South African Folklore by James A. Honey

Gopyiight}]^.
COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT.
-2 <^ Q ' ^'51^
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2011 with funding from
The Library of Congress
http://www.archive.org/details/southafricanfolk01 hon^
SOUTH-AFRICAN
FOLK-TALES
SOUTH-AFRICAN
FOLK-TALES
BY
JAMES A. HONEY, M.D.
4 ft orvu^ ^ j
New York
THE BAKER & TAYLOR COMPANY
1910
COPYEIGHT, 1910, BY
THE BAKER & TAYLOR COMPANY
Published, November, 1910
THE TROW PKESS, NEW YORK
^C!.A2?59G,
AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED
TO
C. F. H. AND F. I. G.
CONTENTS
PAGE
Introduction 1
Origin of the Difference in Modes of

Life Between Hottentots and Bush-
men 8
The Lost Message 10
The Monkey's Fiddle 14
The Tiger, the Ram, and the Jackal 19
The Jackal and the Wolf
A Jackal and a Wolf
The Lion, the Jackal, and the Man 25
The World's Reward 28
The Lion and the Jackal 33
Tink-tinkje .... 42
The Lion and Jackal 45
The Lion and Jackal 48
The Hunt of Lion and Jackal 53

[vii]
CONTENTS
PAGE
The Story of Lion and Little Jackal 5Q
The Lioness and the Ostrich . . 62
Crocodile's Treason 64
The Story of a Dam . . . . . 73
The Dance for Water or Rabbits'
Triumph 79
Jackal and Monkey ..... 84
Lion's Share .87

Jackal's Bride 92
The Story of Hare ..... 94
The White Man and Snake . . . 101
Another Version of the Same Fable 103
Cloud Eating 105
Lion's Illness 107
Jackal, Dove, and Heron. . . . 109
Cock and Jackal Ill
Elephant and Tortoise . . . .112

Tortoise Hunting Ostriches . . . 117
The Judgment of Baboon . . .118

Lion and Baboon 121
[viii]
CONTENTS
PAGE
The Zebra Stallion 122
When Lion Could Fly .... 124
Lion Who Thought Himself Wiser Than

His Mother 126
Lion Who Took a Woman's Shape . 129
Why Has Jackal a Long Black Stripe

ON His Back? 137
Horse Cursed by Sun .... 138
Lion's Defeat 139
The Origin of Death 141
A Third Version of the Same Fable . 144
A Fourth Version of the Same Fable 146
A Zulu Version of the Legend of the

"Origin of Death" .... 147
Literature on South- African Folk-Lore 148
[ix]
SOUTH-AFRICAN
FOLK-TALES
INTRODUCTION
presenting these stories, which are of deep
IN interest and value to South Africans, I
hope they may prove of some value to
those Americans who have either an interest in
animals or who appreciate the folklore of other

countries.
Many of these tales have appeared among

English collections previous to 1880, others
have been translated from the Dutch, and a few
have been written from childhood remembrance.
Consequently they do not pretend to be orig-
inal or unique. Care has been taken not to spoil
the ethnological value for the sake of form or
structure; and in all cases they are as nearly
like the original as a translation from one tongue
to another will allow. They are all South- Afri-
can folklore tales and mainly from the Bush-
men. Some are perverted types from what were
originally Bushmen tales, but have been taken
[ 1 ]
SOUTH-AFRICAN FOLK-TALES
over by Hottentots or Zulus ; a few are from the
Dutch. Most of these last named will show a
European influence, especially French.
Some of the animal stories have appeared in

American magazines under the author's name,
but this is the first time that a complete collec-
tion has appeared since Dr. Bleek published his
stories in 1864. The object has been to keep

the stories apart from those which have a mytho-
logical or religious significance, and especially
to keep it an animal collection free from those
in which man appears to take a part.
There will be found several versions of the
same story, and as far as possible these will be
put in the order of their importance in relation
to the original. The author does not pretend to
be an authority on South-African folklore, but
has only a South-African-born interest in what
springs from that country of sunshine. It is a
difficult task to attempt to trace the origin of
these stories, as there is no country where there
have been so many distinct and primitive races
dwelling together.
The Bushmen seem to trace back to the earli-
[ 2 ]
INTRODUCTION
est Egyptian days, when dwarfs were pictured
on the tombs of the kings and were a distinct
race. From then until now it has been their
pride to say that before men were men, they
were; or, to put it clearer, before Africa was
inhabited by other races, they were there. As
represented by some of these stories of the
Bushmen, what races have not, then, had their
influence on the folklore? According to Stow,

they were a wandering primitive race of small
men, painters and sculptors, hunters and herds-
men, and withal a race showing traces of won-
derful reasoning and adaptability, with a keen
sense of justice and a store of pride. Mytho-
logical some of their stories are, but whether this
is due to the influence of the Hottentots, a later

race, it is difficult to say. And, lastly, there
are the Kaffirs spread over the whole of South

Africa, domineering, but backward. The varied
influences which may have affected these stories
before they reached us show what enormous
possibilities there are for error in tracing the
origin of the animal tales here presented. Bleek

finds that a greater congeniality exists between
[3]
SOUTH-AFRICAN FOLK-TA^ÊS
the Hottentot and European mind than is found
between the latter and any other of the black
races of Africa. Whether he means that this
indicates a European origin of the fables, I can-

not say. There is no doubt in my mind that
the Bushmen came from the north and were the
primitive race of south and tropical Africa, the
dwarfs of Livingstone, Stanley, and other ex-
plorers. Considering, then, the great antiquity
of this race, it naturally follows that if these
stories are not original with the Bushmen, they
are at least so modified as to bear no resemblance
to Egyptian, Phoenician, or any other ancient
race which the Bushmen may have come in con-
tact with. Herodotus described a race on the

upper Nile which corresponds with later descrip-
tions of the Bushmen in tropical and southern
Africa.
I agree with what the South-African Folklore
Journal stated twenty years or more ago, that
with the " vast strides South Africa is mak-
ing in the progress of civilization, the native
races will either be swept away or so altered
as to lose many of their ancient habits, cus-
[4]
INTRODUCTION
toms, traditions, or at least greatly to modify
them."
Knowing that by a collection of this kind
these stories could best be preserved, and feel-
ing that others had not read them, I began this

collection ten years ago. There much done
is so
now to preserve what is still Bushmen folklore
that I feel this small volume is indeed only a
small addition to the folklore world.
" South- African folklore is," the South-Af-
rican Folklore Journal says, " in its very na-

ture plain, and primitive in its simplicity; not
adorned with the wealth of palaces and precious
stones to be met with in the folklore of more
civilized nations, but descriptive in great meas-
ure of the events of everyday life, among those
in a low state of civilization; and with the ex-
ception of evidences of moral qualities, and of
such imagery as is connected with the phenom-
ena of nature, very little that is grand or mag-
nificent must be looked for in it."
Bain gives a story related by a Kaffir which

shows " the distribution of animals after the
creation." This story could not become typ-
[5 ]
ically Kaffir until after the Kaffir came in con-
tact with the European in the last two or three

hundred years. However, the story will serve
to illustrate the people whose stories appear in

this volume and to close the Introduction.
Teco, in Kaffir, is the Supreme Being. Teco

had every description of stock and property.
There were three nations created, viz., the
Whites, the Amakosa, or Kaffirs, and the Ama-
louw, or Hottentots. A day was appointed for
them to appear before the Teco to receive what-
ever he might apportion to each tribe. While

they were assembling, a honey bird, or honey
guide, came fluttering by, and all the Hotten-
tots ran after it, whistling and making the pe-
culiar noise they generally do while following
this wonderful little bird. The Teco remon-

strated with them about their behavior, but to
no purpose. He thereupon denounced them as
a vagrant race that would have to exist on wild
roots and honey beer, and possess no stock what-
ever.
When the fine herds of cattle were brought,

the Kaffirs became very much excited~the one
[6]
INTRODUCTION
exclaiming," That black and white cow is
mine "
! and another, " That red cow and black
bull are mine " and so on,
! till at last the Teco,
whose patience had been severely taxed by their
shouts and unruly behavior, denounced them as
a restless people, who would only possess cattle.
The Whites patiently waited until they re-
ceived cattle, horses, sheep, and all sorts of
property. Hence, the old Kaffir observed, " You
Whites have got everything. We Kaffirs have
only cattle, while the Amalouw, or Hottentots,
have nothing."
James A. Honey.
Cambridge, Mass., June, 1910.
[7]
ORIGIN OF THE DIFFERENCE
IN MODES OF LIFE BETWEEN
HOTTENTOTS AND BUSHMEN
the beginning there were two. One was
IN blind, the other was always hunting. This
hunter found at last a hole in the earth
from which game proceeded and killed the
young. The blind man, feeling and smelling
them, said, " They are not game, but cattle."
The blind man afterwards recovered his sight,
and going with the hunter to this hole, saw
that they were cows with their calves. He then
quickly built a kraal (fence made of thorns)
round them, and anointed himself, just as Hot-
tentots (in their native state) are still wont
to do.
When the other, who now with great trouble
had to seek his game, came and saw this, he
wanted to anoint himself also. " Look here " !
said the other, " you must throw the ointment
[ 8 ]
HOTTENTOTS AND BUSHMEN
into the fire, and afterwards use it." He fol-
lowed this advice, and the flames flaring up into

his face, burnt him most miserably; so that he
was glad to make his escape. The other, how-
ever, called to him :
" Here, take the kirri (
knobstick), and run to the hills to hunt there

for honey."
Hence sprung the race of Bushmen.
[9]
THE LOST MESSAGE
THE many
ant has had from time immemorial
enemies, and because he is small
and destructive, there have been a
great many slaughters among them. Not only
were most of the birds their enemies, but Ant-
eater lived almost wholly from them, and Centi-
pede beset them every time and at all places
when he had the chance.
So now there were a few among them who
thought it would be well to hold council together
and see if they could not come to some arrange-
ment whereby they could retreat to some place
of safety when attacked by robber birds and
animals.
But at the gathering their opinions were
most discordant, and they could come to no
decision.
There was Red-ant, Rice-ant, Black-ant,

