Where animals talk : West African folk lore tales

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WHERE ANIMALS TALK

West African Folk Lore Tales

By

*

ROBERT H. NASSAU

Author of "Fetichism in West Africa,'
"The Youngest King'" etc.

RICHARD G. BADGER

THE GORHAM PRESS
BOSTON

Copyright 1912 by Richard G. Badger
All rights reserved

The Gorham Press, Boston, U. S. A.

PREFACE

THE typical native African Ekano or legend is
marked by repetition. The same incidents occur
to a succession of individuals ; monotony being pre-
vented by a variation in the conduct of those
individuals, as they reveal their weakness or
stupidity, artifice or treachery.

Narrators, while preserving the original plot and characters
of a Tale, vary it, and make it graphic by introducing objects
known and familiar to their audience. These inconsistencies
do not interfere with belief or offend the taste of a people
with whom even the impossible is not a bar to faith; rather,
the inconsistency sharpens their enjoyment of the story.

Surprise must not be felt at the impossibility of some of the
situations; e. g., the swallowing by an animal of his wife,
baggage and household furniture, as a means of hiding them.
The absurdity of such situations is one of the distinctive
attractions to the minds of the excited listeners.

Variations of the same Tale, as told in different Tribes,
were inevitable among a people whose language was not
written until within the last hundred years; the Tales having
been transmitted verbally, from generation to generation,
for, probably, thousands of years. As to their antiquity, I
believe these Tales to be of very ancient origin. No argu-
ment must be taken against them because of the internal
evidence of allusion to modern things, or implements, or
customs of known modern date; e. 0., "cannon," "tables,"
"steamships," etc., etc. Narrators constantly embellish
by novel additions; e. </., where, in the original story, a
character used a spear, the narrator may substitute a pistol.
Almost all these Tales locate themselves in supposed pre-
historic times, when Beasts and Human Beings are asserted
to have lived together with social relations in the same

3

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4 PREFACE

community. An unintended concession to the claims of
some Evolutionists !

The most distinctive feature of these Tales is that, while
the actors are Beasts, they are speaking and living as Human
Beings, acting as a beast in human environment; and, in-
stantly, in the same sentence, acting as a human being in a
beast's environment. This must constantly be borne in
mind, or the action of the story will become not only unrea-
sonable but utterly inexplicable.

The characters in the stories relieve themselves from
difficult or dangerous situations by invoking the aid of a
powerful personal fetish-charm known as "Ngalo"; a fetish
almost as valuable as Aladdin's Lamp of the Arabian Nights.
And yet, with inconsistency, notwithstanding this aid, the
actors are often suffering from many small evils of daily
human life. These inconsistencies are another feature of
the Ekano that the listeners enjoy as the spice of the story.

From internal evidences, I think that the local sources of
these Tales were Arabian, or at least under Arabic, and
perhaps even Egyptian, influences. (Observe the prefix,
Ra, a contraction of Rera equals father, a title of honor, as
"Lord," or "Sir," or "Master," in names of dignitaries;
e. g. Ra-Marange, Ra-Mborakinda, Ra-Meses.)

This is consistent with the fact that there is Arabic blood
in the Bantu Negro. The invariable direction to which the
southwest coast tribes point, as the source of their ancestors,
is northeast. Such an ethnologist as Sir H. H. Johnston
traces the Bantu stream southward on the east coast to the
Cape of Good Hope, and then turns it northward on the
west coast to the equator and as far as the fourth degree of
north latitude, the very region from which I gathered these
stories.

Only a few men, and still fewer women, in any com-
munity, are noted as skilled narrators. They are the literati.

The public never weary of hearing the same Tales repeated;
like our own civilized audiences at a play running for a
hundred or more nights. They are made attractive by the
dramatic use of gesture, tones, and startling exclamations.

The occasions selected for the renditions are nights, after
the day's works are done, especially if there be visitors to be
entertained. The places chosen are the open village street,

PREFACE 5

or, in forest camps where almost all the population of a vil-
lage go for a week's work on their cutting of new plantations;
or for hunting; or for fishing in ponds. The time for these
camps is in one of the two dry seasons: where the booths
erected are not for protection against rain, but for a little
privacy, for the warding off of insects, birds and small ani-
mals, and for the. drying of meats. At such times, most of
the adults go off during the day for fishing; or, if for hunting,
only the men; the children being guarded at their plays in
the camp by the older women, who are kept occupied with
cooking, and with the drying of meats. At night, all gather
around the camp-fire; and the Tales are told with, at inter-
vals, accompaniment of drum; and parts of the plot are
illustrated by an appropriate song, or by a short dance, the
platform being only the earth, and the scenery the forest
shadows and the moon or stars.

The Bantu Language has very many dialects, having the
same grammatical construction, but differing in their
vocabulary. The name of the same animal therefore differs
in the three typical Tribes mentioned in these Tales; e. g.,
Leopard, in Mpongwe, equals Njega; in Benga, equals Nja;
and in Fang, equals Nze.

PRONUNCIATION

In all the dialects of the Bantu language, consonants are
pronounced, as in English; except that g is always hard.

The vowels are pronounced as in the following English
equivalent : —

a as in father e. g., Kabala

a as in awe e. g., Nja.

e as in they e. g., Ekaga.

e as in met e. g., Njega.

i as in machine e. g., Njina.

o as in note e. g., Kombe.

u as in rule e. g., Kuba.

A before y is pronounced ai as a diphthong, e. g., Asaya.
Close every syllable with a vowel, e. g., Ko-ngo. Where
two or more consonants begin a syllable, a slight vowel
sound may be presupposed, e. g., Ngweya, as if iNgweya.

Ng has the nasal sound of ng in " finger, " as if fing-nger,
(not as in "singer,") e. g., Mpo-ngwe.

CONTENTS

PART FIRST
Mpongwe Tribe

TALE PAGE

1 Do not Trust your Friend 13

2 Leopard's Hunting-Camp 18

3 Tests of Death: 1st Version 25

2nd Version 27

4 Tasks done for a Wife; and, The Giant Goat 30

5 A Tug-of-War 37

6 Agenda: Rat's Play on a Name 41

7 "Nuts are Eaten Because of Angangwe": A Pro-

verb 49

8 Who are Crocodile's Relatives? 53

9 Who is King of Birds? and, Why Chickens live

with Mankind 54

10 "Njiwo Died of Sleep:" A Proverb 58

11 Which is the Fattest:— Manatus, Hog, or Oyster? 60

12 Why Mosquitoes Buzz 62

13 Unkind Criticism 63

14 The Suitors of Princess Gorilla 65

15 Leopard of the Fine Skin 68

16 Why the Plantain-Stalk Bears but One Bunch .... 76

PART SECOND
Benga Tribe

1 Swine Talking 81

2 Crocodile 82

3 Origin of the Elephant 82

4 Leopard's Marriage Journey 85

8 CONTENTS

TALE PAGE

5 Tortoise in a Race 95

6 Goat's Tournament 99

7 Why Goats Became Domestic 100

8 Igwana's Forked Tongue 103

9 What Caused their Deaths? 106

10 A Quarrel about Seniority 109

11 The Magic Drum 113

12 The Lies of Tortoise 121

13 "Death Begins by Some One Person": A Proverb.. 126

14 Tortoise and the Bojabi Tree 129

15 The Suitors of Njambo's Daughter 134

16 Tortoise, Dog, Leopard, and the Njabi Fruit 140

17 A Journey for Salt 145

18 A Plea for Mercy 149

19 The Deceptions of Tortoise 153

20 Leopard's Hunting Companions 159

21 Is the Bat a Bird or a Beast? 163

22 Dog, and his Human Speech, 1st Version 165

2nd Version 168

23 The Savior of the Animals 173

24 Origin of the Ivory Trade, 1st Version 177

2nd Version 184

25 Dog and his False Friend Leopard 189

26 A Trick for Vengeance 192

27 Not My Fault! 195

28 Do not Impose on the Weak 196

29 Borrowed Clothes 198

30 The Story of a Panic 200

31 A Family Quarrel 201

32 The Giant Goat 202

33 The Fights of Mbuma-Tyetye; and, An Origin of

Leopard 208

34 A Snake's Skin Looks like a Snake .. . 226

PART THIRD

Fang Tribe

1 Candor 233

2 Which is the Better Hunter, an Eagle or a Leopard? 234

CONTENTS 9

TALE PAGE

3 A Lesson in Evolution 234

4 Parrot Standing on One Leg 235

5 A Question of Right of Inheritance 237

6 Tortoise Covers His Ignorance 238

7 A Question as to Age 239

8 Abundance: A Play on the Meaning of a Word. . . 240

9 An Oath: With a Mental Reservation 242

10 The Treachery of Tortoise 243

11 A Chain of Circumstances. . . 245

PART FIRST

Mpongwe

FOREWORD

The following sixteen Tales were narrated to me, many
years ago, by two members of the Mpongwe tribe (one now
dead) at the town of Libreville, Gaboon river, equatorial
West Africa. Both of them were well-educated persons, a
man and a woman. They chose legends that were current
in their own tribe. They spoke in Mpongwe; and, in my
English rendition, I have retained some of their native idioms.
As far as I am aware none of these legends have ever been
printed in English, excepting Tale 5, a version of which
appeared in a British magazine from a writer in Kamerun,
after I had heard it at Gaboon. Also, excepting Tale 14.
It appeared, in another form, more than fifty years ago, in
Rev. Dr. J. L. Wilson's "Western Africa." But my narra-
tor was not aware of that, when he told it to me.

11

TALE 1

Do NOT TRUST YOUR FRIEND

Place

Country of the Animals
Persons

Njeg& (Leopard) Nyare (Ox)

Ntori (Wild Rat) Ngowa (Hog)

Ra-Marange (Medicine Man) Nkambi (Antelope)
Leopard's Wife; and others

NOTE

A story of the treachery of the Leopard as matched by the
duplicity of the Rat.

In public mourning for the dead, it is the custom for the
nearest relative or dearest friend to claim the privilege of
sitting closest to the corpse, and nursing the head on his or
her lap.

At a time long ago, the Animals were living in the Forest
together. Most of them were at peace with each other.
But Leopard was discovered to be a bad person. All the
other animals refused to be friendly with him. Also, Wild
Rat, a small animal, was found out to be a deceiver.

One day, Rat went to visit Leopard, who politely gave
him a chair, and Rat sat down. "Mbolo!" "Ai, Mbolo!"
each saluted to the other. Leopard said to his visitor,
"What's the news?" Rat replied, "Njegd! news is bad.

13

14 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

In all the villages I passed through, in coming today, your
name is only ill-spoken of, people saying, 'Njega is bad!
Njegaisbad!' '

Leopard replies, "Yes, you do not lie. People say truly
that Njeg& is bad. But, look you, Ntori, I, Njega, am an
evil one: but my badness comes from other animals. Be-
cause, when I go out to visit, there is no one who salutes me.
When anyone sees me, he flees with fear. But, for what
does he fear me? I have not vexed him. So, I pursue the
one that fears me. I want to ask him, 'Why do you fear
me?' But, when I pursue it, it goes on fleeing more rapidly.
So, I become angry, wrath rises in my heart, and if I overtake
it, I kill it on the spot. One reason why I am bad is that.
If the animals would speak to me properly, and did not flee
from me, then, Ntori, I would not kill them. See! you,
Ntori, have I seized you?" Rat replied, "No." Then
Leopard said, "Then, Ntori, come near to this table, that
we may talk well. "

Rat, because of his subtlety and caution, when he took the
chair given him on his arrival, had placed it near the door.

Leopard repeated, "Come near to the table." Rat
excused himself, "Never mind; I am comfortable here; and
I came here today to tell you that it is not well for a person
to be without friends; and, I, Ntori, I say to you, let us be
friends. " Leopard said, " Very good ! "

But now, even after this compact of friendship, Rat told
falsehoods about Leopard; who, not knowing this, often had
conversations with him, and would confide to him all the
thoughts of his heart. For example, Leopard would tell to
Rat, "Tomorrow I am going to hunt Ngowa, and next day
I will go to hunt Nkambi, " or whatever the animal was.
And Rat, at night, would go to Hog or to Antelope or the
other animal, and say, "Give me pay, and I will tell you a
secret. " They would lay down to him his price. And then
he^would tell them, "Be careful tomorrow. I heard that
Njegd was coming to kill you. " The same night, Rat would
secretly return to his own house, and lie down as if he hjad
not been out.

Then, next day, when Leopard would go out hunting, the
Animals were prepared and full of caution, to watch his
coming. There was none of them that he could find; they

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 15

were all hidden. Leopard thus often went to the forest, and
came back empty-handed. There was no meat for him to
eat, and he had to eat only leaves of the trees. He said to
himself, "I will not sit down and look for explanation to
come to me. I will myself find out the reason of this. For, I,
Njega, I should eat flesh and drink blood; and here I have
come down to eating the food of goats, grass and leaves."

So, in the morning, Leopard went to the great doctor
Ra-Marange, and said, "I have come to you, I, Njega.
For these five or six months I have been unable to kill an
animal. But, cause me to know the reason of this." Ra-
Marange took his looking-glass and his harp, and struck the
harp, and looked at the glass. Then he laughed aloud,
"Ke, ke, ke—

Leopard asked, "Ra-Marange, for what reason do you
laugh?" He replied, "I laugh, because this matter is a
small affair. You, Njega, so big and strong, you do not
know this little thing!" Leopard acknowledged, "Yes: I
have not been able to find it out." Ra-Marange said,
"Tell me the names of your friends." Leopard answered
"I have no friends. Nkambi dislikes me, Nyare refuses me,
Ngowa the same. Of all animals, none are friendly to me. "
Ra-Marange said, "Not so; think exactly; think again."
Leopard was silent and thought; and then said," Yes, truly,
I have one friend, Ntori." The Doctor said, "But, look!
If you find a friend, it is not well to tell him all the thoughts
of your heart. If you tell him two or three, leave the rest.
Do not tell him all. But, you, Njega, you consider that
Ntori is your friend, and you show him all the thoughts of
your heart. But, do you know the heart of Ntori, how it is
inside? Look what he does! If you let him know that
you are going next day to kill this and that, then he starts
out at night, and goes to inform those animals, "So-and-so,
said Njega; but, be you on your guard. " Now, look! if you
wish to be able to kill other animals, first kill Ntori. " Leo-
pard was surprised, " Ngd ! (actually) Ntori lies to me? " Ra-
Marange said, "Yes."

So, Leopard returned to his town. And he sent a child to
call Rat. Rat came.

Leopard said, "Ntori! these days you have not come to
see me. Where have you been? " Rat replies, " I was sick. "

16 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

Leopard says, "I called you today to sit at my table to eat."
Rat excused himself, "Thanks! but the sickness is still in my
body; I will not be able to eat. " And he went away.

Whenever Rat visited or spoke to Leopard, he did not
enter the house, but sat on a chair by the door. Leopard
daily sent for him; he came; but constantly refrained from
entering the house.

Leopard says in his heart, "Ntori does not approach near to
me, but sits by the door. How shall I catch him?" Think-
ing and thinking, he called his wife, and said, "I have found
a plan by which to kill Ntori. Tomorrow, I will lie down
in the street, and you cover my body with a cloth as corpses
are covered. Wear an old ragged cloth, and take ashes and
mark your body, as in mourning; and go you out on the
road wailing, 'Njega is dead! Njega, the friend of Ntori is
dead!' And, for Ntori, when he shall come as a friend to
the mourning, put his chair by me, and say, 'Sit there near
your friend/ When he sits on that chair, I will jump up
and kill him there." His wife replies, "Very good!"

Next morning, Leopard, lying down in the street, pretended
that he was dead. His wife dressed herself in worn-out
clothes, and smeared her face, and went clear on to Rat's
village, wailing " Ah ! Njegd is dead ! Ntori's friend is dead ! "
Rat asked her, "But, Njega died of what disease? Yester-
day, I saw him looking well, and today comes word that he
is dead!" The wife answered, "Yes: Njega died without
disease; just cut off! I wonder at the matter — I came to
call you; for you were his friend. So, as is your duty as a
man, go there and help bury the corpse in the jungle."
Rat went, he and Leopard's wife together. And, behold,
there was Leopard stretched out as a corpse! Rat asked
the wife, "What is this matter? Njega! is he really dead?"
She replied, "Yes: I told you so. Here is a chair for you to
sit near your friend. "

Rat, having his caution, had not sat on 1;he chair, but
stood off, as lie wailed, "Ah! Njega is dead! Ah! my friend
is dead!"

Rat called out, "Wife of Njega! Njega, he was a great
person : but did he not tell you any sign by which it might be
known, according to custom, that he was really dead?"
She replied, "No, he did not tell me." (Rat, when he thus

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 17

spoke, was deceiving the woman.) Rat went on to speak,
"You, Njega, when you were living and we were friends,
you told me in confidence, saying, 'When I, Njegd, shall
die, I will lift my arm upward, and you will know that I am
really dead. ' But, let us cease the wailing and stop crying.
I will try the test on Njega, whether he is dead! Lift your

arm!

Leopard lifted his arm. Hat, in his heart, laughed, "Ah!
Njega is not dead!" But, he proceeded, "Njega! Njega! you
said, if really dead, you would shake your body. Shake!
if it is so!" Leopard shook his whole body. Rat said
openly, "Ah! Njegd is dead indeed! He shook his body!"
The wife said, "But, as you say he is dead, here is the chair
for you, as chief friend, to sit on by him." Rat said, "Yes:
wait for me; I will go off a little while, and will come."
Leopard, lying on the ground, and hearing this, knew in his
heart, "Ah! Ntori wants to flee from me! I will wait no
longer!" Up he jumps to seize Rat, who, being too quick
for him, fled away. Leopard pursued him with leaps and
jumps so rapidly that he almost caught him. Rat got to his
hole in the ground just in time to rush into it. But his
tail was sticking out; and Leopard, looking down the hole,
seized the tail.

Rat called out, "You have not caught me, as you think!
What you are holding is a rootlet of a tree." Leopard let
go of the tail. Rat switched it in after him, and jeered at
Leopard, "You had hold of my tail! And you have let it
go! You will not catch me again!" Leopard, in a rage,
said, "You will have to show me the way by which you will
emerge from this hole; for, you will never come out of it
alive!"

Some narrators carry the story on, with the ending of Tale
No. 6, the story of Rat, Leopard, Frog anbl Crab.

Leopard's pretence of death appears also in Tale No. 3.

18 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

TALE %

LEOPARD'S HUNTING CAMP
Persons

Ntori (A very large forest Rat) Njeg& (Leopard)

And other Animals

NOTE

Besides the words for "hunger" and " famine, " the Bantu
languages have a third word meaning, "longing for meat."
In this story, Leopard's greed is matched by the artifice of
Rat : — It was a practice of African natives to hide their ivory
tusks in streams of water until a time convenient for selling
them.

Polite natives will neither sit uninvited in the presence of
their superiors, nor watch them while eating. If need be,
to secure privacy, a temporary curtain will be put up, and
the host will retire, leaving the guest alone. Rude or un-
civilized tribes are offensive in their persistent effort to see a
white foreigner's mode of eating.

One of the tricks of native sorcerers is to jump into a fire.

It was a time of ngwamba (meat-hunger) among the
Animals in Njambi's Kingdom.

Leopard, being the eldest in his tribe, said to Rat, "Ntori!
child! this is a hard time for meat. I think we better go to
the forest, and make a olako (camp) for hunting." Rat
replied "Good! come on!"

So they began to arrange for the journey. The prepara-
tion of food, nets, baskets, and so forth, occupied several
days. When all was ready, they started. Having come
to a proper place in the forest, they selected a site where they
would build up their booths. Leopard was to have his own
separate camp with his wives and his children and his people;
and Rat his, with his wives and his children, and his people.

So they began to make two camps. Leopard said, "Ntori!
child! I have mine here. You go there yonder." So they

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 19

built their booths for sleeping-places; and rested another
day; and then built their arala (drying frames) over their
fire-places for smoke-drying the meat that they hoped to
obtain. Next day, they prepared their guns, and started
out on the hunt. On that very first day, they met game,
and, ku! (bang) went their guns, killing an Elephant, and,
ku! a wild Ox. Then Leopard said, "Ntori! child! we are
successful ! Let us begin the work of cutting up ! "

After all the carcasses had been cut up, came the time to
divide the meat between the two companies. So, Leopard
said, "As I am your Uncle, I precede; I will choose first, and
will give you the remainder." So Leopard chose, taking
out all the best pieces. When Rat saw that most of the
meat was going to Leopard's side, he thought it time to
begin to get his share. But when Rat laid hold of a nice
piece, Leopard would say, "No! child! do not take the best:
that belongs to your Uncle" — and Leopard would claim
the piece, and hand it over to his women. So it went on in
the same way; to every nice piece that Rat chose, Leopard
objected that it belonged to him. After Leopard had taken
all he wanted, there were left only the bowels and the heads
and legs for Rat.

Then they each went to their own camping-place, to
spread the meat on their arala, and to cook their dinner.
But, all the while that Rat was spreading bones and bowels
on his orala, he was vexed; for, there was very little meat on
those bones; while Leopard's people's arala were full of meat,
and savory portions were simmering on their fires tied in
bundles (agewu) of plantain leaves. At the noon meal,
Leopard sat down with his family, and Rat with his. But
Rat had only poor food; while Leopard and his people were
rejoicing with rich meat.

The second day was very much the same as the first. It
was Rat who did most of the hunting. With him it was,
ku! (bang!), and some beast was down; and, ku! and some
other beast was down. Whenever Rat fired, Leopard would
shout out, "Ntori! child! what have you got?" And it was
Rat who would shout in reply, "Nyare" (ox), or "Njaku"
(elephant), or "Nkambi!" (antelope), or whatever the game
might be. And it was Leopard who offensively patronized
him, saying, "That is a good boy, Tata! (Little Father);

20 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

bring it here to your Uncle. " Then Rat and all the servants
would carry the carcass to Leopard. So that day, the cut-
ting and dividing was just like the first day; Leopard claim-
ing and taking the best, and leaving the skeleton and scraggy
pieces and the bowels for Rat.

After that second day's hunt, Rat was tired of this way of
dividing, in which he got only the worthless pieces. So he
decided to get back some of Leopard's meat by artifice, for
his own table, even if he had to take it from Leopard's orala
itself. He began to devise what he should do. As he was
out walking, he came to a brook in which were sunken logs
of hard heavy wood. They had lain there a long time, and
were black with outside decay. With his machete in hand,
he dived; and remaining under the water, he scraped the
logs till he had removed the dark outside, and exposed the
white inner wood. lie kept on at the job scraping and
scraping until the logs appeared white h'ke ivory. Then
he went back to Leopard's camp, and, with pretence of
excitement, exclaimed, "Mwe Njega! I think we will be
going to be rich. You don't know what I've found! Such
a big ivory -tusk hidden in the water! I think we better
leave off hunting meat, and go to get this fine ivory. " Leo-
pard replied, " Good ! come on ! "

The next day, they first arranged their fires so that the
smoke-drying of their meat might continue during their
absence; and then started for the ivory. They all prepared
themselves, for diving, by taking off their good clothing, and
wearing only a small loin-cloth. Their entire companies
went, men, women, and children, leaving not a single person
in the camps.

Leopard says, "You, Ntori, go first, as you know where
the place is." Rat says, "Good! come on!" And they
went on their way.

Arrived at the brook, Rat says, "You all come on, and
dive." Leopard asks, "My son! is it still there?" Rat,
pointing, answers, "Yes! my ivory is there." Leopard,
looking down in the water says, "I see no ivory!" Rat,
still pointing, replies, "There! Those white things! Don't
you see them?" Leopard says, "I never saw ivory look like
logs." Rat answered, "No? But this is a new kind. I
assure you they are ivory! I have been down there, and I

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 21

cleaned the mud off of them." Leopard was satisfied, and
said, "Good! come on!" And they all dived. They laid
hold of the supposed ivory, and pulled, and pushed, and
lifted, and worked. But it was stuck fast, and they could
not move it.

While they were thus working, Rat suddenly cried out,
"Njega! O! I forgot something! I must go quickly back to
the olako. I will not be gone long. I shall return soon. "

Rat came out of the brook; ran to the camp; took of his
own bundles of bones and scraggy pieces, and put them on
Leopard's drying-frames, and took the same number of
bundles of good meat from Leopard's frames. Then he ran
back to the brook, to continue the work at the so-called ivory.

Soon after that, Rat says, "Mwe Njega! it is time to
return to the olako; we have worked long; I am hungry."
Leopard says, "Good! come on!" So they returned to the
camp to eat.

Rat says, "Njega! as I am so hungry, I will not wait with
you, but will go to my own olako at once. And I will put
up a curtain between us, as it is a shame for one to eat in the
presence of his elder. "

So Rat put up a curtain; and opened a bundle of nice meat;
and he and his people began to eat.

When Leopard took down one of his bundles, and opened
it to share with his women, he was amazed, and said, "See!
only bones and mean pieces! Ah! what is this matter!"
And he called out to the other camp, "Ntori! Tata!" Rat
responds, "Eh! Mwe Njega?" Leopard inquires, "What
kind of meat are you eating?" Rat answers, "My own,
from my own bundles. But what kind have you, Mwe
Njega?" Leopard says, "My women prepared meat that
was nice; but now I have only bones. I am surprised at
that."

The next, the fourth day, Rat said to Leopard, "I think
we better change from the hard work on the ivory. Let us
go hunting today; and tomorrow we will resume the ivory."
Leopard assented "Good! come on!" And they started out
to hunt. They were successful again as on the previous days.
At the time of the division of the meat, Rat showed no dis-
pleasure at Leopard's taking the best pieces; as he had now
his own artifice to get them back. And the meats of the day

22 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

were placed on their owners' respective drying-frames.
By this day's doings, many of Leopard's baskets were full,
ready to be taken to town, while most of Rat's were still
empty.

On the fifth day, they went to the brook again, to their
fruitless work of pulling at the so-called ivory. The same
things happened as before; Rat remembers that he has
forgotten something; has to go in haste to the camp; rapidly
changes the bundles on his and Leopard's frames; returns
to the brook; they all come back to the camp to eat; and
there were repeated Leopard's surprise, and his questions
to Rat about the kinds of meat they were eating. Thus
they continued; on alternate days hunting, and working at
the ivory that was stuck immovably fast in the mud; and
Rat stealing; and Leopard complaining.

Finally, Leopard became tired of his losses; and, one day,
without letting anyone know what he intended doing, he
said, "I will take a little walk." Rat says, "You go alone?
May I accompany you?" Leopard said, "No! I go alone;
I won't be long away; and I do not go far. "

So Leopard went to the wizard Ra-Marange, whom as
soon as he saw him, exclaimed, "What are you come for?
Are you in trouble?" Leopard told him the matter of the
losses of the meat. Then Ra-Marange jumped into his
fire, and emerged powerful and wise. And he said, "I
will make for you something that will find out for you who
it is that takes your meat. "

So Ra-Marange made a little image of a man, and con-
ferred on it wisdom and power, and gave it to Leopard,
who took it to his camp, and hid it in his hut.

The next day they all resumed the work at the brook,
with the ivory. There was the same diving, the same fruit-
less pulling, Rat's same need of going back to the camp, and
his same attempts at stealing. While he was doing this, he
sees something like a little man standing near him. Rat
puts out his hand to take from Leopard's bundles as usual,
and the image catches him by the wrist of that hand. Rat
indignantly says, "You! this little fool! leave me! What
do you catch me for?" But the image was silent; nor did
it let go its hold. So Rat struck at it with his other hand.
And the image caught that hand with its other hand. Then

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 23

Rat was angry and kicked with one foot at a leg of the
image. And that foot was retained by that leg of the image.
Rat kicked with his remaining foot; it also was retained by
the image's other leg. He was thus held in the power of
the image.

Rat, in desperation, said, "Let me go!" The image
spoke, and simply said, "No!" Rat felt he was in a bad
situation; but he put on a bold face. He knew that, by his
long delay, the others must have given up the work at the
brook, and would by now be returning to the camp; and, in a
little while, he would be discovered. To forestall that dis-
covery, he shouted out, "Mwe Nejga, come quickly! I've
found the person who changes your bundles!" Leopard,
on the path, heard his voice, and replied, " My child, is that
so? Hold him fast!" Rat still daringly said, "Come
quickly! He wants to get away from my grasp !" Leopard
replied, "Hold fast ! I am coming ! " They all came hastily,
both of Rat's people, and of Leopard's people; and there
they saw Rat held fast by the hands and legs of the image.
Leopard asked, "Where is he?" Rat, daring to the last,
said, "This little man here that I am holding. " Leopard
said, "Now that I am here, let go of him, for I will take
charge of him." Rat struggled, but in vain. Leopard
several times repeated his direction to Rat, "Let go of him!"
But Rat was utterly unable to withdraw his limbs from the
power of the image. And he gave up the effort, in shame.
Then Leopard had to help release Rat; the conferred power
of the image being subservient to him. He did not strike
Rat, he being his relative. But rebuked him, "Ah! Ntori!
now I know it was you who made all the trouble about my
meat!" And he took back all his fine bundles, and
returned Rat his poor bundles. Rat went to his own
camp ashamed, but still angry at the unjust division of
the meat.

As Leopard's baskets were now full, he announced that
they should prepare to break camp, and return to town.
Rat's women murmured, "Ah! all going away, and our
baskets almost empty!" Rat comforted them, "Yes; it is
so; but, we will find a way to fill them!"

So, the next day, while the others were gone to get leaves
and vines with which to tie up their baskets, Rat took his

24 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

empty ones to the brook and filled them with stones, and
tied them up with leaves, as if they contained meat.

On the following day, as they were about to start on their
journey, Rat said to Leopard, "As you are the elder, go
you first, and I will follow." Leopard said, "Good! come
on!" And they went on the path, Rat keeping close behind
Leopard's people. (Baskets being carried tied on the back
with a strap over the forehead, the bearer leans heavily
forward, and cannot see what is happening behind.) Rat
had prepared a hook with a handle. From time to time, as
they came to narrow places in the path where thorny branches
met, he would strike the hook into some basket before him,
and in pretence, would say, "Wait! a thorn on this branch
has caught your basket! Let me unfasten it." While the
carrier would stand still for Rat to release the branch, the
latter seized the chance to take pieces of meat from the
basket, and substitute stones from his own baskets. The
way was long; and, at every obstructed place, Rat kept on
at his pretence of helping to free some basket of Leopard's
from the thorns that caught it, and changed pieces of good
meat for his stones.

Before they reached Leopard's town, darkness began to
fall, and both companies were very tired, especially that of
Leopard; for, their baskets seemed to have grown heavier.
Rat said, "Njega! All this hard day's walk! Hide our
baskets, yours in one place, and mine in another, and let
us go on to town and sleep ; and we will send back our women
for the baskets in the morning. " Leopard assented, " Good !
come on!" So they left their baskets, and all went to town.

The next morning, Rat sent his people very, very early.
Leopard sent his later, at the usual time of morning business.
When his people were going they met Rat's people coming
back with their loads, and exclaimed, "You are loaded al-
ready!"

When Leopard's people brought their baskets to the town,
and opened them, they were amazed to find that they had
little else than stones and bones. Leopard was very angry;
and, going to Rat, he began to scold, "You have taken away
my meat!" "No I have my own. Look! these baskets,
you know them, they are mine! Perhaps some one stole
your meat in the night and put the stones in place. But,

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 25

as you are in such a trouble, I will share with you of mine. "
So he called to his women, "Give Njegd a few pieces of meat."
Leopard took the meat, and Rat and his people went away
to their own town.

But Leopard was not satisfied. He was sure that Rat
had played him a trick. He had forgiven Rat his stealing
at the camp; but, for this last trick, he meditated revenge.

TALE 3
TESTS OF DEATH — IST VERSION

Persons
Njegd (Leopard) Ntori (Wild-Rat)

NOTE

It is the proper and most friendly mode, that relatives and
friends should hasten to visit their sick, on the very first
information, without waiting to be invited or summoned.

Leopard told his head- wife, "Ntori has taken our meat
and deceived me in all these ways; I will kill him and eat
him."

So he pretended to be sick.

The next day, news was sent to Rat that his Uncle Leopard
was sick of a fever.

The following day, word was again sent that he was very
sick indeed, and that he wanted a parting word with Rat.
Rat sent back a message, " I hear; and I will come tomorrow. "

Rat suspected some evil, and did not believe that Leopard
was sick. So he went to the forest, and collected all kinds
of insects that sting, and tied them into five little bundles.

Next day, word came to him, "Njega is dead." Rat
went quickly, taking the five little bunolles with him.

26 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

When he reached Leopard's town, he joined the crowd
of mourners in the street, and lifted up his voice in wailing.
Leopard's head-wife went to him, and said, " Come into the
house, and mourn with me, at your Uncle's bed-side."
Rat went with her; but he did not take the seat that was
offered him, as a near relative, at the supposed dead man's
head. He first explained, "After a person is reported dead,
it is proper to make five tests to prove whether he is really
dead, before we bury him."

So he stood by the bed, at a point safe from Leopard's
hands, and opened a bundle, and lifting the shroud, quickly
laid the bundle on Leopard's naked body. The insects,
infuriated by their imprisonment, flew out and attacked
Leopard's body, as it was the object nearest to them, and
they were confined under the shroud. Leopard endured,
and did not move.

Rat opened a second bundle, and thrust it also on another
part of Leopard's body. Leopard could scarcely refrain
from wincing.

Rat opened a third, and laid it in the same way on another
part. Leopard's face began to twitch with the torture.
Rat opening a fourth, used it in the same way; and Leopard
in pain began to twist his body; but, when Rat opened the
fifth bundle, Leopard could endure the stings no longer.
He started up from the bed, holding a dagger he had hidden
under the bed-clothing.

But Rat was too agile for him, and ran out before Leopard
could fully rise from his supposed death-bed, and escaped to
his own place. The mourners fled from the furious insects,
and Leopard was left in agony under the poison of their stings.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 27

TALE 3

TESTS OF DEATH — SECOND VERSION

Persons

Njega (Leopard) Iheli (Gazelle)

Ibaba (Jackal) Ekaga (Tortoise)

With Ngomba (Porcupine) With Ndongo (Pepper)
Nkambi (Antelope) Hako (Ants)

Njagu (Elephant) And Nyoi (Bees)

And Others

NOTE

All of a neighborhood go to a mourning for a dead person.
Failure to go would have been regarded, formerly, as a sign
of a sense of guilt as the cause of the death. Formerly, at
funerals, there was great destruction. Some of a man's
wives and slaves were buried with him, with a large quantity
of his goods; and his fruit trees adjacent to the houses were
ruthlessly cut down. All, as signs of grief; as much as to
say, "If the beloved dead cannot longer enjoy these things,
no one else shall. "

The ancestor of the leopards never forgave the ancestor
of the gazelles, but nursed his wrath at the trick which the
latter had played on him with the insects. Unable to catch
gazelles, because of their adroitness, the leopard wrecks his
anger on all other beasts by killing them at any opportunity.

These two beasts, Leopard and Jackal, were living together
in the same town. Leopard said to Jackal, "My friend!
I do not eat all sorts of food; I eat only animals." So, one
day, Leopard went to search for some beast in the forest.
He wandered many hours, but could not find any for his
food.

On another day, Leopard said to Jackal, "My friend! let
us arrange some plan, by which we can kill some animal.

28 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

For, I Ve wandered into the forest again and again, and have
found nothing. " Leopard made these remarks to his friend
in the dark of the evening. So they sat that night and
planned and, after their conversation, they went to lie down
in their houses. And they slept their sleep.

Then soon, the daylight broke. And Leopard, carrying
out their plan, said to Jackal, "Take up your bedding, and
put it out in the open air of the street." Jackal did so.
Leopard laid down on that mattress, in accordance with their
plan, and stretched out like a corpse lying still, as if he could
not move a muscle. He said to Jackal, "Call Ngomba,
and let him come to me." So Jackal shouted, "Come!
Ngomba, come! That Beast that kills animals is dead!
Come!"

So Porcupine came to the mourning, weep;ng, and wailing,
as if he was really sorry for the death of his enemy. He
approached near the supposed corpse. And he jeered at it.
"This was the person who wasted us people; and this is his
body!" Leopard heard this derision. Suddenly he leaped
up. And Porcupine went down under his paw, dead. Then
Leopard said to his friend Jackal, "Well! cut it up! and let
us eat it. " And they finished eating it.

On another day, Leopard, again in the street, stretched
himself on the bedding. At his direction, Jackal called for
Antelope. Antelope came; and Leopard killed him, as he
had done to Porcupine.

On another day, Ox was called. And Leopard did to Ox
the same as he had done to the others.

On another day, Elephant was called in the same way;
and he died in the same way.

In the same way, Leopard killed some of almost all the
other beasts one after another, until there were left only two.

Then Jackal said, "Njega! my friend! there are left, of all
the beasts, only two, Iheli and Ekaga. But, what can
you do with Iheli? for, he has many artifices. What, also,
can you do against Ekaga? for, he too, has many devices."
Leopard replied, "I will do as I usually have done; so, to-
morrow, I will lie down again, as if I were a corpse. "

That day darkened into night.

And another daylight broke.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 29

And Leopard went out of the house to lie down on the
bedding in the street. Each limb was extended out as if
dead; and his mouth open, with lower jaw fallen, like that
of a dead person.

Then Jackal called, "Iheli! come here! That person who
wastes the lives of the beasts is dead! He's dead!"

Gazelle said to himself, "I hear! So! Njega is dead?
I go to the mourning ! " Gazelle lived in a town distant about
three miles. He started on the journey, taking with him
his spear and bag; but, he said to himself, "Before I go to
the mourning, I will stop on the way at the town of
Ekaga."

He came to the town of Tortoise, and he said to him,
"Chum! have you heard the news? That person who kills
Beasts and Mankind is dead!" But Tortoise answered,
"No! go back to your town! that person is not dead. Go
back!" Gazelle said, "No! For, before I go back to my
town, I will first go to Njega's to see." So Tortoise said,
"If you are determined to go there, I will tell you some-
thing." Gazelle exclaimed, "Yes! Uncle, speak!"

Then Tortoise directed him, "Take ndongo." Gazelle
took some. Tortoise said, "Take also Hako, and take also
Nyoi. Tie them all up in a bundle of plantain leaves."
(He told Gazelle to do all these things, as a warning.) And
Tortoise added, "You will find Njega with limbs stretched
out like a corpse. Take a machete with you in your hands.
When you arrive there, begin to cut down the plantain-stalks.
And you must cry out 'Who killed my Uncle? who killed my
uncle?' If he does not move, then you sit down and watch
him."

So Gazelle went, journeyed and came to that town of
mourning. He asked Jackal, "Ibaba! This person, how
did he die?" Jackal replied, "Yesterday afternoon this
person was seized with a fever; and today, he is a corpse."
Gazelle looked at Leopard from a distance, his eyes fixed
on him, even while he was slashing down the plantains, as he
was told to do. But, Leopard made no sign, though he
heard the noise of the plantain-stalk falling to the ground.
Presently, Jackal said to Gazelle, "Go near to your Uncle's
bed, and look at the corpse. "

Leopard began in his heart to arrange for a spring, being

30 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

ready to fight, and thinking, "What time Iheli shall be near
me, I will kill him."

Gazelle approached, but carefully stood off a rod distant
from the body of Leopard. Then Gazelle drew the bundle
of Ants out of his bag, and said to himself, "Is this person,
really dead? I will test him!" But, Gazelle stood warily
ready to flee at the slightest sign. He quickly opened the
bundle of insects; and he joined the three, the Ants, the Bees,
and the Pepper, all in one hand; and, standing with care, he
threw them at Leopard.

The bundle of leaves, as it struck Leopard, flew open.
Being released, the Bees rejoiced, saying, " So ! I sting Njega ! "
Pepper also was glad, saying, "So! I will make him perspire!"
Ants also spitefully exclaimed, "I've bitten you!"

The pain of all these made Leopard jump up in wrath;
and he leaped toward Gazelle. But he dashed away into
the forest, shouting as he disappeared, "I'm not an Iheli of
the open prairie, but of the forest wilderness!"

So, he fled and came to the town of Tortoise. There he
told Tortoise, "You are justified! Njega indeed is not dead!
He was only pretending, in order to kill."

And Tortoise, remarked, "I am the doyen of Beasts.
Being the eldest, if I tell any one a thing, he should not
contradict me. "

TALE 4
TASKS DONE FOR A WIFE

Place

In Njambi's Kingdom
Persons

A Rich Merchant and his Nguvu (Hippopotamus)

Daughter Ekaga (Tortoise)

Njagu (Elephant) Mbodi (An Enormous Goat)

Njega (Leopard) Servants, and Townspeople
Njina (Gorilla)

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 31

NOTE

The artifices of Tortoise compete with the stength of
Leopard. The story of the Giant Goat is a separate Tale
in No. 32, of Part Second.

In the time when Mankind and all other Animals lived
together, to all the Beasts the news came that there was a
Merchant in a far country, who had a daughter, for whom
he was seeking a marriage. And he had said, "I do not
want money to be the dowry that shall be paid by a suitor
for my daughter. But, whosoever shall do some difficult
works, which I shall assign him, to him I will give her. "

All the Beasts were competing for the prize.

First, Elephant went on that errand. The merchant
said to him, "Do such-and-such tasks, and you shall have
my daughter. More than that, I will give you wealth also. "
Elephant went at the tasks, tried, and failed; and came back
saying he could not succeed.

Next, Gorilla stood up; he went. And the merchant told
him, in the same way as to Elephant, that he was to do cer-
tain tasks. Gorilla tried, and failed, and came back dis-
gusted.

Then, Hippopotamus advanced, and said he would at-
tempt to win the woman. His companions encouraged him
with hopes of success, because of his size and strength.
He went, tried, and failfd.

Thus, almost all beasts attempted, one after another;
they tried to do the tasks, and failed.

At last there were left as contestants, only Leopard and
Tortoise. Neither was disheartened by the failure of the
others; each asserted that he would succeed in marrying
that rich daughter. Tortoise said, "I'm going now!" But
Leopard said, "No! I first!" Tortoise yielded, "Well, go;
you are the elder. I will not compete with you. Go you,
first!" Leopard went, and made his application. The
merchant said to him, "Good! that you have come. But,
the others came, and failed. Try you." Leopard said,
"Very well." He tried, and failed, and went back angry.

32 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

Tortoise then went. He saluted the merchant, and told
him he had come to take his daughter. The merchant said,
"Do so; but try to do the tasks first."

Tortoise tried all the tasks, and did them all. The first
was that of a calabash dipper that was cracked. The mer-
chant said to him, "You take this cracked calabash and
bring it to me full of water all the way from the spring to
this town." Tortoise looking and examining, objected,
"This calabash! cracked! how can it carry water?" The
merchant replied, "You yourself must find out. If you
succeed, you marry my daughter."

Tortoise took the calabash to the spring. Putting it into
the water, he lifted it. But the water all ran out before he
had gone a few steps. Again he did this, five times; and
the water was always running out. Sitting, he meditated,
"What is this? How can it be done?" Thinking again,
he said, "I'll do it! I know the art how!" He went to the
forest, took gum of the Okume (mahogany tree) lighted a
fire, melted the gum, smeared it over the crack, and made it
water-tight; then, dipping the calabash into the spring, it
did not leak. He took it full to the father-in-law, and called
out, "Father-in-law! this is the calabash of water." The
merchant asked, "But what did you do to it?" He answered
"I mended it with gum." The father said, "Good for you!
The others did not think of that easy simple solution. You
have sense!"

Tortoise then said, "I have finished this one task; today
has passed. Tomorrow I will begin on the other four. "

The next morning, he came to receive his direction from
the merchant, who said, "Ekaga! you see that tall tree far
away? At the top are fruits. If you want my daughter,
pluck the fruits from the top, and you shall marry her.' '

Tortoise went and stood watching and looking and examin-
ing the tree. Its trunk was all covered with soap, and im-
possible to be climbed. He returned to the merchant, and
asked, "That fruit you wish, may it be obtained in any way,
even if one does not climb the tree?" He was answered,
"Yes, in any way, except cutting down the tree. Only so
that I get the fruit, I am satisfied. "

Tortoise had already tried from morning to afternoon to
climb that tree, but could not. So, after he had asked the

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 33

merchant his question, he went back to the tree; and from
evening, all night and until morning, he dug about the roots
till they were all free. And the tree fell, without his having
" cut " the trunk at all. So he took the fruit to the Merchant,
and told him that he had not "cut down" the tree, but that
he had it "dug up." The merchant said, "You have done
well. People who came before you failed to think of that.
Good for you!"

On the third day, the merchant said to the spectators, "I
will not name the other three tasks. You, my assistants,
may name them." So they thought of one task after
another. But one and another said, "No, that is not hard;
let us search for a harder." Finally, they found three hard
tasks. Tortoise was ready for and accomplished them all.

Then the merchant announced, "Now, you may marry
my daughter; and tomorrow you shall make your journey."
They made a great feast; an ox was killed; and they had
songs and music all night, clear on till morning.

But, while all this was going on, Leopard, who was left at
his town, was saying to himself, "This Ekaga! He has
stayed five days! Had he failed, he would not have stayed
so long! So! he has been able to do the tasks! Is that a
good thing?" (On the day that Tortoise started on the
journey to seek the merchant's daughter, Leopard had been
heard to say, " If Ekaga succeeds in getting that wife, I will
take her from him by force. ")

When Tortoise was ready to start on his return journey
with his wife, the father-in-law gave him very many things,
slaves and goats and a variety of goods, and said, "Go, you
and your wife and these things. I send people to escort
you part of the way. They are not to go clear on to your
town, but are to turn back on the way. "

Tortoise and company journeyed. When the escort were
about to turn back, Tortoise said, "Day is past. Make an
olako (camp) here. We sleep here; and, in the morning,
you shall go back." That night he thought, "Njega said
he would rob me of my wife. Perhaps he may come to meet
me on the way!" So, he swallowed all of the things, to hide
them, — wife, servants, and all.

While Tortoise was thus on the way, Leopard had planned
not to wait his return to town, but had set out to meet him.

34 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

So, in the morning, the two, journeying in opposite directions,
met. Tortoise gave Leopard a respectful "Mbolo!" and
Leopard returned the salutation. Leopard asked, "What
news? That woman, have you married her?" Tortoise
answered, "That woman! Not at all!" Leopard looking at
Tortoise's style and manner as of one proud of success, said,
"Surely you have married; for you look happy, and show
signs of success. " But Tortoise swore he had not married.

Leopard only said, "Good." Then Tortoise asked,
"But, where are you going?" Leopard answered, "I am
going out walking and hunting. But you, where are you
going?" Tortoise replied, "I did not succeed in marrying
the woman; so I am going back to town. I tried, but I
failed."

"But," said Leopard, "what then makes your belly so
big?" Tortoise replied, "On the way I found an abundance
of mushrooms, and I ate heartily of them. If you do not
believe it, I can show you them by vomiting them up."
Leopard said, " Never mind to vomit. Go on your journey. "

And Leopard went on his way. But, soon he thought,
"Ah! Ekaga has lied to me!" So he ran around back, and
came forward to meet Tortoise again.

Tortoise looked and saw Leopard coming, and observed
that his face was full of wrath. He feared, but said to him-
self, "If I flee, Njega will catch me. I will go forward and
try artifice." As he approached Leopard, the latter was
very angry, and said, "You play with me! You say you
have not married the woman I wanted. Tell me the truth!"
Tortoise again swore an oath, "No! I have not married the
woman! I told you I ate mushrooms, and offered to show
you; and you refused." So Leopard said, "Well, then,
vomit." Tortoise bent over, and vomited and vomited
mushrooms and mushrooms; and then said triumphantly,
"So! Njega you see!" Leopard looked, and said, "But,
Ekaga, your belly is still full, — go on vomiting." Tortoise
tried to excuse himself, "I have done vomiting." Leopard
persisted, "No! keep on at it." Tortoise went on retching;
and a box of goods fell out of his mouth. Leopard still said,
"Go on!" and Tortoise vomited in succession a table and
other furniture. He was compelled to go on retching; and
slaves came out. And at last, up was vomited the woman!

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 35

Leopard shouted, "Ah! Ekaga! you lied! You said you
had not married! I will take this woman!" And he took
her, sarcastically saying, "Ekaga, you have done me a good
work! You have brought me all these things, these goods,
and slaves, and a wife ! Thank you ! "

Tortoise thought to himself, "I have no strength for war. "
So, though anger was in his heart, he showed no displeasure
in his face. And they all went on together toward their
town. With wrath still in his heart, he went clear on to the
town, and then made his complaint to each of the towns-
people. But they all were afraid of Leopard, and said
nothing, nor dared to give Tortoise even sympathy.

There was in that country among the mountains, an
enormous Goat. The other beasts, all except Leopard, were
accustomed to go to that Goat, when hungry, and say, "We
have no meat to eat." And the Goat allowed them to cut
pieces of flesh from his body. He could let any part of the
interior of his body be taken except his heart. All the
Animals had agreed among themselves not to tell Leopard
where they got their meat, lest he, in his greediness, would
go and take the heart. So they had told him they got their
meat as he did, hunting.

