VII. HEITSI EIBIP AND OTHER LEGENDS.
Reading edition
36. HEITSI EIBIP.
(From a German original Manuscript in Sir G. Grey’s Library, H. C. Knudsen’s “Notes on the Hottentots,” p. 7.)
Heitsi Eibip, or Kabip, was a great and celebrated sorcerer among the Namaqua. He could tell secret things, and prophesy what was to happen afterwards.
Heitsi Eibip could take many different forms. Sometimes he appeared handsome, very handsome, or his hair grew long down to his shoulders; at other times it was again short.
37. THE VICTORY OF HEITSI EIBIP.
(From a German original Manuscript in Sir G. Grey’s Library, H. C. Knudsen’s “Notes on the Hottentots,” p. 7.)
38. ANOTHER VERSION OF THE SAME LEGEND.
(The original, in the Hottentot language, is in Sir G. Grey’s Library, G. Krönlein’s Manuscript, p. 36.)
Then these two began to hunt each other round the hole, saying—
“Push the Heigeip down!”
“Push the ǂGã ǂgorip down!”
“Push the Heigeip down!”
“Push the ǂGã ǂgorip down!”
With these words they hunted each other round for some time; but at last the Heigeip was pushed down. Then he said to the hole, “Support me a little,” and it did. Thus, being supported, he came out; and they hunted each other again with the same words:—
“Push the Heigeip down!”
“Push the ǂGã ǂgorip down!”
A second time the Heigeip was pushed down, and he spoke the same words: “Support me a little,” and thus got out again.
Once more these two hunted after each other, till at last the ǂGã ǂgorip was pushed down, and he came not up again. Since that day men breathed freely and had rest from their enemy, because he was vanquished.
39. THE RAISIN-EATER.
(The original, in the Hottentot language, is in Sir G. Grey’s Library, G. Krönlein’s Manuscript, pp. 34, 35.)
His young wife said, “He is taken ill on account of the raisins of this valley. Let us bury him quickly, and let us go.”
So he died there, and was covered flatly with soft stones according as he had commanded. Then they went away from him.
When they had moved to another place, and were unpacking there, they heard always from the side whence they came a noise as of people eating raisins and singing. In this manner the eating and singing ran:—
“I, father of ǃUrisip,
Father of this unclean one,
I, who had to eat these raisins, and died,
And dying live.”
The young wife perceived that the noise came from the side where the old man’s grave was, and said, “ǃUrisip! Go and look!” Then the son went to the old man’s grave, where he saw traces which he recognised to be his father’s footmarks, and returned home. Then the young wife said, “It is he alone; therefore act thus:—
“Do so to the man who ate raisins on the windward side,
Take care of the wind that thou creepest upon him from the leeward;
Then intercept him on his way to the grave,
And when thou hast caught him, do not let him go.”
He did accordingly, and they came between the grave and Heitsi Eibip who, when he saw this, jumped down from the raisin-trees, and ran quickly, but was caught at the grave. Then he said:
“Let me go! For I am a man who has been dead that I may not infect you!” But the young wife said, “Keep hold of the rogue!” So they brought him home, and from that day he was fresh and hale.
40. ORIGIN OF THE DIFFERENCE IN MODES OF LIFE BETWEEN HOTTENTOTS AND BUSHMEN.
(From a German original Manuscript in Sir G. Grey’s Library, H. C. Knudsen’s “Notes on the Hottentots,” pp. 7, 8.)
In the beginning there were two. One was blind, the other was always hunting. This hunter found at last a hole in the earth, from which game proceeded, and killed the young. The blind man, feeling and smelling them, said, “They are not game, but cattle.”
The blind man afterwards recovered his sight, and going with the hunter to this hole, saw that they were cows with their calves. He then quickly built a kraal (fence made of thorns) round them, and anointed himself, just as Hottentots (in their native state) are still wont to do.
When the other, who now with great trouble had to seek his game, came and saw this, he wanted to anoint himself also. “Look here!” said the other, “you must throw the ointment into the fire, and afterwards use it.” He followed this advice, and the flames flaring up into his face, burnt him most miserably; so that he was glad to make his escape. The other, however, called to him: “Here, take the kirri (a knobstick), and run to the hills, to hunt there for honey.”
Hence sprung the race of Bushmen.