Part 4

A Bushman was, on one occasion, following a troop of zebras, and had just succeeded in wounding one with his arrows, when a Lion sprang out from a thicket opposite, and showed every inclination to dispute the prize with him. The Bushman being near a convenient tree, threw down his arms, and climbed for safety to an upper branch. The Lion, allowing the wounded zebra to pass on, now turned his whole attention towards the Bushman, and walking round and round the tree, he ever and anon growled and looked up at him. At length the Lion lay down at the foot of the tree, and kept watch all night. Towards morning sleep overcame the hitherto wakeful Bushman, and he dreamt that he had fallen into the Lion’s mouth. Starting from the effects of his dream, he lost his hold, and, falling from the branch, he alighted heavily on the Lion; on which the monster, thus unexpectedly saluted, ran off with a loud roar, and the Bushman, also taking to his heels in a different direction, escaped in safety.

V.

VARIOUS FABLES.

THE ELEPHANT.

Thou tall acacia full of branches, Thou ebony tree with leaves spread round about.

27. HOW A NAMA WOMAN OUTWITTED THE ELEPHANTS.

(The original, in the Hottentot language, is in Sir G. Grey’s Library, G. Krönlein’s Manuscript, pp. 1, 3.)

An Elephant, it is said, was married to a Nama Hottentot woman, whose two brothers came to her secretly, because they were afraid of her husband. Then she went out as if to fetch wood, and putting them within the wood, she laid them on the stage. [16] Then she said, “Since I married into this kraal, has a wether been slaughtered also for me?” And her blind mother-in-law answered, “Umph! things are said by the wife of my eldest son, which she never said before.”

Thereupon the Elephant, who had been in the field, arrived, and smelling something, rubbed against the house. “Ha,” said his wife, “what I should not have done formerly, I do now. On what day did you slaughter a wether for me?” Then the mother-in-law said to him: “As she says things which she did not say (before), do it now.”

In this manner a wether was slaughtered (for her), which she roasted whole, and then, in the same night (after supper), asked her mother-in-law the following questions:—“How do you breathe when you sleep the sleep of life? (light sleep, half-conscious.) And how when you sleep the sleep of death?” (deep sleep.)

Then the mother-in-law said, “Umph, an evening full of conversation! When we sleep the sleep of death, we breathe thus: ‘sũi sũi!’ and when we sleep the sleep of life we breathe thus: ‘Χou ǃáwaba! Χou ǃáwaba!’” [17]

Thus the wife made everything right whilst they fell asleep. Then she listened to their snoring, and when they slept thus, sũi sũi, she rose and said to her two brothers, “The sleep of death is over them, let us make ready.” They rose and went out, and she broke up the hut [18] (to carry away all that she could), and took the necessary things, and said, “That thing which makes any noise wills my death.” So they kept altogether quiet.

When her two brothers had packed up, she went with them between the cattle, but she left at home one cow, one ewe, and one goat, and directed them, saying to the cow, “You must not low as if you were by yourself alone, if you do not wish for my death;” and she taught the ewe and the goat the same.

Then they departed with all the other cattle, and those who were left behind lowed during the night as if they were many, and as they lowed as if they were still all there, the Elephant thought, “They are all there.” But when he rose in the morning, he saw that his wife and all the cattle were gone. Taking his stick into his hands, he said to his mother, “If I fall the earth will tremble.” With these words he followed them. When they saw him approaching, they ran fast to the side, against a piece of rock (at a narrow spot), and she said, “We are people, behind whom a large (travelling) party comes. Stone of my ancestors! divide thyself for us.” Then the rock divided itself, and when they had passed through it, it closed again (behind them).

Then came the Elephant, and said to the rock, “Stone of my ancestors! divide thyself also for me.” The rock divided itself again, but when he had entered, it closed upon him. Thus died the Elephant, and the earth trembled. The mother at her hut said then, “As my eldest son said, it has happened. The earth shakes.”

28. A BAD SISTER.

(The original, in the Hottentot language, is in Sir G. Grey’s Library, G. Krönlein’s Manuscript, pp. 15, 16.)

Copper and Weather, it is said, were man and wife, and begat a daughter, who married amongst other people.

Her three brothers came to visit her; and she did not know them (as such), though the people said, “Do not you see they are your brothers?” She determined to kill them at night. They had, however, a Guinea-fowl to watch them.