[10]
THE LOST MESSAGE
Wagtail-ant, Graj-ant, Shining-ant, and many
other varieties. The discussion was a true babel
of diversity, which continued for a long time
and came to nothing.
A part desired that they should all go into
a small hole in the ground, and live there;
another part wanted to have a large and strong
dwelling built on the ground, where nobody
could enter but an ant ; still another wanted
to dwell in trees, so as to get rid of Anteater,
forgetting entirely that there they would be the
prey of birds ; another part seemed inclined to
have wings and fly.
And, as has already been said, this delibera-
tion amounted to nothing, and each party re-
solved to go to work in its own way, and on

its own responsibility.
Greater unity than that which existed in

each separate faction could be seen nowhere
in the world; each had his appointed task,
each did his work regularly and well. And all
worked together in the same way. From among
them they chose a king —that is to say some
of the groups did — and they divided the la-
[11]
bor so that all went as smoothly as it possibly
could.
But each group did it in its own way, and
not one of them thought of protecting them-
selves against the onslaught of birds or Ant-
eater.
The Red-ants built their house on the ground

and lived under it, but Anteater leveled to the
ground in a minute what had cost them many
days of precious labor. The Rice-ants lived un-
der the ground, and with them it went no better.
For whenever they came out, Anteater visited
them and took them out sack and pack. The

Wagtail-ants fled to the trees, but there on many
occasions sat Centipede waiting for them, or the
birds gobbled them up. The Gray-ants had in-
tended to save themselves from extermination

by taking to flight, but this also availed them
nothing, because the Lizard, the Hunting-spider,
and the birds went a great deal faster than
they.
When the Insect-king heard that they could
come to no agreement he sent them the secret
of unity, and the message of Work-together.

[12]
THE LOST MESSAGE
But unfortunately he chose for his messenger
the Beetle, and he has never yet arrived at the
Ants, so that they are still to-day the embodi-
ment of discord and consequently the prey of
enemies.
[13]
THE MONKEY'S FIDDLE
HUNGER and want forced Monkey one

day to forsake his land and to seek
elsewhere among strangers for much-
needed work. Bulbs, earth beans, scorpions, in-
sects, and such things were completely exhausted
in his own land. But fortunately he received,
for the time being, shelter with a great uncle of

his, Orang Outang, who lived in another part
of the country.
When he had worked for quite a while he
wanted to return home, and as recompense his
great uncle gave him a fiddle and a bow and

arrow and told him that with the bow and ar-
row he could hit and kill anything he desired,
and with the fiddle he could force anything to
dance.
The first he met upon his return to his own
land was Brer Wolf. This old fellow told him
all the news and also that he had since early
[14]
THE MONKEY'S FIDDLE
morning been attempting to stalk a deer, but all
in vain.
Then Monkey laid before him all the won-

ders of the bow and arrow that he carried on
his back and assured him if he could but see
the deer he would bring it down for him. When
Wolf showed him the deer. Monkey was ready
and down fell the deer.
They made a good meal together, but instead
of Wolf being thankful, jealousy overmastered
him and he begged for the bow and arrow.
When Monkey refused to give it to him, he
thereupon began to threaten him with his great-
er strength, and so when Jackal passed by. Wolf

told him that Monkey had stolen his bow and
arrow. After Jackal had heard both of them,
he declared himself unqualified to settle the
case alone, and he proposed that they bring
the matter to the court of Lion, Tiger, and the
other animals. In the meantime he declared he
would take possession of what had been the
cause of their quarrel, so that it would be safe,
as he said. But he immediately brought to

earth all that was eatable, so there was a long
[15]
time of slaughter before Monkey and Wolf
agreed to have the affair in court.
Monkey's evidence was weak, and to make it
worse, Jackal's testimony was against him.

Jackal thought that in this way it would be
easier to obtain the bow and arrow from Wolf
for himself.
And so fell the sentence against Monkey.
Theft was looked upon as a great wrong; he
must hang.
The fiddle was still at his side, and he received
as a last favor from the court the right to play
a tune on it.
He was a master player of his time, and in
addition to this came the wonderful power of

his charmed fiddle. Thus, when he struck the
first note of " Cockcrow " upon it, the court
began at once to show an unusual and spon-
taneous liveliness, and before he came to the
first waltzing turn of the old tune the whole
court was dancing like a whirlwind.
Over and over, quicker and quicker, sounded
the tune of " Cockcrow " on the charmed fiddle,

until some of the dancers, exhausted, fell down,
[16]
THE MONKEY'S FIDDLE
although still keeping their feet in motion. But
Monkey, musician as he was, heard and saw
nothing of what had happened around him.
With his head placed lovingly against the in-
strument, and his eyes half closed, he played

on, keeping time ever with his foot.
Wolf was the first to cry out in pleading tones
breathlessly, " PleaseCousin
stop. Monkey
For love's sake, please stop " !
But Monkey did not even hear him. Over and

over sounded the resistless waltz of " Cockcrow."
After a while Lion showed signs of fatigue,
and when he had gone the round once more with
his young lion wife, he growled as he passed
Monkey, " My whole kingdom is yours, ape, if
you just stop playing."

" I do not want it," answered Monkey, " but
withdraw the sentence and give me my bow and
arrow, and you. Wolf, acknowledge that you
stole it from me."
" I acknowledge, I acknowledge " cried Wolf, !
while Lion cried, at the same instant, that he

withdrew the sentence.
Monkey gave them just a few more turns
[17]
of the " Cockcrow," gathered up his bow and
arrow, and seated himself high up in the nearest
camel thorn tree.
The court and other animals were so afraid

that he might begin again that they hastily dis-
banded to new parts of the world.
[18]
THE TIGER, THE RAM, AND
THE JACKAL
TIGER
from
(leopard) was returning home
hunting on one occasion, when he
Hghted on the kraal of Ram. Now,
Tiger had never seen Ram before, and accord-
ingly, approaching submissively, he said, " Good
day, friend ! What may your name be ? "
The other in his gruff voice, and striking his

breast with his forefoot, said, " I am Ram. Who
are you?
"
" Tiger," answered the other, more dead than

alive, and then, taking leave of Ram, he ran
home as fast as he could.
Jackal lived at the same place as Tiger did,
and the latter going to him, said, " Friend
Jackal, I am quite out of breath, and am half

dead with fright, for I have just seen a terrible
looking fellow, with a large and thick head, and
[19]
on my asking him what his name was, he an-
swered, " I am Ram."
" What a foolish fellow you are," cried
Jackal, " to let such a nice piece of flesh stand
Why did you do so? But we shall go to-morrow
and eat it together."
Next day the two set off for the kraal of
Ram, and as they appeared over a hill. Ram,

who had turned out to look about him, and was
calculating where he should that day crop a
tender salad, saw them, and he immediately went
to his wife and said, " I fear this is our last day,
for Jackal and Tiger are both coming against

us. What shall we do? "
" Don't be afraid," said the wife, " but take
up the child in your arms, go out with it, and

pinch it to make it cry as if it were hungry."
Ram did so as the confederates came on.
No sooner did Tiger cast his eyes on Ram
than fear again took possession of him, and he
wished to turn back. Jackal had provided
against this, and made Tiger fast to himself
with a leathern thong, and said, " Come on,"

when Ram cried in a loud voice, and pinching
[20]
THE TIGER, THE RAM, THE JACKAL
his child at the same time, " You have done
well, Friend Jackal, to have brought us Tiger
to eat, for you hear how my child is crying for
food."
On these dreadful words Tiger, notwithstand-
ing the entreaties of Jackal to let him go, to
let him loose, set off in the greatest alarm,
dragged Jackal after him over hill and valley,
through bushes and over rocks, and never

stopped to look behind him till he brought back
himself and half-dead Jackal to his place again.
And so Ram escaped.
[21]
THE JACKAL AND THE WOLF
ONCE on a time Jackal, who lived on

the borders of the colony, saw a
wagon returning from the seaside
laden with fish; he tried to get into the wagon

from behind, but he could not; he then ran on
before and lay in the road as if dead. The
wagon came up to him, and the leader cried to
the driver, " Here is a fine kaross for your
wife!"
" Throw it into the wagon," said the driver,
and Jackal was thrown in.
The wagon traveled on, through a moonlight

night, and all the while Jackal was throwing
out the fish into the road; he then jumped out
himself and secured a great prize. But stupid
old Wolf (hyena), coming by, ate more than his
share, for which Jackal owed him a grudge, and
he said to him, " You can get plenty of fish,
[22]
THE JACKAL AND THE WOLF
too, if you lie in the way of a wagon as I did,
and keep quite still whatever happens."
" So " mumbled Wolf.
!
Accordingly, when the next wagon came from

the sea, Wolf stretched himself out in the road.
" What ugly thing is this ? " cried the leader,
and kicked Wolf. He then took a stick and

thrashed him within an inch of his life. Wolf,
according to the directions of Jackal, lay quiet
as long as he could ; he then got up and hobbled
off to tell his misfortune to Jackal, who pre-
tended to comfort him.
" What a pity," said Wolf, " I have not got
such a handsome skin as you have !
[23]
A JACKAL AND A WOLF
JACKAL and Wolf went and hired them-

a man be
selves to to his servants. In
the middle of the night Jackal rose and
smeared Wolf's tail with some fat, and then ate
all the rest of it in the house. In the morning
the man missed the fat, and he immediately ac-
cused Jackal of having eaten it. " Look at
Wolf's tale," said the rogue, " and you will see
who is the thief." The man did so, and then

thrashed Wolf till he was nearly dead.
[24]
THE LION, THE JACKAL, AND
THE MAN
so happened one day that Lion and Jack-
IT al came together to converse on affairs of
land and state. Jackal, let me say, was

the most important adviser to the king of the
forest, and after they had spoken about these
matters for quite a while, the conversation took
a more personal turn.
Lion began to boast and talk big about his
strength. Jackal had, perhaps, given him cause

for it, because by nature he was a flatterer. But
now that Lion began to assume so many airs,
said he, " See here. Lion, I will show you an

animal that is still more powerful than you are."
They walked along. Jackal leading the way,
and met first a little boy.
" Is this the strong man.^^ " asked Lion.

