How the Crow cheated the Dove and got into Difficulty through it

A long time ago the Crow and the Dove arranged to go hunting together. They took with them their guns, charms, dogs, and chief huntsman. The dogs entered the bush and started an animal which the Dove fired at and killed. Then up ran the Crow shouting: “It is mine, it is mine.”

“No,” said the Dove; “I killed it.”

“It is mine,” asserted the Crow, and although they tried to argue with him, he would not listen, but only shouted more loudly: “It is mine.”

At last the Dove gave way, and thus it was every time they went hunting--the Crow always cheated the Dove out of his game by his loud blustering cry: “It is mine. It is mine.”

One day, while hunting, the Dove accidentally shot the chief huntsman, and no sooner did the Crow hear the report of the gun than he came running and calling out: “It is mine, it is mine. I shot it,” but on drawing near and seeing the 401body of the huntsman, he said to the Dove: “It is yours.”

“No,” replied the Dove; "you have said ‘It is mine’ every time I have killed game, and now this is yours also." They talked long and loudly about the matter, and at last they laid the case before the elders in the town.

The elders said to the Crow: “Yes, it is yours. You have claimed everything before, now take this also, and bury the body properly, and pay all the expenses of the funeral.” There are many people like the Crow, who take all the credit to themselves, and leave the blame to others.

402XIII

How the Civet and the Tortoise lost their Friendship for each other

The Tortoise and the Civet, although they lived in separate towns, had a great friendship for each other. Their kindness to one another was known to all the neighbours, for they never refused to help one another in sickness and trouble.

One day the Civet heard that her friend the Tortoise had given birth to a child, so at once she got ready to pay the usual visit. On arriving at the cross-road leading to her friend’s town, she met a Monkey, who asked her where she was going.

The Civet said: “I am going to visit my friend the Tortoise, who has given birth to a child.”

Monkey said: "Don’t you go. Her child is very ill, and the “medicine man” says that he must have the tip of your tail with which to make a charm to cure the child, and it won’t be better until he has it. Of course, if you go it is your own affair."

When the Civet heard this she became very 403angry at the insult, and returned at once to her own house. The Tortoise was very indignant at the neglect of her friend the Civet, because from the commencement of her illness she never received a visit from her. For a very long time they never visited each other.

By and by the Tortoise heard that her friend the Civet had given birth to a child. The Tortoise said: “Although the Civet never visited me, I will not treat her in the same way, for I will go to see her.”

She started on her journey, and on reaching the cross-roads she met Monkey there, who asked her where she was going. On hearing she was on the way to visit the Civet, Monkey said: "You are truly very stupid. The Civet’s baby is very ill, and she has sent for the “medicine man,” who says he cannot possibly cure the child unless he has the shell of the Tortoise for a charm."

On hearing this the Tortoise was dumbfounded and filled with fear, so she returned home at once.

After a very long time the Civet and the Tortoise met at the funeral festivities of a friend, and they frowned at each other and would not speak. Towards the close of the festivities, the Civet and the Tortoise told the chief and the elders all about their former love for one another, 404and how the friendship had been broken by each hearing what the other wanted as a charm to cure her child.

The elders restored the love they had for each other, and told the Civet and the Tortoise that in future they were not to listen to any tales, but if one did hear anything against the other she was to go and ask her friend about it, and not keep it in her heart. From that time they remained fast and true friends.

405XIV

The Water-Fairies save a Child

Pedro was a trader in birds, and travelled long distances to buy and sell them, and as he often had some left he carried them home to keep until next market day. Pedro had six children, one of whom was a boy named Yakob, and the others were all girls. When Pedro was leaving the town one day for a trading journey to a very distant market, he said to his people: “There are some birds in that house, and if any one lets them out and loses them I will kill him.”

Soon after his father was gone Yakob thought he would like to look at the birds, so went and pushed open the door to peep in, and as he did so the birds flew out and escaped to the forest. Yakob went crying to his mother, and told her what he had done. His mother chided him for disobeying his father’s orders.

By and by Pedro returned from his journey, and, going to the house where he had left his birds, he found they were gone. He was very angry, and wanted to know who had let his birds 406out of the house, and on being told it was Yakob, he took the boy, killed him, and threw his body in the river. Some Water-fairies found the body and restored it to life, and nursed the boy, fed him, and kept him with them until he grew to be a young man.

One day the Water-fairies said to him: “Yakob, you had better go for a walk and see the country.” So he took his biti^[71] and went walking and playing his instrument. He met his sisters, and began to sing: “That which the father had cut and thought he had killed, stand out of the way, girls, and let him pass.” But the sisters did not recognize him--they simply smiled at him for his song. He told them who he was, and they returned to their town and told their mother and father that they had seen and spoken with their brother, but their father said: “Oh, no, it was not your brother, it was only a passer by.”

