Part 7

Afterwards the fly told her to look in a certain place, and there she saw the head and the bones of her sister.

When the woman came home and found out what had happened, she killed her son. Then she gave the girl a stick, and told her to go to her uncle’s house, saying that when she got there she must strike the ground with the stick, and all the clothes and other things that belonged to her would then rise up out of the earth. The woman said she was now all alone, and therefore intended to kill herself.

The girl was very sorry, but she did as her mother told her. When she was a little way off, she looked back and saw smoke coming out of the hut, from which she knew that her mother had burned herself and was no longer a person under the sun.

After this she met an old woman, who called to her, but she took no heed and walked on. Next she met a mbulu at a place close by a river. The mbulu said, whoever wetted any part of their body in crossing the river must go in and bathe. The girl was standing on the bank, and the mbulu struck the water with its tail and splashed it in her face, so that she had to go in and bathe. Then the mbulu took her clothes and put them on.

When the girl came out of the water she asked for her clothes, but the mbulu said: “I will give them when you are dry.”

So they went on together. After a while the girl asked again, and the mbulu said: “I will give them when we get to the village.”

But when they arrived there the mbulu said: “You must tell the people here that you are my servant, and that I am the daughter of a chief.”

The poor girl was so afraid that she promised to do so. They were well received at the village, because the people believed that the mbulu was a great person. They wondered at her voice, but she told them she had been ill and her throat was not well yet.

After a time one of the men of that kraal married the mbulu, and the real girl was sent to the gardens to drive the birds away from the corn. While engaged in this occupation she used to sing about the mbulu taking her clothes and passing itself off for a person, until the women who worked in the gardens took notice of this song of hers.

Then they made a plan to find out if what the girl was singing was the truth. They said: “The tail of a mbulu will want mice and fat,” so they set snares to catch the mice. In the night the tail was pursuing mice, and itself got fast in a snare. The mbulu then asked the man who was married to her to go and get some medicine, as she was sick, and when the man went she took off the snare.

After this they made another plan. They said: “The tail of a mbulu will seek milk,” so they dug a hole in the ground, put milk in it, and required every one in the village to jump over the hole. The mbulu was unwilling at first, but they urged her. She tried to jump quickly, but the tail could not pass the milk. When it went down the people saw that this was a mbulu, so they killed it and buried it in that hole.

After this the same man who had married the mbulu took the girl to be his wife. She had a child, and one day, when it was playing, a square pumpkin came out of the ground where the mbulu was buried, and tried to kill the infant. But the people chopped the pumpkin in pieces, and burned it. They afterwards threw the ashes into a river, so that nothing more could come of that mbulu.

THE STORY OF MBULUKAZI.

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.

THE STORY OF LONG SNAKE.

Once upon a time a certain girl left her father’s place, and went to the village of Long Snake. Having arrived at the village of Long Snake she remained there, but the owner of the place was absent. The only person present was the mother of the owner of the place.

Then in the evening the mother of Long Snake gave that girl some millet, and told her to grind it. After it was ground she made bread. When it was ready the mother of Long Snake said: “Carry this bread into the house of Long Snake.”

A short time after that girl went into the house, the owner of the place arrived. Then she gave him bread and fermented milk, and he ate. When they had finished the food they went to sleep. Then early in the morning Long Snake went away, because in the daytime he lived in the open country.

The girl went to the house of the parents of Long Snake. The mother of Long Snake clothed her with a very beautiful robe. After she was dressed she called for an axe, and went to cut firewood. Having arrived in the open fields she did not cut the firewood, but she threw away the axe and ran to her father’s place.

When she arrived at her father’s place, her sister asked for where she had got that beautiful robe. She told her, and her sister said: “I am going to that village too.”

The girl said: “Just listen, and I will tell you the custom of that village.”

But her sister said in reply: “I do not want you to tell me anything, because you yourself were not warned before you went.”

Then she set off at once, and went on till she arrived in the evening at the village of Long Snake. When she sat down the mother of Long Snake gave her millet, telling her to grind it and make bread. When it was ready she took it into the house of Long Snake. Then in the evening the owner of the place arrived, and the girl gave him bread and fermented milk. When they had finished eating they went to sleep, and early in the morning Long Snake went away.

Then the girl went to the house of Long Snake’s parents. His mother clothed that girl also in the same manner as she had dressed the elder one. Then she borrowed an axe and went to cut fuel. In doing so she made an excuse to run away.

On this day, however, the man went after his wives, and arrived at his father-in-law’s place as the sun was setting.

They went out of the house that the bridegroom might sleep in it. While he was eating, the people of the village piled up bundles of grass, and the bridegroom was burned in the house. In this manner he died.

THE STORY OF KENKEBE.

