Elphinstone Dayrell, 1910
AT the time of the great famine all the animals were very thin and weak from want of food; but there was one exception, and that was the tortoise and all his family, who were quite fat, and did not seem to suffer at all. Even the leopard was very thin, in spite of the arrangement he had made with the animals to bring him their old grandmothers and mothers for food.
In the early days of the famine (as you will remember) the leopard had killed the mother of the tortoise, in consequence of which the tortoise was very angry with the leopard, and determined if possible to be revenged upon him. The tortoise, who was very clever, had discovered a shallow lake full of fish in the middle of the forest, and every morning he used to go to the lake and, without much trouble, bring back enough food for himself and his family. One day the leopard met the tortoise and noticed how fat he was. As he was very thin himself he decided to watch the tortoise, so the next morning he hid himself in the long grass near the tortoise's house and waited very patiently, until at last the tortoise came along quite slowly, carrying a basket which appeared to be very heavy. Then the leopard sprang out, and said to the tortoise:
"What have you got in that basket?
The tortoise, as he did not want to lose his breakfast, replied that he was carrying firewood back to his home. Unfortunately for the tortoise the leopard had a very acute sense of smell, and knew at once that there was fish in the basket, so he said:
"I know there is fish in there, and I am going to eat it."
The tortoise, not being in a position to refuse, as he was such a poor creature, said:
"Very well. Let us sit down under this shady tree, and if you will make a fire I will go to my house and get pepper, oil, and salt, and then we will feed together."
To this the leopard agreed, and began to search about for dry wood, and started the fire. In the meantime the tortoise waddled off to his house, and very soon returned with the pepper, salt, and oil; he also brought a long piece of cane tie-tie, which is very strong. This he put on the ground, and began boiling the fish. Then he said to the leopard:
"While we are waiting for the fish to cook, let us play at tying one another up to a tree. You may tie me up first, and when I say 'Tighten,' you must loose the rope, and when I say 'Loosen,' you must tighten the rope."
The leopard, who was very hungry, thought that this game would make the time pass more quickly until the fish was cooked, so he said he would play. The tortoise then stood with his back to the tree and said, "Loosen the rope," and the leopard, in accordance with the rules of the game, began to tie up the tortoise. Very soon the tortoise shouted out, "Tighten!" and the leopard at once unfastened the tie-tie, and the tortoise was free. The tortoise then said, "Now, leopard, it is your turn; " so the leopard stood up against the tree and called out to the tortoise to loosen the rope, and the tortoise at once very quickly passed the rope several times round the leopard and got him fast to the tree. Then the leopard said, "Tighten the rope;" but instead of playing the game in accordance with the rules he bad laid down, the tortoise ran faster and faster with the rope round the leopard, taking great care, however, to keep out of reach of the leopard's claws, and very soon had the leopard so securely fastened that it was quite impossible for him to free himself.
All this time the leopard was calling out to the tortoise to let him go, as he was tired of the game; but the tortoise only laughed, and sat down at the fireside and commenced his meal. When he had finished he packed up the remainder of the fish for his family, and prepared to go, but before he started he said to the leopard:
"You killed my mother and now you want to take my fish. It is not likely that I am going to the lake to get fish for you, so I shall leave you here to starve."
He then threw the remains of the pepper and salt into the leopard's eyes and quietly went on his way, leaving the leopard roaring with pain.
All that day and throughout the night the leopard was calling out for some one to release him, and vowing all sorts of vengeance on the tortoise; but no one came, as the people and animals of the forest do not like to hear the leopard's voice.
