Part 17

One day, the sister of Leopard began to give Gazelle some impertinence. Gazelle said to her, "Shut your mouth!" She replied, "I won't shut it!" Gazelle threatened, "Lest I beat you!" She dared him, "Come and beat me! You will see my brother coming to chew you!" Gazelle ran after her, struck her, ndo! and knocked her to the ground, ndi! As she lay there, he kept on beating her, and beating her, and shouting, "Who has married! Who has not married?"

Leopard bristled up his whole mane, full of anger, and was about to go to Gazelle's end of the town to fight. But the older people said to him, "You hear what Iheli says, 'Who has not married'?"

Leopard was at once disheartened. He saw there was no place for his bravery in a matter of marriage.

TALE 32

THE GIANT GOAT

Persons

Kudu (Tortoise) Njâ (Leopard) A Giant Goat (Mbodi) Ngweya (Hog) Betoli (Rats) Ngwai (Partridge)

NOTE

Tortoise and Leopard had lived in peace in the same town, until their mutual use and abuse of the great Goat, the gift of Njambe, the Creator. A leopard is not satisfied unless he first takes the heart of the animal he has killed.

Tortoise and Leopard built a town together. There they stayed. After they had built, they cleared plantations. Their food was only vegetables; for, they had no meat. Their hunger for meat became great. Their hunters killed nothing.

One day, Tortoise, as he went in search of food, going and penetrating in the forest, came upon the Goat of Njambe (a mythical, enormous animal) in the forest by itself, and tied. It told Tortoise who and what it was, and invited him to enter. He said to It, "Mbodi, Friend-of-Njambe! open for me your house!" The Goat opened an aperture of its body; Tortoise entered in; and It closed the aperture. Inside of the Goat, Tortoise cut pieces of fine fat, and tied them into two bundles. Then he said, "Mbodi, friend of Njambe! open for me the house!" It opened the aperture; Tortoise at once went out; and It shut it.

Tortoise returned to his town, and cut up the meat. He said to his women, "Make ready leaves for momba!" (bundles of green plantain leaves in which meats are cooked over hot coals). They at once plucked the leaves, tied up the momba, and put them over the fireplace. They set soup also on the fireplace. When it was boiled, they spread the table, sat down together, and ate.

The children of Leopard, smelling a tempting odor, came to Tortoise's end of the town. The children of Tortoise showed their food to them, saying, exultingly, "Ye! do you eat such as that?" A child of Leopard said, "Chum! let me taste it!" And he allowed him to taste it.

The children of Leopard went off hurriedly to their father, saying, "Father! such an animal as your friend has killed! Perhaps it is Ngweya; we do not know."

Then Leopard went to where Tortoise was, and he asked him, "Chum! as to this meat-hunger, what shall we do? Let us arrange for the town." Tortoise responded. "Yes, I am willing." So, in the evening, he invited his friend Leopard that he should come and eat food. Leopard came; they sat down together; and they ate. When Leopard had tasted, he exclaimed, "Man! what animal is this?" But Tortoise would not tell him. When they had finished eating, Leopard said to himself, "I must know where Tortoise goes!"

On the next day, before the Ngwai (a Bird, that announces the first coming of daylight) had sounded, Tortoise went out clear on to where was that giant Goat. He spoke, as on his previous journey, "O! Mbodi! Friend of the Creator! open for me the house!" It at once opened the aperture; he entered in; and began to slice pieces of meat from the Goat's inside. When he had finished, he said, "Open for me the house!" It opened the aperture; and he emerged and went back to his town. There he spoke to his women, saying, "Cook ye!" They boiled the meat; it was cooked; he invited Leopard; they ate; and finished. And Leopard went back to his house.

But, when night came, Leopard took ashes, and, going to the house of Tortoise, thrust the ashes into Tortoise's traveling-bag, and stabbed holes in it. Said he to himself, "When Tortoise carries it, then the ashes will fall down." This he did, so that he might follow to the place where Tortoise would go.

Next day, Tortoise was up at the same time with the first Ngwai. And at daybreak, Leopard followed, observing the ground closely with his eyes; and he saw the ashes. The fellow, at once, went on his journey, striding quickly, quickly, until he reached to where the great Goat was standing. It explained to him, as it had to Tortoise, its use, and invited him to enter. Said he, "O! Mbodi of my father Njambe! open to me the house!" And It opened the hole. He entered; and he discovered Tortoise cutting meat. Tortoise was displeased, and said to him, "Chum! is that the way you do?" They cut pieces of meat, they got ready, and they went back to town.