" No," answered Jackal, " he must still be-
come a man, O king."
After a while they found an old man walking
[25]
with bowed head and supporting his bent figure
with a stick.
" Is this the wonderful strong man ? " asked
Lion.
" Not yet, O king," was Jackal's answer, " he
has been a man."
Continuing their walk a short distance far-
ther, they came across a young hunter, in the
prime of youth, and accompanied by some of

his dogs.
" There you have him now, O king," said
Jackal. " Pit your strength against his, and if
you win, then truly you are the strength of

the earth."
Then Jackal made tracks to one side toward
a little rocky kopje from which he would be able
to see the meeting.
Growling, growling, Lion strode forward to
meet the man, but when he came close the dogs
beset him. He, however, paid but little atten-
tion to the dogs, pushed and separated them
on all sides with a few sweeps of his front paws.
They howled aloud, beating a hasty retreat
toward the man.
[26]
THE LION, THE JACKAL, THE MAN
Thereupon the man fired a charge of shot,
hitting him behind the shoulder, but even to
this Lion paid but httle attention. There-
upon the hunter pulled out his steel knife, and
gave him a few good jabs. Lion retreated, fol-
lowed by the flying bullets of the hunter.

" Well, are you strongest now? " was Jackal's
first question when Lion arrived at his side.
'*
No, Jackal," answered Lion, " let that fel-
low there keep the name and welcome. Such as

he I have never before seen. In the first place he
had about ten of his bodyguard storm me. I
really did not bother myself much about them,
but when I attempted to turn him to chaff,
he spat and blew fire at me, mostly into my
face, that burned just a little but not very
badly. And when I again endeavored to pull
him to the ground he jerked out from his body
one of his ribs with which he gave me some very
ugly wounds, so bad that I had to make chips
fly, and as a parting he sent some warm bullets
after me. No, Jackal, give him the name."
[27]
THE WORLD'S REWARD
ONCE there was a

dog, so old that the
man that had an old
man desired to
put him aside. The dog had served
him very faithfully when he was still young,
but ingratitude is the world's reward, and the
man now wanted to dispose of him. The old
dumb creature, however, ferreted out the plan
of his master, and so at once resolved to go away
of his own accord.
After he had walked quite a way he met an old
bull in the veldt.
" Don't you want to go with me ? " asked the
dog.
" Where ? " was the reply.
" To the land of the aged," said the dog,
" where troubles don't disturb you and thank-
lessness does not deface the deeds of man."
" Good," said the bull, " I am your com-
panion."
[28]
THE WORLD'S REWARD
The two now walked on and found a ram.
The dog laid the plan before him, and all
moved off together, until they afterwards came

successively upon a donkey, a cat, a cock, and
a goose.
These joined their company, and the seven
set out on their journey.
Late one night they came to a house and
through the open door they saw a table spread
with all kinds of nice food, of which some rob-
bers were having their fill. It would help noth-
ing to ask for admittance, and seeing that they
were hungry, they must think of something else.
Therefore the donkey climbed up on the bull,

the ram on the donkey, the dog on the ram, the
cat on the dog, the goose on the cat, and the
cock on the goose, and with one accord they
all let out terrible (threatening) noises (cry-
ings).
The bull began to bellow, the donkey to bray,
the dog to bark, the ram to bleat, the cat to
mew, the goose to giggle gaggle, and the cock to
crow, all without cessation.
The people in the house were frightened per-
[29]
fectlj limp ; they glanced out through the front
door, and there they stared on the strange sight.
Some of them took to the ropes over the back

lower door, some disappeared through the
window, and in a few counts the house was
empty.
Then the seven old animals climbed down from
one another, stepped into the house, and satis-
fied themselves with the delicious food.

But when they had finished, there still re-
mained a great deal of food, too much to take

with them on their remaining journey, and so
together they contrived a plan to hold their po-
sition until the next day after breakfast.
The dog said, " See here, I am accustomed to
watch at the front door of my master's house,"
and thereupon flopped himself down to sleep;
the bull said, " I go behind the door," and there
he took his position ; the ram said, " I will go
up on to the loft " ; the donkey, " I at the middle
door " the cat, " I in the fireplace " the goose,
; ;
" I in the back door " and the cock said, " I am
;
going to sleep on the bed."

The captain of the robbers after a while sent
[30]
THE WORLD'S REWARD
one of his men back to see if these creatures had
yet left the house.
The man came very cautiously into the neigh-
borhood, listened and listened, but he heard
nothing; he peeped through the window, and
saw in the grate just two coals still glimmer-
ing, and thereupon started to walk through the
front door.
There the old dog seized him by the leg. He
jumped into the house, but the bull was ready,
swept him up with his horns, and tossed him on
to the loft. Here the ram received him and
pushed him off the loft again. Reaching ground,
he made for the middle door, but the donkey set
up a terrible braying and at the same time gave
him a kick that landed him in the fireplace, where
the cat flew at him and scratched him nearly to
pieces. He then jumped out through the back
door, and here the goose got him by the trousers.
When he was some distance away the cock
crowed. He thereupon ran so that you could
hear the stones rattle in the dark.
Purple and crimson and out of breath, he
came back to his companions.
[31]
"Frightful, frightful!" was all that they
could get from him at first, but after a while he
told them.
" When I looked through the window I saw
in the fireplace two bright coals shining, and
when I wanted to go through the front door to
go and look, I stepped into an iron trap. I
jumped into the house, and there some one
seized me with a fork and pitched me up on to
the loft, there again some one was ready, and
threw me down on all fours. I wanted to fly
through the middle door, but there some one
blew on a trumpet, and smote me with a sledge
hammer so that I did not know where I landed
but coming to very quickly, I found I was in the

fireplace, and there another flew at me and
scratched the eyes almost out of my head. I
thereupon fled out of the back door, and lastly
I was attacked on the leg by the sixth with a
pair of fire tongs, and when I was still run-
ning away, some one shouted out of the house,
'
Stop him, stop h ——
m '"î
!
[32]
THE LION AND JACKAL
NOT because he was exactly the most

capable or progressive fellow in the
neighborhood, but because he always
gave that idea —that is why Jackal slowly ac-
quired among the neighbors the name of a
" progressive man." The truly well-bred people
around him, who did not wish to hurt his feel-
ings, seemed to apply this name to him, instead

of, for instance, " cunning scamp," or " all-wise
rat-trap," as so many others often dubbed him.
He obtained this name of " a progressive man "
because he spoke most of the time English,
especially if he thought some of them were pres-
ent who could not understand it, and also be-
cause he could always hold his body so much

like a judge on public occasions.
He had a smooth tongue, could make quite a
favorable speech, and especially with good ef-
fect could he expatiate on the backwardness of
[ss]
others. Underneath he really was the most un-
lettered man in the vicinity, but he had perfect
control over his inborn cunningness, which al-
lowed him for a long time to go triumphantly
through life as a man of great ability.
One time, for instance, he lost his tail in an
iron trap. He had long attempted to reach the
Boer's goose pen, and had framed many good
plans, but when he came to his senses, he was
sitting in front of the goose pen with his tail
in the iron trap, the dogs all the time coming

for him. When he realized what it meant, he
mustered together all his strength and pulled
his tail, which he always thought so much of,
clean off.
This would immediately have made him the
butt of the whole neighborhood had he not
thought of a plan. He called together a meet-
ing of the jackals, and made them believe that

Lion had issued a proclamation to the effect
that all jackals in the future should be tailless,
because their beautiful tails were a thorn in the

eyes of more unfortunate animals.
In his smooth way he told them how he re-
[34]
THE LION AND JACKAL
gretted that the king should have the barbaric
right to interfere with his subjects. But so it
was and he thought the sooner he paid attention
;
to it the safer. Therefore he had had his tail
cut off already and he should advise all his
friends to do the same. And so it happened that

once all jackals for a long time were without
tails. Later on they grew again.
It was about the same time that Tiger hired
Jackal as a schoolmaster. Tiger was in those
days the richest man in the surrounding coun-

try, and as he had had to suffer a great deal
himself because he was so untutored, he wanted
liis children to have the best education that could
be obtained.
It was shortly after a meeting, in w^hich it
was shown how important a thing an education

was, that Tiger approached Jackal and asked
him to come and teach his children.
Jackal was very ready to do this. It was not

exactly his vocation, he said, but he would do it
to pass time and just out of friendship for his

neighbor. His and Tiger's farm lands lay next
each other.
[35]
That he did not make teaching his profession
and that he possessed no degree was of no ac-

count in the eyes of Tiger.
" Do not praise my goodness so much, Cousin
Jackal," laughed he. " We know your worth
well enough. Much rather would I intrust my
offspring to you than to the many so-called
schoolmasters, for it is especially my wish, as
well as that of their mother, to have our children
obtain a progressive education, and to make such

men and women of them that with the same
ability as you have they can take their lawful
places in this world."