In the morning, when the animals began to go about to get their food, the leopard called out to every one he saw to come and untie him, but they all refused, as they knew that if they did so the leopard would most likely kill them at once and eat them. At last a bush rat came near and saw the leopard tied up to the tree and asked him what was the matter, so the leopard told him that he had been playing a game of "tight" and "loose" with the tortoise, and that he had tied him up and left him there to starve. The leopard then implored the bush rat to cut the ropes with his sharp teeth. The bush rat was very sorry for the leopard; but at the same time he knew that, if he let the leopard go, he would most likely be killed and eaten, so he hesitated, and said that he did not quite see his way to cutting the ropes. But this bush rat, being rather kind-hearted, and having had some experience of traps himself, could sympathise with the leopard in his uncomfortable position. He therefore thought for a time, and then hit upon a plan. He first started to dig a hole under the tree, quite regardless of the leopard's cries. When he had finished the hole he came out and cut one of the ropes, and immediately ran into his hole, and waited there to see what would happen; but although the leopard struggled frantically, he could not get loose, as the tortoise had tied him up so fast. After a time, when he saw that there was no danger, the bush rat crept out again and very carefully bit through another rope, and then retired to his hole as before. Again nothing happened, and he began to feel more confidence, so he bit several strands through one after the other until at last the leopard was free. The leopard, who was ravenous with hunger, instead of being grateful to the bush rat, directly he was free, made a dash at the bush rat with his big paw, but just missed him, as the bush rat had dived for his hole; but he was not quite quick enough to escape altogether, and the leopard's sharp claws scored his back and left marks which he carried to his grave.
Ever since then the bush rats have had white spots on their skins, which represent the marks of the leopard's claws.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/fssn/fsn29.htm
A BUSH rat called Oyot was a great friend of Emiong, the bat; they always fed together, but the bat was jealous of the bush rat. When the bat cooked the food it was always very good, and the bush rat said, "How is it that when you make the soup it is so tasty?"
The bat replied, "I always boil myself in the water, and my flesh is so sweet, that the soup is good."
He then told the bush rat that he would show him how it was done; so he got a pot of warm water, which he told the bush rat was boiling water, and jumped into it, and very shortly afterwards came out again. When the soup was brought it was as strong and good as usual, as the bat had prepared it beforehand.
The bush rat then went home and told his wife that he was going to make good soup like the bat's. He therefore told her to boil some water, which she did. Then, when his wife was not looking, he jumped into the pot, and was very soon dead.
When his wife looked into the pot and saw the dead body of her husband boiling she was very angry, and reported the matter to the king, who gave orders that the bat should be made a prisoner. Every one turned out to catch the bat, but as he expected trouble he flew away into the bush and hid himself. All day long the people tried to catch him, so he had to change his habits, and only came out to feed when it was dark, and that is why you never see a bat in the daytime.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/fssn/fsn09.htm
MANY years ago the sun and water were great friends, and both lived on the earth together. The sun very often used to visit the water, but the water never returned his visits. At last the sun asked the water why it was that he never came to' see him in his house, the water replied that the sun's house was not big enough, and that if he came with his people he would drive the sun out.
He then said, "If you wish me to visit you, you must build a very large compound; but I warn you that it will have to be a tremendous place, as my people are very numerous, and take up a lot of room."
The sun promised to build a very big compound, and soon afterwards he returned home to his wife, the moon, who greeted him with a broad smile when he opened the door. The sun told the moon what he had promised the water, and the next day commenced building a huge compound in which to entertain his friend.
When it was completed, he asked the water to come and visit him the next day.
When the water arrived, he called out to the sun, and asked him whether it would be safe for- him to enter, and the sun answered, "Yes, come in, my friend."
The water then began to flow in, accompanied by the fish and all the water animals.
Very soon the water was knee-deep, so he asked the sun if it was still safe, and the sun again said, "Yes," so more water came in.
When the water was level with the top of a man's head, the water said to the sun, "Do you want more of my people to come?" and the sun and moon both answered, "Yes, not knowing any better, so the water flowed on, until the sun and moon had to perch themselves on the top of the roof.
Again the water addressed the sun, but receiving the same answer, and more of his people rushing in, the water very soon overflowed the top of the roof, and the sun and moon were forced to go up into the sky, where they have remained ever since.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/fssn/fsn18.htm
M. I. Ogumefu, 1929
THE BAT
THE Bat is half a bird and half a rodent, and lives partly on the earth and partly in the air, but both rats and birds shun him, and this is why:
The rats, his cousins, were once fighting a great battle with the birds, and Bat fought in their midst.