Tortoise, angry because Leopard has taken his wife, said
to himself, "I will make a cause of complaint against Njega
that shall bring punishment upon him from our King. I
will cause Njega to kill that Goat." On another day,
Tortoise went and got meat from the Goat, and came back
to town, and did not hide it from Leopard. Leopard said to
him, "Ekaga! where did you get this meat?" Tortoise
whispered, "Come to my house, and I will tell you." They
went. And Tortoise divided the meat with him, and said,
"Do not tell on me: but, we get the meat off at a great Goat.
Tomorrow, I go; and you, follow behind me."

So, the next day, they went, Tortoise as if by himself, and
Leopard following, off to the great Goat. Arrived there,
Leopard wondered at the sight, "O! this great Goat! But,
from where do you take its meat?" Tortoise replied, "Wait
for me! You will see!" He went, and Leopard followed.
Tortoise said to the Goat, "We have meat-hunger: we come
to seek meat from you." The Goat's mouth was open as
usual; Tortoise entered, and Leopard followed, to get flesh

36 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

from inside. In the Goat's interior was a house, full of meat;
and they entered it. Leopard wondered at its size; and
Tortoise told him, "Cut where you please, but not from the
heart, lest the Goat die. " And they began to take meat.
Leopard, with greediness, coveting the forbidden heart,
went with knife near to it.

Tortoise exclaimed, "There! there! be careful." But
Leopard, though he had enough other flesh, longed for the
heart, and was not satisfied. He again approached with the
knife near it: and Tortoise warned and protested. These
very prohibitions caused Leopard to have his own way, and
his greediness overcame him. He cut the heart: and the
Goat fell dying.

Tortoise exclaimed, "Eh! Njega! I told you not to touch
the heart! Because of this matter I will inform on you."
And he added, "Since it is so, let us go. "

But Leopard said, "Goat's mouth is shut. How shall we
get out? Let us hide in this house." And he asked,
* ' Where will you hide ? ' ' Tortoise replied, ' ' In the stomach. ' '
Leopard said, "Stomach! It is the very thing for me,
Njega, myself!" So Ekaga consented, "Well! take it! I will
hide in the gall-bladder." So they hid, each in his place.

Soon, as they listened, they heard voices shouting, "The
Goat is dead! A fearful thing! The Goat is dead!"

That news spread, and all who had been accustomed to get
flesh there, came to see what was the matter. They all said
that, as the Goat was dead, it was best to cut and divide him.
They slit open the belly, and said, "Lay aside this big stom-
ach; it is good; but throw away the bitter gall-sac." They
looked for the heart; but there was none! A child, to whom
had been handed the gall-bladder to throw it away, was
flinging it into some bushes. As he did so, out jumped
something from among the bushes; and the child asked,
" Who are you? " The thing replied, pretending to be vexed,
"I am Ekaga; I come here with the others to get meat, and
you, just as I arrived, throw that dirty thing in my face!"
The other people pacified him, "Do not get angry. Excuse
|Jie child. He did not see you. You shall have your share. "

Then Tortoise called out, "Silence! silence! silence!"

They all stood ready to listen, and he said, "Do not cut
up the Goat till we first know who killed it. That stomach

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 37

there! What makes it so big?" Leopard, in the stomach,
heard; but he did not believe that Tortoise meant it, and
thought to himself, "What a fool is this Ekaga, in pretend-
ing to inform on me, by directing attention to the stomach!"
Tortoise ordered, "All you, take your spears, and stick that
stomach! For the one who killed Goat is in it!" And
they all got their spears ready.

Leopard did not speak or move; for, he still thought
Tortoise was only joking. Tortoise began with his spear,
and the others all thrust in. And Leopard holding the heart,
was seen dying! All shouted, "Ah! Njega killed our Goat!
Ah! he's the one who killed it." Tortoise taunted Leopard,
"Asai! (shame for you) you took my wife; and now you are
dead!" Leopard died. They divided the Goat, and re-
turned to town. Tortoise took again his wife and all his
goods, now that Leopard was dead. And he was satisfied
that his artifice had surpassed Leopard's strength.

TALE 5

A TUG-OF-WAB

Persons

Ekaga (Tortoise) Ngubu (Hippopotamus)

Njagu (Elephant)

NOTE

African natives are sensitive about questions of equality
and seniority. A certain term, "Mwera" (chum) may be
addressed to other than an equal, only at risk of a quarrel.

A story of the trick by which Tortoise apparently proved
himself the equal of both Elephant and Hippopotamus. ~

Observe the preposterous size of Elephant's trunk ! But
everything, to the native African mind, was enormous in the
pre-historic times.

38 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

Leopard was dead, after the accusation against him by
Tortoise for killing the great Goat. The children of Leopard
were still young; they had not grown to take their father's
power and place. And Tortoise considered himself now a
great personage. He said to people, "We three who are
left, — I and Njagu and Ngubu, are of equal power; we eat at
the same table, and have the same authority. " Every day
he made these boasts; and people went to Elephant and
Hippopotamus, reporting, "So-and-so says Ekaga." Ele-
phant and Hippopotamus laughed, and disregarded the
report, 'and said, "That's nothing, he's only to be
despised. "

One day Hippopotamus met Elephant in the forest;
salutations were made, "Mbolo!" "Ai, mbolo!" each to
the other. Hippopotamus asked Elephant about a new
boast that Tortoise had been making, "Have you, or have
you not heard?" Elephant answered, "Yes, I have heard.
But I look on it with contempt. For, I am Njagu. I am
big. My foot is as big as Ekaga's body. And he says he is
equal to me ! But, I have not spoken of the matter, and will
not speak, unless I hear Ekaga himself make his boast. And
then I shall know what I will do." And Hippopotamus also
said, "I am doing so too, in silence. I wait to hear Ekaga
myself."

Tortoise heard of what Elephant and Hippopotamus had
been threatening, and he asked his informant just the exact
words that they had used, "They said that they waited to
hear you dare to speak to them; and that, in the meanwhile,
they despised you."

Tortoise asked, "So! they despise me, do they?" "Yes,"
was the reply. Then he said, " So ! indeed, I will go to them. "
He told his wife, "Give me my coat to cover my body."
He dressed; and started to the forest. He found Elephant
lying down; his trunk was eight miles long; his ears as big as
a house, and his four feet beyond measure.

Tortoise audaciously called to him, "Mwera! I have
come! You don't rise to salute me? Mwera has come!"
Elephant looked, rose up and stared at Tortoise, and in-
dignantly asked, "Ekaga! whom do you call 'Mwera'?
Tortoise replied, "You! I call you 'Mwera.' Are you not,
Njagu?" Elephant, with great wrath, asked, "Ekaga! I

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 39

have heard you said certain words. It is true that you
said them?"

Tortoise answered, "Njagu, don't get angry! Wait, let
us first have a conversation." Then he said to Elephant,
"I did call you, just now, 'Mwera'; but, you, Njagu, why
do you condemn me? You think that, because you are of
great expanse of flesh, you can surpass Ekaga, just because
I am small? Let us have a test. Tomorrow, sometime in
the morning, we will have a lurelure (tug-of-war) . " Said
Elephant, "Of what use? I can mash you with one foot."
Tortoise said, "Be patient. At least try the test." So,
Elephant, unwilling, consented. Tortoise added, " But, when
we tug, if one overpulls the other, he shall be considered
the greater; but, if neither, then we are Mwera."

Then Tortoise went to the forest, and cut a very long vine ,
and coming back to Elephant, said "This end is yours. I
go off into the forest with my end to a certain spot, and
tomorrow I return to that spot; and we will have our tug,
and neither of us will stop, to eat or sleep until either you
pull me over or the vine breaks." Tortoise went far off
with his end of the vine to the town of Hippopotamus, and
hid the vine's end at the outskirts of the town. He went to
Hippopotamus and found him bathing, and going ashore,
back and forth, to and from the water. Tortoise shouted
to him, "Mwera! I have come! You! Come ashore! I am
visiting you!" Hippopotamus came bellowing in great
wrath with wide open jaws, ready to fight, and said, "I will
fight you today! For, whom do you call 'Mwera'?"

Tortoise replied, "Why! you! I do not fear your size.
Our hearts are the same. But, don't fight yet! Let us first
talk." Hippopotamus grunted, and sat down; and Tortoise
said, "I, Ekaga, I say that you and I and Njagu are equal,
we are Mwera. Even though you are great and I small, I
don't care. But if you doubt me, let us have a trial. To-
morrow morning let us have a lurelure. He who shall over-
come, shall be the superior. But, if neither is found superior,
then we are equals." Hippopotamus exclaimed that the
plan was absurd; but, finally he consented.

Tortoise then stood up, and went out, and got his end of
the vine, and brought it to Hippopotamus, and said, "This
end is yours. And I now go. Tomorrow, when you feel

40 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

the vine shaken, know that I am ready at the other end;
and then you begin, and we will not stop to eat or sleep until
this test is ended. "

Hippopotamus then went to the forest to gather leaves
of Medicine with which to strengthen his body. And Ele-
phant, at the other end, was doing the same, making medicine
to give himself strength; and at night they were both asleep.

In the morning, Tortoise went to the middle of the vine,
where at its half-way, he had made on the ground a mark;
and he shook it towards one end, and then towards the other.
Elephant caught his end, as he saw it shake, and Hippopota-
mus did the same at his end. "Orindi went back and forth"
(a proverb of a fish of that name that swims in that way),
Elephant and Hippopotamus alternately pulling. "Nke-
ndinli was born of his father and mother" (a proverb, meaning
distinctions in individualities). Each one, Hippopotamus
and Elephant, doing in his own way. Tortoise smiled at his
arrangement with each, that, in the tug, if one overcame,
it would be proved by his dragging the other; but, if neither
overcame, they were not to cease, until the vine broke.

Elephant holding the vine taut, and Hippopotamus also
holding it taut, Tortoise was laughing in his heart as he
watched the quivering vine.

He went away to seek for food, leaving those two at their
tug, in hunger. He went off into the forest and found his
usual food, mushrooms. He ate his belly full, and then took
his drink; and then went to his town to sleep.

He rose in late afternoon, and said to himself, "I'll go and
see about the tug, whether those fools are still pulling."
When he went there, the vine was still stretched taut ; and he
thought, "Asai! shame! let them die with hunger!" He
sat there, the vine trembling with tensity, and he in his
heart mocking the two tired beasts. The one drew the other
toward himself; and then, a slight gain brought the mark
back; but neither was overcoming.

At last Tortoise nicked the vine with his knife; the vine
parted; and, at their ends, Elephant and Hippopotamus fell
violently back onto the ground. Tortoise said to himself,
"So! that's done! Now I go to Elephant with one end of
the broken vine; tomorrow to Hippopotamus." He went,
and came on to Elephant, and found him looking dolefully,

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 41

and bathing his leg with medicine, and said, "Mwera! How
do you feel? Do you consent that we are Mwera?" Ele-
phant admitted, "Ekaga, I did not know you were so strong!
When the vine broke, I fell over and hurt my leg. Yes, we
are really equal. Really! strength is not because the body
is large. I despised you because your body was small.
But actually, we are equal in strength!"

So they ate and drank and played as chums; and Tortoise
returned to his town.

Early the next morning, with the other end of the broken
vine, he went to visit Hippopotamus, who looked sick, and
was rubbing his head, and asked, "Ngubu! How do you feel,
Mwera?" Hippopotamus answered, "Really! Ekaga! so
we are equals! I, Ngubu, so great! And you, Ekaga, so
small! We pulled and pulled. I could not surpass you, nor
you me. And when the vine broke, I fell and hurt my head.
So, indeed strength has no greatness of body." Tortoise
and Hippopotamus ate and drank and played; and Tortoise
returned to his town.

After that, whenever they three and others met to talk
in palaver (council) the three sat together on the highest
seats. Were they equal? Yes, they were equal.

TALE 6

AGENDA : RAT'S PLAY ON A NAME
Persons

Njega (Leopard) Rangi (Frog)

Ntori (Rat) Igamba (Crab)

NOTE

In native African etiquette, a company of persons is saluted
with the use of the verb in the plural; but only the oldest, or
the supposed leader, if his name is known, is mentioned by
name.

42 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

The native custom among polite tribes, is to leave a guest
to eat without being watched.

The twitching of a muscle of an arm, or any other part of
the body (called okalimambo) is regarded as a sign of coming
evil. Compare Macbeth, Act 4, Scene 1.
"By the pricking of my thumb
Something wicked this way comes."

The absurd and the unreasonable (e. g., the swallowing
of a wife, goats, servants, etc.) are a constant feature of the
native legends in their use of the impossible.

All native Africans have more than one name, and often
change their names to suit circumstances. But, while all
their names have a meaning (just as our English names,
"Augustus," "Clara," etc.) those meanings are not thought
of when denominating an individual; e. g., "Bwalo" which
means canoe.

Leopards do not like to wet their feet.

Leopard wanted a new wife. So he sought for a young
woman of a far country, of whom he heard as a nice girl,
a daughter of one of the Kings of that country. He did not
go himself, but sent word, and received answer by messenger.
Neither the woman nor her father had ever seen Leopard.
They knew of him only by reputation.

The King was pleased with the proposed alliance, and
assented, saying, "Yes! I am willing. Go! get yourself ready,
and come with your marriage company. " So Leopard went
around and invited many other beasts, "Come! and help me
get a new one!" They all replied, "Yes!" And they all
started together for the King's town.

When they had gone half-way, one of their number, a big
forest Rat said, "Brothers! let us begin here to change our
names, so that when we get to the town, we shall not be
known by our usual names." But Leopard refused, "No!
I won't! I stick by my old name. My name is Njega. "
All the others said the same, and retained their own names.

But Rat insisted for himself, "I will not be called Ntori.
I will be called 'Strangers.' My name is Agenda," (the plural
of ogenda which means "stranger").

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 43

When they approached the town, the inhabitants, with
great politeness, ran out to welcome them, shouting," Agenda!
Saleni, Salem!" (Strangers! Welcome ye! welcome ye!)
Rat turned to the company and said, "Hear that! you see
they are saluting me as the leader of this company. "

Upon their entering the town, they were shown to the
large public Reception-House; and the people said to them,
"Now! strangers (Agonda!), march in!" Rat turned again
to his companions, and said, "You see! they have again
addressed me specially by name, asking me to take possession
of this room. "

They all went in feeling uncomfortably; but Rat said to
them, "Never mind! though this room was evidently pre-
pared specially for me, I am not selfish, and I invite you to
share it with me. "

After the visitors had all been seated, the people came to
give them the formal final salutation, saying "Strangers
(Agenda), mbolani! (long life to ye)." Rat promptly
whispered to his companions, saying, "This mbolo is to me
for you, I alone will respond to it." So, only he replied,
"Ai Mbolani! Ai." (Mbolani is the second person plural
of the irregular defective verb Mbolo equal to "livelong.")

The day passed. In the evening, the people brought in an
abundant supply of food, and set it down on the table, say-
ing, "Strangers (Agenda!), eat! Here is your food!" And
they went out, closing the door, so that the guests in their
eating should not be annoyed by spectators. Then Rat
said, "You see! All this food is mine, though I am not able
to eat it all. " He alone began to eat of it. When he had
satisfied his appetite, he said, "Truly this food is my own,
but I am sorry for you, and I will give you of it. " So he
gave out to each, one by one, very small pieces of fish and
plantain.

In the morning, the people thoughtfully sent water for the
usual morning washing of hands and face. Rat hasted to
open the door; and the slaves carrying the vessels of water,
said to him, "These are sent to the strangers (Agenda)."
So Rat took the water and used it all for himself.

This second day was a repetition of the first. The towns-
people continued their hospitality, sending food and drink
and tobacco and fruits; and making many kind inquiries of

44 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

what "the Agenda" would like to have. Rat, received all
these things as for himself; while the rest of the company
felt themselves slighted, and were hungry and disgusted.

On the third day, the company said among themselves,
"Njega told us that our visit was to last the usual five days;
but we cannot stand such treatment as this!" And they
began to run away, one by one. Even Leopard himself
followed them, provoked at his expected father-in-law's
supposed neglect of him. But, before Leopard had gone,
Rat went to the bride elect, and said, "I never saw such a
party as this ! They do not eat, and are not willing to await
the Marriage Dance for the Bride on the fifth day."

When they were all secretly gone, leaving Rat alone, he
said to the woman, " I will tell them all to go, even my friend
Njega whom I brought to escort me. But I will not go
without you, even if we have not had the dance; for, I am
the one who was to marry you. " And the father of the girl
said to Rat, "Since they have treated you so, never mind
to call them again for the Dance. You just take your wife
and go. "

So the King gave his daughter farewell presents of boxes of
clothing, and two female servants to help her, and a number
of goats, and men-servants to carry the baggage.

Rat and wife and attendants set out on their journey.
When they were far away from the King's town, Rat ex-
claimed, "I feel okalimambo (premonition)." (He. sus-
pected that Leopard was somewhere near.) So he dismissed
the men-servants, and sent them back to the King. And
then quickly, in order to hide them, he swallowed the woman
and the two maid-servants and all the boxes of clothing, and
the goats.

Rat then went on, and on, and on, with his journey,
until at a cross-roads, he saw Leopard coming cross-ways
toward him; and he called out, "Who are you?" The
reply came, " I am Njega. And who are you? " Rat answer-
ed, "Ntori."

Then Leopard called to him, "Come here!" "No!"
said Rat, "I am in a hurry, and want to get home — And
he went on without stopping. So Leopard said, "Well, I
pass on my way too!" "Good!" said Rat, "Pass on!"
And they went on their separate ways.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 45

But Leopard, at a turn in his road, rounded back, and
hasted by another path to get in front of Rat. When Leo-
pard again saw Rat a short distance before him, he calls out,
"Who are you?" The reply was "Ntori; and who are you?"
Leopard answered, "I'm Njega. Stop on your way, and
come here to me!" Rat replied, "No! you asked me once
before to stop, and I refused. And I refuse now; I must
pass on."

Because of Rat's unwillingness to stop, Leopard began to
chase him, and to shout at him, "You have my wife!" Rat
answered back, "No! I have no wife of yours!" "You lie!
You have the woman with you. What makes your body so
big?"

Rat ran as fast as he couM, with Leopard close after him.
Rat's home is always a hole in the ground; and, as he was
hard pressed in his flight, he dashed into the first hole he
came to, which happened to be a small opening into a cave.
But his tail was not yet drawn in and Leopard was so near
that he seized it. Projecting from the mouth of the hole
there was also the small root of a tree. Rat called ont,
"Friend Njega! what do you think you have caught hold
of?" "Your tail!" said Leopard. ^ Said Rat, "That is not
my tail! this other thing near you is my tail!" So Leopard
let go of the tail, and seized the root. Rat slid quickly to the
bottom of the hole, and called out, "O! Njega! I did not
think you were so silly! You had hold of my tail, and you
let me go! You just look at your hand; you will see my tail-
hairs clinging to it!"

Leopard went away in wrath; and, finding Frog at a near-
by brook, he said to him, "Rangi! you just watch. I do not
want Ntori to escape from that hole. Watch, while I go to
get some fire, with which to burn him out. "

Shortly after Leopard had gone, Rat began to creep out.
Seeing Frog standing on guard, he said, "Good Rangi! let
me pass!" But Frog replied, "No! I have my orders to
watch you here." Then said Rat, "If that is so, why don't
you come close here, and attend to you duty? You are too
far from this hole. If a person is set to watch, he should
be near the thing he watches. As far as you are there, I
could, if I tried, get out without your catching me. So, it
is better for you to have a good look down this hole. " While

46 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

Rat was saying all this, he was near the mouth of the hole;
but, as Frog approached, he receded to the bottom, and went
to the back end of the cave, where cayenne pepper bushes
were growing. Frog came to the edge of the hole, and looking
down, saw nothing.

During this while, Rat was plucking pepper-pods and
chewing them, retaining them in his mouth. Returning
again to the entrance, he saw Frog still watching, and he
said, "Rangi! get out of my way, and let me pass. Let me
out!" Frog replied, "I will not!" Rat asked, "Do you
know me? Frog replied, "Not very well." Then Rat
said, "Come near! Open your eyes wide, and take a good
look at me!" As soon as Frog's eyes were wide open, Rat
blew the pepper into them. This so startled Frog that he
fell back, his eyes blinded by the smarting; and Rat jumped
out and ran away. Frog, heedless of his prisoner, was
jumping about in pain; and, abandoning his post, crawled
to the water of the brook not far away, and tumbled
into it to wash his eyes.

Now, by this time, Leopard had returned with his fire.
Seeing no one on guard, he called out, "Rangi! Rangi!
where are you?" Frog, at the bottom of the brook, was still
in agony with his eyes. He knew well that Rat was gone;
but, in his vexation, he answered, "Ntori is there! Put in
your fire!" So, Leopard put fire into the hole, and made a
great smoke, but there was no sign of Rat.

After a long time, Leopard became tired at not finding
Rat, and called out, "Rangi! Rangi! Where indeed is Ntori?
He has not come out by this fire!" Then Frog answered,
"Ntori is not there. I just lied to you in vexation of the
pain I got through serving you." So, Leopard was very
angry and said to Frog, "You have deceived and fooled me!
I will just come and eat you up!" Said Frog, "Good! come
on!"

Leopard ran to the brook, but, as Frog was at the bottom,
Leopard had first to drink all the water, before he could
reach him. Leopard drank and drank. But, as soon as
the water was nearly drunk up, Frog jumped out, and hopped
away to an adjacent pond. There Leopard followed, and
began to drink up that water also. He drank, and drank,
and drank, until he became so full and his belly so swollen

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 47

that his feet no longer touched the ground; and he fell over
on his back, before he had entirely emptied the pond. He
was in such great pain, in his swollen belly, that he was
helpless, and cried out to passersby, "Please, open a little
hole in my body, and let out this water!" But each of the
passersby said, "No! I am afraid that after I have helped
you, then you will eat me. "

At last, among those who passed by, came Crab. Leopard
pleaded with him, "Igamba! please! open my skin. Let out
this water, so that I may live!" At first, Crab replied as
the others, "No! I fear that after I help you, you will eat me. "
But Leopard begged so piteously that Crab consented, and
scratched Leopard's skin with one of his claws. And the
water spurted out! It came in so fast a current that it be-
gan to sweep Crab away. So Leopard cried out, "Igamba!
Please! do not let yourself be taken away! Catch hold on
some root or branch!" Crab did so, holding on to a pro-
jecting root. When the water had subsided, and Crab was
safe, Leopard was able to rise; and he said, "Igamba! you
have been kind to me; let me take you home, and I will be
good to you; I will cook dinner, so we can eat together."
Crab agreed, and they went together.

Leopard began to cook a kind of yam called nkwa, making
a pot full of it. (When it is thoroughly cooked, it is soft and
sticky.) The yam being finally ready to be eaten, Leopard
said, "We do not put this food out on plates, but we bring
the entire pot, and every one will help himself from it with
his hands. " Leopard thereupon began to take out handfuls
of the nkwa, and to eat it. Crab tried to do the same, putting
a claw into the sticky mass. But its heat burned his tender
skin, and, in jerking his claw away, it stuck fast in the nkwa,
and broke off. As soon as that happened, Leopard snatched
up the claw and ate it. Crab protested, "Ah! Njega! you
are eating my claw!" Said Leopard, "Excuse me! No, I
thought it was nkwa." So the dinner went on; Leopard
greedily eating, Crab trying in vain to eat, and losing claw
after claw, which Leopard in succession promptly ate.

Now, when Leopard had finished eating all the food,
Crab's claws were all gone, and he had not been able to eat
at all, and was left hungry. So Leopard says to Crab, " Now,
as you are so helpless, what must I do for you?" He hoped

48 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

that Crab, in despair, would tell him to eat him. But Leo-
pard really was not hungry just then; and, when Crab said,
"If you will just put me into some shallow water for two
months, then all my claws will grow all right again," Leo-
pard replied, "Good!" and he took Crab and placed him in
a small stream of water.

The next day, Leopard, being now hungry to eat Crab,
came to the water and called out, "Igamba! Igamba! have
you your claws grown now?" The reply was, "Why! No!
I told you two months yesterday, when you put me in here. "

On the third day, Leopard came again to the water, and
cried out to Crab, "Have your claws sprouted? Have they
grown again?" "No!" said Crab curtly.

Leopard continued thus day by day, vexing Crab with
inquiries, as if anxious about his health, but really desirous
of an excuse to eat him, yet ashamed to do so by violence,
because of Crab's kindness to him when he had the water-
colic.

At last, Crab became tired of Leopard's visits. Hopeless
to defend himself if Leopard should finally use force, he gave
up in despair, and said, "So! I see why you ask me every
day. You know that I told you two months. If you are
determined to eat me, come on, and end the trouble at once!"
With this permission as an excuse, Leopard was glad. He
stepped to the edge of the water and took away Crab for
his dinner. That was the return for Crab's kindness to him.
After this, Leopard went out again to try to find Rat, but he
never found him.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 49

TALE 7

"NUTS ARE EATEN BECAUSE OF ANGANGWE"; A PROVERB

Places
Kingdom of the Hogs; The Forest; and Towns

Persons

Angangwe, King of Hogs Njina (Gorilla)

A Hunter Nyare (Ox)

Ingowa (Hogs; singular Ngo- Nkambi (Antelope)

wa) Njagu (Elephant)

NOTE

"Inkula si nyo o'kangd 'Ngdngwe."

This is a proverb expressing the obligation we all owe to
some superior protecting powers.

The Hogs had cleared a space in the forest, for the building
of their town. They were many; men and women and
children.

In another place, a Hunter was sitting in his town. Every
day, at daybreak, he went out to hunt. When he returned
in the afternoons with his prey, he left it a short distance
from the town, and entering his house, would say to his
women and children, "Go to the outskirts of the town, and
bring what animal you find I have left there. "

One day, having gone hunting, he killed Elephant. The
children went out to cut it up and bring it in.

Another day, he killed Gorilla.

And so, each day, he killed some animal. He never failed
of obtaining something.

One day, his children said to him, "You always return
with some animal; but you never have brought us Ngowa."
He replied, "I saw many Ingowa today, when I was out there.

50 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

But, I wonder at one thing; that, when they are all together
eating, and I approach, they run away. As to Ingowa, they
eat nkula nuts and I know where the trees are. Well, then,
I ambush them; but, when I go nearer, I see one big Ngowa
not eating, but going around and around the herd. Whether
it sees me or does not see, sure when I get ready to aim my
gun, then they all scatter. The reason that Ingowa escape
me, I do not know. "

The Hogs, when they had finished eating, and were return-
ing to their own town, as they passed the town of Elephant,
heard mourning; and they asked, "Who is dead?" The
answer was, "Njagu is dead! Njdgu is dead!" They in-
quired, "He died of what disease?" They were told, "Not
disease; Hunter killed him." Then another day, when Ox
was killed, his people were heard mourning for him. Another
day, Antelope was killed; and his people were mourning for
him. All these animals were dying because of Hunter killing
them.

At first, the Hogs felt pity for all these other Beasts. But,
when they saw how they were dying, they began to mock
at them, "These are not people! They only die! But, as
to us Ingowa, Hunter is not able to kill us. We hear only
the report that there is such a person as Hunter, but he is
not able to kill us."

When Hogs were thus boasting, their King, Ang^ngwe,
laughed at them, saying, "You don't know, you Ingowa!
You mock others, that Hunter kills them? " They answered,
"Yes, we mock at them; for, we go to the forest as they do,
but Hunter does not touch us." Angangwe asked, "When
you thus in the forest eat your inkula-nuts, you each one
eat them by his own strength and skill?" They answered,
"Yes; ourselves we go to the forest on our own feet; we our-
selves pick up and eat the inkula. No one feeds us. " An-
gangwe said, "It is not so. Those inkula you eat si nyo
o'kanga wa oma (they are eaten because of a person). " They
insisted, "No, it is not so. Inkula have no person in
particular to do anything about them." Thus they had
this long discussion, the Hogs and their King; and they got
tired of it, and lay down to sleep.

In the morning, when daylight came, the King said, "A
journey for nuts! But, today, I am sick. I am not able

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 51

to go to gather nuts with you. I will stay in town." The
Hogs said, "Well! we do not mistake the way. It is not
necessary for you to go. "

When they went, they were jeering about their King,
"Angangwe said, 'Inkula si nyo o'kanga w' oma'; but we
will see today without him. " They went to the nkula trees,
and found great abundance fallen to the ground during the
night. The herd of Hogs, when they saw all these inkula,
jumped about in joy. They stooped down to pick up the
nuts, their eyes busy with the ground. They ate and ate.
No one of them thought of Hunter, whether he was out in
the forest.

But, that very morning, Hunter had risen, taken his gun
and ammunition-box, and had gone to hunt. And, after
awhile, he had seen the Hogs in the distance. They were
only eating and eating, not looking at anything but nuts.

Hunter said in his heart, "These Hogs, I see them often,
but why have I not been able to kill them? " He crept softly
nearer and nearer. Creeping awhile then he stood up to
spy; and again stooping, and again standing up to spy. He
did not see the big Hog which, on other days, he had always
observed going around and around the herd. Hunter stooped
close to the ground, and crept onward. Then, as he ap-
proached closer, the Hogs still went on eating. He bent his
knee to the earth, and he aimed his gun ! Ingowa still eating !
His gun flashed ! and ten Hogs died !

The Hogs fled; some of them wounded. Those who were
not wounded, stopped before they reached their town, and
said, "Let us wait for the wounded." They waited. When
the hindmost caught up and joined the others, they showed
them their wounds, some in the head, some in the legs.
These wounded ones said, "As we came, we saw none others
behind us. There are ten of us missing; we think they are
dead." So, they all returned toward their Town; and, on
their way, began to mourn.

When they had come clear on to the town, Angangwe
asked, "What news, from where you come?" They answer-
ed, "Angangwe! evil news! But we do not know what is
the matter. Only we know that the words you said are not
really so, that 'nuts are eaten because of a certain person.'
Because, when we went, each one of us gathered by his own

52 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

skill, and ate by his own strength, and no one trusted to any
one else. And when we went, we ate abundantly, and every-
thing was good. Except that, Hunter has killed ten of us.
And many others are wounded."

The King inquired, "Well! have you brought nuts for me
who was left in Town?" They replied, "No; when Hunter
shot us, we feared, and could no longer wait." Then
Angangwe said, "I told you that inkula are eaten because of
a person, and you said, ' not so/ And you still doubt me. "

Another day, the Hogs went for inkula; and the King,
remained in town. And, as on the other day, Hunter killed
them. So, for five successive days, they went, the King
staying in town; and Hunter killing them.

Finally, Angangwe said to himself, "Ingowa have become
great fools. They do not consent to admit that nuts are
eaten by reason of a certain person. They see how Hunter
kills them; and they still doubt my words. But, I pity them.
Tomorrow, I will go with them to the nuts. I will explain
to them how Hunter kills them. "

So, in the morning, the King ordered, "Come all to nuts!
But when we go for the nuts, if I say, ' Ngh-o-o !' then every
one of you who are eating them must start to town, and not
come back, because then I have seen or smelt Hunter; and I
grunt to let you know." All the Hogs agreed. They went
on clear to the nkula trees, and ate, they stooping with eyes
to the ground. But Angangwe, not eating, kept looking
here and there. He sniffed wind from south to north, and
assured them, "Eat you all! I am here!" He watched
and watched; and presently he saw a speck far away. He
passed around to sniff the wind. His nose uplifted, he
caught the odor of Hunter. He returned to the herd,
grunted "Ngh-o-o." And he and they all fled. They
arrived safely at town.

Then he asked them, "Who is dead? who is wounded?"
They assured, "None. " He said, " Good ! "

Thus they went nutting, for five consecutive days, they
and their King, Angangwe only keeping watch. And none
of them died by Hunter.

Then Angangwe said to them, "Today let us have a con-
versation." And he began, "I told you, inkula si nyo o'kanga
w' oma; you said, 'Not so!' But, when you went by your-

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 53

selves to eat nuts, did not Hunter kill you? And these five
days that we have gone, you and I together, and you obeyed
my voice, who has died?"

They then replied, "No one! no one! Indeed, you spoke
truly. You are justified. Inkula si nyo o'kdng£ wa 'Ngangwe.
It is so!"

TALES

WHO ARE CROCODILE'S RELATIVES?
Persons

Ngando (Crocodile) Sinyama (Beasts)

Sinyani (Birds)

NOTE

An Argument in Evolution — When and How does Life
begin?

Crocodile was very old. Finally he died. News of his
death spread abroad among the Beasts; and his relatives
and friends came to the Mourning. After a proper number
of days had passed, the matter of the division of the proper y
was mentioned. At once a quarrel was developed, on the
question as to who were his nearest relatives.

The tribe of Birds said, "He is ours and we will be the
ones to divide the property." Their claim was disputed,
others asking, "On what ground do you claim relationship?
You wear feathers; you do not wear plates of armor as he."
The Birds replied, "True, he did not wear our feathers. But,
you are not to judge by what he put on during his life. Judge
by what he was in his life's beg nning. Look you ! In his
beginning, he began with us as an egg. We believe in eggs.
His mother bore him as an egg. He is our relative, and we
are his heirs. "

54 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

But the Beasts said, "Not so! We are his relatives, and
by us shall his property be divided."

Then the Council of Animals demanded of the Beasts on
what ground they based their claim for relationship, and
what answer they could make to the argument of the birds
as to Crocodile's egg-origin.

The Beasts said, "It may be true that the mark of tribe
must be found, in a beginning, but not in an egg. For, all
Beings began as eggs. Life is the original beginning. Look
you! When life really begins in the egg, then the mark of
tribe is shown. When Ngando's life began, he had four
legs as we have. We judge by legs. So we claim him as our
relative. And we will take his property."

But, the Birds answered, "You Beasts said we were not
relatives because we wear feathers, and not ngando-plates.
But, you, look you! Judge by your own words. Neither
do you wear ngando-plates, you with your hair and fur!
Your words are not correct. The begininng of his life was
not, as you say, when little Ngando sprouted some legs.
There was life in the egg before that. And his egg was like
ours, not like what you call your eggs. You are not his
relatives. He is ours."

But the Beasts disputed still. So the quarrel went back
and forth. And they never settled it.

TALE 9

WHO is KING OF BIRDS?
Places

The Country of Birds in Njambi's Kingdom
Njambi's Town

Persons

Ra-Njambi (Lord or Master Ngwanyani (Eagle)

of all) Ugulungu (Schizorhis, Plan-

Njagani (Chicken) tain-Eater)

Ngozo (Parrot)

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 55

NOTE

1st — Ability to Speak a greater gift than ability in Walk-
ing, Flying, or any other Force.

2nd — Why Chickens live with Mankind.

All the Birds had their dwelling-place in a certain country
of Njambi's Kingdom. The pelicans, chickens, eagles,
parrots and all other winged kinds all lived together, sepa-
rated from other animals, in that country under the Great
Ix>rd Njambi.

One day, they were discussing together on the question,
"Who is King of the Birds?" They all, each one, named
himself, e. g., the Chicken said, "I!;" the Parrot, "I!" the
Eagle "I!" and so on. Every day they had this same dis-
cussion. They were not able to settle it, or to agree to
choose any one of their number. So, they said, "Let us
go to Ra-Njambi, and refer the question to him." They
agreed; and all went to him so that he might name who was
the superior among them. When they all had arrived at
Njambi's Town, he asked, "What is the affair on which you
have come?" They replied, "We have come together here,
not to visit, but for a purpose. We have a discussion and a
doubt among ourselves. We wish to know, of all the Birds,
who is Head or Chief. Each one says for himself that he is
the superior. This one, because he knows how to fly well;
that one because he can speak well; and another one, because
he is strong. But, of these three things, — flight, speech,
and strength, we ask you, which is the greatest?"

Immediately all the Birds began a competition, each one
saying, "Choose me; I know how to speak!" Njambi
silenced them, and bade them, "Well, then, come here! I
know that you all speak. But, show me, each one of you,
your manner of speaking. "

So Eagle stood up to be examined. Njambi asked him,
"How do you speak? What is your manner of talking?"
Eagle began to scream, "So-o-we! so-o-we! so-o-we!" Njambi
— :j "Good! Now call me your wife!" The wife of Eagle

56 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

came, and Njambi said to her, "You are the wife of Ngwa-
nyani, how do you talk? " The wife replied, " I say, * So-o-we !
So-o-we! So-o-we!' ! Ra-Njambi said to Eagle, "Indeed!
you and your wife speak the same kind of language. " Eagle
answered, "Yes; I and my wife, we speak alike." They were
ordered, "Sit you aside."

Then Ra-Njambi directed, "Bring me here Ngozo. " And
he asked, "Ngozo, how do you talk? What is your way of
speaking?" Parrot squawked, "I say, 'Ko-do-ko!' ' Ra-
Njambi ordered, "Well, call me your wife!" She came; and
he asked her, "How do you talk? Talk now!" The wife
replied, "I say, 'Ko-do-ko!'" Njambi asked Parrot, "So!
your wife says, 'Ko-do-ko?' : Parrot answered "Yes; my
wife and I both say, 'Ko-do-ko.'

Njambi then ordered, "Call me here, Ugulungu." He
came, and was asked, " And how do you talk? " He shouted,
"I say, 'Mbru-ka-ka ! mbru-ka-ka! mbru!'" Njambi told
him," Call me your wife! " She came, and, when asked, spoke
in the same way as her husband. Njambi dismissed them,
"Good! you and your wife say the same thing. Good!"

So, all the Birds, in succession, were summoned; and they
all, husband and wife, had the same mode of speaking, ex-
cept one who had not hitherto been called.

Njambi finally said, "Call Njagani here!" The Cock
stood up, and strutted forward. Njambi asked him, " What
is your speech? Show me your mode of talking!" Cock
threw up his head, stretched his throat, and crowed, "Ka-
ka-re-kaa. " Njambi said, "Good! summon your wife
hither." The wife came; and, of her, Njambi asked, "And,
what do you say?" She demurely replied, "My husband
told me that I might talk only if I bore children. So, when
I lay an egg, I say 'Kwa-ka! Kwa-ka!' Njambi ex-
claimed, "So! you don't say, 'Ka-ka-re-kaa,'like your hus-
band? " She replied, "No, I do not talk as he. "

Then Njambi said to Cock, "For what reason do you not
allow your wife to say, 'Ka-ka-re-kaa?'" Cock replied, "I
am Njagani, I respect myself. I jeer at all these other birds.
Their wives and themselves speak only in the same way. A
visitor, if he comes to their towns, is not able to know, when
one of them speaks, which is husband and which is wife,
because they both speak alike. But I, Njagani, as to my
wife, she is unable to speak as I do. I do not allow it. A

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 57

husband should be at the head; and in his wife it is not be-
coming for her to be equal with him or to talk as well as he
does."

Njambi listened to this long speech; and then inquired,
"Have you finished?" Chicken answered, "Yes."

Njambi summoned all the Birds to stand together in one
place near him, and he said, "The affair which you brought
to me, I settle it thus: — Njagani is your Head; because you
others all speak, husband and wife, each alike. But, he
speaks for himself in his own way, and his wife in her way;
to show that a husband has priority and superiority over a
wife. Therefore, as he knows how to be Head of his family,
it is settled that Njagani is Head also of your Tribe. "

But, Njambi went on to say, "Though this is true, you,
Njagani, don't you go back again into the Forest, to your
Kingship of the Birds. For the other birds will be jealous
of you. You are not strong, you cannot fight them all.
Lest they kill you, stay with me in my Town. "

Cock went to get his wife and children, and returned and
remained there with Ra-Njambi. Therefore, the original
bird to dwell among Mankind was the chicken.

When the other Birds scattered and went back to their
own forest country without their king, they said, "Let it be
so! We will not choose another King. Our King has left
us, and has emigrated to another country, and has sat down
in Njambi's Town."

So, the Birds have lived in the forest without any King.

There is another story which gives a different explanation
of chickens being the first of birds to dwell among Mankind.

The Birds had no fire. They had to eat their food raw,
and to shiver on cold days. In flying over the other coun-
tries, they saw Mankind using, in the preparation of their
food, a thing which birds did not have. They observed
that that thing seemed to add much to the comfort of Man-
kind. So, they chose Chicken, not as their King, but, be-
cause he knew so well how to speak, to go as their messenger,
to ask Mankind to share that thing with them. Chicken

58 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

left the Forest, and started on his journey, and came to the
towns of Men.

He found so much food lying around, and it tasted so good
because it had been touched by that bright thing which he
heard people call "Fire," that he delayed the delivery of his
message. And Men were pleased with his usefulness in
awaking them in the morning, as he called them to get up
and make their fires. The situation was so comfortable, as
Mankind allowed him to walk in and out of their houses at
will, that he forgot his errand, and chose to stay with Men,
and never went back to the Forest.

The birds, having no one else who united both audacity to
act and ability to speak, never sent another messenger on that
errand, and they remain without fire to this day.

TALE 10
"Njiwo DIED OF SLEEP": A PROVERB

Persons
Njiwo (A Species of Antelope) Nyare (Ox)

NOTE

An event (the supposed death of the red antelope) is
traced to its first cause (sleep) back of the immediate causes
(the people who actually sought to kill him). Whence the
proverb, "Eziwo a juwi na Antyavina." "Eziwo" is a
familiar way of pronouncing Njiwo.

Antelope and Ox went to a town to dance Bweti (a certain
spirit-dance). After the dance, Antelope, exhausted with
the exercise, fell asleep in the Bweti-house. While he was
there, certain persons made a plot to kill him. Ox heard of
it, and came to warn him, calling gently, (lest he should be

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 59

overheard and himself seized), "Njiwo! Eziwo!" But
antelope did not hear, and Ox made no further effort, and
ran away to his home in fear for his own life.

Then came Antelope's wife, while he still slept, and loudly
called him. He, only half -awake, grumbled, "What do you
call me for? Let me rest. I'm tired by the dancing. " She
persisted, "I call you because certain persons want to kill
you." But, he, still heavy with sleep, did not understand,
and was not willing to rise, and went on sleeping. Then his
wife, unable to arouse him, went to call other people to help
her.

While she was away, his enemies came and tied him with
ropes, and left him there tied, still sleeping, alone in the
house. They locked the house, and went away, intending
to return and kill him when he should awake. Before they
came back, his wife returned with aid; and, with machetes and
knives, they cut open the door, and found him with his limbs
tied, and still sleeping. They roughly shook him, and he,
half -conscious, asked, "What do you want here?" His
wife replied, "I have come to carry you away." So, she
untied the ropes, and they lifted him and carried him away,
still too sleepy to walk himself.

While all this was going on, the people of the town to which
Ox had fled, asked him, "There were two of you who went
to dance Bweti. You are here, but where is the other?"
Ox, assuming that Antelope was dead, and not knowing what
Antelope's wife had done, told how he had been unable to
waken him, and said, " Eziwo was killed while asleep. " Then
the village people said regretfully, "Eh! Eziwo! Sleep has
killed him!"

In the meantime, Antelope and his wife had reached the
town, where the news of his death had preceded them; and
the people wondered, saying, "Nyare reported that you were
cut to pieces!" Then Antelope's wife explained that he
would have been killed, because Ox had not made every
effort to arouse him from his deep sleep.

So the friendship of Ox and Antelope ended. And the
proverb came, that, "Eziwo died of sleep."

60 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

TALE 11

WHICH is THE FATTEST?
Persons

King Ra-Mborakinda Ngowa (Hog; PL Ingowa)

Manga (Manatus) Arandi (Oyster)

NOTE

Accept no challenge whose test you know you cannot en-
dure. Oyster, without fat, accepted the challenge of the fat
Hog and the fatter Manatus.

The fat of the Manatus, or dugong seal, is delicious and
very abundant.

Ra-Mborakinda was dwelling in his Town, with his people
and the glory of his Kingdom. There were gathered there
the Manatus, the Oyster and the Hog, waiting to be assigned
their kingdoms. To pass the time, while waiting until the
King should summon them for their assignments, Oyster
said, "You, Manga, and Ngowa, let us have a dance!" And
they went to exhibit before the King. They danced and
danced, each one dancing his own special dance.

After that they made a fire, each one at his own fire-place,
and sat down to rest. Then Hog proposed a new entertain-
ment. He said, "You, Arandi, and Manga, we all three
shall test ourselves by fire, to see who has the most fat."
And they all three went into their respective fire-places,
Hog into his, and Manatus into his, and Oyster into its.
Under the influence of the heat, the fat in their bodies began
to melt.

Then the King announced, "To the one who shall prove
to have the most fat, I will give a great extent of country as
its kingdom. " So, they all three tried to show much fat, in
their effort to win the prize.

Presently, the fat of Hog began to cease exuding, for he

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 61

had not a great deal. As to Oyster, it had no fat. What it
produced was not fat at all, but water; and that was in such
quantity that it put out its fire.

These facts about the Hog and Oyster were reported to
the King, and when he inquired how Manatus was getting
on, lo! it was found that she had such abundance of fat,
that the oil flowing from her had burst into flame and had set
the town on fire.

At this, the King wondered, and exclaimed, "This Manga,
that lives in the water, has yet enough fat to set the town
afire!"

Then Manatus with Hog and Oyster went and sat to-
gether in the open court before the King's house, to await
what would be his decision. When he was ready, he sent
two heralds to summon not only those three, but all the
Tribes of the Beasts of the Forest, and of the Fishes of the
Sea; and the town was full of these visitors. But, Hog and
all his tribe had become impatient of waiting, and had gone
off for a walk. All the other animals that had been sum-
moned, came into the King's presence, and he, having as-
cended his throne, said, "I am ready now to speak with
these three persons; but, I see that the Ingowa are not here.
So, because of their disrespect in going off to amuse them-
selves with a walk instead of waiting for me, I condemn that
they shall no longer wear any horns. "

Then the King announced that, as Manatus had the
most fat, her promised territory should be the Sea, and of it
she should be ruler. But, Manatus said, "I do not want to
live in the Sea. lest I be killed there." The King asked,
"Then, where will you prefer to live?" She answered, "In
such rivers as I shall like. "

That is the reason that the Manatus lives only in rivers
and bays. For, one day she and her children had floated
with the tide to the mouth of a river and into the Sea; and
some of them had been killed there by sharks and other big
fish. So, the Manatus is never now found near the Sea on
ordinary tides, but only when high tides have swept it down.

Just as the King had made his announcement, the com-
pany of Hogs returned and entered the Assembly. They
explained, "We have just come back from our walk, and we
wish to resume our horns which we left here." But the

62 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

King refused, and kept possession of the horns. Hog
begged, "Please! let me have my horns!" But the King
swore an oath, saying, "O savi! (By the Blessing!) wherever
you go, and whatever you be, you shall have no horns."
So the Hogs departed.

Now Oyster stood up, and said, "I wish to go to my place.
Where shall it be?" The King said, "I will give you no
other place than what you already have had. I do not
wish to put you into the fresh-water springs and brooks with
Manga. You shall go into the salty waters." So
Oyster went; and its race lives on the edge of the rivers, near
the Sea, in brackish waters. And the King said to Oyster,
"All the tribes of Mankind, by the Sea, when they fail to
obtain other fish, shall be allowed to eat you."

All knew that this was a punishment given by the King to
Oyster, for having dared the test by fire, pretending that it
had fat, the while it had none.

TALE 12

WHY MOSQUITOES Buzz
Persons

Mbo (Mosquito) Aga (Hands)

Oroi (Ear)

NOTE

It is a practice of African natives, after taking a bath, to
anoint their bodies with some oil or grease.

In the time of Long-ago, in Njambi's Town, Mosquito
and Ear went out to take a bath together. After taking
her bath, Ear began to rub an oily substance over herself;
while Mosquito did not. So Ear said to Mosquito, "Why
do you leave your skin so rough? It is better to rub on a

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 63

little oil." Mosquito replied, "I have none." So Ear said,
"Indeed! I did not know that. I will give you part of
mine, as I have plenty." Mosquito had to wait the while
that Ear was rubbing the soft wax over herself. But, as
soon as Ear had finished, she put back the wax into her ear
where she usually kept it, and did not fulfill her promise to
Mosquito.

When Mosquito saw this, that the wax was put away, he
came near to the door, and said, "I want the oil you promised
for rubbing on my body. " But Ear took no notice of him,
except to call on Hands to drive Mosquito away.

So, to this day, Mosquito is not willing to cease making
his claim for the unfulfilled promise; and is always coming
to our ears, and buzzing and crying. Always Mosquito
comes and says, "I want my oil, Bz-z-z-z." But Ear re-
mains silent, and gives no answer. And Mosquito keeps on
grumbling and complaining, and gets angry and bites.

TALE 13
UNKIND CRITICISM

Persons
Tyema (A Black Monkey) Ekaga (Tortoise)

NOTE

This story is probably of comparatively recent origin
though known at least fifty years ago. It seems to point
to the time when white men began to taunt negroes because
of their color, the common insult by an angry white master
being "You black monkey!" The tale cannot antedate the
first coming of white men to West Africa three hundred

64 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

years ago; for, no native would have invented this insult,
though they do now imitate white men, when, in a quarrel,
they wish to taunt an opponent.