" One condition," said Jackal, " I must state.
It will be very inconvenient for me, almost im-

possible, to come here to your farm and hold
school. My own farm would in that case go to
pieces, and that I cannot let happen. It would
never pay me."
Tiger answered that it was not exactly neces-
sary either. In spite of their attachment to the
little ones, they saw that it would probably be
to their benefit to place them for a while in a
stranger's house.
[36]
THE LION AND JACKAL
Jackal then told of his own bringing up by
Wolf. He remembered well how small he was
when his father sent him away to study with
Wolf. Naturally, since then, he had passed
through many schools, Wolf was only his first
teacher. And only in his later days did he real-

ize how much good it had done him.
" A man must bend the sapling while it is still
young," said he. " There is no time that the

child is so open to impressions as when he is
plastic, about the age that most of your children

are at present, and I was just thinking you
would be doing a wise thing to send them away
for quite a while."
He had, fortunately, just then a room in his
house that would be suited for a schoolroom,

and his wife could easily make some arrange-
ment for their lodging, even if they had to en-
large their dwelling somewhat.
It was then and there agreed upon. Tiger's
wife was then consulted about one thing and
another, and the following day the children were
to leave.
" I have just thought of one more thing," re-
[S7]
marked Jackal, " seven children, besides my lit-
tle lot, will be quite a care on our hands, so

jou will have to send over each week a fat lamb,
and in order not to disturb their progress, the
children will have to relinquish the idea of a

vacation spent with you for some time. When
I think they have become used to the bit, I will
inform you, and then you can come and take
them to make you a short but not until
visit,
then. " It is also better," continued he, " that

they do not see you for the first while, but your
wife can come and see them every Saturday and
I will see to all else."
^ On the following day there was an unearthly

howling and wailing when the children were to
leave. But Tiger and their mother showed them
that it was best and that some day they would
see that it was all for their good, and that
their parents were doing it out of kindness.
Eventually they were gone.
The first Saturday dawned, and early that
morning Mrs. Tiger was on her way to Jackal's
dwelling, because she could not defer the time
any longer.
[38]
THE LION AND JACKAL
She was still a long way off when Jackal
caught sight of her. He always observed neigh-
borly customs, and so stepped out to meet
her.
After they had greeted each other, Mrs. Ti-

ger's first question was " Well, Cousin Jackal,
:
how goes everything with the small team? Are

they still all well and happy, and do they not
trouble you, Cousin Jackal, too much? "
" Oh, my goodness, no, Mrs. Tiger," answered
Jackal enthusiastically, " but don't let us talk
so loud, because if they heard you, it certainly
would cause them many heartfelt tears and they
might also want to go back with you and then
all our trouble would have been for nothing."
" But I would like to see them. Cousin
Jackal," said Mrs. Tiger a little disturbed.
" Why certainly, Mrs. Tiger," was his an-
swer, " but I do not think it is wise for them
to see you. I will lift them up to the window
one by one, and then you can put your mind
at rest concerning their health and progress."
After Mr. and Mrs. Jackal and Mrs. Tiger
had sat together for some time drinking coffee
[39]
and talking over one thing and another, Jackal
took Tiger's wife to a door and told her to look
through it, out upon the back yard. There he
would show her the children one by one, while
they would not be able to see her. Everything
was done exactly as Jackal had said, but the
sixth little tiger he picked up twice, because the
firstborn he had the day before prepared in

pickle for their Sunday meal.
And so it happened every Saturday until the
last little tiger—which was the youngest —had

to be lifted up seven times in succession.
And when Mrs. Tiger came again the follow-

ing week all was still as death and everything
seemed to have a deserted appearance on the
estate. She walked straight to the front door,
and there she found a letter in the poll grass
near the door, which read thus
" We have gone for a picnic with the children.

From there we will ride by Jackalsdance for
New Year. This is necessary for the comple-
tion of their progressive education."
Jackal.
[40]
THE LION AND JACKAL
Saturday after Saturday did Mrs. Tiger go
and look, but every time Jackal's house seemed
to look more deserted; and after a while there
was a spider's web over the door and the trail
of Snake showed that he, too, had taken up his
abode there.
[41]
TINK-TINKJE
THE birds
a king, so
wanted a king.
have animals, and why
Men have
shouldn't they? All had assembled.

" The Ostrich, because he is the largest," one
called out.
" No, he can't fly."
" Eagle, on account of his strength."
" Not he, he is too ugly."
" Vulture, because he can fly the highest."
" No, Vulture is too dirty, his odor is ter-
rible."
" Peacock, he is so beautiful."
'*
His feet are too ugly, and also his voice."
" Owl, because he can see well."
" Not Owl, he is ashamed of the light."
And so they got no further. Then one
shouted aloud, " He who can fly the highest will
be king." " Yes, yes," they all screamed, and
[42]
TINK-TINKJE
at a given signal they all ascended straight up
into the sky.
Vulture flew for three whole days without
stopping, straight toward the sun. Then he
cried aloud, " I am the highest, I am king."
" T-sie, t-sie, t-sie," he heard above him.
There Tink-tinkje was flying. He had held fast
to one of the great wing feathers of Vulture,

and had never been felt, he was so light. " T-sie,
t-sie, t-sie, I am the highest, I am king," piped
Tink-tinkje.
Vulture flew for another day still ascending.
" I am highest, I am king."
" T-sie, t-sie, t-sie, I am the highest, I am
king," Tink-tinkje mocked. There he was
again, having crept out from under the wing of
Vulture.
Vulture flew on the fifth day straight up in
the air. " I am the highest, I am king," he

called.
" T-sie, t-sie, t-sie," piped the little fellow
above him. "I am the highest, I am king."

Vulture was tired and now flew direct to
earth. The other birds were mad through and
[43]
through. Tink-tinkje must die because he had
taken advantage of Vulture's feathers and there
hidden himself. All flew after him and he had
to take refuge in a mouse hole. But how were
they to get him out? Some one must stand
guard to seize him the moment he put out his
head.
" Owl must keep guard ; he has the largest
eyes ; he can see well," they exclaimed.

Owl went and took up his position before
the hole. The sun was warm and soon Owl be-
came sleepy and presently he was fast asleep.
Tink-tinkje peeped, saw that Owl was asleep,

and z-zip away he went. Shortly afterwards
the other birds came to see if Tink-tinkje were
still in the hole. " T-sie, t-sie," they heard in
a tree; and there the little vagabond was sit-
ting.
White-crow, perfectly disgusted, turned

around and exclaimed, "Now I won't say a single
word more." And from that day to this White-

crow has never spoken. Even though you strike
him, he makes no sound, he utters no cry.
I 44 ]
THE LION AND JACKAL
LION had now caught a large eland which

lay dead on the top of a high bank.
Lion was thirsty and wanted to go and
drink water. " Jackal, look after my eland, I
am going to get a drink. Don't you eat any."
''
Very well, Uncle Lion."
Lion went to the river and Jackal quietly re-
moved a stone on which Lion had to step to

reach the bank on his return. After that Jackal
and his wife ate heartily of the eland. Lion re-
turned, but could not scale the bank. " Jackal,
help me," he shouted.
" Yes, Uncle Lion, I will let down a rope and
then you can climb up."
Jackal whispered to his wife, " Give me one
of the old, thin hide ropes." And then aloud
he added, " Wife, give me one of the strong,
buffalo ropes, so Uncle Lion won't fall."
His wife gave him an old rotten rope. Jackal
[45]
and his wife first ate ravenously of the meat,
then gradually let the rope down. Lion seized
it and struggled up. When he neared the brink
Jackal gave the rope a jerk. It broke and down
Lion began to roll — rolled the whole way down,
and finally lay at the foot near the river.
Jackal began to beat a dry hide that lay there

as he howled, cried, and shouted " Wife, why
:
did you give me such a bad rope that caused

Uncle Lion to fall.?"
Lion heard the row and roared, " Jackal, stop

beating your wife. I will hurt you if you don't
cease. Help me to climb up."
" Uncle Lion, I will give you a rope." Whis-
pering again to his wife, " Give me one of the
old, thin hide ropes," and shouting aloud again,
" Give me a strong, buffalo rope, wife, that will
not break again with Lion."