Yakob went back to his fairy mothers, and told them that he had seen his sisters, and then he gathered his things together and asked permission to return to his own people. They gave him some fine cloths to wear, and various bells, which they tied on him, so that when he walked the bells tinkled and made a pleasant sound; then they gave him a cane, and said: “When you 407reach the stream you hit that place and the other place.” Yakob said: “I thank you with all my heart.” So, bidding them good-bye, he started for his town with only three servants.

When Yakob reached the stream he did as he was told, and on beating one place, out came a band of trumpeters with ivory and brass trumpets. He hit the other place, and out came a fine hammock and carriers. He got into the hammock and sent messengers to tell the chief that he was approaching.

The chief spread his carpet and sat in his chair amid the clapping of his people, and in a short time the sound of the trumpet was heard and the carriers trotted up with Yakob’s hammock, spread his carpet and arranged his chair, and then Yakob alighted from his hammock and sat down amid the shouting, drumming, and clapping of the people.

On taking his seat, Yakob said: "I am your son whom you killed. What you threw away the Water-fairies picked up, and they have nursed me and kept me until this day. There is a proverb which says: ‘If the Leopard gives birth to a palm-rat he does not eat it.’ You should have punished me for breaking your law, but you should not have killed me." The father was astonished, and went and kneeled crying before 408his son, and said: “My child, forgive me, for I have done wrong.”

Yakob’s mother was glad to see her son again; he dressed her in fine cloth, and built his own village close by his parents’.

409XV

How the Squirrel repaid a Kindness

There was once a man named Tunga who had a house, a wife, and a nice little baby. Tunga used to catch partridges, guinea-fowls, palm-rats and squirrels in his traps, and sometime he would trap three and four of these at once. One day he caught as many as fifteen partridges, and when he took them home his wife said: “We will save some of these for another day, so that our child may not be hungry should you not catch any.” But Tunga said: “No, we will eat them all now, for I am sure to catch plenty of meat every day.”

Some time after Tunga went to look at his traps, and found only one Squirrel in them, and this Squirrel had some bells round its neck, and just as Tunga was going to kill it, the Squirrel said: “Oh, please don’t kill me, and I will help you another day.”

Tunga laughed and said: “How can a little thing like you help me?”

But the Squirrel pleaded for his life and 410promised to help the man whenever he was in trouble, so at last Tunga let the Squirrel go. He then plucked some leaves and went home to his wife and told her what he had done. She was very angry, and quarrelled so much about there being no food for the baby to eat, that she picked up the child and went off to her own family, which lived in a distant town.

The man waited some days until he thought his wife’s anger had passed away, and then he took a large calabash of palm-wine and started for his wife’s town. On arriving at the cross roads Tunga met an Imp that had neither arms, legs, nor body, but was all head, like a ball. The Imp said: “Let me carry your calabash for you. You are a great man and should not carry it yourself.”

“How can you carry it, when you are all head and no body?” asked Tunga.

“Oh, you will see,” said the Imp, as he took the calabash, balanced it on his head, and went bounding off along the road in front of Tunga.

After travelling a long way Tunga became very tired, so they sat down under a tree to rest, and while they were sitting there a Leopard came up, and noticing the palm-wine, asked for a drink, and the man was too much afraid to refuse it. When Tunga was going to pour out some of the 411palm-wine into a glass, the Leopard said: “I drink out of my own mug, not yours,” and he brought out of his bag the skull of a man, and said: “Here is a mug. I have already eaten nine men and you will be the tenth.”

Poor Tunga was so filled with fear that he did not know what to do; but by and by a Squirrel arrived, and after exchanging greetings he asked for some of the palm-wine, and as Tunga was going to pour it out the Squirrel said: “What! Have you no respect for me? I carry my own mug,” and putting his hand into his bag, he brought out the head of a Leopard, and said: “There, I have eaten nine Leopards, and this one here will be the tenth,” and as he repeated the words again and again very fiercely the Leopard began to tremble, and go backwards until he was in the road, and then he turned tail and fled with the Squirrel after him.

Tunga waited, and at last he and the Imp started again on their journey. He was now glad that he had been kind to the Squirrel and had saved his life.

On reaching the town, Tunga and the Imp were welcomed by the people, a good house was given to them, and they were well feasted. After resting there some days, Tunga and his wife started on their return journey home, but before 412leaving the town Mrs. Tunga’s family gave them a goat as a parting present.

When they reached the cross-roads Tunga said to the Imp: “I will kill the goat here, and give you your half.”

“All right,” said the Imp; “but you must also give me half of the woman.”

“No,” replied Tunga; “the woman is my wife, but you shall have half the goat.”

The Imp became very angry and called to his friends, and a great crowd of Imps came to fight Tunga.

While they were wrangling, the Squirrel arrived and asked what was the cause of the row. They told him, and he said: “If we divide the goat and the woman, how are you going to cook them? You have neither firewood nor water. Some of you fetch water, and others go for firewood.”

