Homepage
Login
Profile
BookClubs
dmBox
Read Ebook: South-African Folk-Tales by Honey James A
Font size:
Background color:
Text color:
Add to tbrJar First Page Next Page
Ebook has 221 lines and 10617 words, and 5 pages
y became companions. The hare proposed that they should fasten each other's tail, and the inkalimeva agreed. The inkalimeva fastened the tail of the hare first.
The hare said, "Don't tie my tail so tight."
Then the hare fastened the tail of the inkalimeva.
The inkalimeva said, "Don't tie my tail so tight," but the hare made no answer. After tying the tail of the inkalimeva very fast, the hare took his club and killed it. The hare took the tail of the inkalimeva and ate it, all except a little piece which he hid in the fence.
Then he called out, "The fat belonging to all the animals has been eaten by the inkalimeva."
The animals came running back, and when they saw that the inkalimeva was dead they rejoiced greatly. They asked the hare for the tail, which should be kept for the chief.
The hare replied, "The one I killed had no tail."
They said, "How can an inkalimeva be without a tail?"
They began to search, and at length they found a piece of the tail in the fence. They told the chief that the hare had eaten the tail.
He said, "Bring him to me!"
All the animals ran after the hare, but he fled, and they could not catch him. The hare ran into a hole, at the mouth of which the animals set a snare, and then went away. The hare remained in the hole for many days, but at length he managed to get out without being caught.
He went to a place where he found a bushbuck building a hut. There was a pot with meat in it on the fire.
He said to the bushbuck, "Can I take this little piece of meat?"
The bushbuck answered, "You must not do it."
But he took the meat and ate it all. Afterwards he whistled in a particular manner, and there fell a storm of hail which killed the bushbuck. Then he took the skin of the bushbuck, and made for himself a mantle.
After this the hare went into the forest to procure some weapons to fight with. While he was cutting a stick the monkeys threw leaves upon him. He called to them to come down and beat him. They came down, but he killed them all with his weapons.
THE WHITE MAN AND SNAKE
A white man, it is said, met Snake upon whom a large stone had fallen and covered her so that she could not rise. The White Man lifted the stone off Snake, but when he had done so, she wanted to bite him. The White Man said, "Stop! let us both go first to some wise people." They went to Hyena, and the White Man asked him, "Is it right that Snake should want to bite me, when I helped her as she lay under a stone and could not rise?"
Hyena said, "If you were bitten what would it matter?"
Then Snake wanted to bite him, but the White Man said again, "Wait a little, and let us go to other wise people, that I may hear whether this is right."
They went and met Jackal. The White Man said to Jackal, "Is it right for Snake to want to bite me, when I lifted up the stone which lay upon her?"
Jackal replied, "I do not believe that Snake could be covered by a stone so she could not rise. Unless I saw it with my two eyes, I would not believe it. Therefore, come let us go and see the place where you say it happened whether it can be true."
They went, and arrived at the place where it had happened. Jackal said, "Snake, lie down, and let thyself be covered."
Snake did so, and the White Man covered her with the stone; but although she exerted herself very much, she could not rise. Then the White Man wanted again to release Snake, but Jackal interfered, and said, "Do not lift the stone. She wanted to bite you, therefore she may rise by herself."
Then they both went away and left Snake under the stone.
ANOTHER VERSION OF THE SAME FABLE
A Dutchman was walking by himself and saw Snake lying under a large stone. Snake implored his help; but when she had become free she said, "Now I shall eat you."
The Man answered, "That is not right. Let us first go to Hare."
When Hare had heard the affair, he said, "It is right."
"No," said the Man, "let us ask Hyena."
Hyena declared the same, saying, "It is right."
"Now let us ask Jackal," said the Man in his despair.
Jackal answered very slowly and considerately, doubting the whole affair, and demanding to see first the place, and whether the Man was able to lift the stone. Snake lay down, and the Man, to prove the truth of his account, put the stone again over her.
When she was fast, Jackal said, "Now let her lie there."
CLOUD-EATING
Jackal and Hyena were together, it is said, when a white cloud rose. Jackal descended upon it, and ate of the cloud as if it were fat.
When he wanted to come down, he said to Hyena, "My sister, as I am going to divide with thee, catch me well." So she caught him, and broke his fall. Then she also went up and ate there, high up on the top of the cloud.
When she was satisfied, she said, "My greyish brother, now catch me well." The greyish rogue said to his friend, "My sister, I shall catch thee well. Come therefore down."
He held up his hands, and she came down from the cloud, and when she was near, Jackal cried out , "My sister, do not take it ill. Oh me! Oh me! A thorn has pricked me and sticks in me." Thus she fell down from above, and was sadly hurt.
Since that day, it is said that Hyena's hind feet have been shorter and smaller than the front ones.
LION'S ILLNESS
Lion, it is said, was ill, and they all went to see him in his suffering. But Jackal did not go, because the traces of the people who went to see him did not turn back. Thereupon, he was accused by Hyena, who said, "Though I go to look, yet Jackal does not want to come and look at the man's sufferings."
Then Lion let Hyena go, in order that she might catch Jackal; and she did so, and brought him.
Lion asked Jackal: "Why did you not come here to see me?"
Jackal said, "Oh, no! when I heard that my uncle was so very ill, I went to the witch to consult him, whether and what medicine would be good for my uncle against the pain. The doctor said to me, 'Go and tell your uncle to take hold of Hyena and draw off her skin, and put it on while it is still warm. Then he will recover.' Hyena is one who does not care for my uncle's sufferings."
Lion followed his advice, got hold of Hyena, drew the skin over her ears, whilst she howled with all her might, and put it on.
JACKAL, DOVE, AND HERON
Jackal, it is said, came once to Dove, who lived on the top of a rock, and said, "Give me one of your little ones."
Dove answered, "I shall not do anything of the kind."
Jackal said, "Give me it at once! Otherwise, I shall fly up to you." Then she threw one down to him.
He came back another day and demanded another little one, and she gave it to him. After Jackal had gone, Heron came, and asked, "Dove, why do you cry?"
Add to tbrJar First Page Next Page