Jackal gave out the rope, and when Lion had
nearly reached the top, he cut the rope through.
Snap! and Lion began to roll to the bottom.
Jackal again beat on the hide and shouted,
" Wife, why did you give me such a rotten rope ?
Didn't I tell you to give me a strong one? " Lion
[46]
THE LION AND JACKAL
roared, " Jackal, stop beating your wife at once.
Help me instantly or you will be sorry."
" Wife," Jackal said aloud, " give me now the
strongest rope you have," and aside to her,
''
Give me the worst rope of the lot."
Jackal again let down a rope, but just as
Lion reached the top. Jackal gave a strong tug
and broke the rope. Poor old Lion rolled down
the side of the hill and lay there roaring from
pain. He had been fatally hurt.
Jackal inquired, " Uncle Lion, have you hurt
yourself.'^ Have you much pain.'' Wait a while,
I am coming directly to help you." Jackal and

his wife slowly walked away.
[47]
LION AND JACKAL
THE Lion and the Jackal agreed to hunt

on shares, for the purpose of laying in
a stock of meat for the winter months

for their families.
As the Lion was by far the more expert hunter
of the two, the Jackal suggested that he (him-
self) should be employed in transporting the
game to their dens, and that Mrs. Jackal and
the little Jackals should prepare and dry the
meat, adding that they would take care that
Mrs. Lion and her family should not want.
This was agreed to by the Lion, and the hunt
commenced.
After a very successful hunt, which lasted for
some time, the Lion returned to see his family,
and also to enjoy, as he thought, a plentiful

supply of his spoil ; when, to his utter surprise,
he found Mrs. Lion and all the young Lions on

the point of death from sheer hunger, and in a
[48]
LION AND JACKAL
mangy state. The Jackal, it appeared, had
only given them a few entrails of the game, and
in such limited quantities as barely to keep them
alive; always telling them that they (i. e., the
Lion and himself) had been most unsuccessful
in their hunting; while his own family was
reveling in abundance, and each member of it
was sleek and fat.
This was too much for the Lion to bear. He

immediately started off in a terrible fury, vow-
ing certain death to the Jackal and all his fam-
ily, wherever he should meet them. The Jackal
was more or less prepared for a storm, and had
taken the precaution to remove all his belong-
ings to the top of a krantz (i. e., a cliff), acces-
sible only by a most difficult and circuitous path,

which he alone knew.
When the Lion saw him on the krantz, the
Jackal immediately greeted him by calling out,
**
Good morning, Uncle Lion."
" How dare you call me uncle, you impu-
dent scoundrel," roared out the Lion, in a voice
of thunder, " after the way in which you have
behaved to my family ? "
[49]
" Oh, Uncle ! How shall I explain matters ?
That beast of a wife of mine !

" Whack, whack
was heard, as he beat with a stick on dry
hide, which was a mere pretence for Mrs.
Jackal's back; while that lady was prein-
structed to scream whenever he operated on
the hide, which she did with a vengeance, joined
by the little Jackals, who set up a most dole-
ful chorus. " That wretch " said the Jackal.
!
" It is all her doing. I shall kill her straight
oif," and away he again belabored the hide,
while his wife and children uttered such a dis-
mal howl that the Lion begged of him to

leave off flogging his wife. After cooling down
a little, he invited Uncle Lion to come up and
have something to eat. The Lion, after sev-
eral ineffectual attempts to scale the precipice,
had to give it up.

The Jackal, always ready for emergencies,
suggested that a reim should be lowered to haul
up his uncle. This was agreed to, and when
the Lion was drawn about halfway up by the
whole family of Jackals, the reim was cleverly
cut, and down went the Lion with a tremendous
[50]
LION AND JACKAL
crash which hurt him very much. Upon this,
the Jackal again performed upon the hide with

tremendous force, for their daring to give him
such a rotten reim, and Mrs. Jackal and the
little ones responded with some fearful screams
and yells. He then called loudly out to his wife
for a strong buffalo reim which would support
any weight. This again was lowered and fas-
tened to the Lion, when all hands pulled away
at their uncle; and, just when he had reached
so far that he could look over the precipice into
the pots to see all the fat meat cooking, and
all the biltongs hanging out to dry, the reim
was again cut, and the poor Lion fell with such
force that he was fairly stunned for some time.
After the Lion had recovered his senses, the
Jackal, in a most sympathizing tone, suggested
that he was afraid that it was of no use to at-
tempt to haul him up onto the precipice, and

recommended, instead, that a nice fat piece of
eland's breast be roasted and dropped into the
Lion's mouth. The Lion, half famished with
hunger, and much bruised, readily accepted the
offer, and sat eagerly awaiting the fat morsel.
[51]
In the mean time, the Jackal had a round stone
made red-hot, and wrapped a quantity of inside
fat, or suet, round it, to make it appear hke

a ball of fat. When the Lion saw it held out,
he opened his capacious mouth to the utmost
extent, and the wily Jackal cleverly dropped the
hot ball right into it, which ran through the
poor old beast, killing him on the spot.
It need hardly be told that there was great re-
joicing on the precipice that night.
[52]
THE HUNT OF LION AND
JACKAL
LION and Jackal, it is said,
lying in wait for Eland.

were one day
Lion shot
(with a bow) and missed, but Jackal
hit and sang out, " Hah hah "
! !
Lion said, " No, you did not shoot anything.

It was I who hit."
Jackal answered, " Yea, my father, thou hast
hit."
Then they went home in order to return

when the eland was dead, and cut it up. Jackal,
however, turned back, unknown to Lion, hit his
nose so that the blood ran on the spoor of the
eland, and followed their track thus, in order
to cheat Lion. When he had gone some dis-

tance, he returned by another way to the dead
eland, and creeping into its carcass, cut out all
the fat.
Meanwhile Lion followed the blood-stained
[53]
spoor of Jackal, thinking that it was eland
blood, and only when he had gone some distance
did he find out that he had been deceived. He
then returned on Jackal's spoor, and reached
the dead eland, where, finding Jackal in its car-
cass, he seized him by his tail and drew him out
with a swing.
Lion upbraided Jackal with these words:
" Why do you cheat me? "
Jackal answered :
" No, my father, I do not
cheat you; you may know it, I think. I pre-
pared this fat for you, father."
Lion said " Then take the fat and carry
:
it to your mother " (the lioness) ; and he gave

him the lungs to take to his own wife and chil-
dren.
When Jackal arrived, he did not give the fat
to Lion's wife, but to his own wife and children
he gave, however, the lungs to Lion's wife, and
he pelted Lion's little children with the lungs,
saying
" You children of the big-pawed one

You big-pawed ones!"
[54]
THE HUNT OF LION AND JACKAL
He said to Lioness, " I go to help my father "
(the lion) ; but he went far away with his wife
and children.
[55]
STORY OF LION AND LITTLE
JACKAL
LITTLE JACKAL one day went out

hunting, when he met Lion. Lion pro-
posed that they should hunt together,
on condition that if a small antelope was killed
it was to be Little Jackal's, and if a large one
was killed it was to be Lion's. Little Jackal
agreed to this.
The first animal killed was a large eland.
Lion was very glad, and said to Little Jackal:
''
I will continue hunting while you go to my
house and call my children to carry the meat
home."
Little Jackal replied :
" Yes, I agree to
that."
Lion went away to hunt. When he had gone,
Little Jackal went to his own house and called
his own children to carry away the meat. He

said : " Lion takes me for a fool if he thinks
[56]
LION AND LITTLE JACKAL
I will call his children while my own are dying
with hunger."
So Little Jackal's children carried the meat to
their home on the top of a high rock, where the
only way to get to their house was by means of
a rope.
Lion caught nothing more, and after a time
he went home and asked his wife where the meat
was. She told him there was no meat. He said
" Did not Little Jackal bring a message to my
children to carry meat ?
"
His wife replied :

" No, he was not here. We
are still dying with hunger."
Lion then went to Little Jackal's house, but
he could not get up the rock to it. So he sat
down by the water, waiting. After a time Lit-

tle Jackal went to get some water. He was
close to the water when he saw Lion. He at
once ran away, and Lion ran after him. He ran
into a hole under a tree, but Lion caught his
tail before he got far in. He said to him " That
:
is not my tail you have hold of; it is a root

of the tree. If you do not believe me, take a
stone and strike it, and see if any blood comes."
[57]
Lion let go the tail, and went for a stone to
prove what it was. While he was gone for the
stone, Little Jackal went far into the hole.
When Lion returned he could not be found.
Lion lay down by the hole and waited. After
a long time Little Jackal wanted to come out.
He went to the entrance and looked round, but
he could not see Lion. To make sure, he said:
" Ho, I see you, my master, although you are
in hiding."
Lion did not move from the place where he

lay concealed. Then Little Jackal went out,
and Lion pursued him, but he got away.
Lion watched for him, and one day, when Lit-
tle Jackal was out hunting, he came upon him
in a place where he could not escape. Lion was
just about to spring upon him, when Little
Jackal said softly :
" Be still, do you not see
that bushbuck on the other side of the rock? I
am glad you have come to help me. Just re-

main here while I run round and drive him
toward you."
Lion did so, and Little Jackal made his es-
cape.
[58]
At another time there was a meeting of the
animals, and Lion was the chief at the meeting.
Little Jackal wanted to attend, but there was a
law made that no one should be present unless
he had horns. So Little Jackal took wax out
of a nest of bees, and made horns for himself
with it. He fastened the horns on his head, and
went to the meeting. Lion did not know him
on account of the horns. But he sat near the
fire and went to sleep, when the horns melted.
Lion looked at him and saw who it was. He
immediately tried to catch him, but Little Jackal
was quick in springing away. He ran under an
overhanging rock and sang out :
" Help help
!
this rock is falling upon me

" !
Lion went for a pole to prop up the rock

that he might get at Little Jackal. While he
was away. Little Jackal escaped.
After that they became companions again,
and went hunting another time. They killed an
ox. Lion said " I : will watch it while you carry
the pieces away."
Lion gave him the breast, and said : " Take
this to my wife."
[59]
Little Jackal took it to his own wife. When
he returned, Lion gave him a shin, and said:
" Take this to your wife."
Little Jackal took the shin to Lion's house.

Lion's wife said :
" I cannot take this because
it should not come here."