He opened his box and gave to some of them a calabash in which to fetch water, but while the water was running into the calabash it sung such a magic tune that the Imps began to dance, and could not stop dancing.

Then the Squirrel opened his box again and let loose a swarm of bees that stung the other Imps so badly that they all bounded away and never returned again to trouble Tunga. Then the Squirrel said to Tunga: “You now see that if 413you had not been merciful to me I should not have been able to save you from the Leopard and the Imps. Your kindness to me has saved your own life and your wife’s.” Tunga thanked him for his help and went his way home.

414XVI

The Kingfisher deceives the Owl

One day the Owl and the Kingfisher had a long discussion as to which of them could go longest without food. The Owl proposed that they should try for ten days, and the Kingfisher agreed to it.

They tied a rope across a stream, and both birds sat on the middle of it looking down into the water. On the third day the Kingfisher began to feel hungry, and observing a fish in the water just below him, he pretended to fall, caught and gobbled the fish, but as he came up to the surface of the water he cried out: “Oh, Uncle Owl, my head turned giddy, and I fell into the stream.”

The Owl replied: “Never mind, let us persevere with our contest.”

But the Kingfisher continued to have these giddy fits just as fish came under the perch, and the Owl with his sleepy eyes did not notice the fish. Before many days had passed the Owl’s body became thin, he lost his strength, fell into the stream and was drowned; but as for the Kingfisher he flew away, leaving his dead and cheated rival in the water.

415XVII

How the Tortoise was punished for his Deceit

The Tortoise set his trap, and soon afterwards caught an antelope in it, whereupon he sat down and began to cry with a loud voice. The Jackal, hearing his cries, came and asked him what was the matter, and the Tortoise said: “There is an animal killed in my trap, and I have no one to take it out.”

The Jackal said: “Never mind, I’ll remove it for you.” So he took out the animal and set the trap again.

The Tortoise said to him: “Go and get some leaves upon which we can cut up the meat.” But while the Jackal went for the leaves the Tortoise ran away with the meat to his hole in the rock.

The Jackal, on his return, called out: “Uncle Tortoise, here are the leaves;” but the Tortoise rudely cut him short by asking him: “Am I a relative on your mother’s side or your father’s?”

The Jackal, angry at this insult, cried out: “I will let off your trap;” and the Tortoise replied: “Touch the spring with your head, for if you put in either your arm or your leg you will die.”

416So the stupid Jackal put his head into the trap and was caught, and when he cried out with pain the Tortoise took his gun and shot him. In this way the Civet-cat, the Fox, the rock Rabbit, and the Palm-rat were all caught and killed by the Tortoise.

One day the Gazelle heard the Tortoise crying, and went and asked him why he was crying, and the Tortoise said: “Since early morning an animal has been lying dead in my trap because I have no one to take it out for me.”

“But who set your trap for you?” asked the Gazelle.

He replied: “A passer-by set it for me.”

“All right,” kindly said the Gazelle, “I’ll take it out for you”; which he did at once, and setting the trap again he dragged the animal to the Tortoise.

“Get some plantain leaves that we may divide the meat,” said the Tortoise; but while he was gone the Tortoise took all the meat to his hole.

The Gazelle, on returning, called out: “Uncle Tortoise, here are the leaves,” but the Tortoise laughingly asked him: “Is the Tortoise a relative on your mother’s side, or your father’s?”

The Gazelle was angry at this insult, and said: “I’ll unset your trap.”

“Very well,” shouted the Tortoise, “only do 417it with your head, and not with your hands or your feet, or you will die.”

The Gazelle, however, poked in a stick, and snap went the spring, and out loudly screamed the Gazelle, so the Tortoise thought he was caught, and came out of his hole with his gun to shoot him, but the Gazelle sprang on the Tortoise, took away his gun and killed him, and then, gathering up the meat, he went off to his own town. The Biter is eventually bit, and he who deceives others will himself be deceived.

418XVIII

How the Frog collected his Debt from the Hawk

The Hawk lived in sky-land and the Frog lived on the earth. One day the Hawk paid a visit to the Frog, and said to him: “Friend Frog, will you kindly lend me a thousand brass rods, for I am in difficulty for want of money?”

The Frog replied: “Your town is up in the sky, and I cannot fly up there for I have neither feathers nor wings.”

“Oh, you will not need to call for your money, for I will surely bring it to you down here, so please lend me the brass rods.” The Frog counted out the thousand rods and handed them to the Hawk.

For six months the Frog heard nothing from the Hawk, neither was any part of the debt paid, so one day, seeing the Hawk on a low branch he went to ask for his money, but the Hawk flew away as fast as his wings would carry him.