When the Copper-Weather relative crept near, in order to kill the men, the Guinea-fowl made a noise to put them on their guard. They were thus warned of the danger; but afterwards they fell asleep again. Then she stole again upon them. The Guinea-fowl made a noise, but broke the rope by which it had been fastened, and ran home. She then killed her brothers. When the Guinea-fowl came near home it wept:—

“The Copper-Weather relative has killed her brothers! Alas! she has killed her brothers!”

The wife heard it, and said to her husband—

“Do not you hear what the bird weeps for? You who sit here upon the ground working bamboos.”

The man said, “Come and turn yourself into a mighty thunderstorm, and I will be a strong wind.”

So they transformed themselves accordingly, and when they came near to the kraal (where their sons had been killed), they combined and became a fire, and as a fiery rain they burnt the kraal and all its inhabitants.

VI.

SUN AND MOON FABLES.

29. WHY HAS THE JACKAL A LONG BLACK STRIPE ON HIS BACK?

(The original, in the Hottentot language, is in Sir G. Grey’s Library, G. Krönlein’s Manuscript, p. 16.)

The Sun, it is said, was one day on earth, and the men who were travelling saw him sitting by the wayside, but passed him without notice. The Jackal, however, who came after them, and saw him also sitting, went to him and said, “Such a fine little child is left behind by the men.” He then took the Sun up, and put it into his awa-skin (on his back). When it burnt him, he said, “Get down,” and shook himself; but the Sun stuck fast to his back, and burnt the Jackal’s back black from that day.

30. THE HORSE CURSED BY THE SUN.

(The original, in the Hottentot language, of this little Namaqualand Fable, is in Sir G. Grey’s Library, G. Krönlein’s Manuscript, p. 53.)

It is said that once the Sun was on earth, and caught the Horse to ride it. But it was unable to bear his weight, and therefore the Ox took the place of the Horse, and carried the Sun on its back. Since that time the Horse is cursed in these words, because it could not carry the Sun’s weight:—

“From to-day thou shalt have a (certain) time of dying. This is thy curse, that thou hast a (certain) time of dying. And day and night shalt thou eat, But the desire of thy heart shall not be at rest, Though thou grazest till morning and again until sunset. Behold, this is the judgment which I pass upon thee,” said the Sun.

Since that day the Horse’s (certain) time of dying commenced.

31. THE ORIGIN OF DEATH.

(The original, in the Hottentot language, is in Sir G. Grey’s Library, G. Krönlein’s Manuscript, pp. 33, 34.)

The Moon, it is said, sent once an Insect to Men, saying, “Go thou to Men, and tell them, ‘As I die, and dying live, so ye shall also die, and dying live.’” The Insect started with the message, but whilst on his way was overtaken by the Hare, who asked: “On what errand art thou bound?” The Insect answered: “I am sent by the Moon to Men, to tell them that as she dies, and dying lives, they also shall die, and dying live.” The Hare said, “As thou art an awkward runner, let me go” (to take the message). With these words he ran off, and when he reached Men, he said, “I am sent by the Moon to tell you, ‘As I die, and dying perish, in the same manner ye shall also die and come wholly to an end.’” Then the Hare returned to the Moon, and told her what he had said to Men. The Moon reproached him angrily, saying, “Darest thou tell the people a thing which I have not said?” With these words she took up a piece of wood, and struck him on the nose. Since that day the Hare’s nose is slit.

32. ANOTHER VERSION OF THE SAME FABLE.

(From H. C. Knudsen’s “Gross-Namaqualand,” 12mo., Barmen, 1848, pp. 27, 28.)

The Moon dies, and rises to life again. The Moon said to the Hare, “Go thou to Men, and tell them, ‘Like as I die and rise to life again, so you also shall die and rise to life again.’” The Hare went to the Men, and said, “Like as I die and do not rise to life again, so you shall also die, and not rise to life again.” When he returned, the Moon asked him, “What hast thou said?” “I have told them, ‘Like as I die and do not rise to life again, so you shall also die and not rise to life again.’” “What,” said the Moon, “hast thou said that?” And she took a stick and beat the Hare on his mouth, which was slit by the blow. The Hare fled, and is still fleeing. [19]

33. A THIRD VERSION OF THE SAME FABLE.

(From an original Manuscript in English, by Mr. John Priestley, in Sir G. Grey’s Library.)

