39. THE RAISIN-EATER.
(The original, in the Hottentot language, is in Sir G. Grey’s Library, G. Krönlein’s Manuscript, pp. 34, 35.)
It is said that when Heitsi Eibip was travelling about with his family, they came to a valley in which the raisin-tree was ripe, and he was there attacked by a severe illness. Then his young (second) wife said, “This brave one is taken ill on account of these raisins; death is here at the place.” The old man (Heitsi Eibip), however, told his son ǃUrisip[5] (the whitish one), “I shall not live, I feel it; thou must, therefore, cover me when I am dead with soft stones.” And he spoke further, “This is the thing which I order you to do:—‘Of the raisin-trees of this valley ye shall not eat. For if ye eat of them I shall infect you, and ye will surely die in a similar way.’ ”
His young wife said, “He is taken ill on account of the raisins of this valley. Let us bury him quickly, and let us go.” [[113]]
So he died there, and was covered flatly with soft stones according as he had commanded. Then they went away from him.
When they had moved to another place, and were unpacking there, they heard always from the side whence they came a noise as of people eating raisins and singing. In this manner the eating and singing ran:—
“I, father of ǃUrisip,
Father of this unclean one,
I, who had to eat these raisins, and died,
And dying live.”
The young wife perceived that the noise came from the side where the old man’s grave was, and said, “ǃUrisip! Go and look!” Then the son went to the old man’s grave, where he saw traces which he recognised to be his father’s footmarks, and returned home. Then the young wife said, “It is he alone; therefore act thus:—
“Do so to the man who ate raisins on the windward side,
Take care of the wind that thou creepest upon him from the leeward;
Then intercept him on his way to the grave, [[114]]
And when thou hast caught him, do not let him go.”
He did accordingly, and they came between the grave and Heitsi Eibip who, when he saw this, jumped down from the raisin-trees, and ran quickly, but was caught at the grave. Then he said:
“Let me go! For I am a man who has been dead that I may not infect you!” But the young wife said, “Keep hold of the rogue!” So they brought him home, and from that day he was fresh and hale. [[115]]