But when he saw that the birds were likely to be victorious, he left the rats and flew up into the air to fight on the side of the birds.
Both the rats and the birds were disgusted at this cowardly action, so they ceased from fighting one another and all combined to attack the Bat.
Since that day he has been forced to hide in dark places all day, and only comes out in the evening when his enemies cannot see him
http://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/yl/index.htm
A HANDSOME stranger once came into a certain village and strolled about among the people in mysterious silence. All the maidens admired him and wished that he would choose one of them for his bride. But he said nothing, and at last walked away into the forest and disappeared from sight.
A month later the stranger came again, and this time one of the maidens fell so much in love with him that she resolved to follow him into the forest, as she could not bear to be separated from him.
When the stranger looked back and saw her coming behind him, he stopped, and begged her to return home; but she would not, and exclaimed: “I will never leave you, and wherever you go, I will follow.”
“Beautiful maiden, you will regret it,” replied the stranger sadly, as he hurried on.
After a while he stopped again, and once p. 19 more begged her to retrace her steps; but she made the same reply, and again the handsome stranger said in sorrowful tones: “You will regret it, beautiful maiden!”
They went far into the depths of the forest, and at length reached a tree at the foot of which there lay a leopard-skin. Standing under the tree, the stranger began to sing a melancholy song, in which he told her that though he was allowed once a month to wander about in villages and towns like a man, he was in reality a savage leopard and would rend her in pieces as soon as he regained his natural form.
With these words he flung himself upon the ground, and immediately became a snarling leopard and began to pursue the terrified girl.
But fear gave such speed to her feet that he could not overtake her. As he pursued her he sang that he would tear her in small pieces, and she in another song replied that he would never overtake her.
For a great distance they ran, and then the maiden suddenly came to a deep but narrow river, which she could not cross. It seemed as if the leopard would catch her after all. But a tree, which stood on the river-bank, took pity on her and fell across the river, so that she was able to cross.
At last, nearly exhausted, she came to the edge of the forest and reached the village in safety. The leopard, disappointed of its prey, slunk back into the forest, and the handsome stranger was never seen again.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/yl/yl14.htm
THERE was a certain lazy and disagreeable man whom everyone called “Ole,” or “Lazy one.” He liked to profit by the work of others, and was also very inquisitive about other people’s affairs.
Once he saw that the ants had begun building a pillar in the compound of his house. But though the ants destroyed p. 41 all the plants in the compound, and stripped all the trees, Ole would not trouble to kill them, or to break down their pillar.
Instead, he thought to himself: “When the ants have made this pillar very high, I will sit on the top of it, and then I shall be able to see all that my neighbours are doing without leaving my compound.”
This thought pleased him, and he was glad that the ants swarmed in his compound. Each day the pillar grew higher, and at last the ants ceased their building and began again elsewhere. Ole then climbed up on to the pillar and spent the whole day observing the doings of his neighbours, and laughing at their activity.
| “Here sit I like a great Chief,
And I see all things!” |
sang Ole.
But while he sat on the pillar, the ants began to demolish his house and all that it contained, and in a short time there was nothing left of all his food and possessions.
Ole thus became the laughing-stock of the village, and everyone who saw him p. 42 cried: “Ku ijoko!” or “Greetings to you on your sitting!”
Soon afterwards he died, and it is not known to this day whether he died of shame or of laziness.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/yl/yl24.htm
Maalam Shaihua, 1913
This is a story about (a chief) Garnakaki.
A certain very powerful chief one day struck camp to go to war. He had a certain cook, (and) he had a wife, this chief, whom he loved. Everything the chief had was in this wife's possession. The cook was after this woman, and she also loved him, until one day the chief was secretly informed. The chief seized the cook (and) put him in prison.
Now he, the chief, was very fond of the cook, so he said he was to be taken out. He was taken out and brought forward. The chief said, 'In spite of all if you give up my wife, you may return and continue cooking food.' And he said, 'I shall. leave her.' Truly it was a lie.