The Black Monkey, up a tree, saw Tortoise passing be-
neath, slowly and awkwardly moving step by step. Monkey
laughed at the dull manner and appearance of Tortoise; and,
to tease one whom he thought stupid and unable to resent
insult, he jumped down onto the back of Tortoise. There,
safely perched, he jeered at Tortoise, saying many unkind
things. Tortoise was unable to throw off his tormentor;
nor could he reach him. His short hands and feet could not
touch Monkey. So, Tortoise was compelled to carry Mon-
key on the way, the while that the latter was taunting him.
Finally, the patience of Tortoise was exhausted, and, his
indignation being aroused, he stopped, and said angrily,
"Get off of my back, you black monkey!"

Monkey was sensitive about his color; and, at that word
"black," he slipped off, and went away ashamed. But he
was angry also, and determined to have some revenge.

Some time after this, Monkey made a feast, and invited a
number of beasts, among the rest Tortoise. But Monkey
purposely placed all the dishes up high, so that Tortoise,
unable to reach to them, could get no food, as he vainly went
around and around the table. All the while, Monkey was
sarcastically urging him to come and help himself and eat.
Tortoise bore it without complaint; and at the end of the
feast, he went away hungry. But he also determined to
have his revenge.

On another day, Tortoise made a feast, and invited the
same persons who had seen his humiliation at the house of
Monkey. Monkey came to the feast. But Tortoise had
prepared the food in only one dish, around which the com-
pany were to sit on the ground, and from which they were
to eat with their hands. Before calling them to eat, Tortoise
had provided water and soap for them to wash their hands
previous to their putting them into the same dish. As
Monkey was about to put his, Tortoise reminded him that
it was black, and that he should first wash it. He said,
"Here is water, and the soap by which white people keep
their hands from getting black."

Monkey was ashamed, and lathered the soap over his

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 65

hands until they were white with foam. "Now," said Tor-
toise, "put your hand into the water to remove the foam."
Monkey did so; and his hands were still black.

The rest of the company objected to his black hand going
into their food. And he went away ashamed and hungry.

TALE 14

THE SUITORS OF PRINCESS GORILLA

Place

Njambi's Country
Persons

King Njina (Gorilla) and His Ngowa (Hog)

Daughter Njega (Leopard)

Njagu (Elephant) Telinga (a very small Mon-
Nguwu (Hippopotamus) key)

Bejaka (Fishes: Sing. Ejaka)

NOTE

This story evidently dates back to the first introduction
of Rum into Africa. Gorilla's "new kind of water" was
Rum.

Telinga's cheating did not finally succeed in obtaining
him the wife; but was the cause of his now living only in
trees; whereas formerly he lived in the long grass. The
Telinga are very numerous, and they all look so alike that
one cannot be distinguished from another. In the story, he
had arranged with all his companions to help him drink.

In the Gorilla Country there are no lions, and there he is
readily called the King of Beasts, because of the fearful
length and strength of his arms.

How absurd that so horribly ugly a caricature of a human
being should be supposed to have a beautiful daughter!

66 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

King Gorilla had a daughter, whose beauty had been
much praised. She being of marriageable age, he announced
to all the tribes that he would give her in marriage to any
one who could accomplish a certain task. He said he would
not take any of the goods usually given in payment for a
wife, as dowry. But, that he had a new kind of water, such
as had never before been seen; and, whoever could drink
an entire barrelful of it, should have the prize that had been
coveted by many.

So, all the tribes came together one day in the forest
country of the King, to compete for the young woman, and
the paths were crowded with the expectant suitors on their
way to the King's Court.

First, because of his size, Elephant stepped forward. He
walked with his solemn dignity, his ponderous feet sounding,
tubu, tubu, as he strode toward where the barrel stood. He
could, however, scarcely suppress his indignation, in the
presence of the King, at what he considered the insultingly
small test to which he was about to be subjected. He
thought in his heart, "That barrelful of water! Why! I,
Njagu, when I take my daily bath, I spurt from my trunk
many barrelfuls over my whole body, and I drink half a
barrelful at every meal. And this! Why! I'll swallow
it down in two gulps!" He thrust his proboscis into the
barrel to draw up a big mouthful. But, he instantly with-
drew it, before he began to suck up any of it. " The new
water" stung him. He lifted his trunk, and trumpeting
with rage, declared that the task was impossible.

Many in the company, who had feared that the big ele-
phant would leave no chance for them, secretly rejoiced at
his failure; and began to hope for themselves.

Then Hippopotamus blundered forward. He was in
haste, for he was sure he would succeed. He was not as
big or heavy as Elephant, though he was more awkward.
But he did not hesitate to boast aloud what he could do.
"You, Njagu, with your big body, afraid of that little barrel
of water! Why! I live in water half of the time. And
when I begin to drink in a river, I cause the Bejeka to be
frightened." So he came bellowing and roaring, in order
to impress the young woman with his importance. But his
mouth had not sunk into the barrel as he thrust his nose in,

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 67

before he jerked his head up with a bigger bellow of pain and
disgust at the new water. Without making even a bow to
the King, he shambled off to a river to wash his mouth.

Next came Hog. He said to Gorilla, "King Gorilla, I
do not boast like those two other fellows, nor will I insult
you as they have done, even if I fail. But, I do not think I
shall fail. I am accustomed to putting my nose into all
sorts of dirty places; so I shall try. " He did try, slowly and
carefully. But, even he, used to all sorts of filth and bad
smells, turned from the barrel in disgust, and went away
grunting.

Then Leopard came bounding forward, boasting and
jumping from side to side to show his beautiful skin to the
young woman. He derided the other three who had pre-
ceded him. "O! you fellows! You had no chance at all,
even if you had drunk up that water. The woman would
not look at you, nor live with such blundering, awkward
gawks as you. Look at my graceful body and tail! These
strong but soft paws of mine! And, as to that barrel, you
shall see in a few minutes. Though we of the Cat Tribe do
not like to wet our feet, I will do it for the sake of the woman.
I'm the dandy of the Forest, and I shall go at it more grace-
fully than you. " He leaped onto the barrel. But, its very
fumes sickened him. He made one vain effort. And with
limp tail between his legs he crawled away to hide his shame.

One after another of the various Beasts attempted. And
all failed. Finally, there crept forward the little Telinga.
He had left the hundreds of his Tribe of little Monkeys
hidden out in the grass field. As he advanced, there was a
murmur of surprise from the unsuccessful spectators. Even
King Gorilla could not refrain from saying, "Well! my little
fellow! what do you want?" Telinga replied, "Your Majes-
ty, did not you send word to all the Tribes that any one
might compete?" "Yes, I did," he answered. And Telinga
said, "Then I, Telinga, small as I am, I shall try." The
King replied, "I will keep my royal word. You may try."
"But, Your Majesty," asked Telinga, "is it required that
the barrel must be drank at one draught? May I not, be-
tween each mouthful, take a very short rest out in the grass?"
Said Gorilla, "Certainly, just so you drink it today."

So Telinga took a sip, and leaped off into the grass. And,

68 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

apparently, he immediately returned, and took another sip
and leaped back into the grass; and, apparently, immediately
returned again. And apparently — (They were his com-
panions who had come one by one to help him!) Thus the
barrelful of firewater was rapidly sipped away.

King Gorilla announced Telinga as the winner of the prize.

What the young woman thought of the loss of her graceful
lovers, the Antelopes and others, is not known. For, when
Telinga advanced to take her, Leopard and others dashed
at him, shouting, "You miserable little snip of a fellow!
You've won her; but if we can't have her you shan't. There !
take that! and that! and that!" as they began to beat and
kick and bite him.

In terror, he jumped into the trees, abandoning his
bride.

And he and his tribe have remained in the trees ever
since, afraid to come down to the ground.

TALE 15

LEOPARD OF THE FINE SKIN

Place

Town of King Mborakinda
Persons

King Mborakinda Njega (Leopard)

Ilambe, His Daughter Kabala (A Magic Horse)

Ra-Marange, A Doctor Ogula-Ya-Mpazya-Vazya,
And Other People A Sorcerer

NOTE

Leopards can swim if compelled to, but they do not like to
enter water, or wet their feet in any way.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 69

At the town of Ra-Mborakinda, where he lived with his
wives and his children and his glory, this occurred.

He had a beloved daughter, by name Ilambe. He loved
her much; and sought to please her in many ways, and gave
her many servants to serve her. When she grew up to
womanhood, she said that she did not wish any one to come
to ask her in marriage; that she herself would choose a hus-
band. "Moreover, I will never marry any man who has
any, even a little bit of, blotch on his skin. "

Her father did not like her to speak in that way; neverthe-
less, he did not forbid her.

When men began to come to the father and say, " I desire
your daughter Ilambe for a wife," he would say, "Go, and
ask herself." Then when the man went to Ilambe's house,
and would say, "I have come to ask you in marriage," her
only reply was a question, "Have you a clear skin, and no
blotches on your body?" If he answered, "Yes," Ilambe
would say, "But, I must see for myself; come into my room. "
There she required the man to take off all his clothing. And
if, on examination, she saw the slightest pimple or scar, she
would point toward it, and say, "That! I do not want you."
Then perhaps he would begin to plead, "All my skin is right,
except — ." But she would interrupt him, "No! for even
that little mark I do not want you. "

So it went on with all who came, she finding fault with
even a small pimple or scar. And all suitors were rejected.
The news spread abroad that Ra-Mborakinda had a beauti-
ful daughter, but that no one was able to obtain her, because
of what she said about diseases of the skin.

Still, many tried to obtain her. Even animals changed
themselves to human form, and sought her, in vain.

At last, Leopard said, "Ah! this beautiful woman! I hear
about her beauty, and that no one is able to get her. I
think I better take my turn, and try. But, first I will go to
Ra-Marange. " He went to that magic-doctor, and told his
story about Ra-Mborakinda's fine daughter, and how no man
could get her because of her fastidiousness about skins.
Ra-Marange told him, "I am too old. I do not now do
those things about medicines. Go to Ogula-ya-mpazya-
vazya. "

So, Leopard went to him. As usual, the sorcerer Ogula

70 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

jumped into his fire; and coming out with power, directed
Leopard to tell what he wanted. So he told the whole story
again, and asked how he should obtain the clean body of a
man. The sorcerer prepared for him a great "medicine"
by which to give him a human body, tall, graceful, strong
and clean. Leopard then went back to his town, told his
people his plans, and prepared their bodies also for a change
if needed. Having taken also a human name, Ogula, he
then went to Ra-Mborakinda, saying, "I wish your daughter
Ilambe for wife. "

On his arrival, at Ra-Mborakinda's, the people admired
the stranger, and felt sure that Ilambe would accept this
suitor, exclaiming, "This fine-looking man! his face! and his
gait! and his body!" When he had made his request of
Ra-Mborakinda, he was told, as usual, to go to Ilambe and
see whether she would like him. When he went to her
house, he looked so handsomely, that Ilambe was at once
pleased with him. He told her, "I love you; and I come to
marry you. You have refused many. I know the reason
why, but I think you will be satisfied with me. " She replied,
"I think you have heard from others the reason for which I
refuse men. I will see whether you have what I want."
And she added, "Let us go into the room; and let me see
your skin. "

They entered the room; and Ogula-Nje'ga removed his fine
clothing. Ilambe examined with close scrutiny from his
head to his feet. She found not the slightest scratch or mark;
his skin was like a babe's. Then she said, "Yes! this is my
man! truly! I love you, and will marry you!" She was so
pleased with her acquisition, that she remained in the room
enjoying again a minute examination of her husband's
beautiful skin. Then she went out, and ordered her servants
to cook food, prepare water, etc., for him; and he did not go
out of the house, nor have a longing to go back to his town,
for he found that he was loved.

On the third day, he went to tell the father, Ra-Mboraki-
nda, that he was ready to take his wife off to his town. Ra-
Mborakinda consented. All that day, they prepared food
for the marriage-feast. But, all the while that this man-
beast, Ogula-Njega, was there, Ra-Mborakinda, by his
okove (a magic fetish) knew that some evil would come out

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 71

of this marriage. However, as Ildmbe had insisted on choos-
ing her own way, he did not interfere.

After the marriage was over, and the feast eaten, Ra-
Mborakinda called his daughter, and said, "Ilambe, mine,
now you are going off on your journey." She said, "Yes;
for I love my husband." The father asked, "Do you love
him truly?" She answered "Yes." Then he told her,
"As you are married now, you need a present from me, as
your ozendo (bridal gift)." So, he gave her a few presents,
and told her, "Go to that house," indicating a certain house
in the town; and he gave her the key of the house, and told
her to go and open the door. That was the house where he
kept all his charms for war, and fetishes of all kinds. He
told her, " When you go in, you will see two Kabala, standing
side by side. The one that will look a little dull, with its
eyes directed to the ground, take it; and leave the brighter
looking one. When you are coming with it, you will see that
it walks a little lame. Nevertheless, take it. " She objected,
"But, father, why do you not give me the finer one, and not
the weak one?" But he said, "No!" and made a knowing
smile, as he repeated, " Go, and take the one I tell you. " He
had reason for giving this one. The finer-looking one had
only fine looks; but this other one would some day save her
by its intelligence.

She went and took Horse, and returned to her father; and
the journey was prepared. The father sent with her, servants
to carry the baggage, and to remain with and work for her
at the town of her marriage. She and her husband arranged
all their things, and said good-bye, and off they went, both
of them sitting on Horse's back.

They journeyed and they journeyed. On the way, Ogula-
Njega, though changed as to his form and skin, possessed
all his old tastes. Having been so many days without tast-
ing blood or uncooked meats, as they passed through the
forest of wild beasts, the longing came on him. They emerged
onto a great prairie, and journeyed across it toward another
forest. Before they had entirely crossed the prairie, the
longing for his prey so overcame him that he said, "Wife,
you with your Kabala and the servants stay here while I go
rapidly ahead; and wait for me until I come again." So
he went off, entered the forest, and changed himself back

72 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

to Leopard. He hunted for prey, caught a small animal,
and ate it; and another, and ate it. After being satisfied,
he washed his hands and mouth in a brook; and, changing
again to human form, he returned on the prairie to his wife.

She observed him closely, and saw a hard, strange look on
his face. She said, "But, all this while! What have you
been doing?" He made an excuse. They went on.

And the next day, it was the same, he leaving her, and
telling her to wait till he returned; and hunting and eating as
a Leopard. All this that was going on, Ilambe was ignorant
of. But Horse knew. He would speak after awhile, but
was not ready yet.

So it went on, until they came to Leopard's town. Before
they reached it, Ogula-Njega, by the preparations he had
first made, had changed his mother into a human form in
which to welcome his wife. Also the few people of the town,
all with human forms, welcomed her. But, they did not
sit much with her. They stayed in their own houses; and
Ogula-Njega and his wife stayed in theirs. For a few days,
Leopard tried to be a pleasant Ogula, deceiving his wife. But
his taste for blood was still in his heart. He began to say,
"I am going to another town; I have business there." And
off he would go, hunting as a leopard; when he returned, it
would be late in the day. So he did on other days.

After a time, Ilambe wished to make a food-plantation,
and sent her men-servants to clear the ground. Ogula-
Njega would go around in the forest on the edge of the
plantation; and catching one of the men, there would return
that day one servant less.

One by one, all the men-servants were thus missing; and
it was not known what became of them, except that Leopard's
people knew. One night Ogula-Njega was out; and, meeting
one of the female servants, she too was reported missing.

Sometimes, when Ogula-Njega was away, Ilambe, feeling
lonesome, would go and pet Horse. After the loss of this
maid-servant, Horse thought it was time to warn Ilambe of
what was going on. While she was petting him, he said,
"Eh! Ilambe! you do not see the trouble that is coming
to you!" She asked, "What trouble?" He exclaimed,
"What trouble? If your father had not sent me with you,
what would have become of you? Where are all your ser-

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 73

vants that you brought with you? You do not know where
they go to, but I know. Do you think that they disappear
without a reason? I will tell you where they go. It is your
man who eats them; it is he who wastes them!" She could
not believe it, and argued, "Why should he destroy them?"
Horse replied, " If you doubt it, wait for the day when your
last remaining servant is gone. "

Two days after that, at night, another maid-servant
disappeared. Another day passed. On another day, Ogula-
Njega went off to hunt beasts, with the intention that, if
he failed to get any, at night he would eat his wife.

When he had gone, Ilambe, in her loneliness, went to
fondle Horse. He said to her, "Did I not tell you? The
last maid is gone. You yourself will be the next one. I will
give you counsel. When you have opportunity this night,
prepare yourself ready to run away. Get yourself a large
gourd, and fill it with ground-nuts; another with gourd-seeds;
and another with water. " He told her to bring these things
to him, and he would know the best time to start.

While they were talking, Leopard's mother was out in the
street, and heard the two voices. She said to herself, " Ilambe,
wife of my son, does she talk with Kabala as if it was a per-
son?" But, she said nothing to Ilambe, nor asked her about
it.

Night came on; and Ogula-Njega returned. He said
nothing; but his face looked hard and bad. Ildmbe was
troubled and somewhat frightened at his ugly looks. So, at
night, on retiring, she began to ask him, "But why? Has
anything displeased you?" He answered, "No; I am not
troubled about anything. Why do you ask questions?"
"Because I see it in your face that your countenance is not
pleasant." "No; there's no matter. Everything is right.
Only, about my business, I think I must start very early."
Ogula-Njega had begun to think, "Now she is suspecting
me. I think I will not eat her this night, but will put it off
until next night. "

That night, Ilambe did not sleep. In the morning, Leo-
pard said that he would go to his business, but would come
back soon. When he was gone away to his hunting work,
Ilambe felt lonesome, and went to Horse. He, thinking
this a good time to run away, they started at once, without

74 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

letting any one in the village know, and taking with them
the three gourds. Horse said that they must go quickly;
for, Leopard, when he discovered them gone, would rapidly
pursue. So they went fast and faster, Horse looking back
from time to time, to see whether Leopard was pursuing.

After they had been gone quite a while, Ogula-Njega
returned from his business to his village, went into his house,
and did not see Ilambe. He called to his mother, " Where is
Ilambe?" His mother answered, "I saw Ilambe with her
Kabala, talking together; they have been at it for two days. "
Ogula-Njega began to search; and, seeing the hoof -prints,
he exclaimed, " Mi asaiya (shame for me) . Ilambe has run
away. I and she shall meet today !"

He instantly turned from his human form back to that
of leopard, and went out, and pursued, and pursued, and
pursued. But, it took some time before he came in sight of
the fugitives. As Horse turned to watch, he saw Leopard,
his body stretched low and long in rapid leaps. Horse said
to Ilambe, "Did I not tell you? There he is, coming!"
Horse hasted, with foam dropping from his lips. When he
saw that Leopard was gaining on them, he told Ilambe to
take the gourd of peanuts from his back, and scatter them
along behind on the ground. Leopards like peanuts; and
when Ogula-Njega came to these nuts, he stopped to eat
them. While he was eating, Horse gained time to get ahead.
As soon as Leopard had finished the nuts, he started on in
pursuit again, and soon began to overtake. When he ap-
proached, Horse told Ilambe to throw out the gourd-seeds.
She did so. Leopard delayed to eat these seeds also. This
gave Horse time to again get ahead. Thus they went on.

Leopard, having finished the gourd-seeds, again went
leaping in pursuit; and, for the third time, came near. Horse
told Ilambe to throw the gourd of water behind, with force
so that it might crash and break on the ground. As soon as
she had done so, the water was turned to a stream of a deep
wide river, between them and Leopard. Then he was at
a loss. So, he shouted, "Ah! Ilambe! Mi asaiya! If I only
had a chance to catch you ! " So, he had to turn back.

Then Horse said, "We do not know what he may do yet;
perhaps he may go around and across ahead of us. As there
is a town which I know near here, we had better stay there a

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 75

day or two while he may be searching for us." He added
to her, "Mind! this town where we are going, no woman is
allowed to be there, only men. So, I will change your face
and dress like a man's. Be very careful how you behave
when you take your bath, lest you die." Ilftmbe promised;
and Horse changed her appearance. So, a fine-looking young
man was seen riding into the street of the village. There
were exclamations in the street, "This is a stranger! Hail!
stranger; hail! Who showed you the way to come here?"
This young man answered, "Myself; I was out riding; I
saw an open path; and I came in." He entered a house,
and was welcomed; and they told him their times of eating,
and of play, etc. But, on the second day, as this young
man went out privately, one of the men observed, and said
to the other, "He acts like a woman!" The others asked,
"Really! you think so?" He asserted, "Yes! I am sure!"
So, that day Ilambe was to meet with some trouble; for, to
prove her, the men had said to her, "Tomorrow we all go
bathing in the river, and you shall go with us. " She went
to ask Horse what she should do. He rebuked her, "I
warned you, and you have not been careful. But, do not
be troubled; I will change you into a man."

That night, Ilambe went to Horse; and he changed her.
He also told her, "I warn you again. Tomorrow you go to
bathe with the others, and you may take off your clothes;
for, you are now a man. But, it is only for a short time,
because we stay here only a day and a night more, and then
we must go. "

The next morning all the town went to play, and after
that to bathe. When they went into the water, the other
men were all expecting to see a woman revealed; but they
saw that their visitor was a man. They admired his wonder-
fully fine physique. On emerging from the water, the men
said to the one who had informed on Ilambe, "Did you not
tell us that this was a woman? See, how great a man he is ! '
As soon as they said that, the young man Ilambe was vexed
with him, and began to berate him, saying, "Eh! you said
I was a woman?" And she chased him and struck him.
Then they all went back to the town.

In the evening, Horse told Ilambe, " I tell you what to do
tomorrow. In the morning, you take your gun, and shoot

76 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

me dead. After you have shot me, these men will find fault
with you, saying 'Ah! you shoot your horse, and did not
care for it? ' But, do not say anything in reply. Cut me in
pieces, and burn the pieces in the fire. After this, carefully
gather all the black ashes; and, very early in the following
morning, in the dark before any one is up, go out of the
village gateway, scatter the ashes, and you will see what will
happen. "

The young man did all this. On scattering the ashes,
he instantly found himself changed again to a woman, and
sitting on Horse's back; and they were running rapidly
away.

That same day, in the afternoon, they came to the town
of the father Ra-Mborakinda. On their arrival there, they
(but especially Horse) told their whole story. Ilambe was
somewhat ashamed of herself; for, she had brought these
troubles on herself by insisting on having a husband with a
perfectly fine skin. So, her father said, "Ilambe, my child,
you see the trouble you have brought on yourself. For you,
a woman, to make such a demand was too much. Had I
not sent Kabala with you, what would have become of you? "
The people gave Ilambe a glad welcome. And she went to
her house, and said nothing more about fine skins.

TALE 16

WHY THE PLANTAIN-STALK BEARS BUT ONE BUNCH

Persons

Oyila (Oil-Palm Tree) Mbindi (Wild Goat)

Akanda (Plantain-Stalk)

NOTE

According to native law of hospitality, duty to a guest
requires almost any sacrifice. This is oriental. (See Genesis
Chap. 19, vs. 8.) A plantain-stalk bears but one bunch.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 77

Therefore, to gather the fruit, the stalk with apparent ruth-
lessness is cut down. But, there are always from two to
five young sprouts at the base, from 2 feet to 5 feet in height,
which, in succession, take the place of the parent stem.

Observe the Cannibalism. All African tribes were former-
ly Cannibals. Many interior tribes still are. This story is
a marked illustration of the characteristic impossibilities
in native tales, "Plantain" being at one and the same time
a plant and a human being!

Palm-tree produced Plantain tree.

Then there stood up an animal called Wild Goat, and it
went to seek marriage with Palm-tree's daughter Plantain.
It was so arranged; and the marriage was held.

As Goat and his wife were about departing to his own town,
Palm-tree gave some parting advice to her daughter Plan-
tain; "When you shall be about to become a mother, come
back and stay with me."

Not long after this, Plantain was to become a mother; and
people went to Palm-tree to inform her of the fact. This
daughter Plantain did not obey her mother's directions, but
remained in the town until her child was born. This was
told to mother Palm-tree, who was dissatisfied, and said,
"Eh! I told Akanda to have her child born with me!"

The reason that Palm-tree had given this direction to
Plantain was, that, as her own custom, in bearing her palm-
nuts, was to have several bunches in sight at one time, and
ripening in succession, she wished her daughter to have the
same habit.

After Plantain had borne her child, it grew well and became
very strong. One day, strangers came to the town on a
visit; and, when the villagers looked for food for the visitors,
to their shame, they found they had none. Then one of the
women of the village said, "Well! let us cut down this
Akanda, and cook it and eat it. " So, a machete was seized,
and Plantain's stalk was slashed, and Palm-tree's child
Plantain was taken and cooked and eaten. At this, people
went and told Palm-tree, saying, "Your child is cut down,

78 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

and is cooked and eaten. " The mother Palm-tree helplessly
replied, "What can I do?"

All this while, the husband Goat had been away on a jour-
ney. When he returned, and came to his town, and found
that his wife, Palm-tree's child, was not there, he asked,
" My wife; is she dead? " The people answered him, " Yes ! "
"But," he asked, "for what reason did she die?" They
answered, "Because the people of the town had no food for
their guests." Mbindi complained further, saying, "So!
when Akand& was cooked, you gave your guests only plan-
tains; were you so inhospitable as to give them also no meat
or fish?"

At this the people were vexed, and they said, "Well then!
let this husband be killed and eaten as the meat!" So they
killed and ate him.

This news, people also carried to Palm-tree, telling her
that Plantain's husband was also killed and eaten.

Then Palm-tree came to the town to speak about the death
of Plantain. The people justified themselves, saying, "But,
what else could we do? It was necessary to provide for the
guests."

Plam-tree submitted, "Truly, had Akanda obeyed me and
come to me and borne her child in my presence, she would
have had abundance, and would not have died. "

-V

PART SECOND

Benga Tribe
FOREWORD

The tales of this second part had their source with narra-
tors of Benga — speaking tribes of Corisco Island, the region
of the Bonito River, and Batanga. Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 were
written in Benga by the pioneer missionaries, Rev. Messrs.
Mackey and Clemens, from the dictation in Benga by natives
of Corisco, more than 40 years ago; and were printed as
reading-lessons in the Primer used in their schools.

I have translated them into English. They having thus
passed twice through foreign thought, have lost most of their
native idioms. Tale 4 was independently re-told me at
Batanga within the past few years, by a narrator living
there. It differs from the version printed in the Primer, and
I have combined the two.

The remaining thirty tales were given me at Batanga;
by three adult narrators, all of them civilized men. They
spoke them with me alone, or in the presence of one or two
silent attendants, sentence by sentence, in their Bapuku
dialect of the Benga language. I rapidly made notes in
an English translation of their principal words. This was
always at night, in order to leave the narrator at that ease
which he would naturally feel if he was telling the story to an
audience in the street, as he is accustomed to do in the eve-
nings. For that purpose also, I shaded my lamp, using its
light only for my pencil; he therefore spoke unrestrainedly.
Next morning, with my memory still fresh of the night's
story, I filled out the sentences. This set of the tales there-
fore is more native, in the preservation of its idioms, than any
other part.

79

TALE 1

SWINE TALKING

Persons
Ingowa (Hogs)

NOTE

Unlike other native legends based on "they say," the
native narrator, now more than 40 years ago, gave the
name and family name of the man who is stated to have
reported that he heard Swine talking with human speech.

There was a certain man in the time long ago, by name
Bokona, whose family name was Bodikito. He went to the
depths of the forest to do some business. When he was
about to return in the afternoon to go to his village, he heard
in advance of him, a noise of conversation. He thought
that perhaps they were people (of whose presence he was
not aware; for, there were no villages in that part of the
forest). But, when he had approached the spot, he did not
see people; but only a herd of Hogs speaking with the voices
of people. He was thus perfectly sure that they speak the
language of Mankind.

81

82 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

TALE 2
CROCODILE

Persons

Ngando (Crocodile) Two Children, and Towns-

People

Two children were bathing in a river; and a crocodile came
where they were. It seized one, and, grasping it with its
teeth, went with it to its hole in the river bank. It did not
kill him, but said to him, "I leave you here, and I go straight
back to bring the other one who remained." After the
crocodile had left, the one thus put into the hole, turning
his eyes about, saw it full of living fish (kept on hand by
the crocodile as its food-supply) . He saw also that there was
another opening in the cavity, above, just over his head.
Climbing up and jumping through it, he rapidly went straight
away to his village. He related all this incident to the people.
Then they gladly fired guns, for welcome of the child.

When the crocodile reached the bathing-place on its
return, it did not see the one whom it had left there; and it
was angry. While it was thus angry, the people shot at it
with guns, but their shots could not even wound it; and it
went back again to its hole to seek for and eat the child whom
it had seized.

When it again entered into the hole and searched, and did
not find him, it was very angry, and pursued him, going up
to the very middle of the village. For three days it was
there barking in the village, and trying to kill some one.

TALE 3

ORIGIN OF THE ELEPHANT
Persons

Uhadwe, Bokume and Njaku Towns-People, Sailors and
Sons of Njambi the Creator Others

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 83

NOTE

I have never seen the place; but, intelligent natives,
(though they did not believe in the legend itself) told me
there was the likeness to a human foot-print in a rock on the
beach of the north shore of Corisco Bay. Doubtless a fossil.

Uhadwe, Bokume, and Njaku were human beings, all three
born of one mother. (Afterwards Bokume was called
"Njape.")

As time went on, Uhadwe called his brethren, Bokume and
Njaku, and said, "My brothers! Let us separate; myself,
I am going to the Great Sea; you, Bokume go to the Forest;
you, Njaku, also go to the Forest. "

Bokume went to the forest and grew up there, and became
the valuable mahogany tree (Okume).

Njaku departed; but he went in anger, saying, "I will not
remain in the forest, I am going to build with the towns-
people. " He came striding back to the town. As he emerg-
ed there from the forest, his feet swelled and swelled, and
became elephant feet. His ear extended 'way down. His
teeth spreading, this one grew to a tusk, and that one grew
to a tusk. The towns-people began to hoot at him. And
he turned back to the forest. But, as he went, he said to
them, "In my going now to the Forest, I and whatever
plants you shall plant in the forest shall journey together,"
(i. e., that their plantations should be destroyed by him).
So Njaku went; and their food went.

When Uhadwe had gone thence and emerged at the Sea,
from the place where he emerged there grew the stem of
"bush-rope" (the Calamus palm); and the staff he held
became a mangrove forest. The footprints where he and
his dog trod are there on the beach of Corisco Bay until this
day. He created a sand-bank from where he stood, extend-
ing through the ocean, by which he crossed over to the Land
of the Great Sea. When he reached that Land, he prepared
a ship. He put into it every production by which white

84 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

people obtain wealth, and he said to the crew, "Go ye and
take for me my brother."

The ship came to Africa and put down anchor; but, for
four days the crew did not find any person coming from shore
to set foot on the ship, or to go from the ship to set foot
ashore, the natives being destitute of canoes.

Finally, Uhadwe came and appeared to the towns-people
in a dream, and said, "Go ye to the forest and cut down
Njape, dig out a canoe, and go alongside the ship. "

Early next morning they went to the forest, and came to
the Okume trees; they cut one down, and hacked it into
shape. They launched it on the sea, and said to their young
men, "Go!" Four young men went into the canoe to go
alongside the ship. When they had nearly reached it, look-
ing hither and thither they feared, and they stopped and
ceased paddling. The white men on the ship made repeated
signs to them. Then the young men, having come close,
spoke to the white men in the native language. A white
man answered also in the same language. That white man
said, " I have come to buy the tusks of the beast which is here
in the forest with big feet and tusks and great ears, that is
called Njaku." They said, "Yes! a good thing!" When
they were about leaving, the white man advancing to them,
deposited with them four bunches of tobacco, four bales of
prints, four caps, and other things.

When they reached the shore, they told the others, "The
white men want Njaku's tusks; and also they have things
by which to kill his tribe."

The next morning, they went to the white men; they were
trusted with guns and bullets and powder; they went to the
forest, and fought with the elephants. In two days the ship
was loaded, and it departed.

This continues to happen so until this day, in the Ivory-
Trade.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 85

TALE 4

LEOPARD'S MARRIAGE JOURNEY
Persons

Njambi (Chief of a Town) Vyadu (Antelope)

Nja (Leopard) Ehibo (Red Antelope)

Etoli (House-Rat) Iheli (Gazelle)

Mbindi (Wild Goat) Ekwgdikwedi (Fire-Fly)

Leopard wanted to marry, and he sought a betrothal at
Njambi's town. Secretly, Njambi had arranged with Leo-
pard that he should bring him no goods in payment of the
"Dowry," but only the bodies of animals.

Leopard agreed, and said to Njambi's daughter, "I will
dowry you only with animals." He returned to his home
for a few days; and then he called Rat to escort him to the
town of his prospective father-in-law. Rat consented.
And they started on their journey.

On their way, they came to a wide river; and Leopard said
to Rat, "Before one crosses this river, he must throw his
knife into it." Rat threw his knife; and so (apparently) did
Leopard. They crossed; went on their way, and came to a
Kuda tree; and they stopped, and began to gather the nuts.
Leopard drew his knife from its sheath, and splitting the
nut-shells and eating the kernels, said derisively to Rat,
"One who has no knife will not be able to eat kuda." Rat,
in his helplessness, made no protest. And they went on.
They came to a certain "Medicine" tree; and Leopard said,
"Etoli, if I shall fall sick on the way, and I tell you to go
back and get the bark of a certain tree for medicine, see ! this
is the tree. " Finally, they came to the town of the woman
whom Leopard was to marry. There, food was cooked for
them. Just before they were to sit down to eat, Leopard
exclaimed, "Etoli! I am sick! Go, and get that medicine
for me!" While Rat was gone, Leopard ate up almost all
the food, leaving only a few scraps for Rat.

At night, inside of the entrance of the house where the two
strangers were to sleep, was a pit already dug. Leopard

86 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

knew of it, and jumped over it; but Rat fell into it. Leopard
shouted to the town's-people, "This is the animal I brought
to pay on my Dowry! Come, and take him!" The people
came, caught Rat, and ate him.

The next morning, Leopard's father-in-law had food pre-
pared for him; he ate; and returned to his town. There,
the relatives of Rat asked him, "Where is the little one you
took to escort you?4' Leopard replied, "He refused to
return, staying there with the woman."

Again, Leopard prepared gifts of dried fish and tobacco for
his mother-in-law, and arranged for another journey. He
called to his relative, " Brother " Wild-Goat, " Come, escort
me to the town of my marriage. " Wild Goat consented; and
they started. They came to the River; and, as in the case of
Rat, Leopard said to Goat, "You will first throw away your
knife, before you can cross this river." Goat actually did
so; Leopard pretending to do so. Continuing their journey,
they came to that Kuda tree. Leopard was careful to stand
on a side of the tree opposite to Goat, as they gathered the
nuts. But, he said provokingly, "One can not eat kuda
without a knife." Wild Goat innocently replied, "But,
you, Nja, you are eating nuts ! Did you bring two knives?"
They journeyed on, and came to the Medicine tree. And
Leopard gave to Goat the same directions about it as he had
given to Rat.

When they reached the marriage town, food was set before
them. But Leopard immediately began to groan and
scream, "I'm dead! I'm dead! I'm dead with pain!"
Wild Goat sympathisingly inquired, "What shall I do to
help you?" Leopard replied, as in the case of Rat, "Go
back to that tree, and get its bark as a medicine for me."
Wild Goat went; and while he was away, Leopard ate the
food, leaving very little of it. On his return, Wild Goat
protested at so little being given him. Leopard explained,
"In my great suffering from tooth-ache, I ate nothing.
Perhaps it was the town's-people who ate up the food, leav-
ing you only these pieces. "

After they had eaten, they were called to the reception-
house, and spent the evening in conversation with the people
of the town. Then, they were shown to the house in which
they were to sleep. It was the one with the pit-fall inside

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 87

the door- way. Leopard, of course, jumped over it; but
Wild Goat fell into it. And, as in the case of Rat, Leopard
called out, "People of the town! This is your dowry-goods!
I have brought it to you!" The next morning, Leopard
took his journey, and came back home. When the people
of his town asked him, as in the case of Rat, " Where is the
friend you took with you?" he made the same reply, "Don't
ask me! He is entangled off there with women."

On a third journey, Leopard callexl Antelope to accompany
him. Antelope agreed. They came to the River; and as before
Leopard told how that river could not be crossed by travelers
unless their knives were thrown away. This, Antelope did.

Then, they came to the Kuda tree. There, Antelope heard
Leopard splitting the nuts, and asked him. "Did you not
throw away your knife? Do you travel with two?" Leo-
pard answered, "Yes! I always travel with two." Then,
they came to the Medicine tree. And Leopard explained
about its bark being the cure for his frequent tooth-aches,
when eating at his father-in-law's town.

They came to the town. And when food was brought to
them, Leopard cried out, "O! my tooth! my tooth!" Ante-
lope asked, "Where is your medicine that you said you use?"
Leopard answered, "At the tree which I showed you on the
way. Go, and get it." While Antelope was gone, Leopard
ate up almost all the food. On returning, Antelope exclaimed
"What! only this little food for me?" Leopard explained,
" With my great tooth-ache, I ate none. Nothing happened,
except that the town's-people came, and were eating up the
food; and I, in my kindness for you, begged them to leave at
least a little for you. " Antelope handed him the medicine,
and Leopard said, "Put it down there"; and he threw it
away, while Antelope's back was turned.

After they had eaten, they went to their room for the
night. Leopard, as usual, jumped over the pit; but Antelope
fell in. And Leopard gave his shout to the people to come
and take the Dowry-goods he had brought. The next
morning, after breakfast, Leopard again started on his home
journey. There, again he was anxiously asked, "But, those
whom you take with you don't come back! Why?" He
made the same reply, "They know why! Off there are
damsels and dancing; and they were unable to return."

88 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

For his next journey, Leopard asked Red Antelope, who
heartily replied, "Yes, come on! There is nothing to pre-
vent my going on a journey!" They journeyed, and they
came to the River. There, Leopard made his statement
about the necessity of throwing their knives into the river.
Red Antelope wondered a little, but he consented saying,
"Yes, but what is that to me?" Said Leopard, "Well,
then, shut your eyes, and I will be the first to throw, lest you
say I am deceiving you." Said Red Antelope, "Yes."
And he shut his eyes tightly. Then Leopard, having a stone
in his hand, flung it into the water, saying, "I've thrown
mine; throw also yours!" Red Antelope demanded, "But,
you must shut your eyes also." Leopard half-closed his
eyes, and Red Antelope, knife in hand, flung it into the
water. Then, wading across, they went on and on to the
base of the Kuda tree. Said Leopard, "Mr. Ehibo, this
Kuda is eate.n of here only by each person on his own side of
the trunk." Red Antelope assented; and they turned, this
one to one side, and that one to the other side. There, as
Red Antelope was vainly trying to crack the nuts with his
teeth, Leopard was deriding him while himself was comfortably
using his knife.

Then, Leopard said, "Let us go on; for, the day is declin-
ing." Red Antelope agreed. As they went, they came
to an Ebwehavu tree. And Leopard said, "Let us climb for
Bebwehavu fruits. But, when we climb this particular tree,
it is the practice here, to climb, one by one. While the one
is climbing, the other has his eyes shut; and, the climbing is
done, not by the trunk, but by this adjoining Bongo tree
which you see here. But, first, close your eyes, and I will
go up." (The Bongo's trunk is covered with hard sharp
thorns.) Red Antelope stood, with his eyes tightly closed.
Leopard grasped a vine; and, with one swing, he at once was
up the tree. Red Antelope began climbing that Bongo,
creeping slowly to the top, his whole body spoiled, and
nothing on him but blood and blood.

Said Leopard, "This Ebwehavu is accustomed to be
plucked only the green unripe, but the dark ripe ones are
to be left." That seemed strange to Red Antelope, never-
theless he said, "Yes." But Leopard was plucking the ripe
and leaving the green. When they had finished plucking,

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 89

Leopard said, " Ehibo ! shut eyes ! that I may descend ! " Red
Antelope shut his eyes. Leopard grasped the vine; and,
with one spring, was on the ground. Then, he said, "Now,
Ehibo, descend." Red Antelope began descending by the
Bongo, down, down, landing finally on the ground.

Leopard waited for him; and then said, "Having no fire,
how shall we cook those green bebwehavu?" Just then, he
saw a Fire-fly passing; and he said. "Mr. Ehibo! Pursue!
That's fire passing there!" Red Antelope bent in rapid pur-
suit. Leopard turned to the base of the tree, gathered dried
fire-wood, struck his flint, lighted a fire, cooked his fruits,
ate them, finished, and put out his fire. Red Antelope,
back again, said, "I did not reach it, I'm tired." Leopard
said, "Well, let it go. I chewed mine uncooked. But, let
us journey; and, as you go, you chew yours." They went
on, and came to the town of the marriage. Food was cooked
and set for them in their room. Said Leopard, "Ehibo, sit
you on the floor, while I eat at the table. And, while I eat
the flesh, you eat the bones. " Red Antelope had become so
utterly wearied and humiliated that he did not resent this
indignity. They ate. And then Leopard said, "Ehibo,
sweep up the scraps, and go and throw them into the back
yard." (Immediately on his arrival at the town, Leopard
had gone alone to his father-in-law, and said, "I have brought
you an animal. But, let another pit, this time, be dug in
the back yard of the room where we shall be. And, do you
put spears and daggers and all kinds of sharp sticks there.
When I shall send him to throw away the sweepings, and he
shall fall in, kill ye him.")

Red Antelope swept, and scraped up the sweepings, and
threw them into a basket. He turned with them to the
back yard, to fling them away. As he was about to do so,
he slipped down to the bottom of the pit. Impaled on the
spears, he was unable to jump out. When the town's-people
arrived, they thrust him through with sharp poles; and he
lay dead.

When Leopard returned home, Red Antelope's people
asked, "Where is Ehibo? " Leopard made his former answer,
"Ehibo was hindered by the hospitality of that marriage
town, with its food and its women; and, he said, 'I won't go
back!'"

90 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

Thus, with each journey, Leopard called for another
animal. They went, over the same route; and the same
things happened each time. So, matters went on for a long
while. But, Gazelle, a very smart beast, began to suspect,
observing that none of Leopard's travel-companions ever
came back. In his heart, he thought to himself, "Leopard
deceives people!" He determined to find out, by offering
to go, and watch for himself. At last, he said, "Uncle Nja,
let me go to escort you to the town of your marriage. When
next you go on your journey, call me to go with you. " Said
Leopard, "I don't want you." (He suspected Gazelle's
smartness.) Gazelle insisted, "Uncle, as to these others
whom you have invited to go with you, and not the rather
me, your relative?"

So, Leopard agreed, "Yes, let us go." By the next morn-
ing they started on their journey, going on and on, clear to
the big River. There, as usual, Leopard told about knives
to be thrown into the river; and he said, "Nephew Iheli, you
first throw your knife." Said Gazelle, "First, you throw
yours, then I will throw mine also." Said Leopard, "Well!
shut your eyes!" Gazelle half-closed his hands on his eyes,
and was peeping. He saw Leopard seize a chunk of wood
and fling it in the water. Then he said, "Shut eyes! Let
me also throw mine!" Leopard's eyes shut tight. Gazelle,
seizing a stick, flung it into the water. Then, they crossed
the river, and went on and on, until they came to the base of
the Kuda tree. Leopard made his usual statement about
parties eating the nuts on opposite sides of the tree. Gazelle,
with apparent obedience, said, '"Yes." Leopard, with knife
drawn, began to hack and split the nuts, throwing the kernels
into his mouth, and making his usual derisive remark, "By
the truth! a person without a knife can not eat the kernels
of kuda. " Gazelle also, hacking his, and throwing them into
his mouth, said, "Just exactly so! a person without a knife
can not eat the kernel of kuda-nut!" Leopard exclaimed,
"What are you doing? Have you two knives?" Gazelle
replied, "But, what are you doing? Had you two knives?"
Leopard answered, "Yes, for, I am the senior." Gazelle
responded, "And I also carry two knives; for, I also am an
adult." Leopard only said, "Iheli! Come on!" They
went on, until they came to the Ebwehavu tree. There,

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 91

Leopard made his usual explanation of climbing only by
means of the Bongo tree. Gazelle agreed, and said, "Yes;
climb you first. " Leopard said, " Shut your eyes. " Gazelle
stood, with eyes apparently tightly closed. With one swing
on a vine, Leopard is up the tree. Said Gazelle, "You also,
shut your eyes. Let me go up." Leopard pretended to
shut his eyes. And Gazelle, with one swing, was also up the
tree. Leopard made his usual statement about plucking
only the green fruit. To which, Gazelle seemed to assent.

And they descended the tree, without Leopard attempting
to deceive Gazelle about the Bongo tree.

But, Leopard seeing the sun going down, said, "Iheli!
Pursue! that's fire that's going there!" But, Gazelle showed
he was not deceived, by simply saying, "That's not fire!"
So, Leopard gathered fire- wood; and they cooked and ate
their bebwehavu.

Then, they resumed their journey, and came to the Medi-
cine tree. There Leopard told his usual story about the
bark of that tree being his great cure-all. Gazelle quietly
said, "Yes." But, when they left the tree, and had gone a
short distance farther, he exclaimed, "O! I forgot my
staff! I must go back and get it!" He went back to the
tree, stripped bark from it, put it into his traveling-bag, and
overtook Leopard. And they came on together to the town.
After they had entered their house, Gazelle remarked to
Leopard, "Let me go out and see the other fellows, who came
with you on your previous journeys, and who, you said, had
stayed here with the women." He went out; and returned,
saying, "I saw the women, but none of those fellows. " Food
was cooked for them, and they sat down to eat. But, sud-
denly, Leopard broke out in groans, "Iheli! I feel a pain
in my stomach; go, get bark of that tree I showed you. The
medicine! Get the medicine!" Gazelle answered "Yes,
but just wait until I finish my plate;" and he continued
eating rapidly. Leopard was distressed to see the food dis-
appearing; but, as he had pretended sickness, he did not
dare begin to eat. When, finally there was but little food
left, Gazelle introduced his hand into his bag, and, handing
out the pieces of bark, said, "Here's your medicine! That's
it!" Leopard said, "Yes, just leave it there. I do not need
the medicine now. The pain has ceased. Let us first eat.

92 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

We will eat together. " After finishing their eating, Gazelle
swept up the scraps, and placed them in a basket. Said
Leopard, "Come, I will go with you to show you the place
where sweepings are to be thrown." Gazelle was about to
fling the basket, as Leopard came to push him into the pit.
But, Gazelle lightly leaped across to the other side of it, and
cried out, " Uncle ! what do you want to do to me? " Leopard
said, "That's nothing!"

It being night, they went to their sleeping-room, Leopard
accompanied by his wife. He and she carefully jumped
over the other pit that was inside of the door-way of that
house. Gazelle also jumped, with careful observation, the
while that people stood outside expecting him to fall into it.
They retired for the night, Leopard and his wife on the bed;
Gazelle on a mat on the floor. Said Gazelle, "Uncle, if you
hear me stertorously snoring, then I am awake; but, if silently,
then I am asleep." In a little while, Gazelle feigned gentle
snoring. Leopard thinking Gazelle was alseep, took an iron
rod, and thrust it into the fire. Gazelle saw what he was
doing. When it was red-hot, he removed it, and, stepping
softly, was about to stab Gazelle with it; who, quickly mov-
ing aside, exclaimed, "Eh! what are you doing?" Leopard
coolly replied, "Nothing; I was only brushing away an
insect that was biting you." Gazelle thought within him-
self, "Nja will surely kill me to-night." So, he took chalk,
and secretly marked circles around his eyes, making himself
look as if his eyes were open and he awake, even if he should
actually be asleep. After a while, Leopard slept, sound
asleep with his wife. Then Gazelle passed over to Leopard's
bed, and lifting the woman (unconscious in her sleep) to his
mat on the floor, laid down in her place, beside Leopard in
the bed. During the night, Leopard awoke, and, not notic-
ing, in the darkness, the change at his side, went with the
rod, to the mat where he supposed Gazelle was sleeping, and
stabbed the woman to death.

Then Gazelle (who had remained awake) cried out, "Eh!
you kill another person? You are killing your wife!" Leo-
pard exclaimed, "Umph! Is that you? I said to myself that
this was you!" Gazelle said, "Yes! what did you go to my
bed for? So, then! I am the one you wanted to kill!" Leo-
pard confessed, "It is true that I came here to kill you,

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 93

thinking this was you. But, as the matter is thus, say no
more about it. Let us cut up and eat this woman. Come,
cut up!" But, Gazelle said, "I? When the town's-people
hear the chopping, then won't they say, 'What animal has
Iheli killed in his brother-in-law's town, that he is cutting it
up at night?' Yourself, cut her to pieces."

So, Leopard said, "Well, leave the work on the body of
the woman to me; but, do you attend to the cooking. " Said
Gazelle, "I? When the town's people shall hear the kettle
boiling, then will they say, 'Whom has Iheli killed in the
town of his brother-in-law, that he cooks at night'?"