Then the Frog heard that the Hawk went every Nkandu^[72] and Nkenge^[72] to market to buy saucepans, so on the following Nkandu the Frog

419started at dawn for the market-place. He hopped and jumped over the ground and swam the rivers, and, reaching the market early, he hid himself and waited for the arrival of the Hawk.

In a little time the Hawk alighted on the market, and, putting down his satchel, he went about buying saucepans. When he had bought a few the Frog went and hid himself in one of them, and by and by the Hawk, returning to his town in sky-land, picked up his saucepans, and thus took the Frog with him.

The Hawk, on arriving home, put his saucepans in the corner of his house, and when all was quiet and dark the Frog came out of his hiding-place, and next morning met the Hawk in a casual way and asked him for his money. The Hawk was so surprised that at first he could not say a word, but at last he exclaimed: “Friend Frog, how did you get here, for you have neither feathers nor wings?”

“Never mind how I came,” replied the Frog; “but I want my money.”

The Hawk began to make excuses, and was so sorry because “he really had not the money just then.”

But the Frog said: “Very well, I shall stay here in your house until you pay me.”

Then the Hawk remembered that he had just 420enough to pay him, because he wanted to get the Frog out of his house.^[73]

The Frog, on receiving his money, wondered how he was to return to earth. He decided to wait until next market-day, and then, creeping into the Hawk’s satchel, was carried off to the market-place, and on arrival he hopped out of the satchel and took a walk round the market, and thus came face to face with the Hawk: “How did you get here?” asked the Hawk in surprise.

The Frog blinked at him, and said: “Well, I came by the road by which I travelled.”

“Did you now?” said the Hawk; and then he went on to say: “I borrowed money of you because, having no feathers and no wings, I thought you would not worry me for payment, yet you have followed and bothered me, and I will never borrow of you again.”

The Hawk ruffled his feathers and went, and as the Frog jumped off, he muttered: “I will never again lend to folk bigger than myself, for if you ask them for the money they are angry with you, and if you don’t ask for it they think you silly and laugh at you.”

421XIX

How a Child saved his Mother’s Life

A man, once upon a time, cleared a large piece of bush, and then sent his wife to plant it with cassava. When the cassava was ready to pull, the bush-pigs and other animals visited the farm and destroyed the roots, and it seemed as though the woman would have her trouble for nothing. The wife complained about it to her husband, and he went to dig a large pit in which to trap the wild animals that came stealing in their farm.

While the man was digging the hole an Imp came out of the forest near by and asked him what he was doing. Upon hearing he was digging a trap for animals, the Imp said: “Let me help you.” The man, fearing the Imp would kill him if he refused, accepted his offer. Thereupon the Imp said: “Let us make a bargain. All the male animals that fall into the trap are yours, but all the female ones are mine.” The man agreed to this, and they then finished the hole together, after which they returned to their places.

Next morning they went to look at the hole 422and found one male pig in it, which the man took according to their agreement. Every morning they went and it was the same--male pigs, antelopes and buffaloes were in the trap, never any female ones, sometimes there were two males and sometimes there were five males. The man laughed, and said to the Imp: “You were foolish to make such a bargain, for did you not know that only male animals go about in search of food? You are very foolish.”

The man took the animals to his town, and all the way home he was ridiculing the stupid Imp. The wife said: “Now we have plenty of meat, but no cassava bread to eat with it. Tomorrow I will go and dig up some roots in the farm with which to make some bread.”

Early next morning the woman took her basket and her hoe, and went to the farm, leaving her husband at home to look after their little boy. When the woman had been gone some time the boy began to cry, so the man picked him up and followed his wife to the farm to give the child to her. As he drew near the farm he heard the Imp gleefully singing: “O my, O my, at last I have a female animal in the trap.”

On reaching the trap the man asked the Imp why he was jumping, dancing and singing in that joyful fashion, and when he heard that it was 423because there was one female animal in the trap, the man laughed at the Imp for making so much fuss over one animal; but looking into the pit, and seeing his wife there he began to cry, and contended that the Imp was cheating him as a woman was not an animal.

They became very angry in their discussion as to whether the woman was an animal or not, that at last the boy said: “Father, you agreed to the bargain that you were to have all the male animals, and he was to have all the female ones that fell into the trap; we have had plenty of animals out of the hole, but he has not had a single one. Let him take this one.”

The Imp, admiringly, said: “Is this wise judge only a boy?” and with that he jumped into the trap to get out his prize, but no sooner had he done so than the boy called out: “Look, father, there is a male animal in the trap and it is yours.”

On dropping down into the trap the Imp had become, according to his own statement, an animal, and consequently belonged to the man. The Imp, to save himself, had to give up all claim to the woman, and thus the child by his smartness saved his mother’s life. Never again did the man enter into an agreement until he properly understood all about the conditions.

424XX

How the Gazelle won his Wife

Once upon a time there was a Gazelle that went in search of a wife. While journeying he met a beautiful girl, and stopped, and said to her: “Miss So-and-so, have you any water?--if so, please give me a drink, for I am very thirsty.”