The Moon, on one occasion, sent the Hare to the earth to inform Men that as she (the Moon) died away and rose again, so mankind should die and rise again. Instead, however, of delivering this message as given, the Hare, either out of forgetfulness or malice, told mankind that as the Moon rose and died away, so Man should die and rise no more. The Hare, having returned to the Moon, was questioned as to the message delivered, and the Moon, having heard the true state of the case, became so enraged with him that she took up a hatchet to split his head; falling short, however, of that, the hatchet fell upon the upper lip of the Hare, and cut it severely. Hence it is that we see the “Hare-lip.” The Hare, being duly incensed at having received such treatment, raised his claws, and scratched the Moon’s face; and the dark parts which we now see on the surface of the Moon are the scars which she received on that occasion.

34. A FOURTH VERSION OF THE SAME FABLE.

(From Sir James E. Alexander’s “Expedition of Discovery into the Interior of Africa,” vol. i. p. 169.)

The Moon, they say, wished to send a message to Men, and the Hare said that he would take it. “Run, then,” said the Moon, “and tell Men that as I die and am renewed, so shall they also be renewed.” But the Hare deceived Men, and said, “As I die and perish, so shall you also.” [20]

35. A ZULU VERSION OF THE LEGEND OF THE “ORIGIN OF DEATH.”

(From Manuscript, “Zulu Legends,” No. 214 of Sir G. Grey’s Library, vol. i. part i. p. 107.)

God (Unknlunkuln) arose from beneath (the seat of the spiritual world, according to the Zulu idea), and created in the beginning [21] men, animals, and all things. He then sent for the Chameleon, and said, “Go, Chameleon, and tell Men that they shall not die.” The Chameleon went, but it walked slowly, and loitered on the way, eating of a shrub called Bukwebezane.

When it had been away some time, God sent the Salamander after it, ordering him to make haste and tell Men that they should die. The Salamander went on his way with this message, outran the Chameleon, and, arriving first where the Men were, told them that they must die.

VII.

HEITSI EIBIP AND OTHER LEGENDS.

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.

Once he was travelling with a great number of people, and an enemy pursued them. On arriving at some water he said, “My grandfather’s father, open thyself that I may pass through, and close thyself afterwards.” So it took place as he had said, and they went safely through. Then their enemies tried to pass through the opening also, but when they were in the midst of it, it closed again upon them, and they perished. [22]

Heitsi Kabip died several times, and came to life again. When the Hottentots pass one of his graves they throw a stone on it for good luck. [23]

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.)

At first they were two. One had made a large hole in the ground, and sat by it, and told passers-by to throw a stone at his forehead. The stone, however, rebounded and killed the person who had thrown it, so that he fell into the hole. At last Heitsi Eibip was told that in this manner many people died. So he arose and went to the man, who challenged Heitsi Eibip to throw (a stone) at him. The latter, however, declined, for he was too prudent; but he drew the man’s attention to something on one side, and while he turned round to look at it, Heitsi Eibip hit him behind the ear, so that he died and fell into his own hole. After that there was peace, and people lived happily. [24]

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.)

All men who came near to that hole were, it is said, pushed down into it by the ǂGã ǂgorip [25] (the pusher into the hole), as he knew well where it lay. Whilst he was thus employed, there came the Heitsi Eibip, called also Heigeip, and saw how the ǂGã ǂgorip treated the people.

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.)

It is said that when Heitsi Eibip was travelling about with his family, they came to a valley in which the raisin-tree was ripe, and he was there attacked by a severe illness. Then his young (second) wife said, “This brave one is taken ill on account of these raisins; death is here at the place.” The old man (Heitsi Eibip), however, told his son ǃUrisip [26] (the whitish one), “I shall not live, I feel it; thou must, therefore, cover me when I am dead with soft stones.” And he spoke further, “This is the thing which I order you to do:—‘Of the raisin-trees of this valley ye shall not eat. For if ye eat of them I shall infect you, and ye will surely die in a similar way.’”

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.

VIII.

HOUSEHOLD TALES.

41. THE LITTLE WISE WOMAN.

(The original, in the Hottentot language, is in Sir G. Grey’s Library, G. Krönlein’s Manuscript, p. 53.)