The next day, although Tortoise was vexed at Leopard, they started together on their journey; and they arrived at the Goat. They said as before, "O! Mbodi! Friend! open to us the house!" It opened the aperture; and they entered. Tortoise warned Leopard, "Chum! Njâ! don't touch the heart!" They cut meat. Then Leopard said that he was going to lay hold of the heart. But Tortoise said, "No!" Leopard cut and cut, and was going on to the heart. Tortoise again said to him, "Not so!" They went on cutting. Finally Leopard laid hold of the heart! The Goat at once made a great outcry, "Ma-a! Mba-a!" and died instantly.

The people of the town that was near by, heard, and they said, "The Mbodi! what has happened to it? Young men! go ye! Hasten ye! for, that Mbodi is crying!" They went, and discovered the body of the Goat stretched out. They went back to the town and told the people that, "The Mbodi is dead!"

While this was going on, as soon as Tortoise inside the body knew that the Goat was dying, he began to seek for a hiding-place. He said, "I am for the stomach!" Leopard said, "No! that is the hiding-place of the elder one" (himself). Then Tortoise said, "I will go and hide in the bowels." Leopard said, "That also is the hiding place of the elder." Then Tortoise said, "Well! I'm going to hide in the fountain of the water of the belly" (the urinary bladder). Leopard said, "Yes! that is the share of the younger." Tortoise thrust himself in there. Leopard jumped into the stomach.

When the people came, they discovered the Goat lying flat, and they said, "Tie ye it!" (to carry it away). Others said, "No! let it be butchered here." They all said, "Yes!" And they cut it in pieces. They took out the entire stomach, and laid it aside. They took that fountain, and flung it out in the bushes.

Concealed by the bushes, Tortoise crawled out of the sac, and, pretending to be displeased, called out, "Who dashed that dirty water in my face, as I was coming here, seeking for my fungi here in the forest?" They apologized, saying. "Chum! we did not know you were in those bushes. But, come, and join us." So, he went there; and he, in pretence, exclaimed, "What thing can so suddenly have killed Friend-Creator his Mbodi there? Alas! But, Ime! what a large stomach that is! Would you say that it was not it that killed Mbodi? Let us send some children to pierce that stomach. But ye! when ye shall go to pierce it, first bring spears, then jab the spears through it. I have not seen such a stomach as that!"

They finished the cutting in pieces; and they gave Tortoise his share of the animal. He left, bidding them await his return. He went hastily with the meat to his town, and sat down to rest for only a little while. Then he rapidly went back again to see what would happen to Leopard.

The family of Njambe had taken that stomach and laid it in the water of a stream. Then they took spears, and they stabbed it. Leopard, being wounded, struggled up and down as he tried to emerge from inside the stomach. The people, when they saw this, shouted, "Aw! lâ! lâ! lâ!" And there was Leopard lying dead! For, in stabbing that stomach, the spears had reached Leopard.

Tortoise said to them, "Give me the skin of Leopard!" So they handed it to him. He went off with it to his house. When it was dried, he took it into his inner room, and hung it up. He said to his children, "Let no person bring any of the children of Njâ into this room."

Before that time, the children of Tortoise and of Leopard always hunted small animals; and they were accustomed daily to kill rats in their houses.

On another day, the children of Leopard having no meat, and not knowing that their father was dead said, "A hunt for Betoli tomorrow!" The children of Tortoise replied, "Yes!"

Early in the next day then, the children of Leopard made ready and called for those of Tortoise; and they all started together.

They began at first at Leopard's end of the town; and, going from house to house, opened the houses and killed rats. They passed on toward Tortoise's end of the town, opening houses, and killing rats. When they came to the room of Tortoise himself, his children said to the others, "No!" The children of Leopard asked them, "Why?" As they arrived at the door, the children of Tortoise said, "Our father said that, even for catching rats, we should not enter that room." But the children of Leopard broke down the door, and entered into the room. There they lifted their eyes, and discovered the skin of their father Leopard hanging! At once, they all hasted out of the house. But, suppressing their sorrow and indignation, shortly after this, they all said, "To go to throw wheels on the beach!" (a game; solid wheels, about eight or ten inches in diameter, and some three inches thick, chopped out of an enormous tuber). They made ready their little spears, and they all went in a company. Their challenge was, "To the beach!" These arranged themselves on one side, and those on the other.

