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.

TALE 24

Origins of the Ivory Trade (1st Version)

Persons

King Ukanakâdi, and His Son Lombolokindi, and His Mother, With Birds and Other Animals Tombeseki (A Magic-Spear); An Old Woman Njâku (Elephant); An Ox (A Metamorphosed Man) A Foreign Vessel, and Traders

Ukanakâdi 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 Ukanakâdi 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.