Little Jackal thereupon struck Lion's wife in
the face, and went back to the place where the

ox was killed. Lion gave him a large piece of
meat and said : " Take this to my wife."
Little Jackal took it to his own wife. This
continued till the ox was finished. Then they
both went home. When Lion arrived at his
house he found there was weeping in his family.

His wife said " Is it you who sent Little
:
Jackal to beat me and my children, and is it

"
you who sent this shin ? Did I ever eat a shin ?
When Lion heard this he was very angry and
at once went to Little Jackal's house. When he
reached the rock. Little Jackal looked down and
said :
" Who are you, and what is your name,
and whose son are you, and where are you from,
and where are you going and whom do you to,
want, and what do you want him for.? "

[60]
Lion replied :
" I have merely come to see
you. I wish you to down the rope."

let
Little Jackal let down a rope made of mouse
skins, and when Lion climbed a little way up,
the rope broke, and he fell and was hurt. He

then went home.
[61]
THE LIONESS AND THE
OSTRICH
is said, once a lioness roared, and the os-
IT trich also roared. The lioness went toward
the place where the ostrich was. They met.
The lioness said to the ostrich, " Please to
roar." The ostrich roared. Then the honess
roared. The voices were equal. The lioness
said to the ostrich, " You are my match."
Then the lioness said to the ostrich, " Let us
hunt game together." They saw eland and made
toward it. The lioness caught only one; the
ostrich killed a great many by striking them
with the claw which was on his leg but the lion-
;
ess killed only one. When they had met after

the hunting they went to the game, and the lion-
ess saw that the ostrich had killed a great deal.
Now, the lioness also had young cubs. They

went to the shade to rest themselves. The
lioness said to the ostrich, " Get up and rip
[62]
THE LIONESS AND THE OSTRICH
open ; let us eat." Said the ostrich, " Go and
rip open ; I shall eat the blood." The lioness
stood up and ripped open, and ate with the

cubs. And when she had eaten, the ostrich got
up and ate the blood. They went to sleep.
The cubs played about. While they were
playing, they went to the ostrich, who was
asleep. When he went to sleep he also opened
his The young lions saw that the os-
mouth.
trich had no teeth. They went to their mother
and said, " This fellow, who says he is your
equal, has no teeth he is insulting you." Then
;
the lioness went to wake the ostrich, and said,

" Get up, let us fight " ; and they fought. And
the ostrich said, " Go to that side of the ant-
hill, and I will go to this side of it." The os-
trich struck the ant-hill, and sent it toward the

lioness. But the second time he struck the lion-
ess in a vulnerable spot, near the liver, and
killed her.
[63]
CROCODILE'S TREASON
CROCODILE was, in the days when ani-

mals still could talk, the acknowledged
foreman of all water creatures and if
one should judge from appearances one would

say that he still is. But in those days it was
his especial duty to have a general care of all
water animals, and when one year it was exceed-

ingly dry, and the water of the river where they
had lived dried up and became scarce, he was
forced to make a plan to trek over to another
river a short distance from there.
He first sent Otter out to spy. He stayed

away two days and brought back a report that
there was still good water in the other river,
real sea-cow holes, that not even a drought of

several years could dry up.
After he had ascertained this, Crocodile called
to his side Tortoise and Alligator.
[64]
CROCODILE'S TREASON
" Look here," said he, " I need you two to-
night to carry a report to Lion. So then get
ready; the veldt is dry, and you will probably
have to travel for a few days without any water.
We must make peace with Lion and his sub-
jects, otherwise we utterly perish this year.

And he must help us to trek over to the other
river, especially past the Boer's farm that lies in
between, and to travel unmolested by any of the

animals of the veldt, so long as the trek lasts.
A fish on land is sometimes a very helpless thing,

as you all know." The two had it mighty hard
in the burning sun, and on the dry veldt, but
eventually they reached Lion and handed him
the treaty.
" Whatgoing on now.? " thought Lion to
is
himself, when he had read it. " I must consult

Jackal first," said he. But to the commission-
ers he gave back an answer that he would be
the following evening with his advisers at the
appointed place, at the big vaarland willow tree,
at the farther end of the hole of water, where

Crocodile had his headquarters.
When Tortoise and Alligator came back,
[65]
Crocodile was exceedingly pleased with himself
at the turn the case had taken.
He allowed Otter and a few others to be pres-
ent and ordered them on that evening to have
ready plenty of fish and other eatables for their
guests under the vaarland willow.

That evening as it grew dark Lion appeared
with Wolf, Jackal, Baboon, and a few other im-
portant animals, at the appointed place, and
they were received in the most open-hearted man-
ner by Crocodile and the other water creatures.
Crocodile was so glad at the meeting of the
animals that he now and then let fall a great tear
of joy that disappeared into the sand. After the
other animals had done well by the iish. Croco-
dile laid bare to them the condition of affairs
and opened up his plan. He wanted only peace
among all animals ; for they not only destroyed
one another, but the Boer, too, would in time
destroy them all.
The Boer had already stationed at the source

of the river no less than three steam pumps to
irrigate his land, and the water was becoming
scarcer every day. More than this, he took ad-
[66]
CROCODILE'S TREASON
vantage of their unfortunate position by mak-
ing them sit in the shallow water and then, one
after the other, bringing about their death. As
Lion was, on this account, inclined to make
peace, it was to his glory to take this oppor-
tunity and give his hand to these peace-mak-
ing water creatures, and carry out their part
of the contract, namely, escort them from the
dried-up water, past the Boer's farm and to the
long sea-cow pools.
" And what benefit shall we receive from it ?
"
asked Jackal.
" Well," answered Crocodile, " the peace made
is of great benefit to both sides. We will not

exterminate each other. If you desire to come
and drink water, you can do so with an easy
mind, and not be the least bit nervous that I,
or any one of us will seize you by the nose and ;
so also with all the other animals. And from

your side we are to be freed from Elephant, who
has the habit, whenever he gets the opportunity,
of tossing us with his trunk up into some open
and narrow fork of a tree and there allowing us
to become biltong."
[67]
Lion and Jackal stepped aside to consult with
one another, and then Lion wanted to know what
form of security he would have that Crocodile
would keep to his part of the contract.
" I stake my word of honor," was the prompt
answer from Crocodile, and he let drop a few
more long tears of honesty into the sand.
Baboon then said it was all square and hon-
est as far as he could see into the case. He
thought it was nonsense to attempt to dig pit-
falls for one another ; because he personally was

well aware that his race would benefit some-
what from this contract of peace and friend-
ship. And more than this, they must consider
that use must be made of the fast disappear-
ing water, for even in the best of times it was

an unpleasant thing to be always carrying your
life about in your hands. He would, however,
like to suggest to the King that it would be
well to have everything put down in writing,
so that there would be nothing to regret in case

it was needed.
Jackal did not want to listen to the agree-
ment. He could not see that it would benefit
[68]
CROCODILE'S TREASON
the animals of the veldt. But Wolf, who had
fully satisfied himself with the fish, was in an
exceptionally peace-loving mood, and he advised
Lion again to close the agreement.
After Lion had listened to all his advisers,
and also the pleading tones of Crocodile's fol-
lowers, he held forth in a speech in which he
said that he was inclined to enter into the agree-

ment, seeing that it was clear that Crocodile and
his subjects were in a very tight place.
There and then a document was drawn up,
and it was resolved, before midnight, to begin
the trek. Crocodile's messengers swam in all
directions to summon together the water ani-

mals for the trek.
Frogs croaked and crickets chirped in the
long water grass. It was not long before all

the animals had assembled at the vaarland wil-
low. In the meantime Lion had sent out a few
despatch riders to his subjects to raise a com-
mando for an escort, and long ere midnight these
also were at the vaarland willow in the moon-
light.
The trek then was regulated by Lion and

[69]
Jackal. Jackal was to take the lead to act
as spy, and when he was able to draw Lion to
one side, he said to him
" See here, I do not trust this affair one bit,
and I want to tell you straight out, I am going

to make tracks! I will spy for you until you
reach the sea-cow pool, but I am not going to
be the one to await your arrival there."
Elephant had to act as advance guard be-
cause he could walk so softly and could hear
and smell so well. Then came Lion with one di-
vision of the animals, then Crocodile's trek with
a flank protection of both sides, and Wolf re-
ceived orders to bring up the rear.
Meanwhile, while all this was being arranged,

Crocodile was smoothly preparing his treason.
He called Yellow Snake to one side and said to
him " It
: is to our advantage to have these ani-
mals, who go among us every day, and who will
continue to do so, fall into the hands of the