A girl, it is said, went to seek for onions. As she arrived at the place where they grew, she met with some men, one of whom was blind (i.e., half-blind, having only one eye). As she dug (for the onions) the men helped her, digging also. When her sack was full, they said to her, “Go, tell the other girls, that many of you may come.” So she went home and told her companions, and early the next morning they started. But a little girl followed them. The other girls said, “Let the little girl go back.” But her elder sister protested against this, saying, “She runs by herself, you need not put her into your awa-skin.”

So they went all together, and having reached the onion-ground, began to dig. Now the little girl saw traces of feet, and said to the one who had guided them thither, “Wonderful! whence so many traces? Were you not alone here?” The other replied, “I walked about and looked out; therefore they must of course be many.” The child, however, did not believe that if the other girl had been alone the traces could be many, and felt uneasy; for she was a wise little woman. From time to time she rose (from her work) and peeped about, and once, while doing this, found by chance an ant-eater’s hole. Still further spying about, she perceived some men, but they did not see her. She then returned and continued digging with the other girls, without, however, saying anything. But in the midst of their work she always rose and looked about her. So the others asked her, “Why do you always spy about you, and leave off digging? What a girl!” But she continued her work in silence. When she rose from it again, she saw the men approaching. As they drew near the One-eyed blew through a reed pipe the following air:—

“To-day there shall blood flow, blood flow, blood flow!”

The little girl understood what was blown on the reed. She said to the elder ones, whilst they were dancing, “Do you also understand the tune that is blown on the reed?” But they only said, “What a child she is!” So she mixed in the dance with the others; but managed while so doing to tie her sister’s caross-cloak to her own, and in this manner they danced on, till it became very noisy, and then they found an opportunity to slip away.

On their way out the little sister asked, “Do you understand the reed—I mean what is blown on it?” She answered, “I do not understand it.” Then the little girl explained to her that the tune on the reed said, “To-day blood shall flow!” When they walked along, the little girl let her elder sister go first, and herself followed, walking backwards, and carefully stepping in her sister’s traces, so that they thus left only one set of footmarks, and these going in a contrary direction. In this manner they arrived at the ant-eater’s hole.

But the men killed all those girls who had remained dancing with them. When the eldest of those who had escaped heard their wailing, she said, “Alas, my sisters!” But the younger one answered her, “Do you think you would have lived if you had remained there?”

Now “One-eye” was the first to miss the sisters, and said to the other men, “Where may the two handsome girls be who danced with me?” The others replied, “He lies. He has seen with his eye” (satirically meaning he had seen wrongly). But “One-eye” insisted that “two girls were truly missing.” Then they went to find their spoor, but the traces had been rendered indistinct enough to puzzle them.

When the men arrived at the ant-eater’s hole, they could not see that the footmarks went further, so they spied into the hole, but saw nothing. Then “One-eye” looked also, and he saw the girls, and cried, “There they sit.” The others now looked again, but still saw nothing; for the girls had covered themselves with cobwebs.

One of the men then took an assegai, and piercing through the upper part of the hole, hit the heel of the larger girl. But the little wise woman took hold of the assegai, and wiped off the blood. The elder sister was about to cry, but the little one warned her not.

When “One-eye” spied again, the little girl made big eyes at him. He said, “There she sits.” The others looked too, but as they could see nothing they said (satirically), “He has only seen with his eye.”

At last the men got thirsty, and said to “One-eye,” “Stay you here, and let us go to drink, and when we have returned you may go also.”

When “One-eye” was left alone there, the little girl said (conjuring him):

“You dirty son of your father, Are you there? Are you alone not thirsty? Oh, you dirty child of your father! Dirty child of your father!”

“I am indeed thirsty,” said “One-eye,” and went away.

Then the two girls came out of the hole, and the younger one took her elder sister on her back, and walked on. As they were going over the bare, treeless plain, the men saw them, and said, “There they are, far off,” and ran after them.

When they came near, the two girls turned themselves into thorn trees, called “Wait-a-bit,” and the beads which they wore became gum on the trees. The men then ate of the gum and fell asleep. Whilst they slept, the girls smeared gum over the men’s eyes and went away, leaving them lying in the sun.

The girls were already near their kraal, when “One-eye” awoke, and said:

“Oh, the disgrace! fie on thee! Our eyes are smeared over; fie on thee, my brother!”