Chapter IV: Part II: Native Stories Told Around the Evening Fires in Congoland

_Introduction_ 361

I

_How the Fowl evaded his Debt_ 371

II

_Why the Small-ant was the Winner_ 374

III

_How the Animals imitated the Gazelle and brought Trouble upon 376
Themselves_

IV

_Why the Fowls never shut their Doors_ 379

V

_Why the Dog and the Palm-rat hate each other_ 382

VI

_The Leopard boils his Mother’s Teeth_ 384

VII

_How the Ants saved the Partridge’s Eggs_ 386

VIII

_The Leopard sticks to the Nkondi_ (_wooden image_) 388

IX

_How the Mouse won his Wife_ 391

X

_The Gazelle outwits the Leopard_ 396

XI

_The Gazelle punishes the Palm-rat for breaking his promise_ 399

XII

_How the Crow cheated the Dove and got into Difficulty through 401
it_

XIII

_How the Civet and the Tortoise lost their Friendship for each 403
other_

XIV

_The Water-Fairies save a Child_ 406

XV

_How the Squirrel repaid a Kindness_ 410

XVI

_The King-fisher deceives the Owl_ 415

XVII

_How the Tortoise was punished for his Deceit_ 416

XVIII

_How the Frog collected his Debt from the Hawk_ 419

XIX

_How a Child saved his Mother’s Life_ 422

XX

_How the Gazelle won his Wife_ 425

XXI

_The Gazelle is at last punished_ 429

XXII

_The Leopard pays Homage to the Goat_ 433

XXIII

_Why the Owls and the Fowls never speak to each other_ 436

XXIV

_How the Elephant punished the Leopard_ 439

XXV

_How the Leopard tried to deceive the Gazelle_ 441

XXVI

_The Story of two Young Women_ 443

XXVII

_Why the Chameleon cut off his own Head_ 445

XXVIII

_Why the Congo Robin has a Red Breast_ 447

XXIX

_The Leopard tries to steal the Gazelle’s Wife_ 449

XXX

_The Gazelle kills the Flies and Mosquitoes, and outwits the 451
Leopard_

XXXI

_The Leopard is badly tricked by the Gazelle, Rat, and Frog_ 454

XXXII

_Why the Small-ants live in the Houses_ 460

XXXIII

_The Son who tried to outwit his Father_ 462

INDEX 463

The following Stories will be found in Part I

CHAP. VI.— _How the Sparrow set the Elephant and the Crocodile to
pull against each other (p. 39); The Four Fools: a puzzle
story (p. 43); How the Squirrel won a Verdict for the
Gazelle (p. 46)._

CHAP. IX.— _How the Fox saved the Frog’s Life (p. 77); Inquiry should
come before Anger (p. 81)._

CHAP. XII.— _The Four Wonders: a puzzle story (p. 122); Adventures of
the Twins (p. 126)._

CHAP. XV.— _Appearances are sometimes deceptive (p. 182)._

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

_Facing Page_

A NATIVE VILLAGE }
THE MAIN PATH ON WATHEN STATION } _Frontispiece_

THE LOWER CONGO RIVER NINETY MILES FROM THE SEA 10

A CONGO HUT 10

THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL AT NKABA 58

JUNGLE PATH THROUGH THE FOREST 84

WATHEN: THE BOYS’ QUARTERS 100

WATHEN: THE DISPENSARY 100

SCHOOL-BOYS PLAYING HOCKEY 116

AT THE GIANT STRIDE 116

GYMNASTICS 116

BUSY WASHING 128

RESTING AFTER WASHING 128

SCENES IN CATARACT REGION 166

A WITCH-DOCTOR 166

NATIVE ROPE BRIDGE 202

NATIVE BRIDGE 202

WHITE TRADER AND NATIVE TRADERS AND THEIR PRODUCE 236

THE REV. JOHN H. WEEKS AND HIS BOYS 252

CLOTH WEAVING 258

BLACKSMITHS 258

CATS’ CRADLES 284

A PROTECTIVE FETISH 284

DEACONS OF WATHEN CHURCH 304

TEACHERS WORKING UNDER THE WATHEN CHURCH 304

A CHRISTIAN WEDDING 312

CHURCH COLLECTION AT WATHEN 312

A NATIVE MARKET 332

BAPTISMAL SERVICE, CHRISTMAS 1905 332