The girl replied: “Yes, sir,” and taking a calabash well ornamented with rows of brass nails she gave it to him full of water. He drank eagerly, and as he handed the calabash back, he said: “The water is as nice to drink as the girl is beautiful.”

The Gazelle inquired of her, and finding she was not married, asked her: “Will you marry me?”

She answered: “I don’t know, I must ask my mother.”

So together they went to seek the mother’s consent. When she heard all about the affair, she said: “If you want to marry my daughter you must first bring me the dried flesh of every animal and bird in the forest.”

The Gazelle was at first disconcerted by such 425a difficult task, but said: “All right, I will do it,” and went his way to think out a plan by which he could win his wife.

The Gazelle thought of first one way and then another, and at last he sought for and found a shell and filled it with various powerful “medicines,” and thus, having made a strong fetish, he started for the forest.

He had not walked very far before a Dove came to him, and said: “Behold, there are ten animals down there; I fired at them, but did not kill a single one; if therefore you have a hunting-fetish, teach me how to use it.”

“Yes, I have the kind of fetish you want,” replied the Gazelle; “but before you can learn how to use it you must be killed, roasted and dried, and then I will restore you to life and teach you how to use the fetish.”

“Very well,” said the Dove, “I am ready to be roasted.” So the Gazelle killed, roasted and dried the silly Dove and took the flesh to his store-room, as the first part of the dried meat he had to give to his future mother-in-law.

Soon after returning to the forest an Antelope came running up to him, and said: “We hear you have a strong fetish to help hunters to kill animals. Teach me how to use it, for I have had no success in hunting for a long time.”

426“Well, I have such a fetish,” answered the Gazelle; “but before you can learn about it I must kill, roast and dry you. Then I bring you to life again and teach you the use of the fetish.”

“Do with me whatever you like,” said the Antelope, “so long as I get a fetish with which to kill plenty game.”

The Gazelle drew his knife and told the Antelope to lie down on the ground.

“What are you going to do with that knife?” cried the Antelope.

“How can you be roasted and dried unless you are first killed?” quietly asked the Gazelle. So the Antelope stretched himself out, and was soon killed, dried and carried to the store.

“Well,” ruminated the Gazelle, “I have found a way to win my wife, for these animals will believe any foolish thing so as to possess power to kill others. I must now try a big beast.”

Again he went to the forest, but he had not gone very far into it before he met a Buffalo running. “Where are you going?” asked the Gazelle.

“I am off to look after my farm, for I have no luck in hunting,” replied the Buffalo.

“I have a strong hunting-fetish,” said the Gazelle; “but before you can use it I must cut 427out your heart, and roast and dry you; after that I call you back to life and teach you my fetish, which will give you plenty of hunting skill.”

“All right,” said the Buffalo; “but I am a big person and your knife will not enter my body.” With that he fell on the ground, but directly the Gazelle had thrust his knife into the body the Buffalo cried out: “Please stop! do stop!” but the Gazelle said: “Just wait a moment only,” and he pushed in the knife, and the Buffalo died. In a very short time the Buffalo’s flesh was roasted, dried and carried to the store.

In this way the Gazelle caught and roasted the Lion, the Leopard, the Elephant and all the other animals and birds of the forest. By and by he carried all the dried meat to the mother of the beautiful girl, and said to her: “My respected mother-in-law, do not be angry because I have been a long time doing the task you set me. You know all about hunting, and that it is very slow and laborious work. Sometimes one shoots and does not kill; however, here is the meat for which you sent me.” The old woman answered: “I thank you, and now you can take your wife and go your way.”

428XXI

The Gazelle is at last Punished

The Leopard and the Gazelle made a large farm together, and planted maize, sugarcane, cassava and various other things. To celebrate the finishing of their big farm they desired to make a feast. The Leopard wished to buy a goat, but the Gazelle said: “A goat is not big enough, let us buy a pig.” A large pig was bought, and when it was cooked the Gazelle said: “Friend Leopard, let us go and bathe first in the river, and then return to eat our feast slowly and enjoy it.” To this the Leopard agreed.

When they reached the river’s bank each wanted the other to dive in first, but at last the Leopard jumped into the water and quickly came out again.

“You don’t know how to dive,” laughed the Gazelle.

“Very well,” replied the Leopard, “you dive now and show me the way.”

The Gazelle dived into the water, ran along the bottom of the river, came out near the town, 429and went quickly and ate up all the boiled pig; and then, returning to the river, came puffing and blowing out of the water at the feet of his friend the Leopard. “There,” said the Gazelle, “that is the way to dive.”