Leopard boiled the kettle. It was cooked; and he said to
Gazelle, "Go, cut down a bunch of plantains, out there in
the back-yard." (This he said, hoping that Gazelle would
fall into that pit, either in going out or coming in.) But,
Gazelle said, "I? When the town's people hear the strokes of
the machete, and the crash of the fall of the bunch, then, will
they not suspect me, and say, 'What meat has Iheli killed,
that he is cutting down a plantain at night?' Cut it your-
self." Leopard went and cut down a bunch of plantains,
and said to Gazelle, "Now, come and peel the plantains, and
cook them." Gazelle refused, "No; do you peel and cook.
I'm in bed. I'll eat only greens." Then Leopard said
(making a last effort to get Gazelle into the pit), "Well, go
to the back-yard, and pluck pepper for the soup." Gazelle
again refused, "No: when the town's-people hear the pluck-
ing of the pods, will they not say, 'What animal has Iheli
killed that he is gathering pepper for the soup?' ''

Finally, Leopard, having done all the work, and finished
cooking, and set the table, said, "Come, Iheli, I have finished
all. Come, and eat." Gazelle came, but said, "First,
put out all the lights." Leopard did so. And Gazelle
added, "We will understand that whichever, at the close
of the meal, has the largest pile of bones by his plate, shall be
known as the one who killed the woman. " Leopard agreed.
The light having been extinguished, they ate in darkness.
But, while they were eating, Gazelle chose only the bony
pieces that had little meat; and, having picked them, he
quietly laid the bones by Leopard's plate. When they had
finished eating, the torches were re-lighted, and Gazelle
cried out at Leopard's big pile of bones. They were counted.

94 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

And Gazelle said, "Did you not say that whoever had the
most bones would prove himself the murderer? So! indeed!
you are the one who killed another person's child!"

Leopard evaded, and said, "But, Iheli, take a broom and
sweep up the scraps from the floor, and throw them into the
yard. " (Making thus a final effort to get Gazelle into that
pit.) But, Gazelle, refused, "No; yourself do it. When
the town's-people hear the bones falling as they are thrown
in the yard, will they not suspect me, and say, 'What animal
has Iheli killed at night, that he is clearing away the scraps?' '
Leopard swept up the floor and table, and threw the pieces
into the backyard. As they were finishing, day began to
dawn. Gazelle said, "Nja, the day is breaking; let us seek
hiding-places; for, when the people come in, in the morning,
and find that their daughter is dead, lest they kill us. " So,
they began to look around for hiding-places. Gazelle said,
"I shall hide in this big box on the floor." But, Leopard
objected, "No; that traveling-box befits me; and, as the elder,
I shall take it." Gazelle said, then, "Well, I'll hide under
the bed." But, Leopard again objected (hoping to leave
Gazelle without a place). "No; that also is my place; it
suits me." Gazelle protested, "You are claiming this and
that place! Where shall I go? Well! I see! I'll hide
over the door." "Yes" said Leopard, "that's the hiding-
place for a young person like you." (This he said, still
thinking of the pit near the door.) Gazelle agreed, saying,
"I am here, by the door. You get into that box, and I'll
tie it with a string, as if no one was in it. " Leopard objected,
"But, the string will hinder my breaking out." "No,"
replied Gazelle, "it shall be a weak twine. You can easily
burst it, when you fling up the lid, and jump out, and run
away."

Leopard got into the box, and Gazelle began to tie it with a
heavy chain. Leopard hearing the clanking, exclaimed,
"With a chain, Iheli?" Gazelle had the chain fast; and he
coolly replied, "It's only a little one." Then he piled
heavy stones on the box. As day broke, he took his stand
among a bundle of dried plantain-leaves that was over the
door-way. The towns-people sent a child to open the door
of the strangers' house, to call them to eat. As the child was
about to enter, Gazelle struck him a blow on the head; and the

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 95

child went away wailing with pain. The child's father said
to his family that he would go to see what was the matter.
As he pushed wide open the door of the strangers' house,
Gazelle slid down, sprang out, and ran rapidly away, shout-
ing, "NJ£i is there! Nj& is in that box! He it is who has
killed your woman!" And the towns-people shouted after
him, "Is that so? Well, you're off, Iheli! Go!"

Leopard, when he heard that, made desperate efforts to
get out of the box. The town's-men entered the house and
found the box with Leopard tied in it. They fired their
guns at him, and killed him. As they did so, they reproached
him, "Why did you kill our daughter, whom you came to
marry?" Then they gathered together a great pile of fire-
wood in the street, thrust on to it the dead body of Leopard,
and burned him there. Gazelle went back to the town of
Beasts, and they asked him, "Where is he with whom you
went on your journey?" Gazelle told them, "He is dead.
He it was who killed the other Beasts who went with him.
And he is now killed by the relatives of the woman whom he
was to marry, but whom also he had murdered. "

For this reason, that Gazelle informed on Leopard in the
box, the relatives of Leopard since then have no friendship
with Gazelle, and always pursue and try to kill him. The
entire Leopard tribe have kept up that feud with the Gazelle
tribe, saying, "You caused our father's death." And they
carry on their revenge.

TALE 5
TORTOISE IN A RACE

Persons
Kudu (Tortoise) Mbalanga (Antelope)

NOTE

Discussions about seniority are common causes of quarrel
in Africa. The reason assigned why tortoises are so spread
everywhere is that the antelope tribe, in public-meeting,

96 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

recognized their superiority. At Batanga, Gaboon, Ogowe,
and everywhere on the equatorial west coast, there are
tortoises even in places where there are no other animals.
On account of this, the tortoise is given many names; and
has many nicknames in the native tribes, e. g., "Manyima,"
and"Evosolo."

Tortoise had formerly lived in the same town with several
other animals. But, after awhile, they had decided to sepa-
rate, and each built his own village.

One day, Tortoise decided to roam. So he started, and
went on an excursion; leaving his wife and two children in
the village. On his way, he came to the village of Antelope.
The latter welcomed him. killed a fowl, and prepared food
for him; and they sat at the table, eating.

When they had finished eating, Antelope asked, "Kudu!
My friend, what is your journey for?"

Tortoise answered, "I have come to inquire of you, as to
you and me, which is the elder?" Antelope replied, "Kudu!
I am older than you!" But Tortoise responded, "No! I am
the elder!" Then Antelope said, "Show me the reason why
you are older than I!" Tortoise said, continuing the dis-
cussion, "I will show you a sign of seniority. Let us have a
race, as a test of speed. " Antelope replied derisively, " Aiye !
how shall I know to test speed with Kudu? Does Kudu
race?" However, he agreed, and said, "Well! in three days
the race shall be made. "

Tortoise spoke audaciously, "You, Mbalanga, cannot
surpass me in a race!" Antelope laughed, having accepted
the challenge; while Tortoise pretended to sneer, and said,
"I am the one who will overcome!"

The course chosen, beginning on the beach south of Batan-
ga, was more than seventy miles from the Campo River
northward to the Balimba Country.

Then Tortoise went away, going everywhere to give
directions, and returned to his village. He sent word secretly
to all the Tortoise Tribe to call tnem. When they had come
very many of them together, he told them, "I have called
my friend Mbalanga for a race. I know that he can surpass

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 97

me in this race, unless you all help me in my plan. He will
follow the sea-beach. You all must line yourselves among
the bushes at the top of the beach along the entire route all
the way from Campo to Balimba. When Mbalanga, coming
along, at any point, looks around to see whether I am follow-
ing, and calls out, "Kudu! where are you?" the one of you
who is nearest that spot must step out from his place, and
answer for me, "Here!"

Thus he located all the other tortoises in the bushes on the
entire route. Also, he placed a colored mark on all the
tortoises, making the face of every one alike. He stationed
them clear on to the place where he expected that Antelope
would be exhausted. Then he ended, taking his own place
there.

Antelope also arranged for himself, and said, to his wife,
"My wife! make me food; for, Kudu and I have agreed on a
race; and it begins at seven o'clock in the morning. "

When all was ready, Antelope said, to (the one whom he
supposed was) Kudu, "Come! let us race!" They started.
Antelope ran on and on, and came as far as about ten miles
to the town of Ubenji, among the Igara people. At various
spots on the way Tortoise apparently was lost behind; but
as constantly he seemed to re-appear, saying, "I'm here!"

At once, Antelope raced forward rapidly, pu ! pu ! pu ! to a
town named Ipenyenye. Then he looked around and said,
"Where is Kudu?" A tortoise stepped out of the bushes,
saying "Here I am! You haven't raced."

Antelope raced on until he reached the town of Bey a.
Again looking around, he said, "Where is Kudu?" A tor-
toise stepped out, replying, "I'm here!"

Antelope again raced, until he reached the town Lolabe.
Again he asked, "Where is Kudu?" A tortoise saying to
himself, "He hasn't heard anything," replied, "Here
lam!"

Again Antelope raced on as far as from there to a rocky
point by the sea named Ilale-ja-moto; and then he called,
"Wherever is Kudu?" A tortoise ready answered, "Here
Jam!"

From thence, he came on in the race another stretch of
about ten miles, clear to the town of Bongaheli of the Batanga
people. At each place on the route, when Antelope, losing

98 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

sight of Tortoise, called, "Kudu! where are you?" promptly
the tortoise on guard at that spot replied, "I'm here!"

Then on he went, steadily going, going, another stretch of
about twenty miles to Plantation Beach. Still the prompt
reply to Antelope's call, "Kudu, where are you?" was, "I'm
here!"

As he started away from Plantation, the wearied Antelope
began to feel his legs tired. However, he pressed on to
Small Batanga, hoping for victory over his despised contest-
ant. But, on his reaching the edge of Balimba, the tortoise
was there ready with his, "I'm here!"

Finally, on reaching the end of the Balimba settlement,
Antelope fell down, dying, froth coming from his mouth,
and lay dead, being utterly exhausted with running. But,
when Tortoise arrived, he took a magic-medicine, and restored
Antelope to life; and then exulted over him by beating him,
and saying, "Don't you show me your audacity another day
by daring to run with me! I have surpassed you!"

So, they returned separately to their homes on the Campo
River. Tortoise called together the Tortoise Tribe; and
Antelope called all the Antelope Tribe. And they me\in a
Council of all the Animals. Then Tortoise rose and spoke —
"All you Kudu Tribe ! Mbalanga said I would not surpass
him in a race. But, this day I have surpassed!"

So the Antelope Tribe had to acknowledge, "Yes, you,
Kudu, have surpassed our champion. It's a great shame to
us; for, we had not supposed that a slow fellow such as we
thought you to be, could possibly do it, or be able to out-
run a Mbalanga."

So the Council decided that, of all the tribes of animals,
Tortoise was to be held as greatest; for, that it had out-run
Antelope. And the Animals gave Tortoise the power to rule.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 99

TALE 6

GOAT'S TOURNAMENT

Persons
Tomba (Goat) Nja (Leopard)

NOTE

The reason why leopards wander everywhere, and fight
all other animals, is their shame at being overcome by a goat.
Their ancestor had said, " I did not know that a Goat could
overcome me."

The Tribe of Goats sent a message to the Tribe of Leopards,
saying, "Let us have a Wrestling Match, in an effort to see
which is the stronger. " Then Leopard took counsel with his
Tribe, "This Tribe of Goats! I do not see that they have
any strength. Let us agree to the contest; for, they can do
nothing to me. "

So, the Goat Tribe gathered all together; and the Leopard
Tribe all together; and they met in a street of a town, to
engage in the drumming and dancing and singing usually
preceding such contests.

For the wrestling, they joined in thirty pairs, one from
each tribe. The first pair wrestled; and the representative
of the Leopards was overcome and thrown to the ground.
Another pair joined; and again the Leopard champion was
overcome. A third pair joined and wrestled, contesting
desperately; the Leopard in shame, and the Goat in exultation.
Again the Leopard was overcome.

There was, during all this time, drumming by the ad-
herents of both parties. The Leopard drum was now beaten
fiercely to encourage their side, as they had already been
overcome three times in succession.

Then, on the fourth effort, the Leopard succeeded in over-
coming. Again a pair fought; and Leopard overcame a
second time. The sixth pair joined; and Leopard said,

100 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

"Today we wrestle to settle that doubt as to which of us is
the stronger. "

So, pair after pair wrestled, until all of the thirty arranged
pairs had contested. Of these, the Leopard tribe were
victors ten times; and the Goat Tribe twenty times.

Then the Leopard tribe said, "We are ashamed that the
report should go out among all the animals that we beat
only ten times, and the Tomba twenty times. So, we will
not stay any longer here, with their and our towns near to-
gether:" for they knew that their Leopard tribe would always
be angry when they should see a company of Goats passing,
remembering how often they were beaten. So, they moved
away into the forest distant from their hated rivals. In
their cherished anger at being beaten, and to cover their
shame, Leopard attacks a Goat when he meets him alone,
or any other single beast known to be friendly to the
Goats, e. g., Oxen or Antelopes.

TALE 7

WHY GOATS BECAME DOMESTIC
Persons

Tomba- Ya-Taba (Goat) Nja (Leopard)

With Etoli, plural Betoli (Rat) Ko (Wild-Rat)

Vyadu (Antelope, plural La- Njaku (Elephant)

du) Mankind
Nyati (Ox)

Goat and his mother lived alone in their village. He said
to her, "I have here a magic-medicine to strengthen one in
wrestling. There is no one who can overcome me, or cast
me down; I can overcome any other person."

The other Beasts heard of this boast; and they took up
the challenge. First, house-Rats, hundreds of them, came
to Goat's village, to test him. And they began the wrest-
ling. He overcame them, one by one, to the number of two
hundred. So, the Rats went back to their places, admitting
that they were not able to overcome him.

WHERE ANIMALS TAJiK 101

Then, forest-Rat came to wrestle with Goat. He over-
came them also, all of them. And they went back to their
own place defeated.

Then, the Antelope came to wrestle with Goat. He over-
came all the Antelopes, every one of them; not one was able
to withstand him. And they also went back to their
places.

Also, Elephant with all the elephants, came on that same
challenge. Goat overcame all the Elephants; and they too,
went back to their place.

Thus, all the Beasts came, in the same way, and were
overcome in the same way, and went back in the same way.

But, there still remained one Beast, only one, Leopard,
who had not made the attempt. So he said he would go;
as he was sure he could overcome. He came. Goat over-
came him also. So, it was proved that not a single beast
could withstand Goat.

Then the Father of All-the-Leopards said, "I am ashamed
that this Beast should overcome me. I will kill him !" And
he made a plan to do so. He went to the spring where Man-
kind got their drinking-water. And he stood, hiding at the
spring. Men of the town went to the spring to get water;
Leopard killed two of them. The people went to tell Goat,
"Go away from here, for Leopard is killing Mankind on
your account." The Mother of Goat said to him, "If that
is so, let us go to my brother Vyadu." So they both went
to go to Uncle Antelope. And they came to his village.
When they told him their errand, he bravely said, "Remain
here! Let me see Nja come here with his audacity!"

They were then at Antelope's village, about two days.
On the third day, about eight o'clock in the morning, Leo-
pard came there as if for a walk. When Antelope saw him,
Goat and his mother hid themselves; and Antelope asked
Leopard, "What is your anger? Why are you angry with
my nephew?"

At that very moment while Antelope was speaking, Leo-
pard seized him on the ear. Antelope cried out, "What
are you killing me for?" Leopard replied, "Show me the
place where Tomba-Taba and his mother are. " So, Ante-
lope being afraid said, "Come tonight, and I will show you
where they sleep. And you kill them; but don't kill me. "

102' WHERE -ANiMALS TALK

While he was saying this, Goat overheard, and said to his
mother, "We must flee, lest Nja kill us." So, at sun-down,
that evening, Goat and his mother fled to the village of Ele-
phant. About midnight, Leopard came to Antelope's
village, according to appointment, and looked for Goat, but
did not find him. Leopard went to all the houses of the
village, and when he came to Antelope's own, in his disap-
pointment, he killed him.

Leopard kept up his search, and followed to find where
Goat had gone. Following the tracks, he came to the village
of Elephant. When he arrived there, Elephant demanded,
"What's the matter?" And the same conversation was
held, as at Antelope's village, and the incidents happened as
at that village, ending with Elephant's being killed by Leo-
pard. For, Goat and his mother had fled, and had gone to
the village of Ox.

Leopard followed, and came to Ox's village. There all the
same things were said and done, as in the other villages, and
ending with Goat and his mother fleeing, and Ox being killed.

Then, the mother, wearying of flight, and sorry at causing
their entertainers to be killed, said, "My child! if we con-
tinue to flee to the villages of other beasts, Nja will follow,
and will kill them. Let us flee to the homes of Mankind. "

So, they fled again, and came to the town of Man, and told
him their story. He. received them kindly. He took Goat
and his mother as guests, and gave them a house to live in.

One time, at night, Leopard came to the town of Man, in
pursuit of Goat. But Man said to Leopard, "Those Beasts
whom you killed, failed to find a way in which to kill you.
But, if you come here, we will find a way. " So, that night,
Leopard went back to his village.

On another day, Mankind began to make a big trap, with
two rooms in it. They took Goat and put him in one room
of the trap. Night came. Leopard left his village, still
going to seek for Goat; and he came again to the town of Man.
Leopard stood still, listened, and sniffed the air. He smelled
the odor of Goat, and was glad, and said, "So! this night I
will kill him!"

He saw an open way to a small house. He thought it was
a door. He entered, and was caught in the trap. He could
see Goat through the cracks in the wall, but could not get

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 103

at him. Goat jeered at him, "My friend! you were about
to kill me, but you are unable. "

Daybreak came. And people of Man's town found Leo-
pard in the trap, caught fast. They took machetes and
guns, and killed him. Then Man said to Goat, "You shall
not go back to the Forest; remain here always."

This is the reason that Goats like to live with mankind,
through fear of Leopards.

TALE 8
IGWANA 's FORKED TONGUE

Persons

Ngambi (Igwana) Vyadu (Antelope)

Nj& (Leopard) Iheli (Gazelle)

Betoli (Rats) Ehibo (Red Antelope)

NOTE

Natives believe that the Igwana kills with its long tongue.
This story assigns the fear of leopards as a reason why Igwa-
nas like to live near water. Igwanas swim readily, while
leopards (as all the cat-tribe) do not like even to wet their
feet.

There were two friends, Igwana and Leopard, living in
the same village, one at each end. Igwana had six wives;
Leopard also had six. Leopard begot twenty children;
Igwana had eight. One time, at night, they were sitting
with their wives and children in the street, in a conversation.
Leopard said to Igwana, "Ngambi! I have a word to say to
you. " Igwana said, " Speak. "

Then Leopard said, "I wish you and me to have our food
together." Igwana agreed, "Well." And Leopard ar-
ranged, "For two months, you shall come and eat in my
house; and then, for two months, I at your house."

104 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

And they separated, to go to their houses for sleep.

Soon the night passed, and day broke.

Leopard went to the forest and killed an Antelope. He
and Igwana and their families spent four days in eating it.

On another day, Leopard went to the forest and killed a
Gazelle. It also was finished in four days.

And again, Leopard went to the forest, and killed a Red
Antelope. They were occupied in eating it also four
days.

So, they continued all the two months. Then Leopard
said, "Ngambi! it is your time to begin the food." Igwana
replied, "I have no wild meat, only vegetables."

On the following day, Igwana got ready his food and sent
word for Leopard to come to eat. He came and ate, there
being on the table only vegetables and salt. Then the day
darkened; and, in the evening they all came together in one
place, as usual. Leopard said to Igwana, "I began my turn
with meats in my house, and you ate them. I cannot eat
only vegetables and salt." Igwana explained, "I do not
know the arts for killing beasts." Leopard told him, "Be-
gin now to try the art of how to catch beasts." Igwana
replied, "If I begin a plan for catching Beasts, that plan
will be a dreadful one. " Leopard exclaimed, " Good ! begin ! "

Igwana promised, "Tomorrow I will begin."

And they all went to their houses to sleep their sleep.
The night passed, and day broke.

Igwana started out very early in the morning. On the
way, he came to a big tree. He stood at its base, and, with
a cord, he loosely tied his own hands and feet around the tree.
Then he began to squeak as if in pain, "Hwa! hwa! hwa!"
three times.

At that same time, a child of Leopard had gone wandering
out into the forest. He found Igwana tied to the tree and
crying. Igwana said to him, "Ah! my child ! come near me,
and untie me."

The child of Leopard came near to him; and then Igwana
thrust his forked tongue into the nostrils of young leopard,
and pulled his brains out, so that the child died. Then
Igwana untied himself, skinned the young leopard, divided
it, tied the pieces in a big bundle of leaves, and took them
and the skin to the village. There he gave the meat to his

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 105

wife, who put it in a pot. And he went to his house, and
left the skin hanging in his bedroom.

Then when the meat was cooked, he sent word for Leopard
to come and eat. Leopard came and sat down at the table,
and they ate. As they were eating, Leopard said, "Ah! my
friend! You said you did not know how to catch beasts!
What is this fine meat?'

Igwana replied, "I am unable to tell you. Just you eat
it." So, they ate, and finished eating. Igwana continued
that way for two weeks, killing the young leopards.

At that Leopard said to himself, "I had begotten twenty
children, but now I find only ten. Where are the other ten? "
He asked his children where their brothers were. They
answered that they did not know, "Perhaps they were lost
in the forest." The while that Igwana was killing the
young leopards, he had hidden their skins all in his bed-
room.

On another day, Leopard and Igwana began a journey
together to a place about forty miles distant. Before he
started, Igwana closed his house, and said to his children,
"Njd and I are going on a journey; while I am away, do not
let any one enter into my bedroom." And they two went
together on their journey. They reached their journey's
end, and were there for the duration of seven days. While
they were gone, there was no one to get meat for their people,
and there came on their village a great njangu (hunger for
meat).

One of those days, in the village, so great was that famine
that the children of Leopard were searching for rats for food.
The rats ran away to the house of Igwana that was shut up ;
and the children of Leopard pursued. But the children of
Igwana said to them, "Do not enter the house! Our father
forbade it! Stop at the door- way!"

But the young leopards replied, "No! all the Betoli have
run in there. We must follow. " So, they broke down the
door. There they found skins of young leopards, and they
exclaimed, "So! indeed! Ngambi kills our brothers!" And
two days later, the two fathers came back to the village.

The young igwanas told their father that the young leo-
pards had broken the door, and found leopard-skins hanging
inside. Igwana asked them, "Really? They saw?" The

106 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

young igwanas answered, "Yes! they saw!" Then Igwana
said, "Be on your guard! For, Nja will be angry with me."

Also, the young leopards said to their father, "Paia! so it
is that Ngambi killed our brothers. We saw their skins in
his bedroom." Leopard asked, "Truly?" They answered,
" Yes ! we saw ! " He said only, " Well, let it be. "

On another day. Leopard said, "This night I will go to
Ngambi to kill him and all his children." The wife of
Igwana heard this, and told him, " Tonight, Nja will come to
kill you and our children. " At this, Igwana said to himself
" But ! we must flee, I, and my children, and my wives ! " So,
they all went and hid in the water of a small stream.

Leopard came, in the dark of the morning, to Igwana's
house, and entered it; but he saw no people, only the skins
of his children. So he exclaimed, "At whatever place I
shall see Ngambi, I will kill and eat him. We, he and I,
have no more friendship ! "

TALE 9

WHAT CAUSED THEIR DEATHS?
Persons

Mbwa (Dog) Kudu (Tortoise)
Mbala (Squirrel)

NOTE

Dog and squirrel were of the same age, and they met with
the same end. They each had an object of their special
liking, the excessive use of which finally was the cause of
their death.

Dog, Squirrel, Tortoise and others were living in one town.
They all, at that time, ate of the same kind of food. But,

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 107

they were at peace in that village during only two weeks.
Then Squirrel and Dog said to Tortoise, "Let us divide, and
have peace each at our separate villages. You, Kudu, and
the others can stay at this spot if you like. "

Squirrel said he would remove to a place about three miles
distant north. Dog went about three miles in the opposite
direction. So, each had his own little hamlet.

On another day, Squirrel said to his wife, " I am going on a
journey to see my friend Mbwa." He started, came to
Dog's place, and entered the house. Dog welcomed him,
played with him, and killed a fowl for their dinner. With
Squirrel had come one of his wives.

While the women were cooking inside the house, Dog and
Squirrel were sitting in the ikenga (reception-room). They
were conversing there. After awhile, Dog said to Squirrel
"Excuse me, I will go to see about the food. " He went in-
side, and lay down near the fire, and Squirrel was left alone.

Dog stayed there inside the house, until the food was
cooked. Then he came out to his friend, and began to set
the table, while the women came in with the food, and put
it on the table. Dog drew up by the table ready to eat; and
Squirrel also; and Squirrel's wife, and Dog's wife also, mak-
ing four at the table.

During the eating, Squirrel said to Dog, " My friend ! when
you left me here in the ikenga, where did you go to, the while
that the women were cooking the food?" Dog answered,
" Ah ! my friend, you know that I like fire very much. While
we were talking here, you and I, cold seized me. "

Then Squirrel said, "Ah! my friend, you like fire too much;
I think you will die of fire some day. "

They finished the food; and after that, Squirrel prepared
his return journey to his village. And he said to Dog, "My
friend Mbwa, how many days before you shall come to my
place?" Dog answered, "In two days, then will I come. "

So, Squirrel returned to his village. His wives and child-
ren told him the daily news of what had occurred in the
village while he was away. And he told them about what
he had seen at Dog's. And he added, "But, there is one
thing I noticed; my friend Mbwa likes fire very much."

He waited the two days; Dog came on his visit; and Squir-
rel killed a fowl for his guest. And he bade his woman cook

108 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

the fowl. In the meanwhile, Dog and Squirrel sat in the
ikenga conversing. Presently Squirrel said to Dog, "Excuse
me, I am going. I will return. "

Squirrel went out into his garden, and climbed up a banana
stalk, and began eating the ripe fruit at the top of the bunch.
After awhile, he came down again. And he went into the
ikenga to prepare the table for the food. When it was
ready, Dog sat up at the table. With him were his wife, and
Squirrel and Squirrel's wife.

Presently, Dog inquired of Squirrel, "My friend! when
you left me sitting here alone, where did you go to? " Squir-
rel answered, "My friend! you know I like to eat bananas.
So, I was up the tree," Then Dog said, "My friend! you
love bananas too much; some day, you will die with them."

When they had finished their food, Dog said, "I am on
my return to my village." So he returned thither. But
he was arrived there only two days when he happened to
fall into the fire-place. And he died in the fire. The news
was carried to his friend Squirrel, "Your friend Mbwa is
dead by fire." Squirrel replied, "Yes, I said so; for he
loved fire too much. "

On another day, in Man's town, a person went to look for
food at his banana tree. And he saw that the fruit was
eaten at the top, by some animal. So, that Man made a
snare at the Banana tree. On the next day, Squirrel said to
himself, "I'm going to eat my banana food wherever I shall
find it."

He came to the town of Man, and climbed the tree. The
snare caught and killed him; and he died there. The Man
came and found the body of Squirrel; and he exclaimed
"Good!"

The news was carried to the village of Squirrel's children,
"Your father is dead, at a banana tree."

And they said, "Yes; for our father loved bananas very
much. He had said that Mbwa would die by fire because
he loved fire. And himself also loved bananas. "

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 109

TALE 10

A QUARREL ABOUT SENIORITY

Persons

Ihendi (Squirrel) Pe (Viper)

And 2 Children ( Ik«ndu (Vengeance) A Hunter

\ Ihana (Help)

NOTE

This story suggests that when a neighbor flatters another,
suspicion is raised that he is plotting some evil. Squirrel
and the Adder professed great friendship; but their friend-
ship was soon broken.

Claims of seniority are a constant cause of native quarrels.

A certain fetish-charm or "medicine" (generally poisonous)
is supposed to be able to decide, on its being drunk by accused
parties, as to their guilt or innocence.

There is a common belief in premonitions by unusual
beats of the heart, or twitching of any muscle.

Squirrel and Adder were great friends, living in the same
town. Each of them had two wives.

One day, in the afternoon, Squirrel and one of his wives
went into the house of Adder. The latter said to his wife,
"Make ready food." So, she made a great deal of food.
Then he said to his friend Squirrel, "Come, eat!" But
Squirrel said, "I won't eat alone without my wife." So he
called his wife to eat. His wife came and ate at the table.
Then he said to Adder, "Also, you call your wife to eat with
us." So Adder's wife came. And Squirrel said to Adder,
"Now let us eat; for, everything is right." So they began
to eat.

While they were eating, Adder said, "I have a word to say
about you, Ihendi." Squirrel replied, "Speak your word;

110 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

I will listen." Then Adder asked, "You, Ihendi, and I, Pe;
which is the elder? And your wife and my wife; also which
is the elder?" Squirrel replied, "I am the elder, and my
wife is older than your wife." But Adder said, "No! I am
the elder; and my wife is older than yours." Squirrel re-
sponded, "I will give you my answer tomorrow in my own
house. " This occurred in the evening.

Then the day darkened, and Squirrel went to his house to
lie down. Adder also went to lie down in his bedroom.

In the night, Squirrel remarked to his wife, "My wife!
what sort of a word is this that Pe has spoken about so to
me? I don't know about his birth, and he does not know
of mine. We have no other person in the town who is able
to decide which of us is the elder, and which the younger.
This question has some affair behind it. " His wife replied
"I think that Pe wants to get up a quarrel in order to kill
you or our children. " Squirrel had two children, one named
Vengeance and the other Help. Squirrel replied to his wife,
"No! I will have no discussion with Pe; but tomorrow there
shall be only a test of Medicine. "

Soon the day broke. Squirrel sent word to Pe, "Chum!
you and I will have today nothing else but a medicine-test
and no quarrel. For, you and I profess to love each other.
I do this to prove both yourself and myself, lest you get up
some affair against me, even though we love each other very
much." Adder consented, "Yes; get the Medicine. I will
know then what I shall say. "

Squirrel went to the forest to get leaves and bark of a
certain tree for the kwai (test). On his return, he said to
Adder, "Here is the test; let us drink of it. " Adder replied,
"The Medicine is of your getting. You first drink of it."
Squirrel agreed, "Yes, I will drink first."

So, Squirrel, conscious of his innocence, drank the test
and swore an oath, "If I meet Pe's mother, it shall be only
in peace. Or his father, only peace; or his children, only
peace." Squirrel added, "I have finished speaking for my
part. " And he sat down on the ground.

Then Adder arose from his seat and stood up. And he
exclaimed, "Yes! let it be so!" He took up the medicine
from the ground; and he drank of it greedily. And he swore,
"If I meet with the children of Ihende, it will be only to

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 111

swallow them. Or, father of Ihende, only to eat him; or
mother of Ihende, only to eat her!*' Then he sat down.

But, Squirrel exclaimed, "Ha! my friend! you saw how I
drank my share of the medicine, and I have not spoken thus
as you. For what reason have you thus spoken?" Adder
answered, " Yes! I said so; and I will not alter my words. "

They dispersed from the medicine ordeal, and went each
to his house. Then that day darkened into night. And
they all went to their sleep.

Soon the next day broke. Squirrel and his wife prepared
for a journey to the forest to seek food. He said to his wife,
"Leave the children in the house." So the woman shut
them in, and closed the doors tight. And he and she went
off to the forest.

Later on in the morning, Adder arose from his place, and
he said to himself, "I'm going to stroll over to the house of
my friend Ihende." So he came to Squirrel's house, and
found no one there. He tried to break in the door; finally,
he succeeded in opening it; and he entered the house. He
found the two children of Squirrel lying together asleep.
He shook them, and they awoke. He asked them, "Where
is my friend?" They answered, "Our father and mother
have gone to the forest. "

Then Adder suddenly joined the two children together
and swallowed them. (They were both of them lads.)
Then he went out of the house, and closed the door. His
stomach being distended with what he had swallowed, he
went back to his house, and laid down on his bed.

Off in the forest, Squirrel said to his wife, "My heart beats
so strangely! I have eaten nothing here; what should dis-
turb my heart?" His wife replied, "Well! let us hasten
back to town. Perhaps some affair has happened in our
house ! "

They hastily gathered their food, to go back rapidly to
town. On their arrival, they went at once to their house.
Looking at the door, the wife exclaimed, "I did not leave
this door so! Who has been at it?" Her husband urged,
"Quickly! Open the door! Let us enter at once!" They
opened the door; and found no one in the house.

Then Squirrel, fearing evil, said to her, " Stay you here ! I
will go over to Pe's house. I know that fellow!" He came

112 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

to Adder's house, and found him distended with this stomach.
Squirrel asked him, "Chum! have you been at my house?"
Adder answered, "Yes, I went to your house; but I have
done nothing there." Squirrel asked him, feeling sure of
his guilt, "But, where then are my children? Why did you
not leave even one of them? Ah! my friend!" Adder
replied, "When we drank the Test, did I not swear the truth
that if I met with your children, I would swallow them?'
Squirrel answered, "Yes! and you have kept your word well!
But you shall see something just now and here!" Adder
laughed, and said, " What can you do? You have no strength
like mine."

Close by the house of Adder (which was only a hole in the
ground) was a large tree. Squirrel went out of the house,
and climbed to the top of the tree. There he began to wail
for his dead, and cried out, " Ikundu ja ma ! Ikundu ja ml ! "
(A play on words : either an apostrophe to the name of one of
his children, or a prayer for vengeance). Another squirrel,
that was a mile or two away, heard the wailing; and it came
to where Squirrel was. Also his wife followed Squirrel to
that tree; and she wailed too. And other squirrels came;
about twenty.

A hunter, living in the town of Mankind, started from
his town to go hunting. Coming along the path, he heard
Squirrel crying. Looking up, he exclaimed, "O! how many
squirrels!" He thought to himself, "Why do these animals
make this noise, and keep looking down at the foot of this
big tree?"

He approached near to tbe tree; and they dispersed among
the branches. He then said to himself, "I will look around
here at the bottom; for, as those squirrels continue their
cry, they keep looking down here." Searching at the foot
of the tree, he saw a hole, like the home of some beast. Look-
ing in, he saw the Adder sluggish in his distention. The
hunter killed it with his machete. And he took the dead
adder with him to the town of Mankind.

Squirrel, from the tree-top, shouted after dead Adder,
"You have seen my promised Ikundu." (Another play on
words; either — "You saw my child;" or, "You see my
Vengeance. ")

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 113

TALE 11

THE MAGIC DRUM

Persons

Kudu (Tortoise) Nja (Leopard)

King Maseni, A Man Ngama (A Magic Drum)

NOTE

The reason is here given why the turtle tribe of tortoises
likes to live only in water; viz., their fear of the vengeance of
the descendants of Leopard the King, because of the whipping
to which he was subjected by the trick of the ancestor of the
tortoises.

In the Ancient days, there were Mankind and all the
Tribes of the Animals living together in one country. They
built their towns, and they dwelt together in one place. In
the country of King Maseni, Tortoise and Leopard occupied
the same town; the one at one end of the street, and the other
at the other.

Leopard married two women; Tortoise also his two.

It happened that a time of famine came, and a very great
hunger fell on the Tribes covering that whole region of
country. So, King Maseni issued a law, thus: — "Any person
who shall be found having a piece of food, he shall he brought
to me." (That is, for the equal distribution of that food.)
And he appointed police as watchmen to look after that
whole region.

The famine increased. People sat down hopelessly, and
died of hunger. Just as, even today, it destroys the poor;
not only of Africa, but also in the lands of Manga-Manene
(White Man's Land). And, as the days passed, people
continued sitting in their hopelessness.

One day, Tortoise went out early, going, going and entering
into the jungles, to seek for his special food, mushrooms.

114 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

He had said to his wife, "I am going to stroll on the beach
off down toward the south. " As he journeyed and journeyed,
he came to a river. It was a large one, several hundred feet
in width. There he saw a coco-nut tree growing on the
river-bank. When he reached the foot of the tree, and
looked up at its top, he discovered that it was full of very
many nuts. He said to himself. "I'm going up there, to
gather nuts; for, hunger has seized me." He laid aside his
traveling-bag, leaving it on the ground, and at once climbed
the tree, expecting to gather many of the nuts. He plucked
two, and threw them to the ground. Plucking another, and
attempting to throw it, it slipped from his hand, and fell
into the stream running below.

Then he exclaimed, "I've come here in hunger; and does
my coco-nut fall into the water to be lost? " He said to him-
self, " I '11 leave here, and drop into the water, and follow the
nut." So, he plunged down, splash! into the water. He
dove down to where the nut had sunk, to get it. And he
was carried away by the current. Following the nut where
the current had carried it, he came to the landing-place of a
strange Town, where was a large House. People were there
in it. And other people were outside, playing. They called
to him. From the House, he heard a Voice, saying "Take
me ! take me ! take me ! " (It was a Drum that spoke.)

At the landing-place was a woman washing a child. The
woman said to him, "What is it that brought you here?
And, Kudu, where are you going?" He replied, "There is
great hunger in our town. So, on my way, I came seeking
for my mushrooms Then it was that I saw a coco tree;
and I climbed it; for, I am hungry and have nothing to eat.
I threw down the nuts. One fell into the river. I followed
it; and I came hither. " Then the woman said, "Now then,
you are saved. " And she added, " Kudu ! go to that House
over there. You will see a Thing there. That Thing is a
Drum. Start, and go at once to where the Drums are. "

Others of those people called out to him, "There are many
such Things there. But, the kind that you will see which
says, 'Take me! take me!' do not take it. But, the Drum
which is silent and does not speak, but only echoes, ' wo-wo-
wo, ' without any real words, you must take it. Carry it
with you, and tie it to that coco tree. Then you must say

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 115

to the Drum, 'Ngamd! speak as they told to you!'" So,
Tortoise went on, and on, to the House, and took the Drum,
and, carrying it, came back to the river bank where the
Woman was. She said to him, "You must first try to learn
how to use it. Beat it!" He beat it. And, a table ap-
peared with all kinds of food ! And, when he had eaten, he
said to the Drum, " Put it back ! " And the table disappeared.

He carried the Drum with him clear back to the foot of
the coco tree. He tied it with a rattan to the tree, and then
said to the Drum, "Ngama! do as they said!" Instantly,
the Drum set out a long table, and put on all sorts of food.
Tortoise felt very glad and happy for the abundance of food.
So he ate and ate, and was satisfied. Again he said, " Ngama !
do as they said!" And Drum took back the table and the
food to itself up the tree, leaving a little food at the foot; and
then came back to the hand of Tortoise. He put this little
food in his traveling-bag, and gathered from the ground the
coco-nuts he had left lying there in the morning, and started
to go back to his town. He stopped at a spot a short dis-
tance in the rear of the town. So delighted was he with his
Drum that he tested it again. He stood it up, and with the
palm of his hand struck it, tomu! A table at once stood
there, with all kinds of food. Again he ate, and also filled his
traveling-bag. Then he said to a tree that was standing near
by, "Bend down!" It bowed; and he tied the Drum to its
branch; and went off into the town. The coco-nuts and the
mushrooms he handed to his women and children. After he
had entered his house, his chief wife said to him, "Where
have you been all this long while since the morning?" He
replied evasively, "I went wandering clear down to the
beach to gather coco-nuts. And, this day I saw a very fine
thing. You, my wife, shall see it!" Then he drew out the
food from the bag, potatoes, and rice, and beef. And he
said, "The while that we eat this food, no one must show any
of it to Nj&," So, they two, and his other wife and their
family of children ate.

Soon day darkened; and they all went to go to sleep. And
soon another day began to break. At day-break, Tortoise
started to go off to the place where was the Drum. Arrived
there, he went to the tree, and said to the Drum, "Ngamd!
do as they said!" The Drum came rapidly down to the

116 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

ground, and put out the table all covered with food. Tor-
toise took a part, and ate, and was satisfied. Then he also
filled the bag. Then said he to the Drum, "Do as you did!"
And Drum took back the things, and went up the tree. On
another day, at day-break, he went to the tree and did the
same way.

On another day, as he was going, his eldest son, curious to
find out where his father obtained so much food, secretly
followed him. Tortoise went to where the Drum was.
The child hid himself, and stood still. He heard his father
say to the tree, "Bend!" And its top bent down. The
child saw the whole process, as Tortoise took the Drum,
stood it up, and with the palm of his hand, struck it, ve!
saying, "Do as you have been told to do!" At once a table
stood prepared, at which Tortoise sat down and ate. And
then, when he had finished, saying, "Tree! bend down," it
bent over for Drum to be tied to it. He returned Drum to
the branch; and the tree stood erect.

On other days, Tortoise came to the tree, and did the same
way, eating; and returning to his house; on all such occasions,
bringing food for his family. One day, the son, who had
seen how to do all those things, came to the tree, and said to
it, "Bow down." It bowed; and he did as his father had
done. So Drum spread the table. The child ate, and fin-
ished eating. Then said he to Drum, " Put them away '"
And the table disappeared. Then he took up the Drum,
instead of fastening it to the tree, and secretly carried it to
town to his own house. He went to call privately his brothers,
and his father's women, and other members of the family.
When they had come together in his house, at his command,
the Drum did as usual; and they ate. And when he said to
the Drum, "Put away the things!" it put them away.

Tortoise came that day from the forest where he had been
searching for the loved mushrooms for his family. He said
to himself, "Before going into the town, I will first go to the
tree to eat. " As he approached the tree, when only a short
distance from it, the tree was standing as usual, but the
Drum was not there! He exclaimed, "Truly, now, what is
this joke of the tree?" As he neared the foot of the tree,
still there was no Drum to be seen! He said to the tree,
"Bow down!" There was no response! He passed on to

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 117

the town, took his axe, and returned at once to the tree, in
anger saying, "Lest I cut you down, bend!" The tree stood
still. Tortoise began at once with his axe chopping, Ko!
ko! The tree fell, toppling to the ground, tomu! He said
to it, "You! produce the Drum, lest I cut you in pieces!"
He split the tree all into pieces ; but he did not see the Drum.
He returned to the town; and, as he went, he walked anxiously
saying to himself, "Who has done this thing?" When he
reached his house, he was so displeased that he declined to
speak. Then his eldest son came to him, and said, "O! my
father! why is it that you are silent and do not speak? What
have you done in the forest? What is it?" He replied,
"I don't want to talk." The son said, "Ah! my father!
you were satisfied when you used to come and eat, and you
brought us mushrooms. I am the one who took the Drum. "
Tortoise said to him, "My child, now bring out to us the
Drum." He brought it out of an inner room. Then Tor-
toise and the son called together all their people privately,
and assembled them in the house. They commanded the
Drum. It did as it usually did. They ate. Their little
children took their scraps of potatoes and meat of wild-
animals, and, in their excitement, forgot orders, and went
out eating their food in the open street. Other children saw
them, and begged of them. They gave to them. Among
them were children of Leopard, who went and showed the
meat to their father.

All suddenly, Leopard came to the house of Tortoise, and
found him and his family feasting. Leopard said, "Ah!
Chum! you have done me evil. You are eating; and I and
my family are dying with hunger!" Tortoise replied, "Yes,
not today, but tomorrow you shall eat." So, Leopard re-
turned to his house.

After that, the day darkened. And they all went to lie
down in sleep. Then, the next day broke.

Early in the morning, Tortoise, out in the street, announced,
"From my house to Nja's there will be no strolling into the
forest today. Today, only food."

Tortoise then went off by himself to the coco tree (whither
he had secretly during the night carried the Drum). Arrived
at the foot of the tree, he desired to test whether its power
had been lost by the use of it in his town. So, he gave the

118 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

usual orders; and they were, as usually obeyed. Tortoise
then went off with the Drum, carrying it openly on his
shoulder, into the town, and directly to the house of Leopard,
and said to him, "Call all your people! Let them come!"
They all came into the house; and the people of Tortoise
also. He gave the usual commands. At once, Drum pro-
duced abundance of food, and a table for it. So, they all
ate, and were satisfied. And Drum took back the table to
itself. Drum remained in the house of Leopard for about
two weeks. It ended its supply of food, being displeased at
Leopard's rough usage of itself; and there was no more food.
Leopard went to Tortoise, and told him, "Drum has no more
food. Go, and get another." Tortoise was provoked at
the abuse of his Drum, but he took it, and hung it up in his
house.

At this time, the watchmen heard of the supply of food at
Leopard's house, and they asked him about it. He denied
having any. They asked him, "Where then did you get
this food which we saw your children eating?" He said,
"From the children of Kudu." The officers went at once
to King Maseni, and reported, "We saw a person who has
food. " He inquired, " Who is he? " They replied, " Kudu. "
The King ordered "Go ye, and summon Kudu." They
went and told Tortoise, "The King summons you." Tor-
toise asked, "What have I done to the King? Since the
King and I have been living in this country, he has not
summoned me." Nevertheless, he obeyed and journeyed
to the King's house. The King said to him, "You are
keeping food, while all the Tribes are dying of hunger? You!
bring all those foods!" Tortoise replied, "Please excuse
me ! I will not come again today with them. But, tomorrow,
you must call for all the tribes. "

The next morning, the King had his bell rung, and an order
announced, "Any person whatever, old or young, come to
eat!" The whole community assembled at the King's
house. Tortoise also came from his town, holding his Drum
in his hand. The distant members of that Tribe, (not
knowing and not having heard what that Drum had been
doing) twitted him, "Is it for a dance?"

Entering into the King's house, Tortoise stood up the
Drum; with his palm he struck it, ve! saying, "Let every

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 119

kind of food appear!" It appeared. The town was like a
table, covered with every variety of food. The entire com-
munity ate, and were satisfied; and they dispersed. Tor-
toise took the Drum, and journeyed back to his town. He
spoke to his hungry family, "Come ye!" They came.
They struck the Drum; it was motionless; and nothing came
from it! They struck it again. Silent! (It was indignant
at having been used by other hands than those of Tortoise.)
So, they sat down with hunger.

The next day, Tortoise went rapidly off to the coco tree,
climbed it, gathered two nuts, threw one into the river,
dropped into the stream, and followed the nut as he had done
before. He came as before to that landing-place, and to the
Woman, and told her about the failure of the Drum. She
told him that she knew of it, and directed him to go and take
another. He went on to that House, and to those People.
And they, as before, asked him, "Kudu! whither goest
thou?" He replied, "You know I have come to take my
coco-nut." But they said, "No! leave the nut, and take a
Drum." And, as before, they advised him to take a silent
one. So, he came to the House of Drums. These called to
him, "Take me! take me!" Then, he thought to himself,
"Yes! I'll take one of those Drums that talk. Perhaps
they will have even better things than the other. " So, he
took one, and came out of the House, and told those People
"I have taken. And, now, for my journey."

He started from the landing-place, and on up the river,
to the foot of the coco-tree. He tied the Drum to the tree
with a cord, as before, set it up, and gave it a slap, ve ! And
a table stood there! He said, "Ngama! do as you usually
do!" Instantly, there were thrown down on the table,
mbwa! whips instead of food. Tortoise, surprised, said,
"As usual!" The Drum picked up one of the whips, and
beat Tortoise, ve! He cried out with pain, and said to the
Drum, "But, now do also as you do. Take these things
away. " And Drum returned the table and whips to itself.
Tortoise regretfully said to himself, "Those People told me
not to take a Drum that talked; but my heart deceived me. "

However, a plan occurred to him by which to obtain a
revenge on Leopard and the King for the trouble he had
been put to.

120 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

So, taking up the Drum, he came to his own town, and
went at once to the house of Leopard. To whom he said,
"To-morrow come with your people and mine to the town
of King Maseni. " Leopard rejoiced at the thought, "This
is the Drum of food ! "

Then Tortoise journeyed to the King's town, and said,
"I have found food, according to your order. Call the
people tomorrow. "

In the morning, the King's bell was rung, and his people,
accompanied by those of Tortoise and Leopard, came to his
house. Tortoise privately spoke to his own people, "No
one of you must follow me into the house. Remain outside
of the window. "

Tortoise said to the King, "The food of today must be
eaten only inside of your house." So, the King's people,
with those of Leopard, entered into the house. There, Tor-
toise said, "We shall eat this food only if all the doors and
windows are fastened." So, they were fastened (excepting
one which Tortoise kept open near himself). Then, the
Drum was sounded, and Tortoise commanded it, "Do as
you have said." And, the tables appeared. But, instead
of food, were whips. The people wondered, "Ah! what do
these mean? Where do they come from?" Tortoise sta-
tioned himself by the open window, and commanded the
Drum, "As usual!" Instantly the whips flew about the
room, lashing everybody, even the King, and especially
Leopard. The thrashing was great, and Leopard and his
people were crying with pain. Their bodies were injured,
being covered with cuts.

But, Tortoise had promptly jumped out of the window.
And, standing outside, he ordered, "Ngama! do as you do!"
And the whips and tables returned to it, and the whipping
ceased. But, Tortoise knew that the angry crowd would
try to seize and kill him. So, taking advantage of the con-
fusion in the house, he and his people fled to the water of the
river, and scattered, hiding among the logs and roots in the
stream. As he was disappearing, Leopard shouted after
him, "You and I shall not see each other! If we do, it will
be you who will be killed ! "

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 121

TALE 12

THE LIES OF TORTOISE
Persons

Nja (Leopard) Embonda (Prairie Antelope)

Kudu (Tortoise) Iheli (Gazelle)

Etoli (Rat) Ngando (Crocodile)

Ngomba (Porcupine)

NOTE

African natives climb the palm-tree, cut out a cavity in
the heart at the leafy top, and fasten a vessel below the
cavity, to catch the sweet, milky juice that exudes. This is
unintoxicating. But, like cider, it becomes intoxicating if
kept a few days. The cutting destroys the tree in two or
three months.