Boer. Listen, now! You remain behind un-
noticed, and when you hear me shout you will
know that we have arrived safely at the sea-
cow pool. Then you must harass the Boer's
[70]
CROCODILE'S TREASON
dogs as much as you can, and the rest will look
out for themselves."
Thereupon the trek moved on. It was neces-
sary to go very slowly as many of the water
animals were not accustomed to the journey on
land; but they trekked past the Boer's farm
in safety, and toward break of day they were
all safely at the sea-cow pool. There most of
the water animals disappeared suddenly into the
deep water, and Crocodile also began to make
preparations to follow their example. With
tearful eyes he said to Lion that he was, oh,
so thankful for the help, that, from pure re-
lief and joy, he must first give vent to his feel-
ings by a few screams. Thereupon he suited his
words to actions so that even the mountains

echoed, and then thanked Lion on behalf of his
subjects, and purposely continued with a long
speech, dwelling on all the benefits both sides
would derive from the agreement of peace.
Lion was just about to say good day and
take his departure, when the first shot fell, and
with it Elephant and a few other animals.
*^'
I told you all so
!
" shouted Jackal from
[71]
the other side of the sea-cow pool. " Why did
you allow yourselves to be misled by a few Croc-
odile tears ?
"
Crocodile had disappeared long ago into the

water. All one saw was just a lot of bubbles;
and on the banks there was an actual war against
the animals. It simply crackled the way the
Boers shot them.
But most of them, fortunately, came out of
it alive.
Shortly after, they say. Crocodile received his

well-earned reward, when he met a driver with
a load of dynamite. And even now when the
Elephant gets the chance he pitches them up
into the highest forks of the trees.
[72]
THE STORY OF A DAM
THERE and Lion

was a great drought in the land
called together a number of
animals so that they might devise a
plan for retaining water when the rains fell.
The animals which attended at Lion's sum-

mons were Baboon, Leopard, Hyena, Jackal,
Hare, and Mountain Tortoise.
It was agreed that they should scratch a large
hole in some suitable place to hold water; and
the next day they all began to work, with the
exception of Jackal, who continually hovered
about in that locality, and was overheard to
mutter that he was not going to scratch his
nails off in making water holes.
When the dam was finished the rains fell, and

it was soon filled with water, to the great delight
of those who had worked so hard at it. The
first one, however, to come and drink there,
was Jackal, who not only drank, but filled his
[73]
clay pot with water, and then proceeded to
swim in the rest of the water, making it as muddy
and dirty as he could.
This was brought to the knowledge of Lion,

who was very angry and ordered Baboon to
guard the water the next day, armed with a

huge knobkirrie. Baboon was concealed in a
bush close to the water ; but Jackal soon became

aware of his presence there, and guessed its
cause. Knowing the fondness of baboons for

honey. Jackal at once hit upon a plan, and
marching to and fro, every now and then dipped
his fingers into his clay pot, and licked them
with an expression of intense relish, saying, in
a low voice to himself, " I don't want any of

their dirty water when I have a pot full of de-
licious honey." This was too much for poor
Baboon, whose mouth began to water. He soon
began to beg Jackal to give him a little honey,
as he had been watching for several hours, and
was very hungry and tired.
After taking no notice of Baboon at first.
Jackal looked round, and said, in a patroniz-

ing manner, that he pitied such an unfortunate
[741
THE STORY OF A DAM
creature, and would give him some honey on
certain conditions, viz., that Baboon should give
up his knobkirrie and allow himself to be bound
by Jackal. He foolishly agreed ; and was soon
tied in such a manner that he could not move
hand or foot.
Jackal now proceeded to drink of the water,

to fill his pot, and to swim in the sight of Bab-
oon, from time to time telling him what a fool-
ish fellow he had been to be so easily duped, and

that he (Jackal) had no honey or anything
else to give him, excepting a good blow on the
head every now and then with his own knob-
kirrie.
The animals soon appeared and found poor

Baboon in this sorry plight, looking the picture
of misery. Lion was so exasperated that he

caused Baboon to be severely punished, and to
be denounced as a fool.
Tortoise hereupon stepped forward, and of-
fered his services for the capture of Jackal.
It was at first thought that he was merely jok-
ing; but when he explained in what manner he
proposed to catch him, his plan was consid-
[75]
ered so feasible that his offer was accepted. He
proposed that a thick coating of " bijenwerk "
(a kind of sticky black substance found on bee-
hives) should be spread all over him, and that
he should then go and stand at the entrance
of the dam, on the water level, so that Jackal
might tread upon him and stick fast. This was
accordingly done and Tortoise posted there.
The next day, when Jackal came, he ap-
proached the water very cautiously, and won-
dered to find no one there. He then ventured
to the entrance of the water, and remarked how
kind they had been in placing there a large black
stepping-stone for him. As soon, however, as
he trod upon the supposed stone, he stuck fast,
and saw that he had been tricked; for Tor-
toise now put his head out and began to move.
Jackal's hind feet being still free he threatened
to smash Tortoise with them if he did not let
him go. Tortoise merely answered, " Do as you

like." Jackal thereupon made a violent jump,
and found, with horror, that his hind feet were
now also fast. " Tortoise," said he, " I have
still my mouth and teeth left, and will eat you

[76]
THE STORY OF A DAM
alive if you do not let me go." " Do as you
like," Tortoise again replied. Jackal, in his
endeavors to free himself, at last made a des-
perate bite at Tortoise, and found himself fixed,
both head and feet. Tortoise, feeling proud of
his successful capture, now marched quietly up
to the top of the bank with Jackal on his back,
so that he could easily be seen by the animals

as they came to the water.
They were indeed astonished to find how clev-
erly the crafty Jackal had been caught; and

Tortoise was much praised, while the unhappy
Baboon was again reminded of his misconduct
when set to guard the water.
Jackal was at once condemned to death by
Lion; and Hyena was to execute the sentence.
Jackal pleaded hard for mercy, but finding this
useless, he made a last request to Lion (always,
as he said, so fair and just in his deahngs) that
he should not have to suffer a lingering death.
Lion inquired of him in what manner he
wished to die ; and he asked that his tail might
be shaved and rubbed with a little fat, and that
Hyena might then swing him round twice, and
[77]
dash his brains out upon a stone. This, being
considered sufficiently fair by Lion, was ordered
by him to be carried out in his presence.
When Jackal's tail had been shaved and

greased, Hyena caught hold of him with great
force, and before he had fairly lifted him from
the ground, the cunning Jackal had slipped
away from Hyena's grasp, and was running for
his life, pursued by all the animals.
Lion was the foremost pursuer, and after a
great chase Jackal got under an overhanging
precipice, and, standing on his hind legs with
his shoulders pressed against the rock, called
loudly to Lion to help him, as the rock was fall-
ing, and would crush them both. Lion put his
shoulders to the rock, and exerted himself to

the utmost. After some little time Jackal pro-
posed that he should creep slowly out, and fetch
a large pole to prop up the rock, so that Lion
could get out and save his life. Jackal did
creep out, and left Lion there to starve and die.
[78]
THE DANCE FOR WATER OR
RABBIT'S TRIUMPH
THERE was a frightful drought.

rivers after a wliile dried up and even
The
the springs gave no water.

The animals wandered around seeking drink,
but to no avail. Nowhere was water to be found.
A great gathering of animals was held Lion,
:
Tiger, Wolf, Jackal, Elephant, all of them came

together. What was to be done ? That was the
question. One had this plan, and another had
that ; but no plan seemed of value.
Finally one of them suggested " Come, : let all
of us go to the dry river bed and dance ; in that
way we can tread out the water."

Good! Everyone was satisfied and ready to
begin instantly, excepting Rabbit, who said, " I
will not go and dance. All of you are mad to
attempt to get water from the ground by danc-
ing."
[79]
The other animals danced and danced, and ul-
timately danced the water to the surface. How
glad they were. Everyone drank as much as
he could, but Rabbit did not dance with them.
So it was decided that Rabbit should have no
water.
He laughed at them :
"I will nevertheless
drink some of your water."
That evening he proceeded leisurely to the
river bed where the dance had been, and drank

as much as he wanted. The following morning
the animals saw the footprints of Rabbit in the
ground, and Rabbit shouted to them :
" Aha ! I
did have some of the water, and it was most
refreshing and tasted fine."
Quickly all the animals were called together.
What were they to do? How were they to get
Rabbit in their hands? All had some means to
propose; the one suggested this, and the other
that.
Finally old Tortoise moved slowly forward,

foot by foot: " I will catch Rabbit."
" You.? How.? What do you think of your-
self.? " shouted the others in unison.
[80]
RABBIT'S TRIUMPH
**Rub my shell with pitch,^ and I will go to
the edge of the water and lie down. I will then
resemble a stone, so that when Rabbit steps on
me his feet will stick fast."
" Yes ! Yes ! That's good."
And in a one, two, three, Tortoise's shell was
covered with pitch, and foot by foot he moved
away to the river. At the edge, close to the
water, he lay down and drew his head into his
shell.
Rabbit during the evening came to get a

drink. " Ha " he chuckled sarcastically, " they
!
are, after all, quite decent. Here they have

placed a stone, so now I need not unnecessarily
wet my feet."
Rabbit trod with his left foot on the stone,

and there it stuck. Tortoise then put his head
out. " Ha ! old Tortoise ! And it's you, is it,
that's holding me. But here I still have another

foot. I'll give you a good clout." Rabbit gave
Tortoise what he said he would with his right
fore foot, hard and straight and there
; his foot
remained.
* Black beeswax.
[81]
" I have yet a hind foot, and with it I'll kick
you." Rabbit drove his hind foot down. This
also rested on Tortoise where it struck.
" But still another foot remains, and now I'll
tread you." He stamped his foot down, but it
stuck like the others.