Then they returned together to the town, but when they reached the Leopard’s house they found the saucepan empty. The Leopard felt very much ashamed, because the food had been left in his house. He began to beat his wife for not looking properly after it. Then, turning to the Gazelle, he said: “Uncle Gazelle, I am very much ashamed because the cooked meat has been eaten in my house; let us now buy a goat.”

But the Gazelle said: “You must pay for the goat yourself, for the pig was eaten in your house.”

The Leopard took one of his own goats, and when it was cooked, he said: “This time let us eat first and bathe afterwards.” But the Gazelle objected, and would bathe before eating, so the Leopard agreed, and they went together to the river. The Gazelle played the same trick on the Leopard, and this he did several times, and each time poor Mrs. Leopard received a thrashing, and the Leopard killed another goat.

By and by the Leopard bought a fetish called nkondi, and hid it in his house. When the 430Gazelle arrived next time he found the door fastened, and on trying to open it the nkondi said: “Oh, you are the rascal who comes to eat my master’s goat, you thief, get away quickly.”

The Gazelle shouted: “Come out and I’ll hit you.”

The nkondi began to abuse him, saying: “Come into the house, if you can, you thin-legged one.”

The Gazelle became so angry that he broke open the door, and hit the nkondi and his hand stuck; he hit him again, and the other hand stuck; he then kicked him and both his legs stuck fast, and he thereupon butted him with his head and that also stuck.

The Leopard waited a long time for the Gazelle, and then, thinking he was drowned, he returned to the town. On drawing near to the house he heard a great noise, and as he ran he shouted out: “Hold the thief tightly until I come.”

What was his surprise to find the Gazelle held fast by the nkondi. “Oh, you are the thief, no wonder you wanted to bathe first!” said the Leopard, as he hit him.

“Unfasten me, Uncle Leopard,” begged the Gazelle.

“No, I am going to eat first and undo you 431afterwards,” laughed the Leopard. So he sat down and ate and chuckled, and chuckled and ate, until all the goat was finished; then he unstuck the Gazelle, and gave him a good sound thrashing for the tricks he had played on him, and let him go covered with aches, pains and bruises.

432XXII

The Leopard pays Homage to the Goat

The natives say that there was a time when the Leopard paid homage to the Goat because of his beard and horns, but he discovered the Goat’s weakness in the following manner--

One day, while the Leopard was cutting a palm-tree for wine, a Billy-goat arrived at the wine-booth and bleated loudly: “Be--e, Leopard!”

The Leopard listened, and said, “What great chief is that calling me?”

“Be--e, Leopard,” again cried the Goat.

“Yes, sir,” answered the Leopard, and descending the palm-tree he went softly and meekly to his wine-booth and found a person there with a long beard and large horns.

“Pour me out some wine,” said the Goat. This the Leopard did at once. Pouring the wine into a glass, he knelt and offered it to the Goat, who drank it off glass after glass as the Leopard crouched in a humble position before him. This happened several days running--the Goat ordering 433the palm-wine and the Leopard offering it on his knees as to a great chief.

One day, while the Leopard was paying homage in this way to the Goat, a Gazelle arrived and stared in surprise at what he saw, and after the Goat had gone, he said to the Leopard: “Uncle Leopard, do you know who that is?”

“No,” replied the Leopard; “I do not know in the least who it is, but he has a long beard and big horns.”

“Oh! oh!” laughed the Gazelle; “that is foolish. Do you not see that you are paying homage to empty size? He has no strong teeth for biting hard things and for fighting. If you do not believe me, try him to-morrow.”

Next day the Goat came as usual, and demanded his palm-wine. He found the Leopard and the Gazelle already there in the booth. The Gazelle took from his bag a kola nut, and, breaking it, he gave one section to the Goat, another to the Leopard, and took one himself. The Leopard crunched his section at once with his powerful teeth, and the Gazelle bit his part to pieces, but the poor Goat, having no strong teeth, turned his section of the nut over and over in his mouth, first one side and then the other.

The Gazelle made a sign with his lips to the Leopard, as much as to say: “Do you see, he 434has no teeth. I told you so.” The Leopard thereupon jumped on the Goat and killed him without a struggle, and from that time the Leopard has never again been afraid of the Goat’s long beard and big horns. A beard and horns do not make a strong animal, but a powerful mouth is necessary. Pomposity without real authority will not be respected for very long.

435XXIII

Why the Owls and the Fowls never speak to each other

A Fowl and an Owl became friends, but they built their houses at some distance from each other. One day the Owl heard that his friend was very sick, so he gathered some money together and went to pay a visit to the Fowl. When he arrived he inquired after the health of his friend, and finding he was still very ill he sent for a “medicine man,” and in due time his friend the Fowl recovered, and the Owl returned to his town.

By and by the Owl fell ill with a very bad illness, and the news reached the Fowl that his friend was on the point of death. He gathered some money and went to visit his friend and give him the best advice about getting better. He said to the wives of the Owl: “Get ready some very hot water, and pound up some red peppers.”