The beginning of this tale is that Leopard went to the
forest, to cut an itutu tree (bamboo-palm) for palm- wine.
After he had fastened the bowl at the cavity he had cut at
the top in the heart of the tree, then he came back to town.

Tortoise came along to that palm-wine tree; and he climbed
to the top. There he found that the sap had already col-
lected in the bowl. And he drank three tumblerfuls. Ex-
cited by his success, he shouted out aloud, "I'm drunk! I'm
drunk!"

OS in the forest, Wild ]$at heard his voice, and, following
the sound, came to the place. To Tortoise, Rat said, " Whose
wine- tree is this?" Tortoise replied, "My own!" So, Rat
begged of him, "Give me a glassful!" Tortoise told him
"Climb up! Of what are you afraid?" So, Rat climbed
up the tree, fie also drank two glassfuls.

Presently, Tortoise heard Leopard coming, and he said
to Rat. " Await me here, I 'm just going down to the ground. "

122 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

When he reached the ground, Tortoise hid his body in a hole
at the base of the tree.

In a very little while, Leopard arrived at the tree. He
lifted up his eyes to the top and saw Rat there. To him
Leopard said, ''Who owns this palm-tree?" Rat replied,
"My Chum, Kudu." But, Leopard asked, "This Kudu,
where is he?" Then Leopard flung one of his claws at Rat.
It stuck in him, and Rat fell dead.

Leopard took Rat's body and went away with it to his
town. And he said to his wife, " Cook this; this is our meat. "

Soon after Leopard had gone from the tree, Tortoise came
out of his hiding, and climbed the tree a second time. Then,
having drank again, he shouted, as before, "I'm drunk! I'm
drunk!"

In his hole off among the rocks, Porcupine heard Tortoise
shouting; and he came to the tree, and asked for a drink.
Tortoise told him to climb; adding, "What are you afraid
of? " So, Porcupine followed Tortoise up the tree, and drank
two glassfuls of the wine.

Again Tortoise heard Leopard coming, recognizing the
thud of his steps as he leaped on the way. So, Tortoise
cried out, as if in pain, " O ! my stomach hurts me ! I 'm going
down!" At the base, he hid himself again in the cavity of
the tree.

In a little while, Leopard appeared standing at the foot
of the tree. Looking up, he saw Porcupine there. And he
inquired, "Ngomba! who owns this tree?" Porcupine
answered, "Chum Kudu!" Leopard asked, "This Kudu,
who is he? I want to see him. " Porcupine replied, "Kudu
has gone off, his stomach paining him." Then Leopard
exclaimed, "So! indeed! you are the ones who use up all my
wine here!" And he added, "What day I shall meet Kudu
I do not know. But, that day we will meet in fight."
While he was saying all this, Tortoise, in the hole at the tree,
heard.

Then Leopard threw a claw at Porcupine. Porcupine
fell down to the ground a corpse. Leopard taking it, went
away with it to his town, and said to his wife, "Cook this
meat, and let us eat it. "

After Leopard had left the tree, Tortoise emerged from
his hiding-place. He climbed the tree a third time, and

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 123

took a cup, and drank two glassfuls. Again he shouted,
"I, Kudu, I'm drunk! I, Kudu, I'm drunk!"

Out on a prairie, Antelope heard the shouting; and he came
to the tree. Seeing Tortoise, he said, "Chum, give me a
glass of wine!" Tortoise directed him, "Climb up! Of
what are you afraid?" So, Antelope went up the tree, and
drank.

Soon Tortoise heard Leopard coming, bounding through
the forest. And Tortoise said to Antelope, " Chum ! my bow-
els pain me; I'll soon return." He descended, and hid his
body as before. Leopard arrived as before. And he spoke
to Antelope; and then killed it with another of his claws.
He took its carcass to his town, and bade his wife cook it, as
had been done with the others.

After Leopard had gone from the tree, Tortoise climbed
the tree a fourth time, again he drank; and again he shouted,
changing his words slightly, "I've drank! I've drank!"

In the jungle, Gazelle heard, and came to the base of the
tree, but said nothing. Tortoise spoke first, " O ! my nephew !
the wine is finished ! " Gazelle asked, " Who owns this tree? "
Tortoise answered, "It's my own, and not another's."

When he came from the jungle, Gazelle had brought with
him a bag. As Gazelle still stood at the foot of the tree,
Tortoise said to him, "Come up here! What do you fear?"
So, Gazelle climbed; but went up only half-way.

While the two were thus apart, and before Gazelle had
drunk any of the wine, Tortoise heard Leopard coming,
leaping through the bushes. Then Tortoise said to Gazelle,
"Ah! nephew! let me pass! My stomach hurts me!" But
Gazelle said, "No! uncle, let us stay and drink." Tortoise
heard Leopard nearing the tree; and he said to Gazelle, "Ah!
Hurry! Let me pass! How my stomach hurts!" Gazelle
said, "No! uncle, we'll go down together."

While they were thus talking, Leopard reached the foot
of the tree. Then Gazelle took Tortoise and hid him in the
bag. Leopard exclaimed, "Iheli! who owns this tree?"
Gazelle replied, "This is the palm- wine tree of my uncle."
Leopard asked, "Who is your uncle?" Gazelle answered,
"Kudu."

So, Leopard began to prepare to climb the tree, in order
to fight with Gazelle. Then Gazelle put his hand into the

124 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

bag, and drew out Tortoise, tightly grasped in his hand. And
he flung Tortoise violently into Leopard's face. Leopard
fell to the ground, dazed with the blow, while Gazelle leaped
to the ground, and fled off in the forest.

When Leopard rose from the earth, he found Tortoise
sprawling helpless on its back. Leopard tied a string to him,
and went away with him to town. And he said to his wife,
"My wife! this is the person who drinks at my wine-tree!"
So he suspended him by the string,waiting to kill him next day.

The day began to darken towards night; and they went
to their sleep.

Then came the daylight of next morning.

Leopard said to his wife, "I'm going to a palaver (council)
at a place three miles distant. Take Kudu and cook him
with udika (gravy of kernels of wild mango). When I come
back, let me find the food all ready to be eaten at once. "

So, Leopard went on his journey. And his wife remained
to do her work. But, she exclaimed, "Ah! I forget what my
husband told me!" Tortoise, overhearing her said, "Your
husband said, 'Take the dried Etoli from the shelf, and cook
it with udika; give it to Kudu, and let him eat it; and then
take Kudu and wash him in the water of the brook. ' ! The
woman gladly listened, and said, "Eh! Kudu! you remember
well what my husband said to me!"

So, she did about the food as Tortoise had reported, and
gave it to him to eat. When Tortoise had finished eating,
the womau went with him to wash him in the water at the
edge of the brook. While she was doing this, Tortoise
asked, "Throw me off into the water where it is deep."
The woman did so. And Tortoise shouted, "So! you will
die this day by your husband's hands!" The woman began
to see her mistake, and she begged Tortoise, "Come! let us
go back to town. " But Tortoise said, " I shan't come ! I 'm
here safe in my place down in the bottom of the stream. "

Then the woman went back to her town; and as she went,
she went crying.

Late in the day, Leopard returned from the discussions
of the Council. And he said to his wife, "O! my wife! I'm
just dying of hunger!" She told him, "Ah! my husband!
Kudu has run away!" Leopard, in his anger, flung a claw
at her; and she died on the spot.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 125

Tortoise, in the meanwhile, went as fast as he could under
the water of the stream. And he came to the house of Croc-
odile, and crept into the doorway. Crocodile, in tears,
met him with the words, "Ah! Kudu! I'm just dying here
with grief and crying." Tortoise asked her, "What is the
matter? " She told him, " I Ve laid a hundred eggs, but none
of them had children in them." Tortoise replied, "That's
my work, the causing of eggs to have children. Shall I do
it?" Crocodile consented, "Yes, I've here three hundred
other eggs; you may make them have children." Tortoise
told her, " I 'm the only one to do that thing. " So, Crocodile
said, "Go into this room, and do it."

Tortoise went into the room, found the eggs there; and
said to Crocodile, " Give me here a kettle, also firewood and
water. Give me my food here. For, I will not go out of this
house; I will go out only at the time when I shall have
caused the eggs to have children." Crocodile agreed, say-
ing, "Yes, I am willing. It is well." And she gave direc-
tion to her people, " Give Kudu all the things he has asked
for there."

Then Tortoise locked all the doors, and stayed inside the
room. He began to arrange the fire-wood, and set the
kettle and put water in it. In the afternoon, he took twenty
eggs, and cooked, and ate them with his food.

At night, all went to sleep.

At daybreak, he cooked twenty more eggs, and ate them;
at noon he cooked and ate more; and at evening supper, he
cooked and ate some more. So, he spent about seven days
in eating all the eggs. Then he called out to Crocodile
"Do you want to hear the little crocodiles talk?" Crocodile
replied, "Yes! I want to hear!" Tortoise took two pieces
of broken plates, and scraped one across the other, making
a rasping sound. Crocodile and the people of the town
heard the squeaking sounds, and they exclaimed in joy.
"So! So, So!" They replied to Tortoise, "We hear the
little ones talking!" Tortoise also told them, "Tomorrow,
then, I will make a Medicine to cause them to talk loudly. "
But Crocodile began to have some doubts. And day dark-
ened to night.

Very early in the next morning, Crocodile's doubts having
increased, she rose up without calling her people. And she

126 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

went slowly alone to peep through a crack into the room of
Tortoise. She saw only the piles of egg-shells; and she
wondered, "Where are the little ones?" Then she went
softly back to her own room; and she told the townspeople,
" Get up ! Let us open the room of Kudu ! "

They all got up, and they went to the house. They broke
the room door by force; and they found Tortoise sitting
among the scattered shells of the eggs. The Crocodile
exclaimed, "Kudu! have you deceived me? Your life too
ends today!"

They tied Tortoise, and put him in the kettle; and they
killed him there. They divided his flesh onto their plates.
And Crocodile and her people ate Tortoise.

This is the end of the lies of Tortoise.

TALE 13

"DEATH BEGINS BY SOME ONE PERSON": A PROVERB

Persons

Ka (A Very Big Snail) Lonani (Birds)

Ngambi (Igwana) Kema (Monkeys)

Kudu (Tortoise) A Man

NOTE

Trouble came to all these animals, even to the innocent,
through the noise of some of them. Igwanas are supposed,
by the natives, to be deaf.

Snail, Igwana and Tortoise all lived together in one vil-
lage. One day, Tortoise went to roam in the forest. There
he found a large tree called Evenga. He said to himself, " I
will stay at the foot of this tree, and wait for the fruit to
fall." During two days, he remained there alone.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 127

On the third day, Igwana said to Snail, "I must go and
search for our Chum Kudu, wherever he is." So, Igwana
went; and he found Tortoise in a hole at the foot of that
tree. Igwana said to him, "Chum! for two days I haven't
seen you!" Tortoise replied, "I shan't go back to the
village; I will remain here." Then Igwana said to him,
"Well, then; let us sit here together in the same spot."
Tortoise objected, "No!" So Igwana climbed up the trunk
a very short distance, and clung there.

After two days, Snail, who had been left alone, said to
himself, "I must follow my friends, and find where they
are."

So, Snail journeyed, and found Tortoise and Igwana there
at that tree. Looking at the tree, he exclaimed, "Ah! what
a fine tree under which to sit!" The others replied, "Yes;
stay here!" So Snail said to Igwana, "I will stay near you,
Chum Ngambi, where you are." But Igwana objected,
"No!"

There was a vine hanging down from the treetop to the
ground, and Snail climbed up the vine. Thus the three
friends were arranged; Tortoise in the hole at the foot of
the tree, Igwana up the trunk a short way, and Snail on the
vine half-way to the top.

Igwana held on where he was, close to the bark of the tree.
He was partly deaf, and did not hear well.

After two days, the tree put forth a great abundance of
fruit. The fruit all ripened. Very many small Birds came
to the tree-top to eat the fruit. And very many small Mon-
keys too, at the top. Also big monkeys. And also big
birds. All crowded at the top. They all began to eat the
fruit. As they ate, they played, and made a great deal of
noise.

Tortoise hearing this noise, and dreading that it might
attract the notice of some enemy, called to Igwana, " Ngambi !
tell Ka to say to those people there at the top of the tree, to
eat quietly, and not with so much noise."

Tortoise himself did not call to Snail, lest his shout should
add to the noise. He only spoke in a low voice to Igwana.
But, to confirm his words, he quoted a proverb, "Iwedo a
yalakendi na moto umbaka" (death begins by one person).
This meant that they all should be watchful, lest Danger

128 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

come to them all by the indiscretion of a few. But Igwana
did not hear; and was silent.

Tortoise called again, "Ngdmbi! tell Ka to tell those
people to eat quietly, and without noise." Igwana was
silent, and made no answer. A third and a fourth time,
Tortoise called out thus to Igwana; but he did not hear. So,
Tortoise said to himself, "I won't say any more!"

A man from Njambo's Town had gone out to hunt, having
with him bow and arrow, a machete, and a gun. In his
wandering, he happened to come to that tree. Hearing the
noise of voices, he looked up and saw the many monkeys
and birds on the tree. He exclaimed to himself, "Ah! how
very many on one tree, more than I have ever seen!"

He shot his arrow; and three monkeys fell. He fired his
gun, and killed seven birds. Then the Birds and the Monkeys
all scattered and fled in fear. The Man also looked at the
foot of the tree, and saw Tortoise in the hole. He drew him
out, and thrust him into his hunting-bag. Then he looked
on the other side of the tree, and saw Igwana within reach.
He rejoiced in his success, "Oh! Igwana here too!" He
struck him with the machete; and Igwana died.

Observing the vine, the Man gave it a pull. And down
fell Snail! The Man exclaimed, "So! this is Snail!"

As the Man started hbmeward carrying his load of animals,
Tortoise in the bag, mourning over his fate, said to the dead
Igwana and the others, "I told you to call to Ka to warn
Kema and Lonani; and, now death has come to us all! If
you, Kema and Lonani, in the beginning, on the tree-top,
had not made such a noise, Man would not have come to
kill us. This all comes from you."

And Man took all these animals to his town, and divided
them among his people.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 129

TALE 14

TORTOISE AND THE BOJABI TREE

Place

Country of All-The-Beasts
Persons

Mbamd (Boa Constrictor) Njaku (Elephant)

Kudu (Tortoise) Iheli (Gazelle)

Etoli (House Rat) Ngomba (Porcupine)

Vyadu (Antelope) Nyati (Ox)

And the Bojabi Tree

NOTE

African natives hesitate to eat of an unknown fruit or
vegetable, unless they see it first partaken of by some lower
animal.

All the tribes of Beasts were living in one region, except
one beast, which was staying in its separate place. Its
name was Boa Constrictor. His place was about thirty miles
away from the others.

In the region of all those Beasts, there was a very large
tree. Its name was Bojabi. But none of those beasts knew
that that was its name.

There fell a great famine on that Count ry-of-all-the-Beasts.
In their search for food, they looked at that tree; and they
said, "This tree has fine-looking fruit; but, we do not know
its name. How then shall we know whether it is fit to be
eaten?" After some discussion, they said, "We think our
Father Mbam& will be able to know this tree's name. " So
they agreed, "Let us send a person to Mbama to cause us
to know the name of the tree." They selected Rat, and

130 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

said to him, "You, Etoli, are young; go you, and inquire."
They also decided that, "Whoever goes shall not go by land
along the beach, but by sea. " (This they said, in order to
prove the messenger's strength and perseverance; whether
he would dally by the way ashore, or paddle steadily by sea.)
Also, they told Rat that, in going, he should take one of the
fruits of the tree in his hand, so that Boa might know it.
So, Rat took the Bojabi fruit, stepped into a canoe, and
began to paddle. He started about sun-rise in the morning.
In the middle of the afternoon, he arrived at his journey's
end.

He entered into the reception-room of Boa's house, and
found him sitting there. Boa welcomed him, and said to
his wife, "Prepare food for our guest, Etoli!" And he said
to Rat, "Stranger! eat! And then you will tell me what is
the message you have brought. "

Rat ate and finished, and began to tell his message thus : —
He said, "In our country we have nothing there but hunger.
But there is there a tree, and this is its fruit. Whether it is
fit to be eaten or not, you will tell us." Boa replied, "That
tree is Bojabi; this fruit is Njabi; and it is to be eaten."

Then the day darkened to night. And they slept their
sleep.

And then the next day broke.

And Boa said to Rat, "Begin your journey, Etoli! The
name of the tree is Bojabi. Do not forget it ! "

Rat stepped into his canoe, and began to paddle. He
reached his country late in the afternoon. He landed.
And he remained a little while on the beach, dragging the
canoe ashore. So occupied was he in doing this, that he
forgot the tree's name. Then he went up into the town.
The tribes of All-the-Beasts met him, exclaiming, "Tell us!
tell us!" Rat confessed, "I have forgotten the name just
this very now." Then, in their disappointment, they all
beat him.

On another day, they said to Porcupine, "Ngomba! go
you!" But they warned Rat, "If Ngomba brings the name,
you, Etoli, shall not eat of the fruit. "

Porcupine made his journey also by sea, and came to the
town of Boa. When Porcupine had stated his errand, Boa
told him, "The tree's name is Bojabi. Now, go!"

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 131

Porcupine returned by sea, and kept the name in his
memory, until he was actually entering the town of his
home; and, then, he suddenly forgot it. The tribes of All-
the-Beasts called out to him, as they saw him coming,
"Ngomba! tell us! tell us!'* When he informed them that
he had forgotten it, they beat him, as they had done to Rat.

They had also in that country, another plant which was
thought not proper to be eaten. They did not know that
its leaves were really good for food.

On another day, they said to Antelope, "Go you; and tell
Mbama, and ask him which shall we eat, this fruit or these
leaves. What shall we Beasts do?"

Antelope went by sea; and came to Boa's town. And he
asked Boa, " What do you here eat? Tell us. " Boa replied,
"I eat leaves of the plants, and I drink water; that is all I
do. And the name of the tree that bears that fruit is Bojabi.
You, all the Beasts, what are you to eat? I have told you. "

Antelope slept there that night. And the next day, he
started on his return journey. At his journey's end, as he
was about to land on the beach, a wave upset the canoe,
and he fell into the sea. In the excitement, he forgot the
name. The anxious tribes of All-the-Beasts had come down
to the beach to meet him, and were asking, "What is the
name? Tell us!" He replied, "Had I not fallen into the
water, I would not have forgotten the name. " Then, in their
anger, they beat him.

Almost all the beasts were thus tried for that journey;
and they all failed in the same way, with the name forgotten,
even the big beasts like Ox and Elephant. There was no
one of them who had succeeded in bringing home the name.

But there was left still, one who had not been tried. That
was Tortoise. So, he said, "Let me try to go. " They were
all vexed with him, at what they thought his audacity and
presumption. They began to beat him, saying, "Even the
less for us, and more so for you! You will not be able!"
But Gazelle interposed, saying, "Let Kudu alone! Why do
you beat him? Let him go on the errand. We all have
failed; and it is well that he should fail too."

Tortoise went to his mother's hut, and said to her, "I'm
going! How shall I do it?" His mother told him, "In
your going on this journey, do not drink any water while at

132 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

sea, only while ashore. Also, do not eat any food on the
way, but only in the town. Do not perform any call of
Nature at sea, only ashore. For, if you do any of these
things on the way, you will be unable to return with the
name. For, all those who did these things on the way,
forgot the name. " So Tortoise promised, "Yes, my mother,
I shall not do them."

On another day, Tortoise began his journey to Boa, early.
He paddled and he paddled, not stopping to eat or drink,
until he had gone about two-thirds of the way. Then hunger
and thirst and calls of Nature seized him. But he restrained
himself, and went on paddling harder and faster. These
feelings had seized him about noon; and they ceased an hour
later. He continued the journey; and, before four o'clock
in the afternoon, had arrived at Boa's. There Tortoise
entered Boa's house, and found him sitting. Boa saluted,
and said, "Legs rest; but the mouth will not. Wife! bring
food for Kudu!" The wife brought food, and Tortoise ate.

Then Boa said to Tortoise, "Tell me what the journey is
about." Tortoise told him, "A great hunger is in our place.
There also we have two plants; the one, — this is its fruit;
and this grass, — the leaves. Are they eaten?" Boa replied,
"The tree of this fruit, its name is Bojabi; and it is eaten.
But, I, Mbama, here, I eat leaves and drink water; and that
is enough for me. These things are the food for All-us
Beasts. We have no other food. Go and tell All-the-
Beasts so." Tortoise replied, "Yes; it is well."

Then the day darkened, and they slept.

And another day came. Anid Tortoise began his journey
of return to his home. As he went, he sang this song, to help
remember the name: — "Njaku! Jaka Njabi. De! De!
De!" (Elephant! eat the Bojabi fruit. Straight! Straight!
Straight!) The chorus was "Bojabi," And, in each repeti-
tion of the line, he changed the name of the animal, thus: —
Nyati! jaka njabi. De! De! De. Bojabi" (Ox! eat the
Bojabi fruit. Straight! straight! straight! Bojabi!)

He thus nerved himself to keep straight on in his journey.
And, as he went, he kept repeating the chorus. "Bojabi,
bojabi! bojabi!"

He had gone about one-third of the way, when a large
wave came and upset the canoe, and threw him, pwim! into

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 133

the water. He clung to the canoe, and the wave carried it
and him clear ashore, he still repeating the word, "Bojabi!
bojabi!" Ashore, he began to mend the canoe; but, all the
while, he continued singing, "Bojabi!" When he had re-
paired the canoe, he started the journey again, and went on
his way, still crying out, "Bojabi!"

By that time, All-the-Beasts had gathered on the beach
to wait the coming of Tortoise. He came on and on, through
the surf near to the landing-place of the town. As he was
about to land, a great wave caught him, njim! and the
canoe. But, he still was shouting, "Bojabi!" Though
All-the-Beasts heard the word, they did not know what it
meant, or why Tortoise was saying it. They ran into the
surf, and carried the canoe and Tortoise himself up to the
top of the beach. And they, all in a hurry, begged, " Tell us !"
He replied, "I will tell you only when in the town." In
gladness, they carried him on their shoulders up into the
town. Then he said, " Before I tell you, let me take my share
of these fruits lying out there in the yard." They agreed;
and he carried a large number, hundreds of them, into his
house. Then he stated, "Mbama said, 'Its name is Bojabi.'
And All-the-Beasts shouted in unison, "Yes! Bojabi!"

Then they all began to scramble with each other in gather-
ing the fruit; so that Tortoise would have been unable to
get any, had he not first taken his share to his mother, whose
advice had brought him success.

He also reported to them, "MMma told me to tell you
that himself eats leaves and grass, and drinks water, and is
satisfied. For, that is the food of All-the-Beasts."

Had it not been for Boa, the Beasts would not have known
about eating leaves. But, though that is so, the diligence
and skill, in this affair, was of Tortoise.

So, All-the-Beasts agreed: — "We shall have two Kings,
Kudu and Mbamd, each at his end of the country. For,
the one with his wisdom told what was fit to be eaten; and,
the other, with his skill, brought the news."

134 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

TALE 15

THE SUITORS OF NJAMBO'S DAUGHTER

Place
In Njambo's Town

Njambo and His Daughter Ko (Forest Rat)

Ndenga Nyati (Ox)

Etoli (House Rat) Kudu (Tortoise)

(Leopard) Njaku (Elephant)

NOTE

Africans cut down trees, not at the base, but some 12 or
20 feet up where the diameter is less. They sit in the circle
of a rope enclosing the tree and their own body, the rope
resting against their backbone at the loins, and their feet
braced against the tree trunk.

The reason why Tortoise lives in brooks is his fear of
Leopard.

All the Beasts were living long ago in one place, separate
from the towns of Mankind; but they had friendship for
and married with each other.

Among the towns of Mankind was living a man named
Njambo. There was born to him a female child named
Ndenga. In the town, at one end of it, there was a very
large tree.

Njambo said of his daughter, "This child shall be married
only with Beasts." So when the Beasts heard of that
one of them, House-Rat, said, "I'm going to marry that
woman!" So he went to the father to arrange what things
he should pay on the dowry. Njambo said to him, "I do

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 135

not want goods. But, if any one shall be able to hew down
this tree, he shall marry my child."

At once, Rat took the axe that Njambo handed him, and
began to hack at the Tree. He tried and tried, but was not
able to make the axe enter at all. At last, he wearied of
trying and stopped. He said to himself, "If I go to Njambo,
and tell him I am unable to do the task, he will kill me."
So, he left the axe, at the foot of the tree, and fled to his
town.

Njambo waited a while, but seeing no signs of Rat's com-
ing to him to report, himself came to the Tree, and found
only the axe, but saw no person. He took up the axe, and
went with it back to his house.

Off in the Forest, all-Beasts saw Rat returning, and were
surprised that he came alone. They asked him, "Where is
the woman?" Rat answered, "I wearied of trying to get
the woman, by reason of the greatness of the task of cutting
down a tree. So, I gave up the work, and fled, and have
come home. "

Then all the Beasts derided him, saying, "You like to live
in another person's house, and scramble around, and nibble
at other people's food, but you are not able to marry a wife!"

Then Forest-Rat said, "I will marry that woman !" So
he went to Njambo for the marriage, and came to the town.
Njambo said to him, "I do not object to anybody for the
marriage, but, I will only test you by that Tree off yonder.
If you are willing to hew the Tree, you may marry this
woman!"

This Forest-Rat replied, "Yes! I shall wait here today;
and will cut down the Tree early tomorrow morning." That
day darkened. And Njambo's people cooked food for
Forest-Rat as their guest. They all ate; and then they
went to lie down to sleep.

Then after awhile, the light of another day began to break.

They arose. And they gave Forest-Rat an axe. He
took it, and went to the foot of the Tree. He fastened two
cords, with which to climb up to where the Tree was at half
its thickness. There he tried to cut the Tree. But he was
unable to cut away even the smallest chip. At last he
exclaimed, "Ah! brother Etoli is justified! I am not able to
cut this tree, because of its hardness."

136 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

So, he came down the Tree, and left the axe at the foot,
saying, "If I go back to the house of this Man, he will kill
me. No ! I am fleeing. "

When he arrived at his town, the other people asked him,
"Where's the woman?" He answered, "The woman is a
thing easy to marry, but the Tree was a hard thing to cut. "

After waiting awhile for the Forest-Rat, Njambo came to
the foot of the Tree; and, seeing the axe lying, took it, and
went with it to his House.

Then Leopard tried for the woman; and failed in the same
way as the two who preceded him.

Next, Elephant tried, and failed in the same way.

So did Ox in the same way.

And all the other Beasts, one after another, in the same
way, wearied of the task for obtaining this woman.

But, there was left still one Beast, Tortoise, that had not
made the attempt at the marriage. He stood up, and said,
" I will go; and I shall marry that woman at Njambo's town ! "
Ox heard Tortoise say that; and struck him, saying, "Why!
even more so we; and the less so you, to attempt to obtain
her!" But Elephant said to Ox, "Let Kudu alone! Let
us see him marry the woman!"

So, Tortoise made his journey to Njambo's town, and
came there late in the afternoon. He said to Njambo, "I
have come to marry your child." Njambo replied, "Well!
let it be so!"

Tortoise said to Njambo, "First, call your daughter, to
see if she shall like me." When she entered the room,
Tortoise asked her, "Do you love me?" She answered,
"Yes! I love you with all my heart." This made Tortoise
glad; for the woman was very beautiful to look upon. Then
Njambo told him, "Kudu, I want no goods for her; only
the cutting of the Tree." Tortoise assented, "Yes! I will
try."

So they all went to sleep that night.

And then the next day broke.

An hour after sunrise, Njambo called Tortoise, and,
showing him the axe, said, "This is the axe for the tree."
Tortoise took the axe, and went to the foot of the Tree. He
looked at its sides closely, and saw there was a difference in
them. He also looked very steadily at the top of the tree.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 137

Then he took rattan ropes, and mounted to the middle of
the thickness of the Tree. He chose also the side opposite
that at which the others had cut. He found it soft when he
began to cut; and, at once the chips began to fall to the
ground. He had begun the chopping early, and by the
middle of the morning, the Tree began to fall. And it fell
to the ground with a great crash, nji-i!

Njambo heard the fall of the tree, and he came to see it.
And he said to Tortoise, "You have done well, because you
have cut down the Tree. But, finish the job by cutting
off the top end with its branches. That will leave the trunk
clear." Tortoise asked Njambo, "What will you do with
the log?" Njambo answered him, "To make a canoe."

So, Tortoise cut off also the end of the Tree with its
branches.

Then Njambo told him, "Come on, into the town, to
take your wife; because you have cut down the tree; that
is the price I asked." The two came to the house in the
town; and Njambo brought his daughter to Tortoise, saying,
"This is your wife. And I give with the woman these other
things." Those things were only different kinds of food.

Tortoise made his journey with his wife towards his town.
He journeyed, going, going on, until he had reached half of
the way. Then he said to his wife, "What shall I do? For,
Nja is ahead in the way?" The wife replied, "No! go on!
I think Nja will do nothing to us. "

Shortly afterward, they met with Leopard in the path.
Leopard said to Tortoise, "Ah! Chum! this wife is not proper
for you to marry, only with me, Nja. " Tortoise said " No ! "
But Leopard insisted, "No! I take this one! I will give you
another wife in her place." So, he snatched the woman
from Tortoise, and ran away with her to his town.

Tortoise went on his way, as he went, crying, till he came
to his own village. There Elephant asked him, "Why do
you cry as you go? Has Njambo struck you about the
affair of the marriage? For, we had heard the news that
you had cut down the tree, and had taken the woman.
What then is the reason?"

Tortoise answered, "Yes! I married the woman, because
I had cut down the Tree. But Nj& took the woman
away. "

138 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

Then Elephant called all the Beasts together to take coun-
sel. He said to them, "What shall we do, because Nja has
taken away the wife of Kudu?'* They all replied, "We are
all afraid of Nja. None of us can dare to say anything to
him. For, he kills us people. So, our decision is : Let Kudu
give up his wife to Nja. "

But Tortoise said, "I am unable to leave her. If it be
death, I will die because of my wife. "

So, they all dispersed from the house of Tortoise, and went
to their own houses.

At that time, Leopard had eight wives.

Tortoise removed from the Town-of-all-the-Beasts, and
built a village for himself, about one-and-a-half miles away.
He built on the public highway, where passed by all people.
He put a very large stone in front of his door-yard, large
enough for one to sit down on it. He made also a bench
near the stone. And he put a plate with water in it on the
ground by the stone. Then he placed a certain magic-
medicine on the seat of the bench. And he uttered a Charm :
"Let any one else who sits on this seat go free from it. But,
if it be Nja, let him not go from it. "

He finished all these things late in the afternoon. The
day darkened, and he went to his house, and slept his sleep.

Soon the day broke.

That day, Elephant said, "I'm going to the forest, and
my wives with me. " As he came on his way, he passed by
the street of Tortoise's House. He observed the stone and
the bench and the water. He exclaimed, "Ah! I'll sharpen
my machete here!" So, he sat down on the bench, and
sharpened his machete. Then, went on his way into the
forest with his wives.

After a while, Ox came on his journey, and saw the stone
and water. He also sat down on the bench, and sharpened
his machete. And then went on his way into the forest with
his wives.

Soon afterward, Leopard journeyed along with all his eight,
and the new one, the ninth, the wife of Tortoise. He came
to the house of Tortoise. Looking into the door-yard, he
exclaimed, "Ah! good! and fine! that Kudu has prepared
these things. "

Tortoise was in the house; he saw Leopard coming, and he

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 139

rejoiced, "Very good! indeed! for the coming of this person."
Leopard sat down on the bench, and sharpened his machete
on the stone with the water of the plate. His women stand-
ing by, waited for him to finish the sharpening. When he
had finished, he said, "I will get up, and start the journey
again." But, he stuck fast to the bench. He exlcaimed,
" My women ! I am unable to rise ! What shall I do ? "

The "medicine" on the bench began to sting him like bees.
And he cried out, "Ah! I'm dead! For, I am unable to rise!"

Tortoise, coming out into the yard, said to Leopard, "I
am the one who caused you this. You will not move thence
until you give me back my wife. If you do not, you will
remain there a whole month, a whole year. "

At this, Leopard felt very much grieved; and he inquired
of his women, "The wife of Kudu is here in this company?"
The woman answered, "Yes! I'm here." Then Leopard
said, "Please, Kudu, take your wife, and remove me from
this bench. It hurts me." So, Tortoise took his wife.
And he added, "I want also my food you took from us in
the path."

Leopard sent a child back to his town in haste to cut plan-
tains. The child went; and the plantains were brought.
Tortoise took them, and said, "Nja! you are done, for your
part. I have taken all I owned. But, if I release you, you
will kill me, and take again my wife. You shall be released
only after I have fled. "

So, Tortoise fled with his wife and all his goods into a
stream of water. When safely there, he shouted, "Let
Nja remove from that seat!"

At once, Leopard stood up, and was free. And he went
back to his town, giving up his intended journey into the
forest.

140 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

TALE 16

TORTOISE, DOG, LEOPARD AND THE NJABI FRUIT

Persons

Nja (Leopard) Kudu (Tortoise)

Mbwa (Dog) Inani (A Bird)

And Other Beasts

NOTE : Observe the cannibalism of the human-animals.

At first, all Animals were living in one region. Of these,
Tortoise and Dog lived together in one place, and built a
town by themselves. But, all the others, Leopard, Hippo-
potamus, Elephant, Ox, etc., lived together in another place.

After some time, a great famine fell on the part of the
country where Tortoise and Dog lived; and they had to seek
for any kind of food.

One day Tortoise said to Dog, "I'm going awalking
into the forest." So, early at daybreak, he started off to
seek for mushrooms. All those other Beasts that were
living together had a kind of tree called Bojabi, bearing a
very large heavy fruit called Njabi. And they had all
agreed, "There are no other Animals, but our own com-
panies, who shall eat of the fruit of this Tree." They were
accustomed, whenever they had eaten of this fruit, to go to
an adjacent prairie, to play.

So that day, on his journey, Tortoise happened to come
to the foot of that Tree. The ripe fruit were falling from
it, and quantities were lying on the ground. He exclaimed
"Erne! (indeed!), IbelS! (splendid), Erne! Abundance of
food!" He gathered, and ate, and stayed a while gathering
others, which he would carry back to his town.

While doing this, a fruit fell from the branch above, and
struck him hard on the back. The blow hurt him; but he
only said, "Ah! the back of an aged person!" (My back
feels like that of an aged person.) This he said because of
the pain it gave him; but he made no out-cry.

He had with him a bag, into which he put food on a journey.
So, he filled it with the fruits, and resumed his journey to

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 141

go back to his town. On his arrival at his house, his wife
said to him, "Why did you delay so long?" He replied, "I
found a Tree belonging to the Tribes-of-All-the-Beasts.
Had they seen me, they would have killed me." And, he
drew the fruits from the bag, and gave his wife and children,
saying, "Eat ye!" But, he added, "While you eat of it,
do not allow Mbwa to see it. "

One of the children ran out into the street, with the fruit
grasped in his hand. Just then, Dog happened to meet the
child in the street, and asked him, " Who gave you this fruit,
child of Kudu? " The child answered, " My father came from
the forest, and brought this fruit with him. " In the evening,
when the day had darkened, Dog came and said to Tortoise,
"My friend! you are a bad fellow; for, we live together in
one place, and you do not share with me! Chum! is it
possible that you eat such good things here? Where did you
discover them?" Tortoise then gave Dog and his children
a share. But, he was not willing to tell the place of that
Tree. He evaded, by saying, "As I went, I forced my way
through the jungle of the forest. But, I did not find any
mushrooms; they are about done. Also, we are not allowed
to go to the place where this fruit grows." So it went on
for some time.

On another evening, Tortoise remarked, in conversation
with Dog, that he would be going into the forest next day.
Dog said nothing, but went back to his house, as if to sleep;
while Tortoise remained in his house, and went to bed.

Tortoise had left his hunting-bag hanging in the public
reception-room by his house. At night, Dog arose from his
house, and slowly and stealthily went to the house of Tortoise,
clear into that room. Entering it secretly, and finding the
bag, he threw ashes into its mouth and then, with his knife,
made holes in it at the lower end. For, he said to himself,
"When Tortoise shall go out early, then I will follow him."
Then he went back to his house, and laid down again.

When day-light began to break, early in the morning,
Tortoise arose, took the bag, and started on a journey to
that forest tree which belonged to the Beasts. As he went
the ashes sifted through the holes in the bottom of the bag,
and fell on the path. He finally arrived at the tree.

Dog also arose early, and found which way Tortoise had

142 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

gone, by the dropping of the ashes; for, as he went, Dog was
looking out for the marks on the way; and, following the
signs, they clearly showed him the route, until he reached
the tree, soon after Tortoise had arrived.

Tortoise exclaimed, "Ah! Chum! What have you come
here to do? Who called you, you with your loud howling?
Do you know who own this Tree? Can you endure if one
of these fruits should fall down on you? For, if you cry out
in pain, then the owners of this Tree will catch both you and
me. If they seize me, who am Kudu, what shall I do? For,
I, Kudu, do not know how to run rapidly." Then Dog
said, "If they come to seize you, I will come to take you
from their hands." At this, Tortoise laughed out aloud,
"Those beasts of strength! When they seize me, you will
come and take me from them? Really?"

Just then while they were thus speaking, two of the fruits
fell on Tortoise's back, at the same time, with a thud, ndu!
ndu! Though in pain, he only unconcernedly remarked,
"The hardened skin of an aged person! Ah! the back of an
old man!" and went on eating.

Dog exclaimed, "O! Chum! that big thing struck you, and
you were able to refrain from crying!" Tortoise replied,
"Wait till yours also!"

Presently a very small fruit thus fell, and hit Dog on the
head. He howled lustily, "Ow! ow! ow! ow!" Tortoise
said to him, "Did I not tell you so!"

There came down another fruit, and fell on Tortoise; he
quietly disregarded it. Another then fell on Dog with a
thump, ngomu! And he ran off howling, "mwa! mwa!"

All this while, Leopard had been up the Tree. It was he
who had flung the fruit at Dog and Tortoise.

When Dog ran, Leopard instantly descended the Tree,
and, disregarding Tortoise, chased Dog; but could not over-
take him. Had he caught Dog, seizing him tightly, he would
have killed him with one blow of his paw, ndi! and would
have eaten him on the spot. While Leopard was away,
Tortoise was in fear and did not know what to do, for he
knew that he could not run from Leopard. A Bird whistled,
"Pu! pu! pu! Chum Kudu, Hide! hide!" So Tortoise went
into a hole at the base of the tree, and hid there.

Leopard, on his return, sought for Tortoise, but could not

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 143

find him. So, he climbed the Tree again, and gathered his
fruits, and went off towards the town of the Beasts. But,
he met those Beasts coming; for, they had heard the howls
of Dog, and had shouted at him, "He! e. e. ! Wait for us!
Doji't be afraid!"

All those People-of-the-Tree came antl .gathered about its
trunk. They searched; and presently they saw Tortoise.
They exclaimed, "So! you are the one who eats for us the
fruit of this tree! You shall die!"

They tied him, and took him with them to their town.
There they suspended him from the roof of a house, saying,
"To-morrow, you will be eaten!" Off at his town, the wife
of Tortoise asked Dog, "Where is my husband?" Dog
answered, "I think that the Tribes-of-all-the-Beasts have
caught him." After a while, Dog, thinking, said to him-
self, "I remember my word that I said to Kudu, 'If they
seize you, I will come to take you.' ; So, Dog went and
gathered shells of a very large snail named Ka. He took a
large number, pierced each one with a hole, and strung them
all on a string. These he placed about his neck; and, as he
went along, he wriggled his body, and the shells struck
together like little bells. Then said he to himself, "The
time is fulfilled for taking away my friend." So, he went
rapidly to where the Tribes-of-the-Beasts had a spring for
their drinking-water. Those Beasts had sent one of their
lads to get water with which to cook Tortoise. The lad
came to the spring. Dog jingled the shells; and, the lad ran
back to town screaming, "There's some Thing at the spring,
which kills!"

Then the Tribes sent a young man stronger than the lad,
and said to him, "Go you, and get water at the spring."
When the young man came near the spring, Dog jingled
the shells, as before. And, the young man fled in fear.
So, the people of the town said, "Let us all go to the spring
together; for, that Thing can not hurt us all. "

So they came to the spring. Dog seeing that all were
coming, left the spring, and ran around to their town by
another path, to take Tortoise away. Dog found Tortoise
suspended by a rope. He bit through the rope, and, with
Tortoise on his back, he ran rapidly to their town.

Those of the Tribes who first arrived at the spring, search-

144 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

ed, inquiring, "Where is It? Where is It? Where is It?"
Discovering nothing, they returned to the town. Then, they
could not find Tortoise. And they said, "Let be! Kudu has
slipped away."

One day after this, the wife of Dog and the wife of Tortoise
went into the forest to their gardens to seek for food. And
their children went out on the prairie, to play. Dog and
Tortoise both remained in the town. Notwithstanding that
Dog had saved his life, Tortoise was still angry at him for
having spoiled their going to the Njabi Tree. Tortoise came
to Dog's end of the town and said to him, "Let us shave our
foreheads." Dog was pleased, and said, "Kudu, you first
do me; then I will do you. "

So Tortoise took the razor, and he shaved away Dog's
front locks.

Then Tortoise said to Dog, " Let me shave also your neck. "
Dog bent down his head. Tortoise slashed the entire neck,
cutting Dog's head off. And Dog fell down a corpse.

Tortoise cut up the body, and put the pieces in a kettle of
water on the fire. Also, he gathered pepper pods, and
ground them for the seasoning. He looked for salt, and saw
it was up on top of a shelf. So, he took three chairs, putting
them on top of one another, by which to climb up. As he
was creeping up, the chairs fell over on the ground. As they
fell, he tumbled also down, almost into the kettle of hot
water, where were boiling the pieces of Dog. But, Tortoise
scrambled away, and went off to his end of the town.

After a while the children of Dog came back from their
play, and not finding their father in his house, they came
to the house of his friend Tortoise, and asked, "Where is
our father?" Tortoise replied, "As for me, where I was, I
did not see him. When he went from here, who sent for
him?"

When the two women returned, Dog's wife found, but did
not recognize, the pieces of meat in her kettle. She wailed
and mourned for him as dead. When, by the next day, the
people of Dog did not find him, they said, "He is dead."
But they suspected Tortoise. The wife of Tortoise also
doubted him, and deserting him, returned to the house of
her father. So, Tortoise left them all, and went to another
place, fearing they would charge him with the death of Dog.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 145

TALE 17

A JOURNEY FOR SALT

Persons

Njabu (Civet) Ngweya (Hog)

Mbama (Boa) Kudu (Tortoise)

A Man, and Hunters

NOTE

Interior tribes formerly obtained their salt from sea-water
evaporated by the coast tribes in large shallow brass pans,
called "neptunes," imported by foreign traders.

All these four Beasts were neighbors, living together in one
town.

One time, in the evening, about an hour after the regular
six o'clock sunset, they all, were sitting conversing in the
street. Then Tortoise said to the others, "Here! I have
something to say! I wish to talk with you. Tomorrow,
let us go on a journey, to take a walk through the forest down
to the Sea, to buy salt." They all assented, "Yes! so let
it be!"

Late at night, they dispersed to their houses, to lie down
for sleep.

After awhile, the day began to break.

Early in the morning, they prepared for their journey.
And Tortoise said to them, "I have here another thing to
say; my last word. That is: As we go, no one of us is to
start any new affair on the way; only steadily down to the
Seacoast. " They all said, "Yes! we are agreed."

So, they started through the forest, going on their journey.
They went, and they went, on and on, expecting to go a
long way, until they should by evening come to their camp-
ing-place for the night. But, on the way, Civet began to
say, "Ah! my stomach aches! Ah! my stomach aches!"

146 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

Tortoise asked, "What do you mean by 'stomach-ache?' "
Civet answered, " 'Stomach-ache' means that my bowels
trouble me, and that I need to go. "

Tortoise said, "Well! go! step aside from the path into the
bushes, and we will wait for you here." But Civet said,
"No! not in the bushes; for, I must go back to the kitchen-
garden of my mother in our town." Tortoise exclaimed,
"By no means! When we arranged for this journey, what
did I say in the town?" They all admitted, "You said that
none of us should start any affair on the way. " Therefore
Tortoise said, "But, you, Njabu, have begun a new matter
on the way. If so, this journey is going to end in trouble!"

Nevertheless, Civet ran rapidly back before night to his
mother's kitchen-garden in his town, at the place where he
usually went, while the three others sat down in the path to
await his return. After a long time, Civet, having relieved
himself, came again by night to his companions, saying, "I
am feeling very well."

The next day, they all rose, saying, "Now! Let us resume
our journey!" and they started again.

They walked, and they walked, until Boa cried, "O! my
stomach! O! my stomach aches!" Then Tortoise asked
him, "What is 'stomach ache'?" Boa replied, "It means
that hunger has seized me." So Tortoise said, "Yes, that's
right. We have with us food for the journey ready. So,
come, all of you, let us all eat." But Boa said, "No! not
this food. I must go and seek other food." Tortoise in-
quired, "What other kind of food?" Boa said, "Let me
go over yonder a little way; and I shall return."

As he was going, he came in sight of a red Antelope. Boa
curled his body in folds, according to his manner of crushing
his prey. The Antelope happened along; and Boa seized
and killed it. He covered it with saliva very much, as is
its manner in swallowing its prey. And, carrying it to their
camp, Boa lay down with it. Tortoise said, "We will all
eat together of it." But Boa replied, "We do not give
each other in the town; shall we give each other on the jour-
ney?" Then he swallowed the entire carcass. Presently
he called the other three; and they went to him. And he
said to them, "I have finished eating, and I am satisfied."

So, Tortoise said, "Come on, then; let us continue our

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 147

journey." But Boa said, "No! I shall leave this place only
when this Beast I have eaten dissolves." Tortoise expostu-
lated, "Indeed! Chum! I said in the town, 'Let no one
begin any matter on the way,' yet, first Njabu began his
affair; and now you, Mbama, begin yours!"

However, they all sat down, and waited for Boa's food to
digest. For an entire month they waited there, delaying
while that food was being digested. Finally, Boa said,
"Now, we will journey, but first I will go to the river to
drink." He drank a very great deal of water, which acted
as a purgative to relieve his bowels of the bones of the Ante-
lope. Then he reported to the others, "I am feeling very
well. Let us go."

They went, and they went. And they came to a large
tree so recently fallen across the path that its leaves were
still green. Hog jumped over to the other side of it. Also,
Boa crawled over it. And Civet leaped over it. They called
to Tortoise, who was vainly trying to climb over it, "Come
on! Let us go ahead! Jump!"

But, Tortoise being vexed, said, "No! I won't go! You
know I have no long legs. What can I do! So, I shall
leave this spot only when this tree has rotted through, giving
me an open way!" They all wondered, and said, "No! this
tree is new and fresh. It will rot in how many days? "

Tortoise replied, "Not me! you! For, had not you two,
Njabu and Mbama, delayed us, we would already have
passed this spot long before this tree fell. You, Njabu,
first began a matter; soon, you, Mbama, began your matter;
now, this is my matter. Now wait for me." So, they
waited and waited.

But, while wraiting, the other three went out sometimes
by early daylight in the morning to an adjacent plantation,
and found there corn, yams, plantains, and all kinds of food.
Civet and Hog said, "We must eat!" They ate up the
corn, and finished the plantains.

One day, a Man of another town, was wandering in the
forest. As he journeyed, he was looking from side to side
on the way, peering for what he might find. And he saw
many tracks of Beasts. Examining them closely, he said,
"This track looks like that of a tortoise! Yes, and this like
a hog's! And, here, O! this other is of a civet! And, ha!

148 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

ha! a trail of a boa is this!" He exclaimed, "How many
Beasts this place has ! I will call the townspeople to come and
kill these Beasts; for, there must be many." So, he hurried
rapidly back, and arrived at the town.

When there, he shouted, "Come on, men! Come to the
forest! I've found many Beasts!" The owner of the
Plantation came along. His people took their guns ; and some
took machetes; and some, spears and knives. Others took
nets. And they all went together at once. They also had
with them, dogs, to whose necks they tied little bells.

When they came to that place where the four Beasts were,
the dogs barked and shook their bells as they raced. And the
men began to shout "Ha! ha!" to drive the Beasts into the
net. They first cfl,me upon Hog, fired a gun at him, and he
died. Next, they came upon Civet, and pierced him with a
spear. They killed also Boa, who was lying dormant by the
log. And they saw the other Beast, Tortoise, on one side of
the log, trying to conceal itself among the decayed leaves,
and seized it. Having the three dead bodies, they kept
Tortoise alive, and tied him with a cord.

They had begun the killing of these Beasts late in the
afternoon, and they reached their town about sunset. And
they said, "Put all the carcasses in one house; but suspend
Tortoise from the roof." They consulted, "We shall eat
those Beasts only tomorrow; for, the evening is too late to
cut them up and cook them." So, they all went to
sleep.