The children of Tortoise began the game, rolling the wheel to the children of Leopard. These latter, as the wheel rolled by, pierced its center with all their spears; none failed. The Leopard company shouted in victory. "Boho, eh?" And the Tortoise company dared them with, "Iwâ!" Then the Leopard company insultingly retorted, "We are the ones who are accustomed to sleep with people's sisters, and continue to eat with them!" (i.e., that they could commit crimes with impunity, and still be allowed the intimate friendship of eating together, without the others daring to punish them).

Then the Leopard company bowled the wheel toward the side of the Tortoise company. These latter pierced the wheel with all their spears; none missed. The Tortoise company shouted for victory, "Boho! eh?" And the Leopard company dared them with, "Iwâ!" Then the Tortoise children shouted boastfully, "We are those who are accustomed to kill people's fathers, and hang up their skins, eh?"

At this, the Leopard children began to rage, and joined a fight with the children of Tortoise.

The children of Tortoise, and himself, and their wives and their children, fled and scattered over the logs into the stream of water, and hid themselves in holes, and never came back to town.

TALE 33

THE FIGHTS OF MBUMA-TYETYE AND AN ORIGIN OF THE LEOPARD

Persons

Mekuku, and Two of His Sons Mbuma-Tyetye and Njâ King Njambu Betoli (Rats) Mwamba (Snakes) Ngângâlâ (Millepedes) Kedi (Stinging Ants) Njambu Ya Mekuku (Spirits), and His Town Women Hidden in Chests Ngwaye (Partridge) Kâ (Snails) Ihonga-Honga (A Giant Tooth) Hova (A Magic Gourd) Tângâ (Horn) Ibumbu (Bundle of Medicine) Kanja (A Bowl) Ikanga (Spear) Ngalo (A Magic Amulet)

NOTE

Ngalo is a powerful fetish-charm. Sitting in a visitor's lap for a few moments, is a mode of welcome.

"Njambu" is one of their forms of spelling the name of the Creator; very commonly used also for human beings. The account of the wrestling-match is suggestive of the surroundings of a modern athletic field.

Njambu built a Town. He continued there a long time. After he had finished the town, he married very many wives. After a short time they all of them bore children. Those births were of many sons. He gave them names: Among them were, Upuma-mwa-penda (Year-of-doubt), and Njâ (Leopard).

And again, his wives, after a short time, all of them became mothers. This time, they gave birth to a large number of daughters. He gave them also names.

His town was full with men and women; they were crowded. And all busy. They that worked at stakes, went to cut saplings; those that made rattan-ropes, went to cut the rattan-vine; they that shaped the bamboo for building, went to cut the bamboo-palms; they that made thatch went to gather the palm-leaves; they that set up the stakes of the house-frame went to thrust them into the ground; they who fastened the walls, fastened them; they who tied thatch on the roof, tied it; they who split the rattan vines for tying, split them.

The town was full of noise. The children of Njambu kept their father's town in motion. They rejoiced in the abundance of people and their force. They took dowries also for their sisters, and gave them in marriage to young men of other towns.

Arguments were discussed; stories about White Men were told; amusements were played; food was eaten; and the sons of Njambu married wives.

One of Njambu's sons, Upuma-mwa-penda, said to his mother, "Make me mekima," (mashed plantain). His mother asked him, "Where are you going with the mekima?" He answered, "I'm going to seek a marriage." And she said "Good!"

In the morning, he took his rolls of mashed plantains, and started to go on his journey. He said to his mother, "You must keep my house." She replied, "It is well."

He went on, on, on, until, on the road ahead, he met with two Rats, who were fighting. He took an ukima-roll, divided it, and gave to them, saying, "Take ye and eat." They accepted, and told him, "You shall arrive at the end."

He goes on stepping quickly, quickly; and meets two Snakes fighting. He parted them. He took an ukima-roll and gave to them; they ate. They said to him, "You shall reach the end."