Time went on, (and) he was cooking food for the chief. Of a truth they were together, (he) and this woman, (and) they were sinning against the chief, until (one day) they got medicine, (and) put it in the chief's food. The chief ate and died.
This woman took possession of much of the chief's property and much of the chief's money. She gave him (the cook) (them) secretly (and) no one knew, until they had finished taking everything. Then she came forward and married him. That was the origin of the saying, 'Love him who loves you, leave him who hates you, lest he give you medicine to eat (and) you die.'
Off with the rat's head.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/hausa/index.htm
This story is about Salt, and Daudawa (sauce) and Nari (spice), and Onion-leaves, and Pepper and Daudawar-batso (a sauce).
A story, a story! Let it go, let it come.
Salt, and Daudawa, and Ground-nut, and Onion-leaves, and Pepper, and Daudawar-batso heard a report of a certain youth, by name Daskandarini. Now he was a beautiful youth, the son of the evil spirit. They (all) rose up, (and) turned into beautiful maidens, (and) they set off. As they (Salt, Onion-leaves, &c.) were going along, Daudawar-batso followed them.
They drove her off, telling her she stank. But she crouched down until they had gone on. She kept following them behind, until they reached a certain stream. (There) they came across an old woman; she was bathing. She said they must rub down her back for her, but this one said, 'May Allah save me that I should lift my hand to touch an old woman's back.' And the old woman did not say anything more.
They passed on, and soon Daudawar-batso came, (and) met her washing. She greeted her, (and) she answered (and) said, 'Maiden, where are you going?' She replied, 'I am going to where a certain youth is.' (And) she (the old woman) said, 'Rub my back for me!' She said, 'All right.' She stopped, (and) rubbed her back well for her. The old woman said, 'May Allah bless you.' And she said, 'This youth to whom you are (all) going to, have you known his name?' She said, 'No, we do not know his name.'
Then the old woman said, 'He is my son, his name is Daskandarini, but you must not tell them.' Then she ceased. She was following them far behind till they got to the place where the boy was. They were about to enter, but he said, 'Go back, (and) enter one at a time.' They said, 'It is well,' and returned. And then Salt came forward, (and) was about to enter, little girl, go back.' She turned back. So Daudawa came forward.
When she was about to enter, she was asked, 'Who are you?' She said,'It is I.' 'Who are you? What is your name?' 'My name is Daudawa, who makes the soup sweet.' And he said, 'What is my name?' She said, 'I do not know your name, little boy, I do not know your name.' He said, 'Turn back, little girl, turn back.' She turned back, (and) sat down.
Then Nari (spice) rose up and came forward, (and) she was about to enter when
she was asked, 'Who is this little girl? Who is this?' She said, 'It is I who
greet you, little boy,
it is I who greet you.''What is your name, little girl, what is your name?' 'My
name is Nari, who makes the soup savoury.' 'I have heard your name, little girl,
I have heard your name. Speak my name.' She said, 'I do not know your name,
little boy, I do not know your name.' 'Turn
back, little girl, turn back.' So she turned back, (and) sat down.
Then Onion-leaves rose and came up, and she stuck her head (into the room) and was asked, 'Who is this little girl, who is this? It is I who salute you, little boy, it is I who salute you.' What is your name, little girl, what is your name? My name is Onion-leaves, who makes the soup smell nicely.' He said, 'I have heard your name, little girl. What is my name?' She said, 'I do not know your name, little boy, I do not know your name.' 'Turn back, little boy (girl), turn back.' So she turned back.
Now Pepper came along; she said, 'Your pardon, little boy, your pardon.' She was asked who was there. She said, 'It is I, Pepper, little boy, it is I, Pepper, who make the soup hot.' 'I have heard your name, little girl, I have heard your name. Tell (me) my name, little girl, tell (me) my name.' 'I do not know your name, little boy, I do not know your name.' He said, 'Turn back, little maid, turn back.'