Near midnight, Tortoise, after a long effort, wriggled out
of the coils of the cord. He came to the corner of the room
where were the bodies of the other three Beasts. He said
over Civet's body, "Did I not say to you, * Begin no new
matter on the way?' And now you are a corpse." And
over Boa, he said, "You too; I told you not to begin a matter;
and now you are a dead body. Had we not begun these
matters on the way, we would have finished our journey
safely."

Then he scratched a hole under the wall of the house, and
escaped to the forest.

After that, the day broke. And the townspeople said
among themselves, "Bring the Beasts outside of the house;
let us cut them up. " They did so with the three dead bodies.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 149

And they told a lad, "Bring the Kudu that is suspended from
the rafters. "

The lad looked and reported, "I have seen no Kudu."
They all went to look for it, and could see nothing of it.
So, they said, "Let us eat these. Let the other go; for, it has
run away."

TALE 18

A PLEA FOR MERCY
Persons

Njabu (Civet) Vyadu (Antelope)

Uhingi (Genet) Kudu (Tortoise)

Kuba (Chicken) Ivenga, A Woman and Her

Husband Njambo

NOTE

This Tale seems to be a version of No. 17. The plea of
Tortoise that he did not spoil the fruits of plantations is
true; it does not injure the gardens of the natives.

These four Beasts were living in one town; Civet, in his
own house; Tortoise in his; Antelope also in his; Genet too
in his own. But their four houses opened on to one long
street.

One day, in the afternoon, they all were in that street,
sitting down in conversation. Tortoise said to them, "I
have here a word to say." They replied "Well! Speak!"

At that time, their town had a great famine. So, Tortoise
said, "Tomorrow, we will go to seek food. " They replied,
"Good! just as soon as the day, at its first break. "

Then they scattered, and went to their houses to lie down
for sleep. Soon, the day broke. And they all got up, and
were ready by sunrise at six o'clock.

150 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

They all went on their journey to find food. They searched
as they walked a distance of several miles. Then they came
to a plantation of Njambo's wife Ivenga. It was distant
from Njambo's town about one hour's walk. It had a great
deal of sugar-cane; also of yams and cassava. It had also a
quantity of sweet potatoes. There also, the chickens of
Njambo were accustomed to go to scratch for worms among
the plants.

At once, Civet exclaimed, "I'll go no further! I like to eat
sugar-cane!" So he went to the plot of cane.

Antelope also said, "I too! I'll not go any further. I like
to eat leaves of potato and cassava." So he went to the
plot of cassava.

And Genet said, "Yes! I see Kuba here! I like to eat Kuba!
I'll go no further!" So, he went after the chickens.

But first, the three had asked Tortoise, "Kudu! what will
you do? Have you nothing to eat?" Tortoise answered,
"I have nothing to eat. But, I shall await you even two
days, and will not complain." So, Civet remarked, "Yes!
I will not soon leave here, till I eat up all this cane. Then
I will go back to town." Antelope also said, "Yes! the
same. I will remain here with the potato leaves till I finish
them, before I go back. " Genet also said, "Yes! I see many
Kuba here. I will stay and finish them. "

Tortoise only said, "I have nothing to say."

In that plantation was a large tree; and Tortoise went to
lie down at its foot.

They were all there about four days, eating and eating.
On the fifth day, Njambo's wife Ivenga in the town said to
herself, "I'll go today, and see about my plantation, how it
is."

She came to the plantation, and when she saw the condition
in which it was, she lifted up her voice, and began to wail a
lamentation. She saw that but little cane was left, and not
much of potatoes. Looking in another part of the planta-
tion, she saw lying there, very many feathers of chickens.

She ran back rapidly to town to tell her husband. But,
she was so excited she could scarcely speak. He asked her,
"What's the matter, Ivenga?" She answered, "I have no
words to tell you. For, the Plantation is left with no food. "
Then, the Man called twenty men of the town; and he said

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 151

to them, "Take four nets!" They took the nets, and also
four dogs, with small bells tied to the necks of the dogs. The
men had also guns and spears and machetes in their hands.
They followed into the forest; and they came on to three of
the Beasts. They came first upon Antelope, with their dogs;
and they shot him dead. Then the dogs came on Genet, and
they followed him; and soon he was shot with a gun. They
came also on Civet, and killed him.

Taking up the carcasses, they said to each other, "Let
us go back to town." On the way, they came to the big
Tree, and found Tortoise lying at the base. They took him
also, and then went on to their town.

Arrived there, Njambo ordered, "Put Kudu in a house
and suspend him from the roof." Also he ordered, "Take
off the skin of Vyadu and hang it in the house where Kudu
is. " He added, "Take off also the skin of Njabu." They did
so, and they put it into that house. He directed that Genet
should also be skinned, and his skin hung in that same house.
So, there was left of these beasts in the street, only the flesh
of their bodies. These the men cut up and divided among
themselves. And they feasted for several days.

On the fourth day afterward, Njambo said to his wife,
" I 'm going on a visit to a town about three miles away. Do
you, while I am away, kill Kudu, and prepare him with ngan-
da for me, by my return. " The woman got ready the nganda
seeds (gourd) for the pudding, and then went into the room
to take Tortoise. In the dim light, she lifted up her hand,
and found the string that suspended Tortoise.

But, before she untied it, Tortoise said, "Just wait a little."
The woman took away her hand, and stood waiting. Tor-
toise asked her, "This skin there looks like what?" The
woman replied, "A skin of Vyadu. " And Tortoise inquired,
"What did Vyadu do?" The woman answered, "Vyadu
ate my potatoes in the Plantation, and my husband killed
him for it. " Tortoise said, " That is well. "'

Then Tortoise again asked, "This other skin is of what
animal?" The woman replied, "Of Uhingi." Tortoise
inquired, "What did Uhingi do?" The woman answered,
"Uhingi killed and ate my and my husband's Kuba; and he
was killed for that." Then Tortoise said, "Very good
reason!"

152 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

Again Tortoise asked the woman, "This other skin?"
She answered, "Of Njabu." Tortoise asked, "Njabu, what
did he do?" She answered, "Njabu ate my sugar-cane,
and my husband killed him." Tortoise said, "A proper
reason! But, you, you are going to kill me and cook me
with nganda-pudding. What have I done?" The woman
had no reason to give. So she left Tortoise alive, and began
to cook the gourd-seeds with fish.

Soon, Njambo himself came back, and his wife set before
him the nganda and fish. But he objected, "Ah! my wife!
I told you to cook Kudu; and you have cooked me fish.
Why?" The woman told him, "My husband! first finish
this food, and then you and I will go to see about Kudu. "
So, Njambo finished eating, and Ivenga removed the plates
from the table. Then they two went into the room where
Tortoise was suspended.

The woman sat, but Njambo was standing ready to pluck
down Tortoise. Then Tortoise said to Njambo, " You, Man !
just wait ! " The woman also said to Njambo, " My husband !
listen to what Kudu says to you. "

Tortoise asked, "You, Man, what skin is this?" Njambo
answered, "Of Vyadu. I killed him on account of this
eating my Plantation." Then Tortoise asked, "And that
skin?" Njambo answered, "Of Uhingi; and I killed him
for eating my Kuba. " Tortoise again asked, "And this
other? " Njambo answered, " Of Njabu ; for eating my sugar-
cane."

Then Tortoise said, "There were four of us in the Planta-
tion. What have I eaten? Tell me. If I have eaten, then
I should die." Njambo told him, "I've found no reason
against you." Tortoise then asked, "Then, why should I
die?" So, Njambo untied Tortoise from the roof, and said
to Ivenga, "Let Kudu go; for, I find no reason against him.
Let him go as he pleases. "

So, Ivenga set Tortoise free; and he hasted back to his
town in peace.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 153

TALE 19

THE DECEPTIONS OF TORTOISE
Persons

Nja (Leopard) Mbama (Boa)

Kudu (Tortoise) Ngando (Crocodile)

Ngambi (Igwana) With Men, A Woman, and

Child

NOTE

A portion of this Tale seems to be a version of No. 12.

Leopard and Tortoise built together a large town. Leop-
ard said to Tortoise, "I will live with you, but I shall not
be able to eat with you; for, I am a great man, and I eat
alone."

Some time after this, Tortoise went away, and married a
wife. One day, his wife being hungry, he went off into the
forest to seek food for her. And he found mushrooms. He
gathered them; took them and returned with them to the
town. There he said to his wife, "Eat!" and she ate.

Some time after this, the woman was about to become a
mother. And, on another day, Tortoise went again into the
forest to find food for his wife. As before, he gathered
mushrooms. But, when he brought them to his wife, she
said to him, "I don't like these things; the same every day!"

So, Tortoise went off again to seek food in the forest. He
came near a strange town, and heard voices of Mankind
talking. In fear, he hid himself, and watched what would
happen. He observed that there were Men going off into
the forest, with implements of search for wild animals. He
saw them, but kept himself closely hidden.

When they had gone, he came out of his hiding, and went
into one of these houses of Men, and sat down there. Then

154 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

he walked into the rooms. On the shelves of the kitchen,
he saw a large quantity of wild meat drying. He took of
that meat, and went away with it to his own town.

He found on his arrival that his wife had already borne her
child, the little tortoise. When Tortoise showed her the
meat, she asked him, "Where did you get all this meat?"
He replied evasively, "You told me to get you meat; so I
went; and I have come with it. " The woman was glad, and
said, "Do so every day!"

So, another time, Tortoise again went off into the forest.
And he came to the town of those Men. They were not
there; for, they had gone off on their hunting. He went
again into their house; took of their meat, and returned to
his place. On giving the food to his wife, he said to her,
"Do not show Nja this meat!"

After this, little Tortoise grew, and began to go by itself,
walking about the town. Tortoise told the child, "Do not
show Nja the things you eat. " But, the child did not obey.
One day, it went off toward Leopard's house, having in its
hand the flesh of the wild animal it was eating. Tortoise
saw his child going and called him back, but, he ran rapidly
away to Leopard's; who, seeing the child with food in its
hand, cried out, "Come here!" Leopard took hold of the
child's hand to see what meat he was eating, and said to him,
"Your father has no gun; where does he get all this meat?"
The child was silent, not knowing whence the meat came,
and did not answer; and he returned to his father's house.

So, Leopard said to himself, "Kudu and I must have a
talk. " He told his wife to make ready their food. She did
so. Then he told one of his children, " Go ! call Kudu to come
and eat with me. " The child went and told as he was bidden.
Tortoise sent word, "I can't come." His wife, however,
said to him, "Go!" Tortoise objected to her, saying, "I'm
afraid of that man!" Still his wife said to him, "Go!" So,
he went.

Leopard set out the food that had been prepared. Then
he asked Tortoise, "Where did you get the meat which I saw
with your child?" Tortoise replied, "I picked it up." Leop-
ard said, "No! don't tell lies!" They changed the conver-
sation, and went on eating. When they were done, Tortoise
went back to his house.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 155

Next day, Leopard said to his people, "I'm going to visit
Kudu. " So he went, and entered into the house of the wife
of Tortoise. There he saw much dried wild meat. He ex-
claimed, "O! Kudu! you told me falsely! You and I living
in the same town, can't you let me know what happens?"

Then Leopard went back to his house. That evening he
said to his children, "Go to the house of Kudu. If you
see a hunting-bag hanging there, take hold of it; with a knife
pierce holes in the bottom; and fill the bag with ashes."
They did so, putting in much ashes. They returned to their
father, and told him what they had done. He replied, "Very
good!"

That night, Tortoise said to his wife, "Tomorrow, I shall
not go out hunting." But, she said, "Yes! Go! and kill me
some animal. " So, he consented.

Then day began to break. Tortoise went into the en-
trance-room; thence he took his hunting-bag; but, in the
dark of the morning, he saw nothing wrong about it. And
he went on his way.

Soon, also, Leopard came out of his house; and, going to
the house of Tortoise, he inquired, "Kudu is in the house?"
The wife of Tortoise from her bed-room, replied, "Kudu is
not here." Then Leopard went into the entrance-room of
Tortoise; and looking about, he saw that the bag was not
there. So, he followed after Tortoise; and, as he walked,
he looked out for marks of the ashes. He followed, and he
followed; and finally overtook Tortoise.

Tortoise, as soon as he saw Leopard coming, said to him,
" I 'm going back to town ! " Leopard asked, " Why? Don't
go! Why do you go?" Tortoise, remembering his having
said he was "a great man," answered, "Because you are
proud." But, Leopard insisted, "No! go on where you were
going." So, Tortoise consented, "Well, let us go!"

They went, and came to the town of Men. And they found
that the men were gone off into the forest. Tortoise observed
that the house was closed and locked. Leopard said to him,
"Open the house!" But Tortoise replied, "You, Nja you
open the house!" But, Leopard said, "I am a stranger here;
you travel here continually; you know the way!" So, Tor-
. oise opened the house; and they both entered.

Leopard saw the bodies of many wild animals drying in the

156 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

house. Tortoise said to him, "Cany the meat, and let us
go!" But, Leopard said, "No! I'm staying here, and will
cook some meat here." Tortoise objected, "No! take the
meat and let us go. For, here are great Men who kill us
people."

However, Leopard insisted, "No! first let me eat." So,
Tortoise said, "Very well! Ill cany away my share; for, I'm
going." But Leopard still insisted, "No! wait for me."
So, Tortoise yielded, and waited for him in the house.

Leopard cooked his meat. While the pot was on the fire-
place, and before he had eaten, suddenly the Men returned.
Tortoise exclaimed, "The Men of the Town have returned!
What shall we do?" For himself, Tortoise said, "I'm going
to hide in the bedroom ! " But, Leopard said, " No ! I 'm the
elder; the bedroom is the place for me." He went into the
bedroom. Tortoise remained in the reception-room, and
hid himself in a pile of the women's cassava leaves.

Soon afterward, the Men also came into that room. And
a woman said, " I left those leaves here when I was cooking.
I must throw them into the back yard. " So, she swept the
leaves (with Tortoise unseen among them) in a heap, and
threw them out doors.

In the bedroom, where Leopard had hidden, there was a
child of this woman, sick with a skin-disease. The woman
called out to her child, "My child! are you there?" The
child replied, "Yes!" The Men in the entrance-room, ob-
serving the pot on the fire, asked the woman, "While we
were away, did you leave a kettle on the fire-place?" The
woman, thinking the pot belonged to someone else who had
been cooking, answered, "No." The Men then directed
her, "Make food for us!" So, she made them food in that
pot which Leopard had left, adding other meat to it.

The child in the bedroom, smelling the odor of cooking,
called out, "Mother! I want to eat!" So, the mother made
food for him. And she took the plate to him, setting it down
in the doorway, (but did not enter the room, and so did not
see Leopard).

Leopard took the child's food. The child, in terror, made
no out-cry. Leopard ate up all the food. Then the child
began to weep. The mother, hearing, asked, "Why do you
cry?" The child answered, "For hunger."

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 157

She wondered that that plateful had not been sufficient;
but, she made him more food. And she brought it to him
into the room, but she did not see the Leopard; nor did the
child tell her. She left the food there, and went out. The
child was about to take the food to eat it, when Leopard
again snatched it away. But, even then, the child, in fear,
did not scream out. And Leopard ate all the food.

Then the child began to weep out aloud. The mother
again asked, "What do you want?" The child answered,
"I want food." The mother wondered much, and, hasten-
ing into the bedroom, she saw Leopard. Then she shouted,
"Men! Here's Nja!" The men came, and they killed Leop-
ard.

All this while, Tortoise remained hidden in the bushes
outside; and he heard all that was happening. He said to
himself, "I'm going to town to tell the children of Nj& that
he is dead." So, he went back to his town. At first, he
told only his wife, "Men have killed Nja." Then he said,
"I must now call the children of Nja. "

So, he called all the people of Leopard. And he said to
them, "I will tell you something; but, don't kill me for my
evil news. So, I tell you, Nja is dead!" They all laughed
in derision, as if it was not possible, "We will know about
that matter tomorrow!"

And that day darkened. In the evening, Tortoise told
his wife and children, "We must flee to another place."
For, he feared that Leopard's people would charge him with
their father's death. So, that night they fled. And they
built their town far away at another place.

When the children of Leopard saw that Tortoise had fled,
they believed him guilty; and they said, "The day we shall
see Kudu, we will kill him. "

Tortoise and his family had been living at their new place
only about a month, when, one day, he said to his family,
"I'm going on a journey to the town of Mbama." So he
went to that town. He stayed there visiting about a week.
While there, he said to Boa, "If a child of Nja comes here,
hide me. " Shortly afterward, a child of Leopard did come.
Boa took Tortoise, and set him for safety on a rock in the
middle of the river. Tortoise sat there a long time; and,
while there, he laid what looked like an egg. Surprised, he

158 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

threw it into the water; and it floated away. Finally it came
ashore at the landing-place of Crocodile's town.

Crocodile saw it, and said, "Go, and seek the person who
made this thing." His children went to seek. They jour-
neyed, and found Tortoise, and took him. They brought
him to their father, and told him, "This is the person."
Crocodile asked Tortoise, ' ' You made this Thing ? ' ' Tortoise
said "Yes!" Then Crocodile told him, "Make me many of
these Things." So Tortoise told him, "Bring me here a
great many plantains; and arrange the house in order."
Crocodile arranged all the house nicely. Tortoise entered
it, and was given an inside room. He remained there in that
room all by himself with the plantains.

At last, one day he emerged. And he said to Crocodile,
"Send me in company with one of your people across the
river." Crocodile told him, "You yourself name the person
who shall go with you. " Tortoise said he wanted Crocodile's
cousin Igwana, who was living there with Crocodile's people.

So Igwana and Tortoise got into a canoe, and started to
cross the river. Crocodile then entered the room where
Tortoise had been. Searching there, he did not find any of
the Things which Tortoise had promised to make. So Croc-
odile shouted after Tortoise, whose canoe had not yet crossed
the river, to come back. Tortoise heard; and he asked
Igwana, "Do you hear how Crocodile is calling to you?"
Don't you know what he is saying?" (Natives believe the
Igwana to be deaf.) Igwana answered, "No! what does he
say?" Tortoise said, "He tells you to paddle faster! Don't
be so slow!" So, Igwana paddled rapidly; and soon his
work was finished; and they reached the other side. There,
Tortoise got out of the canoe; and he told Igwana to go back.
Igwana did so. And Tortoise went on his way.

After a while, a child of Leopard met with Tortoise on the
path. The child asked him, "Is not this Kudu?" Tortoise
replied, "Yes, I am he." Then the child of Leopard said to
him, "You killed my father! I shall also kill you!" So, he
killed Tortoise.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 159

TALE 20

LEOPARD'S HUNTING COMPANIONS
Persons

(Leopard) and His Neph- Nyati (Ox)

ew Njaku (Elephant)

Etoli (House-Rat) Ko (Wild-Rat)

Ngomba (Porcupine) Kudu (Tortoise)

Iheli (Gazelle) Indondobe (Wagtail)

Leopard and other Beasts, with a son of Leopard's sister,
were residing in the same town. One day, Leopard said to
the others, "I have here a word to say." They replied,
"Tell it. " " We must go to kill Beasts (not of our company)
for our food, at a place which I will show you a number of
miles away. " And they made their arrangements.

After two days, he said, " Now, for the journey ! " So they
finished their preparations. And Leopard said to his nephew,
" You stay in the town. I and the others will go to our work."

They began their journey, and had gone only a part of the
way, when Leopard exclaimed, "I forgot my spear! Wait
for me while I go back to the town." There he found his
nephew sitting down, waiting. Leopard said to him, " I have
come to tell you that, every day, while we are away, you
must come early to where we are killing the animals; and
secretly you must take away the meat and bring it here to
my house." The nephew heard and promised.

Leopard returned to the others who were awaiting him
on the road, and told them to come on. They went, and
they arrived at the spot which he had chosen. There they
hastily built a small house for their camp. The next day
they said, "Now, let us go and make our snares for the
animals." They began making snares; and set their traps
early in the afternoon. A few hours later, they returned to
the camp. Later still, before sunset, they said, "Let us go
to examine our snares." They found they had caught an

160 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

Igwana. They killed it and put it on the drying-frame over
the fire in the house.

Then the day darkened. And they went to their sleep.

And then the day broke.

And Leopard said, "While we go to the snares, who shall
remain to take care of this house?" They agreed, "Let
Etoli stay at the camp. " House-Rat assented, "All right. "
So the others went away together.

The camp had been made near a small stream. At that
same hour, Leopard's nephew came to the camp, according
to his uncle's directions. He had in his hands a plate and a
drum. He came near to the house cautiously. With the
plate he twice swept the surface of the water, as if bailing out
a canoe. Rat heard the swish of the water, and called out,
"Who is splashing water there? Who is dabbling in this
water?" The nephew responded, "It is I, a friend." And
Rat said, "Well, then come."

The nephew came to the house. After a little conversa-
tion, he said to Rat, "I have here a drum, and, while I beat
it, you dance for me." Rat was pleased, and said. "Very
well." So, the nephew beat the drum, and Rat danced.
After a while, the nephew said to Rat, "Go you, out into the
front, and dance there, while I beat the drum here." As
Rat went out, the nephew snatched the dried meat and ran
away with it, suddenly disappearing around a corner of the
house. He came to the town, and placed the meat in his
own house.

Rat \\ai!ec! a while in the front, and, not hearing the drum
came back into the house, a, d called out, "Chum! where are
you?" He looked about, and his eyes falling on the drying-
frame, he saw that the dried meat was not there. He began
to mourn, "Ah! Leopard will kill me to day, because of the
loss of his meat. "

While he was thus speaking, the company of trappers,
together with Leopard, came back from their morning's
work. Leopard told Rat all that had occurred to them in
the forest at their traps and snares; and then said, "Now,
tell me what you have been doing, and the happenings of
this camp." Rat told him, "Some one has come and taken
away the dried meat, but I did not see who it was. " Leopard
said, "You are full of falsehood. Yourself have eaten it

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 161

while we were away in the forest. " So, Leopard gave him a
heavy flogging. Then they put on the drying-frame the
animal they had trapped that day.

The next day they went again to the forest; and Wild-Rat
was left in charge of the camp. The nephew came, as on the
day before, with his plate and drum, and did in the same
way at the water. And he deceived the Wild-Rat with his
drumming, in the same way as he had done to House-Rat.

When Leopard and the others came back from the forest,
Wild-Rat told him of the loss of the meat; and said that he
had seen no one, and did not know who took it. Leopard
said to him, "You, Ko, have eaten the meat, just as your
relative Etoli ate his yesterday. "

Thus Leopard and his company went each day to the
traps. On the third day, Porcupine was caught; on the
fourth Gazelle; on the fifth, Ox; on the sixth, Elephant.
Beast after beast was caught, killed and dried; and, day by
day, the meat of all was stolen. The last to be thus caught
and stolen was Tortoise.

The nephew in Leopard's town, looked with satisfaction
on the pile of dried meat that had been collected in his own
house. He said to himself, "My uncle told me to gather
them; and I have done so. But, I will not put them in Uncle's
house."

In the camp, there was left only one animal of Leopard's
companions that had not been placed on guard. It was a
Bird, a water Wag-tail. It said to Leopard one day, "While
you all go on your errand today, I will remain as keeper of
the house." Leopard replied, "No! my friend, I don't wish
you to remain." (For, Leopard knew that that Bird was
very cautious and wise, more so than some other animals.)
Nevertheless, they went, leaving the Bird in charge of the
house.

The nephew came, as usual, with his plate and drum. He
splashed the water of the stream as usual, to see whether
there was anyone in the house to respond. And the Bird
asked, "Who are you?" The nephew answered, in a humble
voice, "I." He came on through the stream, on his way,
catching two cray-fish. He entered the house, and he said
to the Bird, "Get me some salt, and a leaf in which to tie and
roast these cray-fish. " When the Bird gave him the leaf, he

162 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

tied them in it, and laid the small bundle on the coals on the
fire-place. But he at once took up the bundle, opened it,
and ate the fish, before they were really cooked. The Bird
said to him, " Those fish were not yet cooked. Your stomach
is like your Uncle Nja's. Both you and your Uncle like to
eat things raw."

The Bird at once suspected that the nephew was the thief.
When the nephew said, "I have here a drum," Bird at once,
as if very willing, replied, "Drum! I want to dance." The
nephew was standing in the front with his drum, and he said
to Bird, "Come and dance out here; for, the drum sounds
much better outside." But the Bird said, "I will not dance
in the same place with you. " The nephew then said, " Well,
then; change places; you come here, and I go into the house. "
But the Bird refused, "No! I stay in the house."

Most of the morning was thus spent by the nephew trying
to deceive the Bird, and get into the house alone. Finally,
the nephew wearied, and gave up the effort and left.

Soon the company of trappers with Leopard returned from
the forest. He told the Bird all the news of their forest work.
Looking at the drying-frames, Leopard saw that the dried
meat was still there. He thought in his heart, " My nephew
has not come today to get this meat. "

The Bird then told Leopard all the news of the camp, and
how the nephew had been acting. At the last, he exclaimed,
"So! it is your nephew who has been coming here every day
to take away the dried meat!" And all the animals agreed,
"So! so! that's so!" But Leopard replied, "I .don't believe
it. But, let us adjourn and examine." (He supposed the
meat was hidden in his own house, and would not be dis-
covered.)

They all scattered, and hastened to their town. There
they entered the nephew's house; and there they found a great
pile of dried meat. They proved the theft on Leopard him-
self, pointing out, "Here is the very meat in the house of one
of your own family. We are sure that you yourself made
the conspiracy with your nephew for him to do the stealing
for you." And they all denounced him, "You are a thief
and a liar! You shall not join with us any more in the same
town."

Leopard went away in wrath saying, "Do you prove it on

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 163

me? Well then! all you beasts, whenever and wherever I
shall meet you, it will be only to eat you ! "

So, leopards are always enemies to all other animals, and
they kill them whenever they are able.

TALE 21

Is THE BAT A BIRD OR A BEAST?
Persons

Ndemi (Bat) and his Mother Vyddu (Antelope)
Joba (The Sun) Hako (Ants)

Other Animals and Birds

NOTE

In Tropical Africa, it is not usual to retain a corpse unbur-
ied as long as 24 hours. Bat retained his mother's corpse
too long. The "Driver" Ants of that country are natural
scavengers.

A reason why bats are not seen in the day time: — Also,
why they make their plaintive cry at night, as if they were
calling for their mother.

Bat lived at a place by itself, with only its mother. Shortly
after their settling there, the mother became sick, very near
to death. Bat called for Antelope, and said to him, " Make
medicine for my mother." Antelope looked steadily at her
to discern her disease. Then he told Bat, "There is no one
who can make the medicine that will cure your mother,
except Joba." Having given this information, Antelope
returned to his own place.

On another day, early in the morning, Bat arose to go to
call Sun. He did not start until about seven o'clock. He
met Sun on the road about eleven o'clock. And he said to

164 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

Sun, "My journey was on the way to see you." Sun told
him, " If you have a word to say, speak ! " So Bat requested,
" Come ! make Medicine for my mother. She is sick. " But
Sun replied, "I can't go to make medicine unless you meet
me in my house; not here on the road. Go back; and come
to me at my house tomorrow." So, Bat went back to his
town.

And the day darkened. And they all slept their sleep.

And the next day broke. At six o'clock, Bat started to go
to call Sun. About nine o'clock, he met Sun on the path; and
he told Sun what he was come for. But Sun said to him,
"Whenever I emerge from my house, I do not go back, but
I keep on to the end of my journey. Go back, for another
day. " Bat returned to his town.

He made other journeys in order to see Sun at his h&use,
five successive days; and every day he was late, and met Sun
already on the way of his own journey for his own business.

Finally, on the seventh day, Bat's mother died. Then
Bat, in his grief, said, "It is Joba who has killed my mother!
Had he made medicine for me, she would have recovered."

Very many people came together that day in a crowd, at
the Kwedi (mourning) for the dead. The wailing was held
from six o'clock in the morning until eleven o'clock of the
next day. At that hour, Bat announced, "Let her be taken
to the grave. " He called other Beasts to go into the house
together with him, in order to carry the corpse. They took
up the body, and carried it on the way to the grave.

On their arrival at the grave, these Beasts said to Bat,
"We have a rule that, before we bury a person, we must first
look upon the face. " (To identify it). So, they opened the
coffin. When they had looked on the face, they said, "No!
we can't bury this person; for, it is not our relative, it does
not belong to us Beasts. This person indeed resembles us
in having teeth like us. And it also has a head like us.
But, that it has wings, makes it look like a bird. It is a bird.
Call for the Birds ! We will disperse. " So, they dispersed.

Then Bat called the Birds to come. They came, big and
little; Pelicans, Eagles, Herons and all the others. When
they all had come together, they said to Bat, "Show us the
dead body. ' ' He told them, " Here it is ! Come ! look upon

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 165

it!" They looked and examined carefully. Then they said,
"Yes! it resembles us; for, it has wings as we. But, about
the teeth, No! We birds, none of us, have any teeth. This
person does not resemble us with those teeth. It does not
belong to us. " And all the Birds stepped aside.

During the while that the talking had been going on, Ants
had come and laid hold of the body, and could not be driven
away. Then one of the Birds said to Bat, "I told you,
you ought not to delay the burial, for, many things might
happen." The Ants had eaten the body and there was no
burial. And all the birds and beasts went away.

Bat, left alone, said to himself, "All the fault of all this
trouble is because of Joba. If he had made medicine, my
mother would not be dead. So, I, Ndemi, and Joba shall
not look on each other. We shall have no friendship. If he
emerges, I shall hide myself. I won't meet him or look at
him. " And he added, " I shall mourn for my mother always.
I will make no visits. I will walk about only at night, not in
the daytime, lest I meet Joba or other people. "

TALE 22
DOG, AND His HUMAN SPEECH (!ST VERSION)

Persons

Mbwa (Dog), and His Mother A Man Njambo, and Daugh-
ter Eyale

NOTE

In the pre-historic times, from which these tales come, all
animals, both human and (what we now call) the lower
animals, were supposed to associate together, even in mar-
riage. This son Mbwa, in form (and speaking also) like what
we now call a "Dog," spoke also with human speech. The
reason is here given why this ancestor of Dogs left the country
of the Beasts. But, though Dogs now live with Mankind,
they cannot use human speech as their ancestor did. They
can only say "Ow! Ow!"

166 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

Dog and his mother were the only inhabitants of their
hamlet. He had the power to speak both as a beast and as
a human being.

One day the mother said to the son, "You are now a strong
man; go, and seek a marriage. Go, and marry Eyale, the
daughter of Njambo. " And he said to his mother, "I will go
tomorrow."

That day darkened. And they both went to lie down in
their places for sleep.

Then soon, another day began to break.

Dog said to his mother, "This is the time of my journey. "
It was about sun-rise in the morning. And he began his
journey. He went the distance of about eight miles; and
arrived at the journey's end before the middle of the morning.

He entered the house of Njambo, the father of Eyale.
Njambo and his wife saluted him, " Mbolo ! " and he respond-
ed, "Ai! mbolo!" Njambo asked him, " My friend ! what is
the cause of your journey? " Dog, with his animal language,
answered, "I have come to marry your daughter Eyale."
Njambo consented; and the mother of the girl also agreed.
They called their daughter, and asked her; and she also replied,
"Yes! with all my heart." This young woman was of very
fine appearance in face and body. So, all the parties agreed
to the marriage.

After that, about sun-set in the evening, when they sat
down at supper, the son-in-law, Dog, was not able to eat
for some unknown reason.

That day darkened; and they went to their sleep.

And, then, the next daylight broke. But, by an hour
after sunrise in the morning, Dog had not risen; he was
still asleep.

The mother of the woman said to her, "Get some water
ready for the washing of your husband's face, whenever he
shall awake." She also said to her daughter, "I am going
to go into the forest to the plantation to get food for your
husband; for, since his coming, he has not eaten. Also,
here is a chicken; the lads may kill and prepare it. But,
you yourself must split nganda (gourd-seeds, whose oily
kernels are mashed into a pudding). She handed Eyale the
dish of gourd-seeds, and went off into the forest. Njambo
also went away on an errand with his wife. The daughter

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 167

took the dish of seeds, and, sitting down, began to shell them.
As she shelled, she threw the kernels on the ground, but the
shells she put on a plate.

Shortly after the mother had gone, Dog woke from sleep.
He rose from his bed, and came out to the room where his
wife was, and stood near her, watching her working at the
seeds. He stood silent, looking closely, and observed that
she was still throwing away the kernels, the good part, and
saving the shells on the plate. He spoke to her with his
human voice, "No! woman! not so! Do you throw the good
parts, to the ground, and the worthless husks onto the plate? "

While he was thus speaking to his wife, she suddenly fell to
the ground. And at once she died. He laid hold of her to
lift her up. But, behold! she was a corpse.

Soon afterwards, the father and the mother came, having
returned from their errands. They found their child a
corpse; and they said to Dog, "Mbwa! What is this?"
He, with his own language replied, "I cannot tell." But,
they insisted, "Tell us the reason!"

So Dog spoke with his human voice, "You, Woman, went
to the forest while I was asleep. You, Man, you also went
in company of your wife, while I was asleep. When I rose
from sleep, I found my wife was cracking nganda. She was
taking the good kernels to throw on the ground, and was
keeping the shells for the plate. And I spoke and told her,
'The good kernels which you are throwing on the ground are
to be eaten, not the husks. ' '

While he was telling them this, they too, also fell to the
ground, and died, apparently without cause.

When the people of the town heard about all this, they said,
"This person carries an evil Medicine for killing people.
Let him be seized and killed!"

So Dog fled away rapidly into the forest; and he finally
reached the hamlet of his mother. His body was scratched
and torn by the branches and thorns of the bushes of the
forest, in his hasty flight. His mother exclaimed, "Mbwa!
What's the matter? Such haste! and your body so disorder-
ed!" He replied, using their own language, "No! I won't
tell you. I won't speak." But, his mother begged him,
"Please! my child! tell me!" So, finally, he spoke, using
his strange voice, and said, " My mother ! I tell you ! Njambo

168 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

and his wife liked me for the marriage; and the woman con-
sented entirely. I was at that time asleep, when the Man
and his wife went to the forest. When I rose from my sleep,
I found the woman Eyale cracking nganda, and throwing
away the kernels, and keeping the husks. And I told her,
'The good ones which you are throwing away are the ones
to be eaten.' And, at once she died. "

While he was speaking thus to his mother, she also fell
dead on the ground. The news was carried to the town of
Dog's mother's brother, and very many people came to the
Mourning. His Uncle came to Dog, and said, "Mbwa!
what is the reason of all this?" But Dog would not answer.
He only said, "No! I won't speak." Then they all begged
him, "Tell us the reason." But he replied only, "No! I
won't speak. "

Finally, as they urged him, he chose two of them, and
said to the company, "The rest of you remain here, and
watch while I go and speak to these two. " Then Dog spoke
to those two men with the same voice as he had to his mother.
And, at once they died, as she had died. Then he exclaimed,
"Ah! No! If I speak so, people will come to an end!" And
all the people agreed, "Yes, Mbwa! it is so. Your human
speech kills us people. Don't speak any more."

And he went away to live with Mankind.

TALE 22

DOG, AND His HUMAN SPEECH (2ND VERSION)
Persons

Njambo, His Wife Nyangwa- His Three Other Wives,

Mbwa, and His Son Mbwa [ Majanga,

(Dog) j Inyanji,

The Prophet, Totode, and a ( Mamendi; and Her Two

Sorcerer, Nja-Ya-Melema- Twins.

Mya-Bato

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 169

NOTE

Some African ant-hills are built in upright pillars, varying
in diameter from 3 to 10 inches, and in height from 1 ft. to 3
ft.

The bearing of a monstrosity formerly was punished (and
in some tribes still) by driving the mother into seclusion in
the forest, and generally with killing of the child. In some
tribes, twins were considered monstrosities.

The "Heart-beat" of Nyangwe-Mbwa was the commonly
believed premonition of coming evil.

There are many kinds of food, of which women are not
allowed to partake.

Though the three sisters were daughters of the same
mother, the jealousy of two of them for the other one led
them to hatred, and an attempt at murder. Their curse
laid on Mbwa caused him to be a speechless beast; for, previ-
ous to that, he was talking as a human being. "Heart-
life" is an entity distinct from both Body and Soul.

Njambu married a woman named Nyangwa-Mbwa. She
bore a creature that looked like no animal that existed at
that time. But, because he spoke as a human being, he was
not considered a Beast. He was given part of his mother's
name, Mbwa.

Njambu added other marriages. Among them he ob-
tained three women, each one of whom had a special office.
That of Majanga was to keep things clean. That of Inyanji
for planting. Mamendi said that her work should be to bear
twins. Now, these three women were sisters. The other
two were jealous of Mamendi, because her work was greater
and more honorable than their's.

In the course of time, Mamendi conceived; her pregnancy
went regularly on. And the time for her confinement came.
Majanga and Inyanji went to deliver her. But they tied a
napkin over her face, and covered her eyes lest she should
see what they would do to her. When the time of the birth
was at hand, she bore twins.

170 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

Then Inyanji and Majanga threw the twins into the pig-
pen. And they took two ant-hills (slender conical structures) .
They smeared them with blood. And they went and showed
them to Njambu as the things which Mamendi had borne.
Njambu said, "Go! and throw those things into the forest."

But Mbwa was going about; and as he went, he was scent-
ing, till he came to the pig-pen; and he saw the twins. He
took them, and carried them to his mother in their hut,
which was isolated from the town. When the two women
had left the twins in the pig-pen, their intention was that
the pigs might kill them; and the women did not know that
Mbwa had removed them. The twins stayed with Nyangwa-
Mbwa, and she fed them and nursed them.

But, when Majanga and Inyanji heard that those children
were in the hamlet of Mbwa's mother, they said, "We will
go there tomorrow.

Early in the morning, Nyangwa-Mbwa had gone to the
forest to her garden. When the two women came; they
found the twins lying down. So, they struck them a blow;
and they died.

The while that Nyangwa-Mbwa was in the forest, her heart
beat with anxiety. She at once picked up her basket, and
came to her village, and found the corpses of both the twins.
Then she began to cry.

Mbwa also came, and found the dead bodies stretched out.
Right away, he knew what had happened. So he went to
the Prophet Totode, and inquired what he should do. Tot ode
asked him, "Are you able to go to the town of Doctor Nja-
y a-melema -my a-bato ? (Hunger-f or-the-hearts-of -people) . ' '
He agreed "Yes, I will go there. " Then he went to the town
of the Doctor.

A child of the Doctor spoke to Mbwa, and asked," What
have you come to do?" He answered, "I have come to
seek heart-life; because my father's wives have killed from
me two children. "

Already Nja-ya-melema-mya-batohad goneto killpeoplefor
himself. In a little while he returned and suddenly, pieces
of meat (from the dead bodies) began to fall, kidi ! kidi ! being
thrown out on the ground in the street. Mbwa, awaiting a
chance, hid himself under a bed.

Then came the Doctor bringing in the heart-lives of the

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 171

men he had killed. Mbwa, without permission, seized two
of the hearts, and ran out quickly. Nja-ya-melema-mya-bato
followed after him, running rapidly, da! da! da! But he did
not overtake Mbwa.

Mbwa ran in haste with the hearts, on to his village. There
he thrust the new lives into the children. The twins arose
again to life and stood, to show themselves, and then they
sat down.

Those twins went on growing, and became stout young
men.

One day they said to Mbwa, "We want guns." He went
to his father, in the town, and said, "I want two guns."
His father produced two guns for him. He took them, went
to his home, and handed them to the twins. Then they
tried the guns, and loaded them.

Next day, in the morning, they went out early to hunt;
they killed two gazelles; and they took them to their village.
Mbwa cut up one of the beasts; and he said to his mother,
" Cook it." Then he took the other one to his father. His
father cut it up; and he called Majanga and Inyanji; and,
dividing the meat, he said to them, "Go ye, and cook these
in the pot, and those in a jomba. " (Mbwa himself was still
in the house watching them.) They boiled, and cooked;
they put in the salt and pepper; and were about to taste
the soup when Mbwa said, "Not so! This meat is not to be
eaten by women."

They took the food to the Reception-house, where their
husband Njambu ate; and he laid aside some for them. But,
what he laid aside for those women, Mbwa drew away and
ate. Then he returned to his home. His mother made
food; and they ate, all four of them.

Next morning, the twins returned to their hunting. They
killed also three antelopes, and they carried them to take
them to their home, and left them in the path on the way
outside of the village. In the village, they said to Mbwa,
" Go, and bring the beasts from the forest. "

Mbwa started, and brought them to the village. He
carried two to his father. His brothers exclaimed, " Where
does Mbwa kill all those animals?" His father cut up the
animals, and divided one with his children. He cut up the
other, saying, "This belongs to myself." Then he prepared

172 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

some to be cooked in momba (bundles tied in plantain leaves),
and some to be dried, and some to be boiled.

The women boiled the food (Mbwa still watching them).
When it was cooked, they lifted up the pot from the fire, and
they were about to taste it, when Mbwa said, "No! you
must not taste it!" They put it in bowls, and set the food
before their husband; and he ate. When he was about to
give some to his wives, Mbwa said, "Not so!"

The twins continued with their hunting just the same as
at the first. Almost every day they were killing some animal.
And Mbwa continued also with carrying meat to the town
of his father.

Finally, the twins became full-grown men. Then Mbwa
said to himself, "Now, I'm ready to bring this matter to the
ears of the people." When another day came, he said to
his father, "Tomorrow, call all the people of the town to-
gether, in the afternoon. "

On the next day, his father did so. Mbwa dressed the
twins very finely; and brought out three chairs, two for the
twins, and one for his mother. All the people collected
together. Thereupon, he brought forward his mother, and
the twins. The people fixed their eyes on them; for they
had not seen them in their little hamlet in the forest. The
people exclaimed, "What fine-looking persons!"

Then Mbwa stood up. He said, "Ye people! I have
called you all that ye may recognize these two young men."
The people said that they did not know them. He con-
tinued, "These are my father's children. For, my father
had married these three women. Also, they had three
duties; Majanga, her duty of keeping the house clean; Iny-
anji, her duty of planting; and Mamendi's was the bearing
of twins. Mamendi became a mother. On the day of her
confinement, her two sisters went to deliver her. They took
a napkin and covered her eyes. And she bore these two
twins. They threw them inside the pig-pen. And they
took two small earthen pillars instead, and they went and
showed them to their husband. Then, I entered the pig-
pen; and I took these children out; and brought them to my
mother. So, these children grew up. And they began
hunting. You, my father, you remember when I brought
you the wild meat, and you were about to give to these

WHERE ANIMALS TALK

173

women; but, I went and took away the food. The reason is,
because they are the ones who tried to kill the children. I
brought them up from childhood to be men as now. So,
this caused me to bring this case before the presence of all
people; for, I say that those two women were murderesses.
So, then, my father, these are your children; but, if you
retain those women, these two twins shall not be your sons."

Upon this, the father of Mbwa said, "Catch ye both of the
women!" And they were bound in that self -same hour.
(They had supposed that the twins had died when they had
struck them in the hamlet of Mbwa's mother.) They could
not deny. In their anger, as they were led away, they called
out to Mbwa, '^Mbwa-O!" He assented, "Eh? What is
it?" They replied in anger, for having informed on them.
And they laid a curse on him, saying, "You will never speak
again with the voice of a human being. You shall be a dumb
beast."

But, the people took them, to be thrown into the depth
of the sea.

TALE 23

THE SAVIOR OF THE ANIMALS

Njambo and Wife

and Son Utigebodi
Ngwayi (Partridge)
The Prophet Njambi
Yungu (Eagle)
Etoli (Rat)

Persons

Njaku (Elephant)
Nyati (Ox)
Kudu (Tortoise)
Nja (Leopard)
Ngoinba (Porcupine)
Inani (Bird)

NOTE

This story plays on the meaning of the name U-tige-bode.
It is an ancient word, not now used, meaning, "He-Who-
Saves-People. " In the Son's given name; his saving of
the unworthy, in response to their appeals for mercy; his

174 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

bearing of his father's wrath; his punishment on a tree; the
derision of the very passers by, for whom he was to die, I
think the legend echoes, even though faintly, the story of
the Christ.

Njambo married two women. He begot twenty-three
children. And they all died. Also one of the wives died.
There were left only himself, and one wife.

The woman was old, and the man also was old. But,
the woman was again to become a mother; and, at the proper
time, she bore a child. The child was a male. The woman
called the husband, saying, "Come! and give your boy a
name." The husband said, "The name of the child is
Utigebode."

After this, the child grew to be a large man. One day, he
said to his father, "Paia! I'm going to set snares in the forest."
The father replied, "Yes! go! and catch me food!" He
went. And he returned that morning. In the afternoon,
he went back to examine the snares. And he found that
two Partridges were caught. He exclaimed, "I'm very glad!
My father shall eat one today, and the other shall be kept for
tomorrow." Then the Partridges asked him, "What is
your name?" He answered, " One-Who-Saves-People. "
Then the Partridges said, "If that is so, why are you about
to kill us?"

On another day, in the morning, he went again to examine
his snares. And he found two Antelope (Tragelephas) . He
was glad; and he said, "I feel very good! My father shall
eat one; and the other can be cooked for another day. " The
Antelopes asked him, "What's your name?" He answered,
" One-Who-Saves-People. " Again, they asked, "Why then
are you about to kill us?" He replied, "That's so! Well!
go!" And he returned to town.

That afternoon he went out again, and found two Gazelles.
And he said, "I'll take these two to town at once; and my
father shall eat one today, and the other tomorrow." But
the Gazelles said, "No! — you are the One-Who-Saves-People !
Why then should you kill us?" So he loosed them, and let
them go.

He did the same way to two Elephants. And with two

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 175

Oxen. At another time he found two Tortoises. And the
Tortoises spoke to him as had done the others. And on
another day, he found two Leopards. And, he released the
Leopards, in the same way. At another time, two Porcu-
pines, in the same way.

One after another, almost all the Beasts were thus trapped
and released. There was not one beast brought by Utigebode
to his village; he freed them all.

So, his father said to him, "My child! since you have set
your snares, I have not seen you bring in a single beast,
even an Etoli. What are you doing? I shall change your
name. For, now that I am old, it is right for you to save
me, and help me with food. "

Utigebode replied evasively, "Since I set the snares, I
have not caught even a Inani." The father said, "Well! if
it is true that you have not killed any Beast or Bird, I will
know tomorrow. "

The next day broke; and the father went to the village of
Prophet Njambi. The Prophet saluted him, "What have
you corne for?" Njambo replied, "I come to you for you
to tell me about my son, whether in his hunting he kills beasts,
or whether he does not." Njambi answered, "He snares
them constantly; but, because of the name you gave him,
he saves the lives of the people of the tribes of Beasts."

The prophet added, "If there be a doubt, I will show you
a way to prove my words. When you go back to town
you will meet Iheli at the end of the village. When you
meet with him, call for the people to set nets to catch him.
But, yourself shall stand and watch what the Beast does
before your eyes. "

Njambo arose to go, and bade goodbye, saying, "This is
my return journey to my village. "

And it was so that, on nearing the end of the village, he
met with Gazelle. Njambo shouted, "Men! spread your
nets ! Here is a Beast ! Let us catch it ! " His men brought
their nets, and began to surround Gazelle. And the son
Utigebode came to assist. The men were shouting, "Ha-ha!
Ha-ha!" to frighten the animal towards the nets. Gazelle
looked forward, watching Utigebode closely; and it said to
itself, "If I go toward the nets, I shall be caught; but, I will
go toward Utigebode and shall be saved. "

176 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

So, Gazelle ran toward Utigebode, and he caught it as if
to kill it. But Gazelle cried out, "Eh! Utigebode! you, the
savior, will you be the one to kill me?" So, Utigebode
said, "Pass on! for, it is true that I am The-One-Who-
Saves." And Gazelle fled to the forest.

Then Njambo was very angry, and said to Utigebode,
"Ah! my child! I have found you in your falsehood! Was
it not you who said you caught no Beast? So! you have
been releasing them!"

Then the company all went back to their village with their
nets. They arrived there during the daytime. And the
father ordered his son, "Go! climb that coco tree, and bring
me a nut." The son began to climb the tree. But, as he
climbed, the father, by Magic-Power, caused the tree to grow
rapidly upward. When, finally, Utigebode reached the top,
he was unable to come down the excessively long tree-trunk.
He began to call to his father for help, "My father!" But
the father was still very angry, and replied, "Call your
friends, the Beasts and Birds, to save you. I will not help
you. " And Njambo went to sit down in his village, leaving
his son in the treetop.

The son saw Eagle passing, and he called to it, "Yungu!
Help me!" Eagle replied, "I am not able to carry a Man;
you are heavy;" so, Eagle passed on. Utigebode saw many
Beasts one after another passing below, and he called to
them, "Save me!" But, they said, "We have no wings
with which to go up .to you. How can we get you down?
We are not Birds that could let you down. We Beasts are
unable to help you. Do not expect us. "

He was left there in the tree-top a period of two weeks,
living only on the coconuts; and then he died, and his body
fell to the earth. Njambo came out to see the corpse, and
he said to it, "You have died through lack of obedience.
You disobeyed me; and your beasts did not help you."