There was once a great famine in a certain country, and the people were obliged to eat wild plants to keep themselves alive. Their principal food during this time was nongwes (Hypoxis, p. 385, “Harvey’s Gen. S. A. Plants”), which they dug out of the ground.

There was living at that place a man called Kenkebe, and one day his wife said to him, “My husband, go to my father and ask him to give us some corn.”

The man said: “Yes, I will go.”

So he rose up early in the morning, and went on till he arrived at his father-in-law’s village, where he was received with every mark of kindness. A very large ox was killed for his entertainment. It was so large that it was six days before it was all eaten. His father-in-law asked of him the news.

He said: “There is no news to tell to friends. All the news is this, that at my home there is not a grain to be eaten. Famine is over our heads. Will you give us some corn, for we are dying?”

His father-in-law gave him seven bags (i.e. skins of animals dressed entire) full of millet, and his wife’s sisters went with him to carry them. When they came to a valley close by his home, he told his sisters-in-law that they could now go back to their father.

They said: “How will you manage to carry all those bags alone?”

He replied: “I shall be able to carry them all now, because we are not far from my home.”

So those girls went back to their father.

Then he carried the bags one by one, and hid them in a cave under a great rock that was there. Afterwards he took some of the millet and ground it. When it was ground very fine he made it into cakes just like nongwes. Then he dug some real nongwes out of the ground, and went home to his wife.

He said to her: “There is a great famine at your father’s also. I found the people there eating themselves.”

He told his wife to make a fire. Then he pretended to cut a piece of meat out of his thigh, and said: “So are they doing at your father’s village. Now, my wife, let us do the same.”

His wife cut a piece from her leg and roasted it. The piece that Kenkebe put on the fire was some that he had brought home with him.

Then Kenkebe s little boy said: “Why does my father’s meat smell nice in roasting, and my mother’s meat does not smell nice?”

Kenkebe answered: “It is because it is taken from the leg of a man.”

After this he gave his wife some nongwes to roast. He took for himself some of those he had made of corn.

The little boy said: “Why do my father’s nongwes smell nice in roasting, and my mother’s do not smell nice?”

Kenkebe said: “It is because they were dug by a man.”

After eating, he went outside, but he had dropped one of his nongwes by the fire. When he went out the boy found the nongwe. He broke it in two and gave half to his mother.

He said: “There is a difference between our nongwes and those of father’s.”

His mother said: “Yes, my child, this one is made of corn.”

The next morning, just at the first beginning of dawn, Kenkebe got up and went away with a pot in his hand. The boy was awake, and saw his father go out. So he called to his mother, and said: “Mother, mother, wake, my father is going away with the pot in his hand.”

So she got up, and they followed after Kenkebe. They saw him go to the cave where he took some corn out of one of the bags and began to grind it. Then they went on top of the rock, and rolled a big stone over.

When Kenkebe saw the stone coming he ran away, but it followed close behind him. He ran down the valley, the stone kept running too. He jumped into a deep hole in the river, down went the stone too. He ran up the hill, up went the stone also. He ran over the plain, but whenever he turned to look, the stone was there just behind him. So it continued all that day. At night he reached his own house, and then the stone stopped. His wife had already come home, and had brought with her one of the bags of corn.

Kenkebe came in crying.

His wife said to him: “Why do you cry as if you were a child?”

He said: “Because I am very tired and very hungry.”

She said: “Where are your clothes and your bag?”

He replied: “I was crossing a river, and I fell down. The stream carried away my mantle, and my bag, and my kerries, and everything that was mine.”

Then his wife gave him his mantle, which she had picked up when he was running away, and she said to him: “You are foolish to do such things. There is no food for you to-night.”

The next morning Kenkebe rose early and went out to hunt with his two dogs. The name of the one was Tumtumse, and the name of the other was Mbambozozele. He found an eland with a young calf, which he drove to his place. He cut an ear off the calf and roasted it in the fire. It was fat, and he liked it so much that he cut the other ear off and cooked it also. Then he wished to kill the calf, but he said to himself: “If I kill this calf I shall not be able to get milk from the eland.”

So he called his two dogs, and said to the one: “Tumtumse, my dog, if I kill this calf, will you imitate it and suck the eland for me?”

The dog said: “No, I will bark like a dog.”

Kenkebe said: “Get out of my sight and never come near me again, you ugly, useless animal.”

He said to the other: “Mbambozozele, my dog, if I kill this calf, will you imitate it and suck the eland for me?”

The dog said: “I will do so.”

Then he killed the calf and ate it. He took the skin and put it upon Mbambozozele, so that the eland thought it was her calf that sucked before Kenkebe milked her. But one day the dog was sucking too long, and Kenkebe wanted him to leave off. He tried to drink just a few drops more, when his master got angry and struck him with a stick. Thereupon the dog began to howl, and the eland saw how she had been deceived. At once she ran after Kenkebe and tried to stick him with her horns. He ran one way and the eland ran after him, then he ran another way, and still the eland chased him.