He goes on with his journey, until ahead were two Millepedes fighting. He said to them, "For what are you killing each other?" He parted them, and gave them an ukima-roll. They took it and said, "You shall reach the end!"

He lay down in the forest at night. At midnight, his mother saw, in her sleep, something that said, "Go with thy two daughters in the morning, and take food for Mbuma-Tyetye (another name for Upuma-mwa-penda)."

Early in the morning, she awoke her two daughters, and said, "Come! let us go to follow after your brother; he is still on his way."

They started, on, on, on, until they found him sitting down in the path. They brought out the food from their traveling-bag, and they said, "We have come to give you food." They prepared the meal, and they ate. And they slept that night in the forest.

Next morning, they started again, and they walked on, on, on, with their journey. As they came on their way, they listened ahead, and they heard something, saying, "Eh! fellows, eh! eh! fellows eh! Nobody shall pass! Nobody shall pass here!"

When they drew near, they met an immense quantity of Red stinging Ants spread from the ground up to the tree-tops, entirely closing the way. Mbuma-tyetye and his company said, "Ah! these are they who were shouting here!" He advanced to the fight, and called to his younger sister, "Come on!"

She lifted her foot just to tread upon the Ants; and they instantly entirely covered her. He and his company tried in vain to draw her back. The Ants shouted, to strengthen themselves. "Eh! fellows, eh!"

He, still fighting, called to the elder sister, "On ahead!" Just as she lifted her foot, there came all the Tribe of Red Ants, and would have covered her up. The woman jumped to one side vigorously, and stood there in that spot, fanning away the sweat of her exertions, pe, pe, pe. She returned again to the Ants; and they met. She called out, "Ngalo! hot water!" and it appeared. She took it, and dashed it at the Red Ants. But they all went into their holes; and came out at another opening, again closing the path. She still stood there ready to fight; but they covered her, and dragged her behind them.

The Ants shouted over their victory, "Eh! fellows, eh! Today no person passes here!"

The son called to his mother, "Mother! come on!" His mother said, "My child! I am unable." He called, "Ngalo! Fire!" Fire at once appeared. Having drawn back the corpses of his sisters, he seized the fire, and thrust it into the nests of the Ants. He thrust it also among the trees. The flame ignited them; and the surrounding forest burned to ashes with all the trees. And the Ants were all burned too.

Then he brought his sisters to life, by taking that ashes, and throwing it over them, and down their throats into their stomachs.

When the day darkened, he said, "Ngalo! a house!" A tent at once appeared, with a table, and tumblers, and water, and all food. They sat there and ate. When they finished eating, they set tea on the table. They drank; they talked of their experiences. When they ended, they said, "Let us lie down together." So they lay down for the night.

As the next day was coming, a Partridge gave forth its voice, "Rise! tyâtyâ lâ! tyâtyâ lâ!" And the day broke also. They wash their faces; they set tea on the table, and drank it. They folded the tent-house, and swallowed it, (as a mode of carrying it). They started with their journey, and went conversing on the way.

As they came along, Something was heard ahead. They listened, and heard a song. "Gribâmbâ! eh! Gribâmbâ! eh!" Mbuma-tyetye and his mother and sisters kept on going toward the sound, which continued, "Dingâlâ! eh! A person will not pass! No doubt about it! Dingâlâ! eh! Wherever he comes from, he can pass here only by coming from above."

The man and his company approached the source of the song, and exclaimed, "There it is!" They went on and found the entire tribe of Snails filling the road hither and yonder. He said to his mother, "What shall we do with the Kâ Tribe?" They sat down to consider. They decided, "A fight! this very day!" They sat still, and rested for a while. Then he went ahead and shouted to his younger sister, "Come!" She called out, "Ngalo! a short sword!" It appeared. She called again, "A strong cloth!" It appeared, and she dressed herself with it.

As she approached the Snails, one of them fell on her head with a thud, ndi! She took the sword, and struck it, ko! The Snails shouted, "We're nearing you!" A crowd of them came rapidly, one after another; in a heap, they entirely covered her, vyâ! And she lay a corpse! The Snails swarmed over her, and taking her, threw her behind them. They shouted in victory, "Tâkâ! Dingâlâ! eh!"