The father and the mother lived another year in their
village; and then they died, because they had no children
to help them with food or clothes. And the people came
from other villages to bury them.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 177

TALE 24

OKIGIN OF THE IVORY TRADE (!ST VERSION)
Persons

King Ukanakadi, and His SonLombolokindi, and His Mother,

With Birds and Other Animals

Tombeseki (A Magic-Spear) ; An Old Woman

Njaku (Elephant) ; An Ox (A Metamorphosed Man)

A Foreign Vessel, and Traders

Ukanakadi lived in his great house, having with him his
many wives. One of them bore him a son whom he named
Lombolokindi.

As time passed on, the child grew in size, and strength,
and skill. Because of this, his mother was treated by Ukana-
kadi with special favor. This aroused the jealousy of one
of the other wives. She took the child one day, and secretly
gave him a certain evil medicine, which caused him to be
constantly hungry, hungry, hungry. Even when he ate
enormously, no amount of food could fill his stomach or
satisfy his appetite.

Ukanakadi finally was angry at the child, and said to the
mother, "All the food of my plantations is finished, eaten up
by your child. We have no more plantains, no more cassava,
no more eddoes, nor anything else in our plantations or in
our kitchen-gardens. You have brought a curse upon us!
Go away to your father's house!" (He said this, not know-
ing that a Fetish-Medicine had caused all the trouble.)

So the mother went away with her child to her father's
house. But there too, the boy ate up all the food of the
gardens, until there was none left. Then her father said to
her, "All my food is done here; go with your child to your
grandfather, and find food there. "

So, she went to her grandfather's. But there the same
trouble followed.

After she had been there some time, and the child was now
a stout lad, and she saw that they were no longer welcome,

178 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

she said to herself, "Alas! it is so! All my people are weary
of me! I will not longer stay at grandfather's. I will go
wandering into the forest, and, with the child, will see what
I can get. "

Taking with her only two ears of corn, she went far off
with the lad into the forest. After much wandering, and
eating only wild fruits, she selected a spot without having
any idea of the locality, and built a shed for a camp in which
to stay. At this place, she planted the corn. It quickly
sprang up, and bore abundantly. And she planted other
gardens. After a time came very many birds; and they
began to eat up the corn. She exclaimed, "My son and I
alone have come here, and have planted our corn. How is
this that all the birds have come so soon to destroy it?"
And the son, who by this time had grown to be almost a
young man, said to her, "Mother, why do you allow the
birds to eat? Why don't you do something?" She replied,
" Why do the birds thus destroy the corn? What can I do? "
So he came out of the shed into the yard in front of their
house and shouted at the birds, "You birds! who have come
here to spoil my corn, with this stick I will kill you all!"
But the birds jeered at him, saying, "No! not all! Only
one shall die!"

The young man went into the hou.ce, took up a magic
spear-head he owned, fitted it onto a stick as a shaft; and
going out again, he hurled it at the birds. The spear flew
at them, pursuing each one, and piercing every one of them
in succession. Then it flew on and on, away out into the
forest.

The young man took up another medicine-charm that he
had with him, and, calling to his spear by name, shouted
after it, " Tombeseki-o-o ! Come back, back, back, Here!
again, again, again, Return!" The spear heard him, and
obeyed, and came back. He laid hold of it, and put it
again in the shed. So, he and his mother lived there. She
planted a very large garden of plantains, cassava, and many
other vegetables, a very large quantity. And her gardens
grew, and bore fruit in plenty.

Then there came all kinds of small Animals, hogs, and
antelopes, and gazelles, very many; and they spoiled the
gardens, eating the fruit, and breaking down the stalks.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 179

The mother exclaimed, "My son! the animals have finished
all my food of the gardens; everything is lost ! Why is this? "
He replied, "Yes, it is so! And when they come again
tomorrow, I know what I will do to them!"

When they came the next day, he went into the house,
took the spear, flung it; and it flew from beast to beast,
piercing all of them in succession. Then it went off, flying
into the forest, as before. He called after it to return.
The Spear heard, and obeyed, and came back to the house.

Then he and his mother sat down in the house, complain-
ing of their hunger, and how the animals had spoiled their
gardens. So the mother went out, and gathered up what
little remained, brought it into the house, and cooked it,
leaves and all.

When the mother had planted a third garden, and it had
grown, a herd of elephants came to destroy it. She cried
out, "Ah! Njaku! what shall I do? You have come to
destroy all my gardens! Shall I die with hunger?" The
son brought out his Spear, and shouting at the elephants,
threatened to kill them all. But the herd laughed and said,
"When you throw that spear, only one of us shall fall. " He
threw the spear at the one that spoke. It struck him and
all the elephants in succession; and they all died. The
Spear kept on in its flight into the forest. The young man
cried after it, "Spear! Spear! come back, come back!" And
it came to him again.

Each time that the Spear had thus gone through the forest,
it had mowed down the trees in its path; and thus was made
the clearing which the mother had at once utilized for the
planting of her successive gardens.

After the elephants, mother and son sat down again in
their hunger; they had nothing to eat but leaves. These
she cooked; and they ate them all at once.

Then she planted another garden, thinking that now there
were no more beasts who would come to ravage. But she
did not know that there was still left in the forest one very,
very large Elephant that had not been in the company of the
herd that the son had killed.

There was also, in that forest, one very, very large Ox.
When the gardens had grown, that Ox came, and began to
destroy. The young man hurled his Spear at the Ox. It

180 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

was wounded, but did not fall; and it went away into the
forest with the spear sticking in its side. The young man
pursued the Ox, following, following, following far away.
But he did not overtake it.

On his way, he reached unexpectedly a small, lonely hut,
where an Old Woman was living by herself. When she saw
him, she said to him, "Do not follow any longer. That Ox
was a person like yourself. He is dead; and his people have
hung up that Spear in their house. "

The young man told the old woman that he was very
hungry. So she cut down for him an entire bunch of plan-
tains. He was so exceedingly hungry that he could not
wait; and before the plantains were entirely cooked, he
began to eat of them, and ate them all. The old woman
exclaimed, "What sort of a person is this who eats in this
way?" In her wisdom, thinking over the matter, she felt
sure it was some disease that caused his voracity.

The man, being tired with his journey, fell asleep; and
she, by her magic power, caused him to hear or feel nothing.
While he was in this state, she cut him open. As she did so,
his disease rushed out with a whizzing sound; and she cut
away, and removed a tumor, that looked like a stone of glass.
That was the thing that had caused his excessive hunger all
his life. By her Power, she closed the wound.

When he awoke, she cooked food for him, of which he ate,
and was satisfied with an ordinary amount like any other
person. She then told him what she had done, and said,
"As you are now cured, you may pursue that Ox. You will
reach his town, and you will obtain your Spear. But, as
you go there, you must make a pretense. You must pretend
that you are mourning for the dead. You must cry out in
wailing, "Who killed my Uncle-o-o! who killed my Uncle-c-
ol" Thus he went on his way; and finally came to a town
where was a crowd of people gathered in and about a house
of mourning. Beginning to wail, he went among the mourn-
ers. They received him, with the idea that he was some
distant relative who had come to attend the funeral. He
walked up the street of this town of the Ox-Man, and enter-
ing into the house of mourning, said, "Had not the way
been so long, my mother also would have come; but, I have
come to look at that Thing that killed my Uncle." They

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 181

welcomed him, commended his devotion, and said, "You
will not go today. Stay with us. Sleep here tonight; and
tomorrow you shall see and take away with you, to show to
your mother, that Thing. "

So, the next day, they gave him the Spear, and said, " Go,
but do not delay. Return for the closing ceremony (the
"Washing") of the mourning." He went away, and came
again to the Old Wroman. She said to him, when he showed
her the Spear, "I told you truly that you would obtain it.
But, go with it and this bundle I have made of the tumor of
your disease, and show them to your mother. "

So he came back to his mother. She rejoiced; and, not
knowing that he was cured, she cooked a very large and
unusually varied quantity of food, for his unusual hunger,
two whole bunches of plantains, and eddoes, and potatoes,
and yams, etc. Of this he ate only a little, sufficient for an
ordinary hunger. As he had not yet told her of his being
cured, she cried out in surprise, "What is this? My son
will die, for not eating!" And she asked him, "What is
the matter?" He replied, "No, I have eaten, and am satis-
fied. And, mother, this bundle is what I was cured of."
Then he told her of what that old woman had done.

On another day, that great Elephant that had remained
in the forest, came and began to eat in the garden. The
son said, "Mother! what shall I do? I thought I had killed
all the elephants. I did not know there was this great big
one left!" (Nor did he just then know there were left a
very great many more.)

Taking his Spear, he hurled it, and wounded the elephant.
It did not fall, but went away with the Spear in its side.
The man followed, followed, followed, pursuing the elephant,
not, as the other animals had gone, into the forest, but away
toward the sea; and it died on the sea beach. There the
man found it and his Spear.

The Sea was new to him; he had not seen it since his child-
hood. He climbed up on the elephant's body, in order to
see all around. As he turned his eyes seaward, he saw a
ship coming on the horizon. Also, the people on this ship
were looking landward, and they said, "There is something
standing on the shore like a person. Let the vessel go there,
and see what is ashore. "

182 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

So, the ship anchored, and a surf-boat was launched into
the water to go ashore. When the crew landed, they saw
the carcass of the elephant, and a person standing with a
spear who warned them, "Do not approach near to me?"
But they replied, "We do not want you, nor will we hurt
you. But we want these tusks of ivory of this elephant.
We want elephants." Wondering at this wish, he cut out
the tusks, and gave them to the strangers, adding, "Off in
the Forest are very, very many more tusks, more than I can
number. You seem to like them; but they are of no use to
me." They earnestly said, "But, bring them, bring them!
We will buy them of you with abundance of goods." He
agreed, and promised, "I am going now; but, let your ship
wait, and I will bring all of those things as many as it is
possible for me to carry."

So, he went back to his mother; and he and she carried
many, many tusks. They filled the ship full; and the crew
of the ship sent ashore an immense quantity of goods. When
the vessel went away, it left ashore two carpenters, with
direction to build a fine house, and have it completed before
the vessel should come again.

The man remained there awhile with the carpenters, after
the ship had gone.

One day, looking, on a journey down the coast, at a point
of land, he was surprised to recognize his father's town,
where he and his mother had lived in his childhood. He
said to himself, "That's my father's town! I want them to
come to me, and live at my town!" He sent word to them;
they removed, and all of them came to live with him. And
he married one of their young women. (In the meanwhile,
he had brought his mother from the forest.)

While he was living at his new home, one day looking sea-
ward, he saw the promised ship coming to get more ivory,
and to give more goods. And he went off to the vessel.

Among the women who were still living of his father's
people who had known him as a child, was the one who had
given him the evil "medicine" long ago; her object in giving
it having been to kill him. After he had gone off to the
vessel, this woman came to his wife's home, and, seeing the
Spear hanging tied from the roof, said, "What is that Thing
tied there?" His wife replied, "It is a kind of "medicine"

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 183

of my husband's. It must not be touched. " But the woman
said, "I know that Thing; and what it does." Then she
seized it, and put into it its handle the man had removed.
She hurled the Spear out to sea, and it went on and on,
passing over the ship. The man sitting in the saloon, said
to the crew, as he recognized the Spear in its flight, "I saw
something pass over the ship!" He went up on deck, and
called after it, "My Spear! come back! come! come! come
back!" And he told all the people of the vessel to go below
lest they should be injured. The Spear turned and came
back to him; and he took possession of it. Then said he to
the crew, "Come! escort me ashore!" They landed him
ashore, and waited to see what he intended doing.

He called all his father's family, and asked, "Why is it
that you have tried to kill me today with this Spear! For
this, I will this day kill all of you. " He summoned all the
people to come together. When they had come, he had his
mother bring out that tumor bundle, and said, "This is the
thing of long ago with which that woman (pointing to the
one who in childhood had given him the evil disease) tried
to injure me. And, for the same reason, she threw the Spear
today; thus trying a second time to kill me. None of you
have rebuked her. So, I shall kill you all as her associates. "

Though they were of his father's family, he attacked and
killed them all. The whole town died that day, excepting
himself, his wife, his mother, and his sister. These four, not
liking to remain at that evil place, went off and took passage
on the ship.

So, he journeyed, and came to the country of the white
people at Manga-Manene; and never returned to Africa.
But, he kept up a trade in Ivory with his native country.
But for him, that trade would not have been begun. For,
besides his having brought the first elephant to the sea coast,
he told the people of Manga-Manene beyond the Great Sea,
about the tribes of people, and about the elephants that were
so abundant, in Africa. And that is all.

184 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

TALE 24

ORIGIN OF THE IVORY TRADE (£ND VERSION)
Persons

King Njambu, and His Four Wives
Ngwe-Konde (Mother-of-Queens)
Ngwe-Lege (Mother-of-Poverty)
Ivenga (Watching); Ngwe-Sape (Mother of a Lock)

Njambu's Son, Savulaka (Gluttony)
The Spirit of an Uncle; Mekuku (Spirits of the Dead)
A Magic Spear; A Great Elephant (A Metamorphosed Man)
Birds, and Other Beasts

Njambu built a town; and married four women. This one,
Ngwe-Konde, that one Ngwe-Leege, another one Ivenga,
another Ngwe-Sape.

After Njambu had lived there a short time all his wives
were about to become mothers. Then Ngwe-konde took a
net, and (by Magic Art) threw it into the womb of Ngwe-
lege. The net entered the belly of her child.

At the time of their confinement, they all gave birth.
The infants were washed. They were dressed also, and were
given suck. Also, they were assigned their names. That
of Ngwe-lege's was Savulaka. When he was given the breast,
he was not satisfied, he was only crying and crying; for,
whoever held him, there were only cries and cries. When
his mother would nurse him, there was only crying. His
father said, "If it is like this, then, lest he die, feed him the
food of adults."

His mother cut down a plantain bunch; she boiled it; it
was cooked. The child ate, and finished the plantains; and
yet it was crying and crying. They cut down another
bunch; it was boiled, it was cooked. At only one eating,
he finished the food, with cries in his mouth. Two more
bunches were boiled; he ate. All at once, though born only
that day, he spoke, "My mother! Hunger!" Four bunches
were cut down; they were cooked; he ate, and finished them,
but with crying.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 185

Then he was cooked for ten times; he ate; and at once
finished. The people cooked, and he ate. The plantains
of his father's town were all cleared off, the entire town was
left like a prairie. The father spoke to the mother, and
said, "No! go away with him to your father's town."

Ngwe-lege picked up her child, carrying him away. She
with the child went on, to the town of her father.

Her father asked her, " My child ! wherefore the crying, and
your carrying the infant?" She replied, "My father! I
know not! This one whom you see, since he was born, is
not filled. He has made an end to all the plantains of his
father's town, leaving the town a prairie. And his father
said to me, 'Just go and take him to your father's.' So, I
have brought him. "

The towns-people all were laughing, "Kye! kye! kye!"
They said, "What? Really, food? No! it's something
else, not food. But, enter into the house." She says, "You
are talking foolishly. " The child began to cry. They said,
"Let us see!"

Then, at once, they began to cook; the food is ready; he
eats; and finishes it. Other food was placed; he ate it at
once. Food was cooked again. At once, all of it, and the
dishes, and the jars, and the plates, were swallowed up by
him. Food is cooked again, and he ate; and then said, " My
mother! Hunger!" Food is cooked again; he ate until he
finished all the pots. All the food of the town, and all the
gardens were done.

Her father spoke to her saying, "My child! Just carry him
to the town of your grandfather."

^She then carried the child, still crying with hunger, and
made her journey, and came to her grandfather's town.

The people there said, "What is it; for the crying?" She
told all the whole affair to them. They inquired, "Food?"
She replied, "Yes." They cooked, and he ate, and finished.
They cooked again; and he finished all, even to the leaves in
which the food was wrapped. They said, "Such a kind of
child has never been born before!"

Suddenly, the child Savulaka ceased to be a child; and, as
a man, said to his mother, "My mother! Wash me some
mekima (rolls of mashed boiled plantains). " So, his mother
made the mekima.

186 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

In the morning, very early, Savulaka starts on a journey.
He went stepping very quickly, on, still with his journey;
and, as he went, he talked to himself. He said, "This thing
which has been done to me, now, what is it?" He still went
on with the journey, until, at night, he lay down in the
forest. Early in the morning, he starts again for his journey.
As he was going in the forest he met with a Person (a brother
of his mother, who belonged to a town of the Mekuku).
This Person inquired, "Where are you going to?" (Savulaka
was still eating the mekima, even its leaves going into his
mouth.) This Person also said to him, "Stop at once!"
Then he stood still.

The Person said, "I, your Uncle, the brother of your
mother, am the one who is inquiring of you." Savulaka
answered him, saying, "I'm not able to tell you." But
presently he did tell all the matter to him. So, the Uncle
said to him, "Come, to my town."

Then both of them returned on the path. In a moment,
in the twinkling of an eye, they are at the town. The Uncle
said, " My child, you are cured ! " He put for him a medicine
in a syringe, and gave him an injection. When he withdrew
the syringe, here, at once, a net began to come out quick as
ever it could move from the bowels ! Then his Uncle spoke
and told him, "It is thy father's wife who put the net into
your bowels."

Food was cooked for him ; he began to eat a little as people
usually eat. His Uncle said unto him, "You shall go to-
morrow. "

On the morrow, early in the morning, his Uncle took all
kinds and sorts of vegetables; and he took also a Spear;
and malagetta pepper ("Guinea-grains," a species of car-
domom), and handed them to him; and told him, "When you
reach home, you must plant a garden. "

The Uncle said to him, "Close your eyes!" He closed his
eyes tight. On opening his eyes, he at once found himself
near his home, and his mother on the path, her form bent
stooping down seeking for him. He then entered their
house, and sat down, and his mother greeted him to her
satisfaction.

The mother took food, and boiled it; it was cooked; she
removed it from the fire; she sat the food before Savulaka.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 187

And he ate only two fingers of plantains. His mother began
to wonder.

Then he said to himself, "Now, let me try to do as my
Uncle has told me." He said, "Ngalo! (a fetish charm) I
want this forest here to be cleared, all of it. " (As quickly as
I speak here, at once the garden was finished, like the passing
of yesterday.) He said to his mother, "Take a list of all
the plants I have brought; then let us go and plant them."
So, he and his mother went to plant; that very day the
garden was completely finished.

Previously to that, his Uncle had warned him, "When
the plants are sprung up, you will see Kenene (a kind of
small bird) coming to eat them. When they shall arrive,
they will be many. Then you take the Spear; fail not to
use the cardomoms with it. "

The food increased; and the small birds came in countless
numbers. Savulaka took up the Spear, and threw it at them;
and all, even to the young birds, perished. Then he returned
to his mother, and said, "My mother! go and pick up the
sele" (another name of kenene). She gathered them;
leaving many remaining abandoned in the forest. The
village was filled with the sele.

The same thing happened with all other kinds of birds.
The same with every Beast.

Then Elephants came to the garden. The man picked up
the Spear and the cardomoms. When he came to the garden,
he lifted up the Spear, and threw it, and wounded the Ele-
phants. Numbers of Elephants that were eating in the
garden, were killed. They were gathered, and the whole
village was filled with the smell of the rotting meat; so that
hardly any one would come to the village. I am not able
to tell you the abundance of tusks; the inendanda
(long ones), and the makubu (short thick ones), and the
begege (" scrivillers, " the small ones), that cannot be
counted.

The next morning, other elephants came again. The man
took up the Spear, but he forgot the cardomom-pepper.
WThen he arrived where they were, he did not wait, but
hastily threw the Spear after an elephant, the leader of the
herd, who turned aside, and ran away with the Spear in its
body. The man followed him, but he did not reach him.

188 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

Then he reurned to his mother; and said to her, "My mother!
mash me some mekima. " (Food for a journey.)

In the next morning, the man started on the journey,
stepping quickly as ever, until he came to his Uncle's town.
He was about to pass his Uncle by, not seeing him (a Spirit).
The Uncle said to him, "Stand there!" So he stood. The
Uncle directed, "Enter the house!" He entered, and sat
down; and his Uncle said to him, "Did I not tell you that
when you are going to kill an animal, you must not omit
the pepper-grains? Sit down there; wait. Don't you go
out. I must go and take for you your Spear. "

But, lo ! it was the Chief of that very town, whom he had
wounded, and who had come back to the town, and died.
(That chief had metamorphosed himself into the form of an
elephant.) The uncle passed out, and went to the other end
of the town; and there he found the Spear. He took it, and
gave it to Savulaka, and said, "Go!" Savulaka went; and
met his mother on the way, waiting for him. Then they
went home to their village.

Next morning, he fastened the Spear handle. Elephants
in the plantation shouted, "We have come!" The man
stood up, and snatched his Spear. The Elephants stood
waiting. The man said, "Here it is!" and flung it at them.
And the carcasses of all fell in a heap. He said to the people
of the village, "Go ye!" They went, and found dead bodies
without number; the tusks the same, without number.

After that, White-Man came with a quantity of goods.
The Town of Savulaka was crowded with goods in abundance;
every kind of foreign article. White men came to see Ivory.
The sailing-vessels and steamers came any day (not only on
scheduled dates). Thus it was that Ivory was exported,
and goods imported. Business of Trading was made.
Savulaka had a great many traders. All his father's brothers,
and mother's brothers, all their dwelling was in the town of
Savulaka. Rum was drunk constantly, and they were
constantly intoxicated. Ivory went to White Man's Land.
White men's things came, and were sent up to the Interior.

This Trade is going on to the present days. It was a man
who commenced with the thought of Trading; it was com-
menced by that one man. All the African tribes are now
changed from what they were originally.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 189

At first we negroes had no (proper) knowledge. They
spoke with wonder over the things that are made in Europe
by white men. They said, "These are made by the Spirits
of the dead; they are not made by the living." Because
our people believed that the departed spirits have their
home beyond the Sea. Why? Because Savulaka brought
his wonderful Spear (by which so much ivory was obtained)
from the Spirit-Town.

TALE 25

DOG AND His FALSE FRIEND LEOPARD

Persons

Mbwa (Dog) Ngiya (Gorilla)

Nja (Leopard)

NOTE

The origin of the hatred between dogs and leopards.
Friends should not have arguments. An argument separates
a company.

Dog and Leopard built a town. Dog then begot very
many children. Leopard begot his many also. They had
one table together. They conversed, they hunted, they ate,
they drank.

One day, they were arguing: Leopard said, "If I hide
myself, you are not able to see me." Dog replied, "There
is no place in which you can hide where I cannot see you. "

The next day, at the break of the day, Leopard emerged
from his house at Batanga, and he went north as far as from
there to Bahabane near Plantation. Dog, in the next morn-
ing, emerged. He asked, "Where is chum Nja?" The
women and children answered, "We do not know." Dog
also started, and went: and as he went, smelling, until he

190 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

arrived at Plantation (about 15 miles). He came and stood
under the tree up which Leopard was hidden; and he said,
"Is not this you?"

Both of them returned, and came to their town. Food
had been prepared; and they ate. Leopard said, "Chum!
you will not see me here tomorrow." When the next day
began to break, Leopard started southward, as far as to
Lolabe (about 15 miles). Next day, in the morning, Dog
stood out in the street, lifted up his nose, and smelled. He
also went down southward, clear on till he came to Lolabe;
and standing at the foot of a tree, he said, "Is not this you?"

Leopard came down from the top of the tree; they stood;
and then they returned to their town. Food was cooked for
them; they ate, and finished.

Leopard said, " Chum! you will not see me tomorrow again,
no matter what may take place." Dog asked, "True?"
Leopard replied, "Yes!"

In the morning, Leopard started southward, for a distance
like from Batanga to Campo River (about 40 miles) .

At the opening of the next day, Dog emerged, and, stand-
ing and smelling, he said, looking toward the south, "He
went this way." Dog also went to Campo. He reached
Leopard, and said, "Is not this you?"

They came back to their town; they were made food; and
they ate.

The next day, Leopard emerged early. He went north-
ward, as far as from Batanga to Lokonje (about 40 miles).
Dog sniffed the air, and followed north also. In a steady
race, he was soon there; and he reached Leopard. So,
Leopard said, "It is useless, I will not attempt to hide my-
self again from Mbwa. "

Thereupon, Dog spoke to Leopard and said, " It is I, whom,
if I hide myself from you, you will not see." Leopard
replied, "What! even if you were able to find me, how much
more should I be able to find you!" So, Dog said to him,
"Wait, till daybreak."

When the next day broke, Dog passed from his house like
a flash unseen, vyu! to Leopard's. And, underneath the
bed of Leopard in his public Reception-house, he lay down.
Then Leopard (who had not seen him) came to the house of
Dog; he asked the women, "Where is Mbwa?" They said,

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 191

"Thy friend, long ago, has gone out hence, very early."
Leopard returned to his house, and he said to his children,
"That fellow! if I catch him! I do not know what I shall do
to him!"

He started southward on the journey, as far as Lolabe;
and did not see Dog. So he returned northward a few miles,
as far as Boje, and did not see him. Down again south to
Campo; and he did not see him. That first day, he did not
find him at all. Then he returned toward Batanga, and went
eastward to Nkamakak (about 60 miles) ; and he did not see
him. He went on northward to Ebaluwa (about 60 miles) ;
did not see him. Up north-west to Lokonje; he did not see
him. And Leopard, wearied, went back to his town.

Coming to the bed (not knowing Dog was there) he lay
down very tired. He said to his people, "If I had met him
today, then you would be eating a good meat now." All
these words were said in the ears of Dog, the while that Dog
was underneath the bed.

Then Dog leaped out, pwa! Leopard asked, "Where
have you been? Dog answered, "I saw you when you first
passed out. " Leopard said, " True? " And Dog says, " Yes! "

Then Dog went out far to his end of the town. And,
knowing that Leopard intended evil toward him, he said to
his children, "Let us go and dig a pit." So they went and
dug a pit in the middle of the road.

Then Dog told his wives and children, "Go ye before, at
once!" He also said, "I and this little Mbwa, which can
run so fast, we shall remain behind." Then the others
went on in advance.

(Before that, Leopard, observing some movements of the
Mbwa family, had been speaking to himself, "I do not know
the place where Mbwa and his children will go today. ")

Dog warned this young one, "When you are pursued,
you must jump clear across that pit. "

Then Dog, to cover the retreat of his family, came alone
to Leopard's end of the town. He and his children chased
after him. Dog ran away rapidly, and escaped.

When Leopard's company arrived at the house of Dog,
they found there only that little dog. So they said, "Come
ye! for there is no other choice than that we catch and eat
this little thing."

192 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

Thereupon, Leopard chased after the little dog; but it
leaped away rapidly, and Leopard after him. When the
little Dog was near the pit, it made a jump. (Leopard did
not know of the pit, nor why the Dog jujmped.) When
Leopard was come to the pit, he fell inside, tumbling, volom !

His enemy Gorilla was following after Leopard, also in
pursuit of Dog. He also fell into the pit, headlong, volom!
Finding Leopard there, Gorilla said, "What is this?" Leo-
pard stood at one side, and Gorilla at the other. When the
one would be about to go near the other, if the other attempted
to go near him, he would begin to growl, saying, "You must
not approach here!"

Dog, standing at the edge above, was laughing at them,
saying, "Fight ye your own fight! Did you want only me?"

But Leopard and Gorilla were not fighting in the pit. If
the one approached, the other retreated.

Dog spoke to them and said in derision. "I have no
strength; but as to your fight, was it seeking only me?"

TALE 26

A TRICK FOR VENGEANCE
Persons

Kudu (Tortoise) Ko (Wild-Rat) '

Nj& (Leopard)

NOTE

Because of deaths and sicknesses, African natives are
constantly changing the location of their villages, believing
the old sites infested by malevolent Spirits.

The whole mass of Beasts were living in one place. They
built houses; they cleared the forest for plantations,

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 193

After this, Tortoise said, " I 'm going to find my own place. "
So, he went and built in a place which he called Malende-
ma-Kudu. The fame of it was spread abroad, people talk-
ing about " Malende-ma-Kudu. " Leopard arose, came to
the town of Tortoise, and said, " I have come to build here. "
Tortoise consented, "You may build." Leopard said, "I'm
going to build at the end of the path, and by the spring. "
And he built there.

One day, a child of Tortoise was passing by near the
spring; and Leopard seized him, ku!

Another day, another one was passing; Leopard seized
him, also, ku!

Then Tortoise said, "This is an evil place, I'm going to
move from here. " So he went and built another town called
Jamba. Leopard came also, saying, "Kudu! I'm coming to
build!" Then Tortoise said, "Really! what have your
affairs to do with me? Nevertheless, come and build."
And Leopard built at the end, by the spring.

When the children of Tortoise were passing by the spring,
Leopard constantly killed them.

Tortoise wondered, "This thing which is destroying my
children, what is it?"

Thus day by day, Leopard was killing the children of
Tortoise.

Tortoise prepared again to remove, saying that he would
go away and build another town to be called Dang. He
went there. And the fame of it was spread around, people
saying, "Dang, the town of Kudu!" Everybody was say-
ing, "We are going to the town of Kudu; Dang, the town of
Kudu!"

Leopard comes again, and says, "I also have come to
build here." Tortoise said to him, "Wait! really; why did
you leave the other people?" However, Tortoise said to
him, "Build." And Leopard built as usual. Also, when
the children of Tortoise were passing to the spring, they
were missing. And Tortoise felt sure that Leopard had
seized them.

Thereupon Tortoise made a plan for himself. He called
Wild-Rat privately, saying, "I have heard that you know
how to dig holes." Wild-Rat replied, "It is my work."
Tortoise said, "But, I want you to dig me a tunnel from this

194 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

room here, out to, and up towards the street, by measure. "
So, Wild-Rat dug a big hole, in size sufficient for Tortoise
and his traveling-bag and his spears.

Then Tortoise went and gathered together his spears and
his traveling-bag. He went out the next day, early in the
morning, and stood and announced in the street, "All the
Tribes must come! I want to tell them the news of what I
have seen."

Then all the Beasts came to meet in the town of Tortoise.
It was full of every kind of beast. Tortoise spoke, and said,
"I have called you to say, that really we are not worth
anything at all. Actually, the only dwelling we have is in the
grave. All those my children who have died here, is it

Possible that it is my Father (of Spirits) who takes them?
met them sitting down in the Reception-House of that
father, playing. " The people said to him, "This is a Dream. "
He replied, "No! it is open to sight." Some said, "It is a
lie." But Tortoise said, "You have doubted me? Well,
tomorrow you must dig me a grave; and you shall see how
I am going." They said, "Yes! let us see!"

On the next day, in the morning, they were called to-
gether. He said, "Dig me a pit here. " (He pointed to the
privately measured spot over the tunnel which Wild-Rat had
already made for him.) They dug it wide and deeply.
Then, this Tortoise took his spears and his bag; and with
these under his arm, he descended into the pit, and bade
the people fill in the earth. He went to one side, until
he reached and entered that tunnel of his which Wild-Rat
had dug for him. And unseen he passed up to his room
in his house, and lay down. Before that, he had prom-
ised the people, saying, "I shall lie there (in the pit) for six
days."

Before Tortoise had disappeared, the people (following
his orders) began to throw back the earth into the pit, filling
it solidly.

After Tortoise had laid in his house for six days, he suddenly
appeared in the street; and he called all the mass of the
Beasts, and he told them the news. He said, "Over there
is so beautiful! I will not stay in this town any more for
as long as ten days. But, as I am here, I shall lie here only
for three days, and two days over there. " At once Tortoise

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 195

was regarded as a person of great importance, and his fame
was spread abroad.

Thereupon, Leopard, (feeling jealous of the wonderful
experience of Tortoise) said to his children, "Even Kudu!
How much rather that I should get to that beautiful place!
Dig me mine own pit. I also am going to see my forefathers.
I and they, we have not seen each other for a long time/*
So, they dug a big pit. He announced, "I will lie there for
seven days; on the eighth, then I shall come."

Then he descended into the pit. And they rapidly filled
it up with earth. Leopard, below, sought a cavity by which
to pass on (as he thought) to the Land of Spirits; but, there
was none. And he died.

His children waited eight days; but they saw not their
father. Then they asked Tortoise, "As to our father, up to
this day, what has happened to him?" Tortoise answered
them, "Why are you asking me this? When I went, what
did my family ask of you? Maybe, your father remained
to follow the pleasures of over there!"

The women of Leopard had kept him some food, making
it ready for him for the eighth day. But (giving up hope of
him) they ate it. While they were still waiting, actually
Leopard had begun to rot there (in the pit).

Tortoise, fearing possible difficulty, gathered together his
wives and remaining children, and fled with them into the
forest afar off.

TALE 27

NOT MY FAULT !

Persons

Yongolokodi (Chameleon) Ko (Wild Rat)

Men, Hunters

Chameleon and all the other Beasts built their villages
near together, making a large town. And there was a time
of great hunger. After that, there came a harvest time of

196 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

large fruitage. The great produce could not be gathered for
abundance.

Then came Chameleon to the village of Wild-Rat, and he
said to him, "Chum, Ko! this harvest is a great thing!"
Rat said, "Don't speak about it!"

Not long afterward, Mankind laid their snares, and the
hunters prepared their bows. For, beasts and birds had come
in crowds to eat of the abundance; and Man had overhead
them speaking of it. Gunners came; the shots resounded;
bows were twanged; the snares caught.

Rat fell into one of the traps. Chameleon seeing him,
and desiring to justify himself, reminded Rat that Rat himself
had told him not to let others know of the great abundance,
and that he himself had obeyed; that therefore he was not
the cause of Rat's misfortune. So, Chameleon said, "/ did
not speak of it. "

TALE 28
Do NOT IMPOSE ON THE WEAK

Persons
Yongolokodi (Chameleon) Nj£ (Leopard)

NOTE

Chameleons move very slowly. This story is given as a
reason why, even if one is small in body, he should not be
despised, as though he had no strength, or as though he
could with impunity be deprived of his rights, e. g., in a race
or in wrestling, or in any other circumstances.

Leopard and Chameleon lived apart. This one had his
village, and that one his. This one did his own business;

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 197

that one his. And they were resting quietly in their
abodes.

Chameleon had a herd of sheep and of goats.

Leopard came to the village of Chameleon on an excursion;
and he saw the herd of sheep and of goats. He said to
Chameleon, "Chum! give me a loan of sheep to raise on
shares." Chameleon made food for him; and, when they
had eaten, he said to Leopard, "You can send children to-
morrow, to come and take the loan of sheep on shares."
They had their conversation, talking, and talking. When
they had ended, Leopard said, " My Fellow ! I Jm going back. "
His friend said to him, "Very good. "

Leopard went on to his village. He said, "My wife! I
came on an excursion, to the town of Yongolokodi. He
treated me with hospitality to the very greatest degree.
Also he has given me sheep on shares. "

The next day, in the morning, he sent his children to the
town of Chameleon to take the herd of sheep. They went;
and they brought them; and goats also. (A "day" in an
Ekano Tale is without limit as to length or shortness.)

The goats and sheep increased, until the village of Leopard
was positively full of them crowded in abundance.

About three years passed, and Chameleon said to himself,
"Our herd with Chum must be about sufficient for division. "
Thereupon he started on his journey crawling, naka, naka,
naka, until he came to the house of his friend Leopard.
Leopard said to his wife, "Make food!" It was cooked,
they ate, and rested.

Chameleon said to Leopard, "Chum! I have come, that
we should divide the shares of the herd. " Leopard replied,
"Good! but, first go back today. Who can catch goats and
sheep on a hot day like this? Come tomorrow morning."
Chameleon said, "Very good." And he went back to his
village.

The next day, in the morning, he rose to go to the village
of Leopard. (Actually, after midnight, Leopard had already
opened the pens, and all the animals were scattered outside.)
He protested regret to Chameleon, and said, " Chum ! go back !
I don't know how those fellows have opened their pens. I
was expecting you, for this day; I had let my herdman know
that a person was coming on the morrow. So, go back.

198 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

And, as I am going tomorrow to the swamp for bamboo, you
must come only on the second day." Chameleon submis-
sively replied, "Very good. "

Chameleon continued coming; and his treatment was
just so every time, with excuses.

Leopard, hoping, said to himself, "Perhaps he will die on
the way, " because he saw him walking so slowly, naka, naka.
And Chameleon kept on patiently going back and forth,
back and forth.

One night, Leopard and his wife were lying down; where-
upon his wife asked him, "What is the reason that you and
Yongolokodi have not divided the shares of the herd? Do
you think he will die of this weakness? " Leopard answered,
"No! it is not weakness, Njambe is the one who created him
so; it is his own way of walking."

Finally, Chameleon said to himself, "I must see what Nja
intends to do to me; whether he thinks that he shall eat my
share. " He went by night and waited outside of Leopard's.
Next day, in the morning, as Leopard rose to go out, he
found, unexpectedly, as he emerged from the house, Cham-
eleon sitting on the threshold. There was no other deception
that Leopard could seek; for, the animals were still in their
pens. So, he called his children, and said, "Tie the goats
and sheep with cords. " So they tied them all. And he and
Chameleon divided them. Then this one returned to his
place; and that one to his.

TALE 29

BORROWED CLOTHES

Persons
Koho (Parrot) Kuba (Chicken)

NOTE

A story of the cause of the enmity between chickens and
parrots. When a chicken comes near to a parrot, the latter

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 199

turns to one side, saying, "wa!"; for fear that the chicken
will take his fine feathers from him.

Parrot and Chicken were fowls living in a village of
Mankind near a town; which they had built together. They
were living there in great friendship.

Then Parrot said to Chicken, "Chum! I'm going to make
an engagement for marriage. " So, he prepared his journey.
And he asked Chicken, "Chum! give me now thy fine dress!"
(For the occasion.) Chicken, said, "Very good!" and he
handed his tail feathers to him. Thereupon, Parrot went on
his marriage journey.

When he came home again, he said to himself, "These
feathers become me. I will not return them to Kuba. "

So, when Chicken said to him, "Return me my clothes,"
he replied, "I will not return them!" Chicken, seeing that
Parrot was retaining the feathers, said sarcastically, "Accept
your clothing ! " Thereupon, Parrot, pretending to be wrong-
ed, said, "Fellow! why do you put me to shame? I did not
say that I would take your clothing altogether, only that we
should exchange clothes. "

At night, then, Parrot took all his family, and they
flew up in the air away. At once, he decided to stay there,
and did not come to live on the ground again. Chicken
was left remaining with Mankind in the town.

Whenever Chicken began to call to Parrot up in the tree-
tops, asking for his clothes, Parrot only screamed back "w£!
w&!" That was a mode of speech by which to mock at
Chicken.

200 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

TALE 30

THE STORY OF A PANIC
Persons

Edubu (Adder) Njaku (Elephant)

Ikingi (Fly) Ngubu (Hippopotamus)

Ko (Wild-Rat) Nyati (Ox)

Ngomba (Porcupine) Bejaka (Fishes)

Ngando (Crocodile)

NOTE

Native Africans after bathing, rub more or less of some
oil, either native palm, or foreign pomade, on their bodies.

In the Dry Seasons, when the rivers are low, fish are
caught by building dams across the streams, and then bailing
out the water from the enclosed spaces. Observe flies, as
carriers of disease.

Adder went to bathe. He returned, and anointed himself
with nyimba oil (oil of bamboo-palm nuts), and then climbed
out on to a branch of a cayenne-pepper bush.

Fly came and settled upon Adder's back. Adder, being
annoyed, drove Fly away. Then Fly said to Adder, in
anger, "Know you not that it is I who cause even Njaku,
with his big tusks, to rot? And that I can cause Nyati and
Ngubu to rot? And I can cause Mankind to rot! Then
how much more you, this Thing who has only ribs and ribs!"

When Adder heard this, he was alarmed, and he entered
into the hole of Wild-Rat. Wild-Rat asked him, "Chum
Adder ! where do you come from in such haste ? " He answer-
ed, "I have seen a Being which does not hesitate to cause
Beasts and even Mankind to rot. Therefore, I am fled, by
reason of fear of Ikingi. "

Whereupon Wild-Rat, frightened, arose, and entered
hastily into the town of Porcupine. Porcupine, alarmed,

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 201

asked Wild-Rat, "What is it?" He answered, "I'm afraid
of Ikingi; Edubu says that it is he who causes both Mankind
and Beasts to rot. "

Then Porcupine, in fear went out, running, going to the
town of Hog. Whereupon Hog, being startled, asked him,
"Chum! what is it?" He answered him, "I'm afraid of
Ikingi. Ngomba says that he is the one who causes both
Beasts and Mankind to rot. "

Hog at once ran out in terror, and went to a river with all
his family. And the water of the river was promptly crowded
out, leaving its channel dry.

Then the Fishes (mistaking this motion of the water)
arose in haste, saying, "The people who bail the river have
come!" And they fled.

Then Crocodile opened his mouth wide; and the fishes in
their flight began to enter into his stomach. Among them
was ingongo-Kenda (a young kenda; a fish with spines like a
catfish). When Crocodile was about to swallow, the spines
caught fast in his throat. And Crocodile died at once.

Then the Fishes sang a song of rejoicing.
"Ngando, with stealing,
Ngando died by a sting in his throat. "

Such was the death that Crocodile died, on account of his
attempt to swallow Fishes, who had rushed into his open
mouth, as they fled, alarmed by the confusion raised by the
panic of the other animals.

TALE 31
A FAMILY QUARREL

Persons
Iheli (Gazelle) Nja (Leopard)

NOTE

Among native Africans, in the case of a man and his wife,
even if they fight together, her father or her brother usually

202 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

do not interfere. For, every man who is married knows
that his own wife will some day offend himself.

Gazelle and Leopard built a town; living this one at his
end of it; that one at the other end. After they had built;
they cleared the forest for plantations; they married wives;
and they sat down, resting in their seats.

Gazelle had married the sister of Leopard who was of a
proud disposition. And Leopard had publicly threatened,
"The person who makes trouble for my sister, I will show
him a thing."

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 mar-
ried?"

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) Ngweya (Hog)

Nja (Leopard) Betoli (Rats)

A Giant Goat (Mbodi) 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

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 203

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!" (bund-
les 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;

204 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

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 eat-
ing, 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 in-
vited 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
travelling-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 Tor-
toise 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, quick-
ly, 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! Nja! don't touch the
heart!" They cut meat. Then Leopard said that he was

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 205

going to lay hold of the heart. But Tortoise said, "No!"
Leopard cut and cut, and was going on to the heart. Tor-
toise 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 in-
stantly.

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 ! "

206 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

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! la! la! la!" And
there was Leopard lying dead! For, in stabbing that stom-
ach, 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 Nja 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

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 207

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, "Iwa!" 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 Leo-
pard company dared them with, "Iwa!" Then the Tortoise
children shouted boastfully, "We are those who are accus-
tomed 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.

208 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

TALE 33

THE FIGHTS OF MBUMA-TYETYE AND AN ORIGIN OF THE

LEOPARD

Persons

Mekuku, and Two of His Sons Ngwaye (Partridge)

Mbuma-Tyetye and Nja Ka (Snails)

King Njambu Ihonga-Honga (A Giant

Betoli (Rats) Tooth)

Mwamba (Snakes) Hova (A Magic Gourd)

Ngangala (Millepedes) Tanga (Horn)

Kedi (Stinging Ants) Ibumbu (Bundle of Medi-

Njambu Ya Mekuku (Spirits), cine)

and His Town Kanja (A Bowl)

Women Hidden in Chests 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 Nja
(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.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 209

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, divid-
ed 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 Mille-
pedes fighting. He said to them, "For what are you killing
each other? " He parted them, and gave them an ukuma-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).

210 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

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-tyStye 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

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 211

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! tyatyd la! tyatya la!" 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. "Gribamba! eh! Gribambd!
eh!" Mbuma-tyetye and his mother and sisters kept on
going toward the sound, which continued, "Dingala! eh!
A person will not pass! No doubt about it! Dingala! 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 Kl 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, vya! And she lay a corpse! The Snails
swarmed over her, and taking her, threw her behind them.
They shouted in victory, "Taka! Dingala! eh!"

WHERE ANIMALS TALK

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:

"lya! Dingala Idisabete!
lya! Dingala! salalasala! Disabete!
lya! Dingala! lya! Dingala!
lya! Dingala! Salalasala!
lya! Dingala! 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, "Taka!"
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

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 213

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, mbwa !

Then he shaped a leaf into a funnel, and dropped a medi-
cine 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-tyStye1 continued his own journey, on, on, on,
until at a cross-roads, he found a giant Tooth, a^ 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,
mbwa ! 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

214 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

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.

On his journey still, till he came to a large river. There
he stood, and listened, as he heard a boat-song, "Ayehe!
ahe! ayehe! e!' There passed by the sound of paddles,
worn' ! worn' ! but he saw no person; nor did he see any canoe.
Gourd said to him, "Call!" Then he called out, "Who are
these? Bring me a canoe!" A voice replied, "Who are
you?" He answered, "I!" The canoe came nearer, its
crew singing, singing, until it grounded on the beach. He
saw what seemed only a great log! Gourd said to him,
* 'Embark!" He got in. The crew also (apparently) got
in again; for, the sound of paddles was again heard, worom'!
worom' !

Instead of going straight across the river, they pulled far
up stream, and then came all the way down again on the
other side. As they came, they were constantly keeping up
the song, until they grounded at the landing-place at that
other side. Still he saw nothing of the invisible boatmen,
when he landed.

Ascending the bank of the stream, he saw a strange new
town. He entered its public reception-house, and sat down.
As he was looking for some one to come, a Horn came and
sat on his lap, and then moved away. A Bundle of Medicine
came, sat, and moved away. A Bowl came and sat. A
Spear came and sat. All these Things saluted him. Behold !
they were the People of that Town (in disguise) ; but he saw
none of them.

Gourd said to him, "Come and escort me into the back-
yard." He at once stepped out; and, when in the back-
yard, It said. "Put me down." (It had been carried sus-
pended from his shoulder.) He put It down, standing It
at the foot of a plantain-stalk. ' Gourd making a leaf funnel,

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 215

dropped something into his eyes His eyes suddenly, kaa!
were opened, and he saw everything, and all the people, and
the whole street.

Returning to the house, he sat down. Maidens came. Such
goodness as you have scarcely known! Forms lovely to see!

The Chief of the town said, "Make ye food!" It was
made at once. Then one whom he chose was given him for
his wife.

She and this young son-in-law were left sitting in the
house. The wife began to weep, saying to herself, "What
will be his manner of eating?" (a test to be applied to him
as suitor) . The Gourd called him with a voice like the stroke
of a bell, ngeng! He went out to the Gourd, and It said to
him, "When you shall eat, take one piece of plantain, flesh
of the fowl, and then dip one spoonful of the udika (wild-
mango gravy), put them in your mouth; and thou shalt say
unto her, 'Take; you may remove the food.' You shall see
what will happen." He did so. His wife laughed in her
heart; and she went and told her mother, "He is a person of
sense." The towns-people said to her, "What did he do?"
She evasively said to them. "Let us see ! "

In the evening, the father-in-law said to him, "You have
found us here in the midst of a work of garden-making for
your mother-in-law." (A man is always expected to do
some work for his wife's mother.) He said. "That's good,
Father!"

Gourd called to him, and told him, "It is not a garden;
it is an entire forest; it is not planted; it is all wild country.
But, tomorrow, at daylight, early, you say to your wife
that she must go and show you. You must take one young
plantain-set, and a machete, and an axe. When you shall
arrive there, then you shall say to her, "Go back!" And
she will go back. Then, you will slash with the machete,
kwa! and leave it. You take also the axe and cut, ka! and
say, 'Ngunga-O! Mekud' O! Makako ma dibake man-
jeya-O!' You shall see what will happen. Then you
insert the plantain-set in the ground. Then you set up a
bellows, and work it. And you shall see what will happen. "

(All that Garden-Plan was made by the townspeople in
order that he might weary of the task, and they then find
excuse for killing him. For they were Cannibals.)

216 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

At daybreak, he did so. He called his wife. He and she
went on until they came to the chosen spot. Said he, "Go
back!" The woman went back. He did just as he had
been directed, as to the clearing, and the felling, the incanta-
tion, and the planting. The plantains bore, and ripened at
once. Every kind of food developed in that very hour.

The man went back to the town, and sat down. They set
before him food.

They sent a child to spy the garden. The child returned,
excitedly saying, "Men! the entire forest! with all such foods!
only ripe ones!" They said to him, "You're telling a false-
hood!" And they said, "Let another go and see." He
went; and returned thence with a ripe plantain held in his
hand.

In the evening, the Chief said to him, "Sir! tomorrow,
people will have been filled with hunger for meat. A little
pond of your mother-in-law is over there. Tomorrow it is
to be bailed out." (In order to get the fish that would be
left in the bottom pools.)