His wife came out and saw him running. She cried out to him: “Jump up quickly on the big stone.” He did so, and the eland ran with such fury against that stone that it broke its head and fell down dead.

They then cut the eland up and wanted to cook it, but there was no fire. Kenkebe said to his son: “Go to the village of the cannibals that is on that hill over the valley, and ask for some fire; but do not take any meat with you, lest they should smell it.”

The boy went, but he hid a piece of meat and took it with him. When he got to the first house he asked for fire, but they sent him to the next. At the next they sent him farther, and so he had to go to the house that was farthest away. An old woman lived there. The boy gave her a little piece of meat, and said: “Do not cook it till I am far away with the fire.”

But as soon as the boy was gone, she put it on the coals. The smell came to the noses of the cannibals, and they ran to the place and swallowed the old woman, and the meat, and the fire, and even the ashes.

Then they ran after the boy. When he came near his own house, he cried out: “Hide yourselves, you that are at home.”

His father said: “My son is saying we must gather wood that will make coals.”

His mother said: “No, he is saying we must hide ourselves.”

The boy cried again: “Hide yourselves.”

Then his mother hid herself in a bush; an old woman that was there covered herself with ashes, and Kenkebe climbed up into a tree, with the breast of the eland in his hand. The boy slipped into a hole that was by the side of the path.

The cannibals came to the place. First they ate the eland. Then one of them said: “Search under the ashes.”

There they found the old woman, and they ate her. Then they said: “Search in the tree.”

There they found Kenkebe. He cried very much, but they would not spare him. They ate him and the breast of the eland. Then the wise one said: “Look in the bush.”

They looked there and found the wife of Kenkebe. They said: “We will eat her another time,” and so they took her home with them. They did not look for the boy.

The woman made a plan to escape. She made beer for the cannibals, and they all came to drink. They sat together in a big house, and drank very much beer. Then she said: “Can I go out?”

They said: “You can go, but come back quickly.”

She said: “Shall I close the entrance?”

They said: “Close it.”

Then she took fire and put it on the house and all those cannibals were burnt to death. So the woman escaped, and afterwards lived happily with her son.

ANOTHER STORY OF KENKEBE.

At a certain time, Kenkebe went to get his wife at the place of her parents. When he was on the way, he met a crow. He borrowed its eyes. Then he arrived at his wife’s parents’ place with the eyes of the crow.

When he arrived, his wife said: “Where are your own eyes?”

He replied: “My eyes have been taken away by the crows.”

Then his wife said: “Let us go home.”

When they reached home, his wife said: “Take those eyes, you silly one, to their owner, and bring back your own.”

Accordingly Kenkebe went for his eyes and got them back.

Then, as he was returning, he met an ant, and exchanged stomachs with it. When he arrived at his house, his wife gave him food. After he had finished eating, he went to milk a cow.

When he was gone out, his little boy went to the place where he had been sitting. He said, “Mother, this food that is spilt here, whose is it?”

His mother replied: “Perhaps it has been spilt by your father. You must not eat it until your father comes.”

When Kenkebe came in, his wife said: “Where does this food come from?”

The man replied: “My stomach has been borrowed by an ant.”

His wife said: “You must go and take this stomach back to-morrow.”

He went to do so. When he arrived at the ant’s place, he demanded his stomach. His stomach was given to him, and then he went home.

STORY OF THE WONDERFUL HORNS.

There was once a boy whose mother that bore him was dead, and he was ill-treated by his other mothers. On this account he determined to go away from his father’s place. One morning he went, riding on an ox which was given to him by his father. As he was travelling, he came to a herd of cattle with a bull.

His ox said: “I will fight and overcome that bull.”

The boy got off his ox’s back. The fight took place, and the bull was defeated. The boy then mounted his ox again.

About midday, feeling hungry, he struck the right horn of his ox, and food came out. After satisfying his hunger, he struck the left horn, and the rest of the food went in again.

The boy saw another herd of dun-coloured cattle. His ox said: “I will fight and die there. You must break off my horns and take them with you. When you are hungry, speak to them, and they will supply you with food.”

In the fight the ox was killed, as he had said. The boy took his horns, and went on walking till he came to a village where he found the people cooking a weed (called tyutu), having no other food to eat.

He entered one of the houses. He spoke to his horn, and food came out, enough to satisfy the owner of the house and himself. After they had eaten, they both fell asleep. The owner of the house got up and took away the horns. He concealed them, and put two others in their place.

The boy started next morning with the horns, thinking they were the right ones. When he felt hungry, he spoke to the horns, but nothing came out. He therefore went back to the place where he had slept the night before. As he drew near, he heard the owner of the place speaking to the horns, but without getting anything out of them.