The wives did as they were told, and then the Fowl said to the Owl: “Take off your clothes and get into the saucepan.”

436“Won’t it burn me?” asked the Owl.

“No, my friend, it will not hurt you,” deceivingly replied the Fowl.

So he did as his friend bade him, and put himself carefully into the saucepan of hot water. In a short time the Fowl said to the Owl’s wives: “Take him out, and pluck his feathers, rub him well with the red pepper, and put him on a line to dry, and be sure and not take him down until he is thoroughly dry.” Leaving these directions with them, the Fowl went home. After he had left, the Owl died, and the family was so angry at the outrage the Fowl had committed that they desired to punish him.

The family sent word to the Fowl that on a certain day the funeral would take place, and they invited him to attend it. On the appointed day the Fowl went with his band and his followers, who were the Leopard, the Lion, the Dog and the Shrew-mole.

Now the Owl’s family had collected some strong followers who were called the Fox, the Viper, the Boa, the Elephant, the Antelope, and the Palm-rat, all of whom were friends of the Owl. By and by they heard the Fowl’s band playing “The tail of the Owl is very powerful.” This insult to his dead friend made the Owl’s family very angry, so they arranged their followers 437in ambush, and told them to be sure and “catch that rascal the Fowl.”

As the Fowl’s party drew near to the town, out came the Boa from his hiding-place to catch the Fowl, but the Shrew-mole squeaked, and the Boa split all down one side and had to retreat; then came the Fox, but the Dog fought him and made him run away; then came the Elephant, but the Lion bit his trunk, and he fled; and the Antelope caught sight of the Leopard’s marks and bolted. The Fowl at last arrived in the town, and played at the funeral of the Owl “The tail of the Owl is very powerful,” and after ridiculing his late friend in this manner, he returned home with his band and followers. The Owls never speak now to the Fowls.

438XXIV

How the Elephant punished the Leopard

The Elephant and the Leopard lived in the same town and married their wives about the same time. By and by the Leopard’s wife gave birth to two children, and the Elephant’s wife gave birth to one. Some time after this happened the Elephant had to go on a trading journey into a distant country, so he left his son in the care of the Leopard.

One day the Leopard, his sons, and the young Elephant all went hunting in the big bush. The Leopard showed his sons the animals’ tracks, taught them where to stand and what to do; but as for the Elephant’s son he took no notice of him, did not instruct him, and left him to do what he could.

In a little time an antelope started up, and the Leopard’s first son fired and missed, and the second son fired and also missed. Then the antelope ran by where the young Elephant happened to be, and he shot it. Thereupon the Leopard and his sons ran up and claimed the antelope as theirs, and as the Elephant had no one to take 439his side he had to give way. This occurred three times, and then the young Elephant would not hunt with them any more.

After some months the old Elephant returned from his long trading expedition, and his son told him all that had happened to him, and how he had been cheated by his guardian. When the Elephant heard it he was very angry, and said: “All right, I will punish the Leopard for defrauding you.” They then dug a large hole in their house, put some twigs and branches over it, and spread a mat over the whole. Then they put the saucepans on the fire, and the Elephant bought some palm-wine and asked the Leopard to come and drink with him, which invitation he at once accepted.

When the Leopard arrived they told him to sit on the mat, and as he sat down the mat gave way under him, and he fell into the deep hole underneath. The Elephant said: “I left my son with you, and instead of taking care of him you cheated him every time he went hunting with you,” and he followed his words by pouring the boiling water over the Leopard. Thus died the Leopard for being false to his trust.

440XXV

How the Leopard tried to deceive the Gazelle

Once the Leopard and the Gazelle had a very bad quarrel, and ever since then the Leopard has been trying to catch and kill the Gazelle, but has failed in every attempt.

The Leopard, having tried many other ways of entrapping the Gazelle, at last pretended to be sick. He rubbed some powdered ironstone on his face and instructed his wives to send messengers for the Palm-rat, the Mongoose, and all the other animals, and also for the Gazelle. When they were all gathered except the Gazelle they went in one by one to see the Leopard, and he killed them; but he thought that he had all the trouble for nothing as the Gazelle had not arrived, so he asked his wives what they were to do now to catch the Gazelle. They advised him to send for a “medicine man,” and then the Gazelle would be sure to think he was really ill. While they were searching for a “medicine man” the Gazelle arrived, but he would not enter the house.

441The “medicine man” arrived with his charms, and while he made “medicine” he sang--

/* “O Gazelle, come where the sick one is, It is your own uncle who is ill.” */

When the Gazelle heard this he answered by a song--

/* “O uncle, come out of the house, Come out into the daylight now.” */

They tried by every means to persuade the Gazelle to enter the house, but he remained firm, and refused to listen to all their nice talk, and at last the Leopard, losing all patience, jumped up and rushed out of the house; but the Gazelle, noticing his anger, sprang away into the forest and escaped; but as for all the other silly ones who had been deceived by the Leopard, they were eaten by him.