There was only left Daudawar-batso, and they said, 'Are not you coming?' She said, 'Can I enter the house where such good people as you have gone, (and) been driven away? Would not they the sooner (drive) me out who stink?' They said, 'Rise up (and) go.' So she got up (and) went. He asked her, 'Who is there, little girl, who is there?' And she said, 'It is I who am greeting you, little boy, it is I who am greeting you.' 'What is your name, little girl, what is your name?' 'My name is Batso, little boy, my name is Batso, which makes the soup smell.' He said, 'I have heard your name, little girl, I have heard your name. There remains my name to be told.' She said, 'Daskandarini, little boy, Daskandarini.' And he said, 'Enter.'
A rug was spread for her, clothes were given to her, and slippers of gold;
and then (of) these who had driven her away one said, 'I will always sweep for
you'; another, 'I will pound for you.'
Another said, 'I will see about drawing water for you'; and another, 'I will
pound (the ingredients) of the soup'; and another, 'I will stir the food.' They
all became her handmaids.
And the moral of all this is, if you see a man is poor do not despise him; you do not know but that some day he may be better than you.
That is all.
Off with the rat's head.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/hausa/hau21.htm
This story is about a (test of) skill.
A story, a story.
A certain chief begat children, three males. One day his councillors assembled. He said he himself wished to see the most skilled among them. There was a huge baobab tree (near) the entrance to the chief's house. He said he wanted them to mount (their) horses, (and) come (and) show their skill, where this baobab tree was.
So they mounted their chargers, (and) went far away. The eldest galloped (and) came, (and) thrust that baobab with (his) spear. The spear went right through and he followed, passing through the hole made by the spear, with his horse. And he passed on.
The next to follow the eldest came on. When he was near to the baobab tree he lifted his horse (on the bit) and jumped the baobab.
When the youngest galloped, he came, (and) pulled up the whole baobab, roots and all, and came on waving it aloft at his father, and the place rang with applause.
Now I ask you who excelled among them. If you do not know, that is all.
Off with the rat's head.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/hausa/hau20.htm
JAMES A. HONEŸ, M.D, 1910
THE ant has had from time immemorial many enemies, and because he is small and destructive, there have been a great many slaughters among them. Not only were most of the birds their enemies, but Anteater lived almost wholly from them, and Centipede beset them every time and at all places when he had the chance.
So now there were a few among them who thought it would be well to hold council together and see if they could not come to some arrangement whereby they could retreat to some place of safety when attacked by robber birds and aninials.
But at the gathering their opinions were most discordant, and they could come to no decision.
There was Red-ant, Rice-ant, Black-ant, Wagtail-ant, Gray-ant, Shining-ant, and many other varieties. The discussion was a true babel of diversity, which continued for a long time and came to nothing.
A part desired that they should all go into a small hole in the ground, and live there; another part wanted to have a large and strong dwelling built on the ground, where nobody could enter but an ant; still another wanted to dwell in trees, so as to get rid of Anteater, forgetting entirely that there they would be the prey of birds; another part seemed inclined to have wings and fly.
And, as has already been said, this deliberation amounted to nothing, and each party resolved to go to work in its own way, and on its own responsibility.
Greater unity than that which existed in each separate faction could be seen nowhere in the world; each had his appointed task, each did his work regularly and well. And all worked together in the same way. From among them they chose a king-that is to say some of the groups did-and they divided the labor so that all went as smoothly as it possibly could.
But each group did it in its own way, and not one of them thought of protecting themselves against the onslaught of birds or Anteater.
The Red-ants built their house on the ground and lived under it, but Anteater leveled to the ground in a minute what had cost them many days of precious labor. The Rice-ants lived under the ground, and with them it went no better. For whenever they came out, Anteater visited them and took them out sack and pack. The Wagtail-ants fled to the trees, but there on many occasions sat Centipede waiting for them, or the birds gobbled them up. The Gray-ants had intended to save themselves from extermination by taking to flight, but this also availed them nothing, because the Lizard, the Hunting-spider, and the birds went a great deal faster than they.
