FOREWORD

In this Part, are tales told me by an old Batanga man, of the Banâkâ 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 Banâkâ 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.

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.

TALE 2

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

Persons

Mbela (Eagle) Njĕ (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 Lemur’s big eyes.

Shrew and Lemur were neighbors in the town of Beasts. At that time, the Animals did not possess fire. Lemur said to Shrew, “Go! and take for us fire from the town of Mankind.” 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

Njâku (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 decomposition 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 abundance, hida! hida!

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 answered 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! Njâku 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.

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 argument 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.

So, the people decided, “Koho is the source of those things.” And he was allowed to inherit.

TALE 6

Tortoise Covers His Ignorance

Persons

Kudu (Tortoise) Ihĕli (Gazelle) Njĕ (Leopard) 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-Ivâtâ.” (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 Ihĕli 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-Ivâtâ.” (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?”

TALE 7

A Question as to Age

Persons

  • Asanze (A Shrike)
  • Kudu (Tortoise)
  • And other AnimalsNjâbâ (Civet)
    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 Njâbâ 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 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 Njâbâ 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 Mbindi (Wild Goat) A Dwarf, with Magic-Power Bwinge (Abundance, or “More”) 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 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 exclaimed, “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 in 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 abundance of other things.

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.

TALE 9

An Oath, With a Mental Reservation

Persons

Ibembe (Dove) Njĕ (Leopard) Ngando (Crocodile)

NOTE

Covenants among natives are made under oath, by the two parties eating together of 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 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, Leopard 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 approach 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

Mbâmâ (Boa Constrictor) Kudu (Tortoise) Njĕ (Leopard)

NOTE

Observe the cannibalism of the story.

Leopard married a wife. After awhile she was about to become a mother.

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 Njĕ!”

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 Mbâmâ!”

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 Mbâmâ?” Then Leopard went walking, on and on, and looking. He met with Manima-ma-Evosolo (a nickname for Tortoise). Leopard asked him, “Can you catch me Mbâmâ?” Manima said, “What’s that?” And he laughed, Kyĕ! Kyĕ! Kyĕ; 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 Njĕ?” 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 Njĕ.”

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 Mbâmâ?” (Leopard did not understand that he was being deceived.)

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) Kudu (Tortoise) Kuba (Chicken) Uhingi (Genet) Njĕ (Leopard) 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 coming; 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?” Tortoise assented, “Yes, do you want him?” And Chicken said, “Yes, where is he?” So Tortoise said, “He hid himself 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 coming 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 Njĕ 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 Cockroach, he inquired, “Is it not so that this is Cockroach’s wonderful Spear?” Tortoise answered, “Yes.”

And the Man asked, “Where then is Cockroach?” Tortoise 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, “Njĕ 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.