Then the elder sister said she was going to help her brother in facing the Snails. Her mother objected, "You? Stay!" But she replied, "Let me go!" She girded her body tightly, and then she entered the fight. The Snails surrounded her. They were about to drag her to their rear, when, she, at the side of the path, attempted to spring from them. But they swarmed over her. And she lay a corpse! The mother was crying out, "O! My child!" when the Snails covered her too.

Mbuma-tyetye retreated, to rest himself for a short time, and called out, "Ngalo! a helmet!" It appeared. He fitted it to his head. He called again, "Ngalo! a glass of strong drink, and of water too!" It appeared. He asked for tobacco. It appeared. "Matches!" They appeared. He struck a match, and smoked. As he thrust the cigar in his mouth, it stimulated him; it told him things of the future in its clouds of smoke. After he had rested, he stood up, again for the fight.

The Snails tuned their song:

"Iyâ! Dingâlâ! disabete! Iyâ! Dingâlâ! sâlâlâsâlâ! Disabete! Iyâ! Dingâlâ! Iyâ! Dingâlâ! Iyâ! Dingâlâ! Sâlâlâsâlâ! Iyâ! Dingâlâ! Eh! Bamo-eh!"

The Snails, in their fierce charge, killed him, and were about to take away the corpse; when, his Ngalo returning him to life, he sprang erect, and cried out, "Ah! my Father Njambu! Dibadi-O!"

And he took up his war-song:--

"Tata Njambu ya milole, milole mi we. Ta' Njambu! milole mi we. Ta' Njambu! milole mi we. Milole mi we. Ta' Njambu!"

All that while, the mother and his sisters were lying dead.

The Snails were shouting in their victory, "Tâkâ!"

Mbuma-tyetye took a short broad knife in his hands, and shouted, "Dibadi!" He girded his body firmly, and stood erect. He called out in challenge, "I've come!" The Snails answered, "You've reached the end!"

They fought. The man took his sword. The Snails fell down on him, ndwa! But the man stood up, and moved forward. He laid hold of a small tree. He cut it, and whirled it about at the Snails. And the Snails fell down on the ground, po! But they rose up again flinging themselves upon the man, ndwa! The man jumped aside crying out, "Ah! My father Njambu! Dibadi-O!"

He took fire, thrust it among the tribe of Snails, and every one fell down on the ground, mbwâ!

Then he shaped a leaf into a funnel, and dropped a medicine into the noses of his mother and sisters. They slowly rose and tried to sit up. He poured the ashes of the Snails over them, po! They breathed it into their stomachs, kii! and they came fully to life.

Then they said, "You are safe! Now! for our return home!" He said, "Good!" And they returned.

Mbuma-tyetye continued his own journey, on, on, on, until at a cross-roads, he found a giant Tooth, as large as a man. Tooth asked, "Where are you going?" Said he, "I'm going to seek a marriage at a town of Njambu-ya-Mekuku." Then, with his axe in hand, he turned aside from the path; chopped firewood, chop, chop, chop, chop, mbwâ! Then he kindly carried a lot of it, and presented it to Tooth. He also opened his bag, and taking out an ukima roll, laid it down at the feet of Tooth; also a bundle of gourd-seeds, and laid it down; and then he said, "I'm going." But the giant Tooth, pleased with him, said to him, "Just wait!"

So, he waited; and, while waiting, said, "Ngalo! a fine house!" It appeared there. "A table!" There! "Good food!" There! "Fine drink!" There! They two ate, and drank, and had conversation together.

Tooth said to him, "Where you go, do not fear." It brought out from its hut a water-gourd, and said, "I will not show you more, nor will I tell you anything at all, but this Hova itself will tell you." Then Tooth said to him, "Go well!"

The man took the Gourd and clung to it as if it was a treasure.

He started again on his journey, and had gone but a little way, when he found Kuda-nuts in immense abundance. He took up one, drew his knife, cracked the nut, and threw the kernel into his mouth. He stooped again, and was about to pick up another, when the Gourd warned him, "I! I!" So, he left the nuts.

He came on in his journey, and found in abundance wild Mangoes. He took one, split it, and bit out a piece; and was about to add another, when the warning came, "I! I!" So, he left the Mangoes; yet his belly felt full. Still on his journey, thirst for water seized him at a stream. He took his cup, plunged it into the water, filled it, drank, and was about to take more, when the warning said, "I! I!" And he left the water. Yet his belly felt full.