The invitations and persuasions of enemies are to be received with caution.

442XXVI

The Story of two Young Women

Once there were two girls whose uncle told them: “You are now old enough to marry, so you may look out for two young men.” Their hearts were glad when they received this permission, and very soon they found two lovers. The elder became engaged to a poor man, and the younger to a rich one.

One day the elder girl paid a visit to her betrothed, and as he was poor he could only give her a common fish to eat and a mat to lie on for a bed; but when the younger went to see her rich lover he killed a goat for her supper, gave her a fine bed spread with blankets, and in the morning killed a pig for her breakfast; and when she was leaving to return to her home he gave her a shawl, a fine piece of blue and white cloth, a necklace of beads, and a looking-glass.

The two sisters happened to meet at the crossroads, and they asked each other what presents they had received, and when the younger girl saw the poor gift received by the other, she showed her presents with much vanity, and laughed at her 443sister for having such a poor lover. This occurred every time they visited their young men--the younger sister laughed to scorn the poverty of the elder sister’s suitor.

After due time the day of their marriage arrived, and the rich man told all his pedigree, gave a great, fat pig for the feast, and sent his bride a piece of velvet, a piece of white cloth, and a piece of satin; but the poor man could only send some fowls for the feast and give his bride one piece of ordinary cloth. After the marriage festivities were over the new wives went to live in the houses of their husbands.

Before many days had passed the younger bride committed a small fault, and her husband in his anger cut off her ears. She cried out for help, but her family could not help her, as they had consented to the marriage. In a week he was angry about some other small matter, and he cut off her nose, and the next time she vexed him with some small mistake he cut off her head. Thus she did not live long to enjoy her fine things. As for the poor husband, he said to his wife: “It is not until death comes to me that we shall separate.” Riches do not always bring with them happiness and contentment.

444XXVII

Why the Chameleon cut off his own Head

One day the Frog, on going to work in her farm, left her two children in the house with plenty of food to eat. She had not been gone very long when a Chameleon arrived, and took possession of the house and the children. She dressed them with knives and bells, and made them dance. The Frog, returning from her work, found the Chameleon in her house, and when she attempted to enter, the Chameleon threatened to tread her into a pulp. The Frog went crying to the Elephant, and he, on hearing her story, promised to get the Chameleon out of the house with his large trunk, but when he went to the door of the house, the Chameleon snarled at him, and he turned and fled.

The Frog then went to the Leopard and told him of her trouble, and he said: “Don’t worry, I will quickly have her out of the house.” But no sooner did he show himself at the door than the Chameleon snarled at him, and he ran away. Thus it was with all the animals. They all 445boasted of what they would do, but were all afraid to do it.

As the Frog went crying she met a flock of Sparrows, and said to them: “Friend Sparrows, go and drive the Chameleon out of my house.” The Sparrows went in front of the Frog’s house, dried their drums at the fire, and as they began to dance they chanted a chorus: “Sparrows, when you dance, don’t dance with your heads on.” Some of the Sparrows then went forward, and having put their heads under their wings, they began to dance. The Chameleon, looking out of the door, saw this wonderful sight, and seeing the Sparrows dancing very nicely without any heads, she thought they had cut them off, and as she was a great dancer,^[74] and wanted to imitate the Sparrows in their marvellous dance, she cut off her own head, and fell dead. The Frog thanked the Sparrows for their help, and went into the house to nurse her children. What the big animals could not do with all their strength the Sparrows did by their cleverness.

446XXVIII

Why the Congo Robin has a Red Breast

“Kinsidikiti” is a small bird with red round its mouth and red spots on its breast. The female has no red spots on the breast, and the following is the legend accounting for the difference--

One day the Robin and his wife found that they had no red-camwood powder^[75] with which to beautify themselves, so the husband made preparations for a journey to Stanley Pool to buy some redwood from those who brought it from the Upper Congo towns to sell at the Pool markets.

Notes in this chapter

Note 1 · C. J. Harris, in his introduction to Uncle Remus and His Sayings (Ward, Lock and Co., 6d. edition) mentions Prof. J. W. Powell, of the Smith Note 2 · It is said there are no true gazelles in Africa, whether that is so or not I have found it convenient to translate the Congo word nsexi unif Note 3 · Driver-ant = Nsongonia. Small-ant = Mfitete.Note 4 · Musical instrument like a marimba.Note 5 · Names of market days.Note 6 · The creditor would live at the expense of the debtor, hence the Hawk’s desire to get rid of the Frog.Note 7 · The natives regard the Chameleon as a great dancer, because while standing still it has a peculiar movement, something like a native dancing Note 8 · The powder is made by grinding two pieces of the camwood together. The red paste resulting from the friction is dried, pounded and put into