When the Insect-king heard that they could come to no agreement he sent them the secret of unity, and the message of Work-together. But unfortunately he chose for his messenger the Beetle, and he has never yet arrived at the Ants, so that they are still to-day the embodiment of discord and consequently the prey of enemies.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/saft/sft04.htm
ONCE there was a man that had an old dog, so old that the, man desired to put him aside. The dog had served him very faithfully when he was still young, but ingratitude is the world's reward, and the man now wanted to dispose of him. The old dumb creature, however, ferreted out the plan of his master, and so at once resolved to go away of his own accord.
After he had walked quite a way he met an old bull in the veldt.
"Don't you want to go with me?" asked the dog.
"Where?" was the reply.
"To the land of the aged," said the dog, where troubles don't disturb you and thanklessness does not deface the deeds of man."
"Good," said the bull, "I am your companion."
The two now walked on and found a ram.
The dog laid the plan before him, and all moved off together, until they afterwards came successively upon a donkey, a cat, a cock, and a goose.
These joined their company, and the seven set out on their journey.
Late one night they came to a house and through the open door they saw a table spread with all kinds of nice food, of which some robbers were having their fill. It would help nothing to ask for admittance, and seeing that they were hungry, they must think of something else.
Therefore the donkey climbed up on the bull, the rain. on the donkev, the dog on the rain, the cat on the dog, the goose on the cat, and the cock on the goose, and with one accord they all let out terrible (threatening) noises (cryings).
The bull began to bellow, the donkey to bray, the dog to bark, the ram to bleat, the cat to mew, the goose to giggle gaggle, and the cock to crow, all without cessation.
The people in the house were frightened perfectly limp; they glanced out through the front door, and there they stared on the strange sight. Some of them took to the ropes over the back lower door, some disappeared through the window, and in a few counts the house was empty.
Then the seven old animals climbed down from one another, stepped into the house, and satisfied themselves with the delicious food.
But when they had finished, there still remained a great deal of food, too much to take with them on their remaining journey, and so together they contrived a plan to hold their position until the next day after breakfast.
The dog said, "See here, I am accustomed to watch at the front door of my master's house," and thereupon flopped himself down to sleep; the bull said, "I go behind the door," and there he took his position; the ram said, "I will go up on to the loft"; the donkey, "I at the middle door"; the cat, "I in the fireplace"; the goose, "I in the back door"; and the cock said, "I am going to sleep on the bed."
The captain of the robbers after a while sent one of his men back to see if these creatures had yet left the house.
The man came very cautiously into the neighborhood, listened and listened, but he heard nothing; he peeped through the window, and saw in the grate just two coals still glimmering, and thereupon started to walk through the front door.
There the old dog seized him by the leg. He jumped into the house, but the bull was ready, swept him up with his horns, and tossed him on to the loft. Here the ram received him and pushed him off the loft again. Reaching ground, he made for the middle door, but the donkey set up a terrible braying and at the same time gave him a kick that landed him in the fireplace, where the cat flew at him and scratched him nearly to pieces. He then jumped out through the back door, and here the goose got him by the trousers. When he was some distance away the cock crowed. He thereupon ran so that you could bear the stones rattle in the dark.
Purple and crimson and out of breath, he came back to his companions.
"Frightful, frightful!" was all that they could get from him at first, but after a while he told them.
"When I looked through the window I saw in the fireplace two bright coals shining, and when I wanted to go through the front door to go and look, I stepped into an iron trap. I jumped into the house, and there some one seized me with a fork and pitched me up on to the loft, there agam some one was ready, and threw me down on all fours. I wanted to fly through the middle door, but there some one blew on a trumpet, and smote me with a sledge hammer so that I did not know where I landed; but coming to very quickly, I found I was in the fireplace, and there another flew at me and scratched the eyes almost out of my bead. I thereupon fled out of the back door, and lastly I was attacked on the leg by the sixth with a pair of fire tongs, and when I was still running away, some one shouted out of the house,
Stop him, stop h-i-m!
http://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/saft/sft10.htm