Gourd called him, ngeng! He went to It, and It said,
"That is not a pond, it is a great river, (like the Lobi at
Batanga). However, when you shall go, you must take one
log up stream and one log down stream (for a pretence of
dams). You shall see what will happen. Then you must
bail only once, and say, 'Itata-O!' You shall see. "

Next morning, he did so. And the whole river was drained ;
and the fish were left in the middle, alone. He returned to
the town, and sat down. The people went to see; and, they
were frightened at the abundance of fish. For a whole
month, fish were gathered; and fish still were left.

The Chief went to call his townspeople, saying, "We will
do nothing to this fellow. Let him alone; for, you have
tried him with every test." They said, "Yes; and he has
lingered here," (i. e., was no longer a stranger; and there-
fore should not be eaten). But, they said, "Tomorrow
there will be only wrestling." (This was said deceitfully.)

In the evening, the father-in-law called him, saying,
" Mbuma-tyetye, tomorrow there is only wrestling. You
have stayed long here. As you are about to go away with
my child, there is left only one thing more that she wants to
see, that is, the wrestling tomorrow."

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 217

Gourd called him, and said to him, "It is not only for
wrestling. You know the part of the village where is the
Wrestling-Ground. There is a big pit there. You will take
care if you are near that pit; and you must push them in. "

In the evening, food was made, and soon it was ready.
He and his wife ate, and finished. They engaged in conversa-
tion. They took pleasure over their love that night.

The next day, in the morning, very early, the drums,
both the elimbi and the common, began promptly to tell
things in the street. (The Elimbi is a specially made drum
used to transmit information by a system of signal strokes.
News is thus carried very far and very rapidly.) The Gourd
called him, and handed him a leaf of magic-medicine, to hold
in his hand, saying, "Go; fear not!"

The townspeople began to shout back and forth a song
(to arouse enthusiasm). Two companies ranged on each
side of the street, singing. "Engolongolo! ha! ha! Engolo-
ngolo! ha ! ha !"

"Engolongolo! ha! ha!
Engolongolo! ha! ha!"

Hearing their song as a challenge, the young man went
out of the house into the street. Up to this point, the
strongest wrestler of the town, named Ekwamekwa, was
not with them; he was out in the forest, felling trees.

When the towns-people saw the young man standing in
the street, they advanced as many as a hundred all at once.
He laid his hands upon them, and they all went back; he
also went back. Soon he advanced again, and his single
opponent advanced. They two laid their hands on each
other's shoulders. The townspeople began another song,
as if in derision. "O! O! A! O! O! A! O! 0! A!

At once, he seized his opponent, a'nd threw him into the
pit. Thereupon, his father-in-law shouted in commenda-
tion, "Iwa!"

Another one came forward; Mbuma-tyetye advanced; and
as they met together, he took him, and threw him into the
pit. Again the shout, "Iwa!"

The sisters of the two men in the pit began to cry. The
others said to the girls, "What are you doing? He shall
die today! It is we who shall eat those entrails today!"
(Among cannibals, a choice portion.)

218 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

Another one was coming, and, as they met together,
again the shout of derision, "O! O! O! A! O! O! O! A! O! O!
O! A!" But, at one fling, Mbuma-tyetye' cast him into the
pit. "Iwa" was repeated.

The sister of him who was thrown thus into the pit began
to cry. The people rebuked her, "Mbaba! mbaba! Join
in the singing !"

Another one was coming; Mbuma-tyetye advanced; and
as they came together, he lifted him, holding him by the
foot. The singers, to encourage their man, said responsively,
"Dikubwe! Dikubwe! Fear not an elephant with his tusks!
Take off ! take off ! " Mbuma-tyetye lifted him, and promptly
pushed him down into the pit, with a thud, 'kodom' !

The people began to call out anxiously, "We-e! we-e! O!
They are overcome! They are overcome! O! Some one
must go hastily, and call Ekwamekwa, and tell him that
people are being destroyed in the town, and he must come
quickly. "

Some one got up, and ran to call Ekwamekwa, wailing as
he went, "lya! lya! lya! Ekwamekwa, iya-O! Come!
People are exterminated in the town!"

He heard with one ear (i. e. at once). He snatched up
his machete and axe, saying, "What is it?" The messenger
repeated, "Come! a being from above has destroyed many a
one in the town!"

The man Ekwamekwa, full of boasting, said, "Is it possible
there is no man in the town?" He came, already shaking
the muscles of his chest, pwa! pw£ (a custom with native
wrestlers, as a lion his mane). His muscles were quivering
with rage, nya! nya! nya!

The drums, both the elimbi-telegraph and the common,
were being beaten, and were sounding without intermission.
The singers were snouting; the wrestlers' bodies had perspira-
tion flowing from them. The noise of the people, of the tele-
graph drums and other drums, and sticks (sticks beating
time) were rattling kwa! kwa! kwa!

As Ekwamekwa appeared, the women and children raised
their shrill voices. The shouters yelled, " A ! Id ! la ! la ! a ! "

Mbuma-tyetye advanced at once. He and Ekwamekwa
laid hold of one another, and alternately pressed each other
backward and forward. The one tried tricks to trip the

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 219

other, and the other tried the same. Ekwamekwa held him,
and was about to throw him on the ground. The other
jumped to one side, and stood, his muscles quivering, po ! po !
po! tensely. Ekwamekwa seized him about the waist and
loins. The people all were saying, "Let no one shout!"
(lest Ekwamekwa be confused). They said, "Make no
noise! He is soon going to be eaten! " And it was a woman
who said, "Get ready the kettle!"

Ekwamekwa still held him by the loins. So, they called
out, " Down with him ! Down with him ! " But Mbuma-tye-
tye shouted, "I'm here!" He put his foot behind Ekwame-
kwa's leg, and lifted him, and threw him into the pit, kodom !

Then there was a shout of distress by the people, "A! a!
a! a!' arid Ekwamekwa called out, "Catch him! catch him!"
Mbuma-tyetye, lifting his feet, ran to his father-in-law's
end of the town, and all the men came after him. His
father-in-law protected him, and said to them, "You can do
nothing with this stranger!"

At night, the Chief said to him, "Sir, you may go away
tomorrow."

At daybreak, food was cooked. The Chief Njambu-ya-
Mekuku, put his daughters into large chests. In one was a
lame one; another, covered with skin disease; and another,
with a crooked nose; and others, with other defects in other
chests, each in her own chest. But, he put the wife into a
poor chest all dirty outside with droppings of fowls, and
human excrement, and ashes. In it also, he placed a servant
and all kinds of fine clothing. Then said he to Mbuma-tye-
tye, "Choose which chest contains your wife."

The Gourd at once called him, and It said to him, "Lift
me up!" It whispered to him, "The chest which is covered
with dirt and filth, it is the one which contains your wife.
Even if they say, 'Ha! ha! he has had all his trouble for
nothing; he has left his wife,' do you nevertheless carry it,
and go on with your journey. "

He came to the spot where the chests were. The Chief
said again, " Choose, from the chests, the one which contains
your wife." Mbuma-tyetye picked up the poor one. They
shouted. But, he at once started on his journey, and on,
until he came to the river, stepped into a canoe, paddled to
the other side, landed, and went on, carrying the chest.

220 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

Almost in an instant (by his magic Ngalo) he was at the
place of the Great Tooth. It asked, "How is it there?"
He replied, "Good!" The Gourd, in leaving, reported to
Its mother, the Tooth, "A fine fellow, that person there!"

He went on with his journey, his feet treading firmly.
Almost with one stride (by aid of his Ngalo), in the twinkling
of eyes, he was near the spring at his own town.

Then he said, "Now let me open the chest here!" On his
opening it, a maiden attended by her servant came stepping
out, arrayed in the clothing which had been placed in the
chest for her dress. One's eyes would ache at sight of her
silks, and the fine form of her person. And you or any other
one could say, "Yes! you are a bride! truly a bride!"

Two young women rose up in the town to go to the spring
to dip up water. They were just about to come to the
spring, when they saw their brother and his wife and her
servant. They two went back together rapidly to the town,
saying, "Well! if there isn't the woman whom Mbuma-tyetye
has married! They are two women and himself!"

The town emptied itself to go and meet them on the path.
His father took powder and guns, with which to announce
the arrival; and cannon were roaring. When the young
woman came and stood there in the street, there was only
shouting and shouting, in admiration.

Another brother, named Nja, when he came to see her, was
so impressed to get a wife like her, that, without waiting
for the salutations to be made, he said to his mother, "My
mother! make for me my mekima, too. "

Mbuma-tyetye entered into the house, he and his wife.
At once hot water was set before them, and they went to
bathe. When they had finished, they entered the public
Reception-Room. Nja, impatient to get away and, in impo-
lite haste, said, "Now, for my journey!" His brother ad-
vised him, "First wait; let me tell you how the way is."
He replied, "Not so!" And he started off on his journey.

The others sat down to tell, and to hear the news. They
told Mbuma-tyetye the affairs of the town; and he responded
as to how he had come. When he had completely finished,
he was welcomed, "lye ! Oka ! oka-O ! But now, sit down and
stay."

Now, when Nja had gone, he met the two Millepedes

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 221

fighting. He exclaimed, "By my father Njambu! what is
this?" He stood there with laughter, "Ky£! kye! kye!"
He clapped his hands, " Kwa ! kwa ! You ! there ! let me pass !"
They asked, "Give us an ukima. " He stood laughing, kwa!
kwa! saying, "I will see this today! Food that is eaten by
a human being! Is it so that they have teeth? As I see it,
they, having no mouths, how can they eat? " But he opened
his food-bag, took an ukima, and gave them a small piece.
They rebuked him for his meanness, and laid a curse on
him, "Aye! You will not reach the end." He responded,
"I won't reach my end, eh? Humph! I'm going on my
journey!" He left them; and they grabbed at the very
little piece of ukima he had given them.

He cried out, "Journey!" and went on both by day and
by night, traveling until he met the two Snakes fighting.
He derided them, and took a club, and was about to strike
them, when they cursed him, "You will not reach the end!"
However, he gave them, at their request, an ukima, and
passed on. As he turned to go, and was leaving them, they
made signs behind him, repeating their curse, "He will not
reach safely!" And they added, "He has no good sense;
let us leave him. "

He still cried out, "Journey!" and went on to that place
of Ihonga-na-Ihonga whose size filled all the width of the
way. He made a shout, raising it very loud, and repeated
his exclamation, "By my father, Njambu! Thou who hast
begotten me, thou hast not seen such as this!' Tooth
asked, "Where are you going?" He, astonished, exclaimed,
"Ah! It can talk! Alas! for me!" And he added a shout
again, with laughter, "Kwati! kwati! kwati!" It spoke and
said, "Please, split for me fire-wood." He replied, "What
will fire-wood do for you?" He, however, split the wood
hastily, ko! ko! ke! and left it in a pile. It said, "Leave
me an ukima." He responded, "Yes; let me see what It
will do with it now!' He opened his food-bag, and laid an
ukima down disrespectfully, and said, "Eat! let me see!"

Tooth said to him, "Sleep here!" Said he, "If I sleep
here, what is there for me to sit on? " It replied only, " Sleep
here!" He said, "Yes!" Then he invoked his Ngalo, "A
seat!" It appeared, and he sat down. In the evening, he
invoked, "Ngalo, a house!" It appeared. "A bed!" It

222 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

appeared. " A table ! " It appeared. " Food ! " It was set
out. He ate, but did not offer any to Tooth, and fell into a
deep sleep.

At daybreak, he was given water to wash his face, and
food; and he ate it. Then the Tooth said to him, "Now,
this is a Hova; go; the Hova will tell you what you should
do," Said he sarcastically "Good! a good thing!" And he
started on his journey. But, when he was gone, he despised
the Gourd, and said to himself, "What can this water-jar do
forme? I shall leave it here. " And he laid it down at the
foot of a Buda tree. There were many kuda (nuts of the
Buda) lying on the ground. He prepared a seat, and sat
down. He gathered the kuda nuts in one place. He took
up a nut, broke it, threw its kernel into his mouth, and
chewed it. He picked up another one, and was going to
break it. Gourd warningly said, "I! I!" He replied,, "Is
it that you want me to give it to you?" Gourd answered
only, "I-I!" And he said, "But, then, your 'I! I!' what is
it for? " He broke many of the nuts, taking them up quickly ;
and finished eating all. And still his tomach felt empty, as
if he had eaten nothing.

He then said, "The Journey!" He started, still carrying
with him the Gourd, going on, on, until he came to the Bwibe
tree (wild mango). That Bwibe was sweet. He collected
the mibe fruits, and began to split them. He split many in
a pile, and then said, "Now ! let me suck ! " He sucked them
all, but he felt no sense of repletion, although the Gourd had
warned him. He took the skins of the mibe fruit, and angrily
thrust them inside the Gourd's mouth, saying, "Eat! You
who have no teeth, what makes you say I must not eat?
But, take you!"

He goes on with his journey. And he found water. He
took his drinking-vessel, plunged it into the water, dipped,
put it to his mouth, drank, and drained the vessel. He
wanted more, plunged the vessel, and drank, draining the
vessel. He took more again, disregarding the warnings of
Gourd. The water said to him, "Here am I, I remain
myself. " (i. e. I will not satisfy you.) He gave up drink-
ing, and started his journey again, journeying, journeying,
crossed some small creeks, and passed clear on, until he
came to the River. As he listened, he heard songs passing

WHERE ANIMALS TALK

by. He said to himself. "Now! those who sing, where are
they?"

The Gourd spoke to him, saying, "Call for the canoe!"
He replied, "How shall I call for a canoe, while I see no
people? ' Gourd repeated to him, " Call ! " Then he shouted
out, "You, bring me the canoe!" Voices asked, "Who art
thou?" He answered, "I! Nja!" Some of the voices said,
"Come! let us ferry him across." Others said, "No!"
But the rest answered, "Come on!" Then they entered
their canoe, laid hold of their paddles, and came singing,
"Kapi, madi, madi, sa!
Kapi, mada, mada, sa!"

And they came to the landing. He saw nothing but what
seemed a log, and exclaimed, "How shall I embark in a log,
while there is neither paddle, nor a person for a crew?"
But Gourd directed him, "Embark!" So, he went in the
log. They paddled, and brought him to the other side. He
jumped ashore, and stood for a moment. Then he moved
on with the journey, walking on to a certain town (that
town of the Spirits). He saw nobody, but entered into the
public Reception-House, and sat down.

Gourd spoke to him, saying, "Come, and escort me to the
back-yard." He curtly answered, "Yes." He carried It,
and stood It at the foot of a plantain stalk. Then he went
back to the Reception-House and sat down.

A Bundle of Medicines came to salute him, and was about
to sit on his lap. He jumped up saying, "What is this?"
He sat down again. Another Bundle fell on his lap. He
exclaimed, "Hump! what is that?" The Bundle being dis-
pleased, replied, "You will not come to the end." (i. e.
you will not have a successful journey.)

The Gourd called him; and he went to the back-yard.
The Gourd said to him, "Stand up!" And he stood up.
Then the Gourd took a leaf, folded it as a funnel, and dropped
a Medicine into his eyes; and he began to see everything
clearly. He said, "This is the only thing which I can see
that this Hova has done for me. " He passed by, and entered
the Reception-House again, and sat down. A person came
saluting him, "Mbolo!" He responded, "Ai!" Another
came, "Mbolo!" He replied, "Ai!"

They cooked food, and got it ready to bring to him.

224 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

During this while, he told his errand, and was given a
wife.

Gourd called him. He went out to It: and It directed
him, "When you are going to eat, you must take only one
piece of plantain, and a piece of the flesh of the fowl. Then
you dip it into the udika-gravy, and put it into your mouth;
and you will chew it; and when you have swallowed it, then
you leave the remainder of the food." He disregardfully
said, "Yes! Yes!" And he laughed, "kye! kye! kye!" I do
not know what this Hova means! And that 'remainder,'
shall I give it to It?" And he entered the house again, and
sat down.

The food was set out. Little children came; they said to
each other, "Let us see how he will eat." He took up a
piece of plantain, and put it in his mouth; he took a fowl's
leg, put it in his mouth; and gnawed the flesh off of the bone.
He took up another piece of plantain, dipped a spoon into the
udika-gravy, and put it into his mouth; he took a piece of
meat and a plantain, and swallowed them. The little chil-
dren began to jeer at him, "He eats like a person who has
never eaten before. " He rose; but felt as if his stomach was
empty.

He again seated himself, and he and his wife played games
together. Soon he said, "My body feels exhausted with
hunger"; food was again made and was set out; he ate.
The result was the same. The evening meal was also pre-
pared; he ate, and finished; and still was hungry.

In the evening, the Chief of the town called together the
tribe and said to them, "Men! I see that this fellow has no
sense; let him return to his place. "

On another day, Nja said to himself, "Let me try, as the
Hova has advised me, about the food." They cooked; they
set it on the table. He took a piece of plantain, and some
flesh of the fowl; he placed them on a spoon, and dipped
them into the udika, and put them into his mouth. He
rose up, saying, "I have finished!" And his stomach felt
replete. Then he thought to himself, "So! is it possible
that this Hova knows the affairs of the Spirits?"

The next time when food was spread on the table, he did
the same way; and his stomach was satisfied.

Another day broke, and his father-in-law said to him, "On

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 225

the morrow will be your journey." When the next day
dawned, the Chief brought out the chests containing his
daughters, and said, "Now, then! choose the one that you
will take with you."

The Gourd whispered to him, "Do not take the fine-look-
ing one; you must take the one you see covered with filth."
He responded, "Not I!" The one he chose was the fine one.
He took it up, and carried it away. The town's-people
began to cry out (in pretence), "Oh! he has taken from us
that fine maiden of ours!" He was full of gladness that at
last he was married. But, really, he was carrying a woman,
crooked-nosed, and all of whose body was nothing but skin-
disease, and pus oozing all over her.

He went on his journey, on, on, on, on, until the town of
the Tooth. Said he, "Here's your Hova!" The Tooth
requested, "Tell me the news from there." The Gourd
whispered to Tooth, "Let this worthless fellow be! Let him
go! He did not marry a real woman. So, he is not a per-
son. "

The man at once went on with his journey, continuously,
until he came to the spring by his own town. Said he,
"Let me bathe!" He put down the chest, and threw his
body with a plunge, into the water. He bathed himself
thoroughly, and emerged on the bank. Then he said to
himself, "Now, then, let me open the chest!" The key
clicked, and the chest opened. A sick woman stepped out!
He demanded, "Who brought you here?" She replied,
"You." Said he in astonishment, "I?" "Yes," answered
she. He, in anger, said, "Go back! Do not come at all to
the town!" He at once started to go to the town; and the
woman slowly followed.

There were two children who were going to the spring.
As they went, they met with her; and they cried out in fear,
"Aye! aye! aye! a Ghost! aye!" And they went back to-
gether in haste to the town. The town's-people asked them,
"What's the matter?" They said, "Come! there's a Ghost
at the spring!" The woman continued slowly coming.
Other children said, "Let us go! Does a Ghost come in the
daytime? That is not so!"

As they came on the path, they met her. They asked her,
"Who has married you?" She replied, "Isn't it Njd?"

226 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

The children excitedly cried out shrilly, "A! 14! Id!" They
went back quickly to the town, saying, "Come ye! see the
wife of Nja!" The town emptied itself to go and see her.
And they inquired of her, "Who is it who has married you?"
She answered, "Is it not Nja?" And the shrill cry of sur-
prise rose again, "A! la! la! la!"

When they reached the town, Njd rose in anger from his
house, picked up his spear, stood facing them, and threatened
with his spear, "This is it!"

He passed by them into the back-yard, and changed his
body to that of a new kind of beast, with spots all over his
skin. At once he stooped low on four legs; and thrust out
his claws ; and begun a fight with the people of the town, as a
Leopard. Then he went, leaping off into the Forest.

From there, he kept the name "Nja," and has continued
his fight with Mankind. The hatred between leopards and
mankind dates from that time. Some of the people of that
country had said to Mbuma-Tyetye that he would not be able
to marry at the town of the Spirits, and had tried to hinder
him. But he did go, and succeeded in marrying a daughter
of Njambu-ya-Mekuku; while Nja, attempting to do the
same, and not waiting for advice from his brother, and treat-
ing with disrespect the Spirits on the way, failed.

TALE 34

A SNAKE'S SKIN LOOKS LIKE A SNAKE
Persons

Bokeli, Son of Njambe-Ya- Ko (Wild Rat)

Manga Mbindi (Wild Goat)

Jamba, Daughter of Njambe- Etungi, A Town Idler

Ya-Madiki Kuba (Chicken)

NOTE

Bokeli was like a snake. When a snake changes and
throws off his old skin, that slough, when it is left lying at
any place, is almost as fearful to see, as the snake itself.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 227

The list of the dowry goods for Jambd is a good illustration
of native exaggeration.

Njambe-of-the-Interior begot a daughter called Jamba.
And Njambe-of-the-Sea-Coast begot a son called Bokeli.

Many men arrived at the town of Njambe-of-the-Interior,
asking Jamba for marriage. There they were killed (Njam-
be's people were cannibals), not being able to fulfill the tests
to which they were subjected. So, people said, " Jambd will
not be married!"

Finally Bokeli, the son of Njambe-of-the-Sea-Coast, said,
"I am going to take Jambd for marriage." He prepared
for his journey; he went; and he arrived at the town. He
at once entered into the public Reception-House, and sat
down. There the people of the town exclaimed, "A fine-
looking man!" And they saluted him, "Mbolo!" The
young women at once went to tell Jamba, saying, "What a
fine-looking man has come to marry you!"

Previous to this, the mother of Jamba, who was lame with
sores, was lying in the house. If a prospective son-in-law
laughed in her presence, she would say to her husband,
"He is mocking at me!" Then that visitor would die.
All the men who had come there to marry, were killed in
that way.

Before this (as Bokeli understood the speech of all Beasts
and of Birds) when he entered into the Reception-House, a
Cock in the town spoke to him, and said, " If your hope for
food rests on me, you will not eat! I will not be killed for
you; neither shall you eat at all!" Also a loin of Wild-Goat
meat, hanging in the kitchen, said, "For me, you will not
eat!"

But Njambe (who had overheard the Cock, and who was
thinking of food for his guest) ordered, "Today, catch ye
Kuba!" But Cock ran off to the forest. Then the people
said, "Take the leg of Mbindi!" The leg of Wild-Goat pro-
tested, "I?" And it rotted. They sought some other
thing to cook for Bokeli; but, there was nothing. So, Njam-
be sent his sons hunting to kill wild beasts.

Then, the mother of Jambd called for Bokeli, saying, "He
must come; let me see him. " So, he entered into her house,

228 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

and he sat down. They began to converse. , It was but a
little while then that the mother said to her daughter,
"Search for me on the drying frame (over the fire-place);
you will find Ko there; take it for the guest, and cook it."
The Wild-Rat spoke, saying, "If it is I, he will not possibly
eat!"

At this, Bokeli broke into a laugh. The mother was dis-
pleased, and said, "You are laughing at me!" Bokeli
replied, "No!" But, the woman flung into a rage, and
threw herself down on the ground, ndi! She exclaimed,
"Ah! Njambe! He laughed at me! Catch him! And let
him go to die!"

They laid hold of him, and brought him out of the house.
They were about to go a little further to the end of the town,
when he suddenly pretended he was a corpse, and leaving
his body, his spirit went back home, and assumed another
body. They became quiet, all of them being startled. When
they moved him, he was as cold as cold victuals. They
said, "What shall we do here?" Some of them advised,
"Let us take Jamba and this corpse, and let us go together
to his father, and explain, 'Bokeli is dead, but this woman
is his wife.' Others said, "What! lest his father will kill
us!" Then they decided, "Not so! but, let us send as mes-
senger some Etungi (useless person; no loss if he should be
killed) to the father's town.

The Etungi went on that errand. When he arrived at
Bokeli's town, he met Bokeli sitting at the village smithy,
and, not recognizing him, was intending to pass him by.
Thereupon, Bokeli called to him, "Brother-in-law! what
are you doing? You have found me sitting here, but you
seem about to entirely pass me by. Though all your family
do not like me, come in to the Reception-House." The
Etungi thought to himself, "Ah! I am dead! Is not this a
brother of Bokeli?" Bokeli called to his mother, and told
her, "Bring out that food of mine quickly that is there!
My brother-in-law has come; he feels hungry!"

They set the food as soon as possible. And the Etungi
ate.

Bokeli asked him, "Where are you going to?" The
Etungi replied, "I'm on my way going to tell Njambe that
his son Bokeli is dead." Bokeli said to him, "This is I."

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 229

Then he gave the Etungi a shirt and a cloth and a hat, as
proofs of his reality.

The Etungi returned to his town. And he reported to
the people in the town, "Bokeli is not dead; I met him at
the bellows, working." They thought he was lying, and
they said, "Let him be beaten!" But the Etungi replied,
"True! see ye this shirt, and the cloth, and this hat!" He
added, "He that doubts must first go and see."

Then went Kombe. When he arrived, he found Bokeli
at the bellows. When Bokeli saw him coming, he arose at
once, and went to his mother in the house; he seized a mach-
ete, and cut down a plantain bunch, yo ! And he said to his
mother, "Make haste to cook it!"

Kombe had by that time entered the Reception-House.
Bokeli welcomed him, sa-a! and said, "Sit down!" Kombe
sat down. Food had been cooked; and he ate. Kombe
then says, "I'm going back!" Bokeli at once put down at
his feet the dowry for Jamba, cloths, shirts, hats, etc, etc.
Kombe carried away the things. And having arrived at his
town, he says, "It is true!"

Their father Njambe directed, "Come ye! over there with
a present as a propitiation!" Then he gathered goats,
fowls, ducks, plantains, dried meats, fishes, all sorts and
kinds. He ordered, " Make ye a bier, and carry the corpse.
I am going, even if I die!" (He still had a doubt about the
real Bokeli.) They did so. They carried the presents, and
they went, going on the journey.

When those in front had arrived at the half-way of the
road, the father said to his children, "You must now remain
here. I shall first go to the town. If you hear a sound of
guns, you will know that I am killed; then ye must go back. "
The father Njambe took Jamba to accompany him, and his
wives with him.

When Bokeli saw them coming, at once the cannon were
loaded, and were fired in a salute of welcome, and all the guns
and musical instruments sounded, and people saying, "The
bride is come!"

The children of Njambe who were left on the way, when
they heard the sounds of the cannons and guns, said to them-
selves that their father was killed, and they scattered and
hid themselves. But he hastily started and went back to

230 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

the place where he had left them; and he found nobody there.
He called them; and they came out of their hiding. He
commanded, "Throw away this thing (the supposed corpse);
take up the goods; come to the town of Bokeli. "

Then they went to the town. They found Jambd and her
husband Bokeli sitting and playing. And they were treated
with much kindness. Oxen and pigs were killed; they ate;
they drank; and had great fun and very much enjoyment.

Njambe-of-the-Interior then said that he was ready to
journey back to his town. But his friend Njambe-of-the-
Sea-Coast .said, "Not today, but tomorrow in the morning;
then I will give you the dowry. "

On the next day, they delivered the dowry; five millions
of spear-heads (an iron currency); knives also, a million; one
thousand hats; one thousand shirts; one hundred cloths;
bags and trunks one hundred; bales of all kinds of white
man's things; and native things in abundance; cattle also
in abundance. Then they went away with them to their
town.

And Bokeli and Jamba remained in the seaside town with
their marriage.

PART THIRD

Fang Tribe
FOREWORD

In this Part, are tales told me by an old Batanga man, of
the Banakd Tribe. He could not give me the time to come
to my room, and tell me, sentence by sentence, as the other
two narrators had done. But, having some education, he
wrote the stories in his native language, and, at my leisure,
I translated them. The translation is literal, except when
the short phrases, clear to native thought, would have been
an imperfect sentence to an English eye; or, where an allusion
to well-known native customs, perfectly obvious to a native,
would have been obscure to most readers. In such cases, I
have sacrificed to clearness the concise native idiom. To a
student of higher criticism, the sentences which are mine
will reveal themselves. In my literal translations of the
native, I have used very simple short words, mostly of
Anglo-Saxon origin. In my own paraphrases, words of
Latin origin have appeared.

Some tales of this Part are of Fang origin from the Bulu
Tribe of the interior. My Batanga friend told me he heard
them from Bulu people visiting at the Coast, and he wrote
them as they were then current on the coast. After I had
translated them from his Banaka vernacular, I found, and
pointed out to him, that some of them had already been
printed in Fang, as specimens of Bulu idioms, in a published
Grammar of the Bulu-Fang Language ("Handbook of Bulu,
by G. S. Bates"). This explanation is proper to be made,
that while, unknown to me, Mr. Bates was collecting direct
from his Bulu informants in the interior, my Batanga friend
had collected for me, from his Bulu visitors; and the tales
were in my possession, translated into English by myself,
before I saw Mr. Bates ' book, or even knew of its existence.

231

TALE 1

CANDOR

Persons

Ngiya (Gorilla) Ingenda (A Small Monkey)

Gorilla, among all Beasts, was derided and jeered at by
them. They called him "Broken-face."

So, he spoke to Ingenda of the Monkey Tribe, and ordered
it, "Just examine for me this face of mine; whether it is
really so, you tell me." The monkey was afraid to refuse,
and afraid also to tell the truth. So it ascended a tree; and,
as it went, it plucked the fruits. It said to Gorilla, "I must
first eat before answering your question; I feel hungry."
(As an excuse to give itself time to escape.)

So Ingenda went; and, by the time it had eaten two of the
fruits, it was near the tree-top. Then it called to Gorilla
"Look here! with your face turned upward." So the
Gorilla looked, with its face upward. And Ingenda, being
in a safe place, acknowledged, "It is really so, really so."
Gorilla was angry; but was helpless to revenge itself on
Ingenda for its candid statement; for, he had no way by
which to catch him. And Ingenda went off, leaping as it
went from tree-top to tree-top.

233

234 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

TALE 2
WHICH is THE BETTER HUNTEB, AN EAGLE OR A LEOPARD?

Persons
Mbela (Eagle) NJS (Leopard)

Eagle and Leopard had a discussion about obtaining prey.

Eagle said, " I am the one who can surpass you in preying. "
Leopard said, "Not so! Is it not I?"

Then Eagle said, "Wait; see whether you are the one to
surpass me in preying." Thereupon he descended from
above, seized a child of Leopard, and flew up with it to his
nest.

Leopard exclaimed, "Alas! what shall I do?" And he
went, and went, walking about, coming to one place, and
going to another, wishing to fly in order to go to the rescue
of his child. He could not fly, for want of wings; therefore
it was the other one who flew up and away.

So it was that the eagle proved that he surpassed the
leopard in seeking prey.

TALE 3

A LESSON IN EVOLUTION

Persons

Unyunge (The Shrew-Mouse) Po (A Lemur)
NOTE

The development of the Shrew's long nose, and of the Le-
mur's big eyes.

Shrew and Lemur were neighbors in the town of Beasts.
At that time, the Animals did not possess fire. Lemur said

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 235

to Shrew, "Go! and take for us fire from the town of Man-
kind." Shrew consented, but said, "If I go, do not look,
while I am gone, toward any other place except the path
on which I go. Do not even wink. Watch for me. "

So Shrew went, and came to a Town of Men; and found
that the people had all emigrated from that town. Yet, he
went on, and on, seeking for fire; and for a long time found
none. But, as he continued moving forward from house to
house, he at last found a very little fire on a hearth. He
began blowing it; and kept on blowing, and blowing; for,
the fire did not soon ignite into a flame. He continued so
long at this that his mouth extended forward permanently,
with the blowing.

Then he went back, and found Lemur faithfully watching
with his eyes standing very wide open. Shrew asked him,
"What has made your eyes so big?" In return, Lemur
asked him, "What has so lengthened your mouth to a snout?"

TALE 4
PARROT STANDING ON ONE LEG

Persons

Njaku (Elephant) Koho (Parrot)

Iwedo (Death)

NOTE

In former times, in the days of Witchcraft, it was the
custom not to bury a corpse until the question was settled
who or what had caused the death. This investigation
sometimes occupied several days; during which time decom-
position was hindered by the application of salt, and even
by drying the remains in the smoke of a fire.

Elephant built his own town; and Parrot built also his.

Then the children of Parrot went a-hunting every day;
and when they came back, the town had wild meat in abund-
ance, hida! hida!

236 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

One day Elephant announced, "I must go on an excursion
to the town of Chum Koho. " He arrived there and found
him, with that fashion of his, of standing with one leg bent
up under his feathers hidden. His friend Elephant asked
him, " Chum ! what have you done to your leg? " He answer-
ed him (falsely), "My children have gone with it a-hunting. "
Elephant being astonished said, "On your oath?" He
replied, "Truly!"

Then Elephant said, "I came to see you, only to see. I'm
going back." The other said, "Yes; very good."

Elephant returned to his town, and said to his children,
"Arrange the nets today; tomorrow for a hunt!"

The next day, the children made ready. And he, ashamed
that a small Bird should do a greater act than himself said,
"Take ye a saw, and cut off my leg." His children did not
hesitate at his command, as they were accustomed to implicit
obedience. So, they cut it off; and they carried with them,
as he directed, the leg, on their hunt.

When they were gone, to their father Elephant came
Death, saying, "I have arrived!" People of the town cried
for help, "Come ye! Njaku is not well!" But, the children
were beyond hearing, being still away at the hunt. During
their absence, Elephant died. When they arrived, they
found their father a corpse.

People wondered, saying, "What is this? Since we were
born, we have not heard this, that hunting is carried on with
the legs of one who remains behind in the town." When
others, coming to the funeral, from other towns, asked the
children, "Who was the person who counseled you such
advice as that?" they said, "Himself it was who told us; he
said to us ' Cut :' So we cut. "

Then, on farther investigation, the people said, "The
blame belongs to Koho," so, they called Parrot to account.
But, Parrot said, "It is not mine. I did not tell him to cut
off his leg." So, the charge was dismissed. And the burial
proceeded.

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 237

TALE 5

A QUESTION OF RIGHT OF INHERITANCE
Persons

Utati-Mboka (A Sparrow) Koho (Parrot)

A Man

NOTE

Sparrow based his claim on the grounds of companionship,
and community of interests.

Parrot's claim is based on a very common line of argu-
ment in native disputes not only about property, but in all
questions of liability.

Parrot and Sparrow argued about their right to inherit
the property that a Man had left.

The Sparrow said, "The Man and I lived all our days in
the same town. If he moved, I also moved. Our interests
were similar. At whatever place he went to live, there also
I stood in the street. "

The Parrot spoke, and based his claim on the ground that
he was the original cause of the Man's wealth. He said,
"I was born in the tree-tops; then the Man came and took
me, to live with him.

When my tail began to grow, he and his people took my
feathers;

With which they made a handsome head-dress;

Which they sold for very many goods;

With which they bought a wife;

And that woman bore daughters;

Who, for much money, were sold into marriages;

And their children also bore other children;

Wherefore, for that reason, it is that I say that I caused
for them all these women, and was the foundation of all this
wealth."

This was what Parrot declared.

238 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

So, the people decided, "Kohp is the source of those
things. " And he was allowed to inherit.

TALE 6

TORTOISE COVERS His IGNORANCE
Persons

Kudu (Tortoise) NJS (Leopard)

Iheli (Gazelle) A Vine

NOTE

It is customary for men to do some service for their fathers
and mothers-in-law.

Tortoise arose and went to the town of his father-in-law
Leopard. Leopard sent him on an errand, saying, "Go,
and cut for me utamba-mwa-Ivatd. " (The fiber of a vine
is used for making nets.)

Then he went. But, while he still remembered the object,
he forgot the name of the kind of Vine that was used for that
purpose. And he was ashamed to confess his ignorance.
So, he came back to call the people of the town, and said,
" Come ye and help me! I have enclosed Iheli in a thicket. "

The people came, and at once they made a circle around
the spot. But when they closed in, they saw no beasts
there.

Then Tortoise called out, "Let someone of you cut for
me, utamba-mwa-Ivatd. " (As if that was the only thing
needed to catch the animal which he had said was there.)

Thereupon, his brother-in-law cut for him a vine which
he brought to him, saying, "Here is an Ihenga vine which
we use for making nets." Whereupon Tortoise exclaimed,
"Is it possible that it was the Ihenga vine that I mistook?"

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 339

TALE 7

A QUESTION AS TO AGE
Persons

Asanze (A Shrike) Kudu (Tortoise)

C Njdbd (Civet)

And other Animals I Uhingi (Genet)
(.Edubu (Snake)

NOTE

Differences in age as revealed by differences in taste for
food.

Shrike was a blacksmith. So, all the Beasts went to the
forge at his town. Each day, when they had finished at the
anvil, they took all their tools and laid them on the ground
(as pledges). Before they should go back to their towns,
they would say to the Bird, "Show us which is the eldest,
and then you give us the things, if you are able to decide
our question. "

He looked at and examined them; but he did not know,
for they were all apparently of the same age; and they went
away empty-handed, leaving their tools as a challenge.
Every day it was that same way.

On another day, Tortoise being a friend of the Bird,
started to go to work for him at the bellows. Also, he cooked
three bundles of food; one of Civet with the entrails of a red
Antelope; and one of Genet; and one of an Edubu-Snake.
(Suited for different tastes and ages.) Then he blew at the
bellows.

When the others were hungry at meal time, Tortoise took
up the jomba-bundles; and he said, "Come ye! take up this
jomba of Njab& with the entrails, and eat." (They were
the old ones who chose to come and eat it.)

Again Tortoise said, "Come ye! take up the jomba of

240 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

Uhingi." (They were the younger men who chose to pick
it up and eat it.)

He then took up the jomba of the Snake. And he said,
"Come ye! and take of the jomba of Edubu." (Those who
took it were the youngest.)

After awhile they all finished their work at the bellows.
They still left their tools lying on the ground, and came
near to the Bird, and they said, as on other occasions, "Show
us who is the eldest."

Then Tortoise at the request of the Bird, announced the
decision, as if it was its own, "Ye who ate of the Njdba are
the ones who are oldest; ye who ate of Uhingi are the ones
who are younger men; and ye who ate of the Edubu are the
ones who are the youngest. "

So, they assented to the decision, and took away their
belongings.

TALE 8

ABUNDANCE: A PLAY ON THE MEANING OF A WORD
Persons

A Hunter; Man Bwinge (Abundance, or

Mbindi (Wild Goat) " More ")

A Dwarf, with Magic-Power Ngweya (Hog)
Ungumba (Riches)

NOTE

The Man's patience finally brought to him the Plenty
which was promised him.

"Bwinge" might be the name of a person or of a thing;
or, it could be the "abundance" for which the hunter hoped.

There was a certain Man who was very poor; he had no
goods with which to buy a wife. He went one day into the

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 241

forest to set snares. On the morrow, he went off to examine
them; and found a Wild-Goat caught in the snares. He
rejoiced and said, "I must eat Mbindi today!"

But the Wild-Goat said to that Man, "Let me alone,
Bwinge is coming after awhile. "

So, the Man, thinking that "Bwinge" was the name of
some other and more desirable animal, at once let the Wild-
Goat loose, and went off to his town. On the next day, the
Man went to examine the snare, to see whether Bwinge was
there, and found Hog caught fast in the net. And he ex-
claimed, "I must eat Ngweya today!"

But the Hog said, "Let me go. Bwinge is coming."
The man at once left the Hog, (still thinking that many more
were coming) ; and it went away.

The Man wondered, and said to himself, "What Thing is it
that is named 'Bwinge'?"

On another day, he went to set his snare. He found
there a dwarf child of a Human Being; and, in anger, he
said, "You are the one who has caused me to send away the
beasts? Is it possible that you are he who is * Bwinge'?
I shall kill you." But the dwarf said, "No! don't kill me.
I will call Ungumba for you." So, the Man said, "Call hi
a hurry ! "

The Dwarf ordered, "Let guns come!" And they at
once came. (This was done by the Dwarf's Magic-Power.)
The Man again said, "Call, in a hurry!" The Dwarf called
for women; and they came. The Man again said to him,
"Call for Goats, in a hurry!" And they came, with abund-
ance of other things.

fe Then the Man freed him, and said to him, " Go ! "
^ The Man also went his way with his riches. And he
became a great man. This was because of his patient
waiting.

242 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

TALE 9

AN OATH, WITH A MENTAL RESERVATION
Persons

Ibembe (Dove) Nj£ (Leopard)

Ngando (Crocodile)

NOTE

Covenants among natives are made under oath, by the
two parties eating together cf some fetish-mixture, called a
"Medicine"; which, being connected with some Spirit, is
supposed to be able to punish any infraction of the covenant.

Because Dove "abused" Leopard, that is, deceived him,
the dove no longer builds its nest on the ground, through
fear of leopards.

Dove was building in a tree-trunk by a river, because it
preferred to walk on the ground. And Crocodile just then
emerged from the river to the bank, and lay on his log where
he usually rested.

They two said, "Let us eat a Medicine-charm."

So, Dove agreed, and swore, saying, "I say to you that,
when anything at all shall happen openly, if I do not tell it
to you, then may this Medicine find me out and kill me."
Crocodile also uttered his oath, "When whatever thing shall
come out from the river onto the ground, if I do not tell it
to you, this Medicine must find me out and kill me!"

When they had finished their Covenant, Crocodile returned
to his hollow in the ground by the river. Dove also arose,
and went away, walking to his place. Then he and Leopard
suddenly met, on the path.

Leopard asked, "Are you able to see Ngando for me? I
want to eat it." Dove answered, "Ah! would that you and
I were living in one place with an Agreement!" Leopard
replied, "Come then! let us, I and you, eat a Medicine."

So Leopard began. He said as his oath: "Anything at

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 243

all that shall come to my place where I dwell, if I be there,
and it wants to get hold of you, if I tell it not to you, let
this Medicine find and certainly kill me ! " Dove also with
his oath, said, "If I see Ngando, and I do not tell you, let
this Medicine find me and certainly kill me!"

So, they made their promise; then they separated; and
each one went to his own village.

Thus Dove and Leopard ate their kind of "Medicine,"
after Dove and Crocodile had already eaten theirs.

Then, one day, Crocodile came out from the river. Dove
at once began to tell Leopard, saying, "He has emerged
from the river and is about to settle on the log!" So, Leo-
pard began slowly to come, and watching Crocodile, as he
came. When he was near, in his advance, Dove spoke,
telling Crocodile, and said, "Your watcher! Your watcher
is coming! Do not apprach here!"

Thereat, Crocodile slipped back into the water.

The next time that Dove and Leopard met, Leopard
demanded, "What is this you have done to me? You swore
to me this : 'If I see Crocodile I will tell you ; and you must
come catch him. ' Now, as soon as you saw me, you turned
around, and told Crocodile, 'Fall into the River!' You
have mocked me ! "

And Leopard grew very angry.

TALE 10

THE TREACHERY OF TORTOISE

Persons

Mbamd (Boa Constrictor) Kudu (Tortoise)

Nje (Leopard)

NOTE

Observe the cannibalism of the story.

Leopard married a wife. After awhile she was about to
become a mother.

244 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

Boa also married a wife; and, after awhile, she also, was
about to become a mother.

In a short time, like the drinking of a draught of water,
the month passed, both for Leopard's wife and for Boa's
wife also. Then Boa's wife said, "It is time for the birth!"
So she gave birth to a child. And she lay down on her
mother's bed. When they were about to cook food for her,
she said, "I want to eat nothing but Nje!"

The next day, the wife of Leopard said, "It is time for the
birth!" And she also gave birth to a child. Food was
given to her. But she said, "I am wanting only Mbama!"

When told of his wife's wish, Boa said, "What shall I do?
Where shall I go? Where shall I find Mangwata?" (A
nickname for Leopard.) Also, Leopard said, in regard to
his wife's wish, "Where shall I find Mbdma?" Then Leo-
pard went walking, on and on, and looking. He met with
Manima-ma-Evosolo (a nickname for Tortoise). Leopard
asked him, "Can you catch me Mbama?" Manima said,
"What's that?" And he laughed, Kye! KyS! Kye; and
said, "That is as easy as play." Leopard said, "Chum,
please do such a thing for me." And Tortoise said, "Very
good!"

When they separated, and Tortoise was about to go a
little further on ahead, at once he met with Boa. And Boa
asked him, "Chum! Manima-ma-Evosolo! Where have you
come from?" Tortoise answered, "I have come, going on
an excursion." Boa asked to Tortoise, "But, could you
catch me Nje? " He replied, " That is a little thing. " Then
Boa begged him, "Please, since my wife has born a child,
she has not eaten anything. She says she wants to eat only
Nje."

Tortoise returned back at once to his village. He called
to the people of his village, saying, "Come ye! to make for
me a pit. " They at once went, and dug a pit. When they
had finished it, Tortoise went to Leopard, and said to him,
"Come on!"

Leopard at once started on the journey (thinking he was
going to get Boa). When they came to the place of the pit,
Leopard fell suddenly into it headlong, volomu ! He called
to Tortoise, saying, "Chum! Where is Mbama?" (Leo-
pard did not understand that he was being deceived.)

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 245

Tortoise did not reply, but started off clear to the village
of Boa. He said to Boa, "Come on!" Boa did not doubt
at all that he was going to get Leopard. He started, and
went with Tortoise towards the pit. When he was passing
near the spot, Boa fell headlong into the pit, volumu ! And
Leopard exclaimed, "Ah! now, what is this?"

Tortoise only said to them, "You yourselves can kill each
other."

TALE 11

A CHAIN OF CIRCUMSTANCES
Persons

Etanda (Cockroach) Uhingi (Genet)

Kudu (Tortoise) NJS (Leopard)

Kuba (Chicken) A Man

NOTE

A Cause, from which came the enmity between Leopards,
and other wild animals, and Mankind.

Observe the resemblance to "The House that Jack
Built."

Tortoise was a blacksmith, and allowed other people to
use his bellows. Cockroach had a spear that was known of
by all people and things. One day, he went to the smithy
at the village of Tortoise. When he started to work the
bellows, as he looked out in the street, he saw Chicken com-
ing; and he said to Tortoise, "I'm afraid of Kuba, that he
will catch me. What shall I do?" So Tortoise told him,
"Go! and hide yourself off there in the grass." At once he
hid himself.

Then arrived Chicken, and he, observing a spear lying
on the ground, asked Tortoise, "Is not this Etanda's Spear?"

246 WHERE ANIMALS TALK

Tortoise assented, "Yes, do you want him?" And Chicken
said, "Yes, where is he?" So Tortoise said, "He hid him-
self in the grass on the ground yonder; catch him." Then
Chicken went and caught Cockroach, and swallowed him.

When Chicken was about to go away to return to his
place, Tortoise said to him, "Come back! work for me this
fine bellows!" As Chicken, willing to return a favor, was
about to stand at it, he looked around and saw Genet com-
ing in the street. Chicken said to Tortoise, "Alas! I'm
afraid that Uhingi will see me, where shall I go?" So,
Tortoise says, "Go! and hide!" Chicken did so. When
Genet came, he, seeing the spear, asked, "Is it not so that
this is Etanda's Spear?" Tortoise replied, "Yes." Genet
asked him, "Where is Etanda?" He replied, "Chicken
has swallowed him." Genet inquired, "And where is
Chicken?" Tortoise showed him the place where Chicken
was hidden. And Genet went and caught and ate Chicken.

When Genet was about to go, Tortoise called to him, "No!
come! to work this fine bellows." Genet set to work; but,
when he looked into the street, he hesitated; for, he saw
Leopard coming. Genet said to Tortoise, "I must go,
lest Nj£ should see me!" Then Tortoise said, "Go! and
hide in the grass. " So, Genet hid himself in the grass.

Leopard, having arrived and wondering about the Spear,
asked Tortoise, " Is it not so that this is the Spear of Etanda?"
Tortoise answered, "Yes." Then Leopard asked, "Where
is Etanda?" Tortoise replied, "Kuba has swallowed him."
"And, where is Kuba?" Tortoise answered, "Uhingi has
eaten him. " Then Leopard asked, " Where then is Uhingi? "
Tortoise asked, "Do you want him? Go and catch him!
He is hidden yonder there." Then Leopard caught and
killed Genet.

Leopard was going away, but Tortoise told him, "Wait!
come! to work this fine bellows. " When Leopard was about
to comply, he looked around the street, and he saw a Human
Being coming with a gun carried on his shoulder. Leopard
exclaimed, " Kudu-O ! I do not want to see a Man, let me go ! "
Then Tortoise said to him, " Go ! and hide. " Leopard did so.

When the Man had come, and he saw the Spear of Cock-
roach, he inquired, "Is it not so that this is Cockroach's
wonderful Spear?" Tortoise answered, "Yes."

WHERE ANIMALS TALK 247

And the Man asked, "Where then is Cockroach?" Tor-
toise answered, "Kuba has swallowed him."

Man asked, "And where is Chicken? " Tortoise answered,
"Uhingi has eaten him."

Man asked, "And where is Genet?" Tortoise answered,
"Njg has killed him."

Man asked, "And where is Leopard?" Tortoise did not
at once reply; and Man asked again, "Where is Leopard?"
The Tortoise said, "Do you want him? Go! and catch him.
He had hidden himself over there."

Then the Man went and shot Leopard,

Who had killed Genet,

Who had eaten Chicken,

Who had swallowed Cockroach,

Who owned the wonderful Spear,

At the smithy of Tortoise.

248

INDEX

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INDEX

249

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250

INDEX

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