Chapter VI: Part 6

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, "Mbâmâ said, 'Its name is Bojabi.'" And All-the-Beasts shouted in unison, "Yes! Bojabi!"

Then they all began to scramble with each other in gathering 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, "Mbâmâ 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 Mbâmâ, 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."

TALE 15

THE SUITORS OF NJAMBO'S DAUGHTER

Place

In Njambo's Town

Persons

Njambo and His Daughter Ndenga
Etoli (House Rat)
Njâ (Leopard)
Ko (Forest Rat)
Nyati (Ox)
Kudu (Tortoise)
Njâku (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 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 coming 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."

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. 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, Njâ is ahead in the way?" The wife replied, "No! go on! I think Njâ 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, Njâ." 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 Njâ took the woman away."

Then Elephant called all the Beasts together to take counsel. He said to them, "What shall we do, because Njâ has taken away the wife of Kudu?" They all replied, "We are all afraid of Njâ. 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 Njâ."

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 Njâ, 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 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 standing 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 exclaimed, "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 plantains. The child went; and the plantains were brought. Tortoise took them, and said, "Njâ! 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 Njâ 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.

TALE 16

TORTOISE, DOG, LEOPARD AND THE NJABI FRUIT

Persons

Njâ (Leopard)
Mbwa (Dog)
Kudu (Tortoise)
Inâni (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, Hippopotamus, 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 companies, 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 "Eme! (indeed!), Ibele! (splendid), Eme! 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 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 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, "mwâ! mwâ!"

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 overtake 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 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! Don't be afraid!"

All those People-of-the-Tree came and 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 himself, "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 Kâ. 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, searched, 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.

TALE 17

A JOURNEY FOR SALT

Persons

Njâbu (Civet)
Mbâmâ (Boa)
Ngweya (Hog)
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 camping-place for the night. But, on the way, Civet began to say, "Ah! my stomach aches! Ah! my stomach aches!" 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, Njâbu, 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 inquired, "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 journey?" 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 journey." But Boa said, "No! I shall leave this place only when this Beast I have eaten dissolves." Tortoise expostulated, "Indeed! Chum! I said in the town, 'Let no one begin any matter on the way,' yet, first Njâbu began his affair; and now you, Mbâmâ, 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 Antelope. 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, Njâbu and Mbâmâ, delayed us, we would already have passed this spot long before this tree fell. You, Njâbu, first began a matter; soon, you, Mbâmâ, began your matter; now, this is my matter. Now wait for me." So, they waited and waited.

But, while waiting, 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! 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 "Hâ! hâ!" to drive the Beasts into the net. They first came 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. 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

Njâbu (Civet)
Uhingi (Genet)
Kuba (Chicken)
Vyâdu (Antelope)
Kudu (Tortoise)
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.

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 plantation, 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 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 Vyâdu and hang it in the house where Kudu is." He added, "Take off also the skin of Njâbu." 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 ngândâ for me, by my return." The woman got ready the ngândâ 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. Tortoise asked her, "This skin there looks like what?" The woman replied, "A skin of Vyâdu." And Tortoise inquired, "What did Vyâdu do?" The woman answered, "Vyâdu 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!"

Again Tortoise asked the woman, "This other skin?" She answered, "Of Njâbu." Tortoise asked, "Njâbu, what did he do?" She answered, "Njâbu 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 ngândâ-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 ngândâ 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 Vyâdu. 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 Njâbu; for eating my sugar-cane."

Then Tortoise said, "There were four of us in the Plantation. 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.

TALE 19

THE DECEPTIONS OF TORTOISE

Persons

Njâ (Leopard)
Kudu (Tortoise)
Ngâmbi (Igwana)
Mbâmâ (Boa)
Ngando (Crocodile)
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. Leopard 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 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 Njâ this meat!"

After this, little Tortoise grew, and began to go by itself, walking about the town. Tortoise told the child, "Do not show Njâ 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." Leopard said, "No! don't tell lies!" They changed the conversation, and went on eating. When they were done, Tortoise went back to his house.

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 exclaimed, "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 entrance-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, Njâ you open the house!" But, Leopard said, "I am a stranger here; you travel here continually; you know the way!" So, Tortoise opened the house; and they both entered.

Leopard saw the bodies of many wild animals drying in the house. Tortoise said to him, "Carry 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! I'll carry 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, observing 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."

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, hastening into the bedroom, she saw Leopard. Then she shouted, "Men! Here's Njâ!" The men came, and they killed Leopard.