He used his head to hammer Tortoise, and his
tail as a whip, but both met the same fate as
his feet, so there he was tight and fast down to
the pitch.
Tortoise now slowly turned himself round and
foot by foot started for the other animals, with
Rabbit on his back.
" Ha ha ha! Rabbit
! ! ! How does it look
now? Insolence does not pay after all," shouted
the animals.
Now advice was sought. What should they
do with Rabbit.? He certainly must die. But
how.? One said, "Behead him"; another,
" Some severe penalty."
" Rabbit, how are we to kill you ? "
" It does not affect me," Rabbit said. " Only
a shameful death please do not pronounce."
" And what is that ? " they all shouted.
[82]
RABBIT'S TRIUMPH
*'
To take me by my tail and dash my head
against a stone; that I pray and beseech you
don't do."
" No, but just so you'll die. That is de-
cided."
It was decided Rabbit should die by taking
him by his tail and dashing his head to pieces
against some stone. But who is to do it?
Lion, because he is the most powerful one.
Good! Lion should do it. He stood up,
walked to the front, and poor Rabbit was
brought to him. Rabbit pleaded and beseeched
that he couldn't die such a miserable death.
Lion took Rabbit firmly by the tail and
swung him around. The white skin slipped off
from Rabbit, and there Lion stood with the
white bit of skin and hair in his paw. Rabbit
was free.
[83]
JACKAL AND MONKEY
EVERY evening
Boer's kraal.
Jackal
He
went
crept through the
to the
sliding door and stole a fat young

lamb. Tliis, clever Jackal did several times in
succession. Boer set a wip^ for him at the
door. Jackal went again and zip — there he
was caught araariJ the body by the noose. He
swung and swayed high in the air and couldn't
touch ground. The day began to dawn and
Jackal became uneasy.
On a stone kopje, Monkey sat. When it be-
came light he could see the whole affair, and
descended hastily for the purpose of mocking
Jackal. He went and sat on the wall. " Ha,
* Wip : A Dutch word for springle, consisting of a bent

green stick, to which a noose is attached at one end; the
trap is delicately adjusted by a cross stick, which when trod
on releases the bent bough, pulling the noose quickly around
the animal and into the air.
[84]
JACKAL AND MONKEY
ha, good morning. So there you are hanging
now, eventually caught."
"What? I caught? I am simply swinging
for my pleasure it is enj oyable."
;
" You fibber. Yôu are caught in the wip."

" If you but realized how nice it was to swing
and sway like this, you wouldn't hesitate.
Come, try it a little. You feel so healthy and

strong for the day, and you never tire after-
wards."
" No, I won't. You are caught."
After a while Jackal convinced Monkey. He
sprang from the kraal wall, and freeing Jackal,
adjusted the noose around his own body.
Jackal quickly let go and began to laugh, as
Monkey was now swinging high in the air.
" Ha, ha, ha," he laughed. " Now Monkey
is in the wip."
" Jackal, free me," he screamed.
" There, Boer is coming," shouted Jackal.
" Jackal, free me of this, or I'll break your
playthings."
" No, there Boer is coming with his gun you
;
rest a while in the noose."
[85]
" Jackal, quickly make me free."
" No, here's Boer already, and he's got his
gun. Good morning." And with these parting
words he ran away as fast as he could. Boer
came and saw Monkey in the wip.
" So, so. Monkey, now you are caught. You
are the fellow who has been stealing my lambs,
hey.?"
" No, Boer, no," screamed Monkey, " not I,
but Jackal."
" No, I know you ; you aren't too good for
that."
" No, Boer, no, not I, but Jackal," Monkey
stammered.
" Oh, I know you. Just wait a little," and
Boer, raising his gun, aimed and shot poor
Monkey dead.
[86]
LION'S SHARE
LION ing.
and Jackal went together a-hunt-
They shot with arrows. Lion
shot first, but his arrow fell short of
its aim; but Jackal hit the game, and joyfully
cried out, " It has hit."
Lion looked at him with his two large eyes
Jackal, however, did not lose his countenance,
but said, " No, uncle, I mean to say that you
have hit." Then they followed the game, and
Jackal passed the arrow of Lion without draw-
ing the latter's attention to it. When they
arrived at a crossway, Jackal said :
" Dear un-
cle, you are old and tired; stay here." Jackal

went then on a wrong track, beat his nose, and,
in returning, let the blood drop from it like
traces of game. " I could not find anything,"
he said, " but I met with traces of blood. You

had better go yourself to look for it. In the
meantime I shall go this other way."
[87]
Jackal soon found the killed animal, crept
inside of it, and devoured the best portion ; but
his tail remained outside, and when Lion ar-
rived, he got hold of it, pulled Jackal out,
and threw him on the ground with these words
" You rascal !
"
Jackal rose quickly again, complained of the

rough handling, and asked, " What have I now
done, dear uncle? I was busy cutting out the
best part."
" Now let us go and fetch our wives," said
Lion, but Jackal entreated his dear uncle to
remain at the place because he was old. Jackal
then went away, taking with him two portions
of the flesh, one for his own wife, but the best
part for the wife of Lion. When Jackal ar-
rived with the flesh, the children of Lion, see-
ing him, began to jump, and clapping their
hands, cried out :
" There comes cousin with
flesh " ! Jackal threw, grumbling, the worst

portion to them, and said, " There, you brood
of the big-eyed one !
" Then he went to his own
house and told his wife immediately to break up
the house, and to go where the killed game was.
[88]
LION'S SHARE
Lioness wished to do the same, but he forbade
her, and said that Lion would himself come to
fetch her.
When Jackal, with his wife and children,
arrived in the neighborhood of the killed ani-

mal, he ran into a thorn bush, scratched his face
so that it bled, and thus made his appearance
before Lion, to whom he said, " Ah what
! a
wife you have got. Look here, how she scratched
my face when I told her that she should come
with us. You must fetch her yourself; I cannot
bring her." Lion went home very angry. Then
Jackal said, " Quick, let us build a tower."
They heaped stone upon stone, stone upon
stone, stone upon stone; and when it was high
enough, everything was carried to the top of
it. When Jackal saw Lion approaching with
his wife and children, he cried out to him:
" Uncle, whilst you were away we have built
a tower, in order to be better able to see
game."
" All right," said Lion ;
" but let me come
up to you."
**
Certainly, dear uncle ; but how will you
[89]
manage to come up? We must let down a
thong for jou."
Lion tied the thong around his body and
Jackal began drawing him up, but when nearly
to the top Jackal cried to Lion, " My, uncle,
how heavy you are !
" Then, unseen by Lion,
he cut the thong. Lion fell to the ground,
while Jackal began loudly and angrily to scold
his wife, and then said, " Go, wife, fetch me a
new thong " —" an old one," he said aside to
her.
Lion again tied himself to the thong, and,
just as he was near the top. Jackal cut the

thong as before ; Lion fell heavily to the bot-
tom, groaning aloud, as he had been seriously
hurt.
" No," said Jackal, " that will never do ;
you
must, however, manage to come up high enough
so that you may get a mouthful at least." Then
aloud he ordered his wife to prepare a good
piece, but aside he told her to make a stone hot,
and to cover it with fat. Then he drev/ Lion
up once more, and complaining how heavy he
was to hold, told him to open his mouth, and
[90]
LION'S SHARE
thereupon threw the hot stone down his throat.
Lion fell to the ground and lay there pleading

for water, while Jackal climbed down and made
his escape.
[91]
JACKAL'S BRIDE
married Hyena, and

JACKAL, it is said,
carried off a eow belonging to the ants,

to slaughter her for the wedding; and
when he had slaughtered her, he put the cow-
skin over his bride; and when he had fixed a
pole (on which to hang the flesh), he placed

on the top of the pole (which was forked) the
hearth for the cooking, in order to cook upon it
all sorts of delicious food. There came also

Lion, and wished to go up. Jackal, therefore,
asked his little daughter for a thong with which
he could pull Lion up; and he began to pull
him up; and when his face came near to the
cooking-pot, he cut the thong in two, so that
Lion tumbled down. Then Jackal upbraided
his little daughter with these words :
" Why do
you give me such an old thong " .^ And he
added, " Give me a fresh thong." She gave him
a new thong, and he pulled Lion up again, and
[92]
JACKAL'S BRIDE
when his face came near the pot, which stood
on the fire, he said, " open your mouth." Then
he put into his mouth a hot piece of quartz
which had been boiled together with the fat, and
the stone went down, burning his throat. Thus
died Lion.
There came also the ants running after the
cow, and when Jackal saw them he fled. Then
they beat the bride in her brookaross dress.
Hyena, believing that it was Jackal, said:
" You tawny rogue ! have you not played at
beating long enough? Have you no more loving
game than this ? "
But when she had bitten a hole through the
cowskin, she saw that they were other people;
then she fled, falling here and there, yet made
her escape.
193}
THE STORY OF HARE
ONCE upon a time the animals made a

kraal and put some fat in it. They
agreed that one of their number
should remain to be the keeper of the gate. The
first one that was appointed was the coney (im-
bila). He agreed to take charge, and all the
others went away. In a short time the coney
fell asleep, when the inkalimeva (a fabulous ani-
mal) went in and ate all the fat. After doing

this, he threw a little stone at the coney.
The coney started up and cried out :
" The
fat belonging to all the animals has been eaten
by the inkalimeva."
It repeated this cry several times, calling out
very loudly. The animals at a distance heard
it, they ran to the kraal, and when they saw
that the fat was gone they killed the coney.
They put fat in the kraal a second time,
and appointed the muishond (ingaga) to keep
[94]
THE STORY OF HARE
the gate. The muishond consented, and the
animals went away as before. After a little
time the inkalimeva came to the kraal, bring-
ing some honey with it. It invited the keeper
of the gate to eat honey, and wliile the muis-

hond was enjoying himself the inkalimeva went
in and stole all the fat. It threw a stone at
the muishond, which caused him to look up.
The muishond cried out :
" The fat belonging
to all the animals has been eaten by the inkali-
meva."
As soon as the animals heard the cry, they
ran to the kraal and killed the muishond.

They put fat in the kraal a third time, and
appointed the duiker (impunzi) to be the keeper
of the gate. The duiker agreed, and the others
went away. In a short time the inkalimeva made
its appearance. It proposed to the duiker that
they should play hide and look for. The duiker
agreed to this. Then the inkalimeva hid it-
self, and the duiker looked for it till he was so

tired that he lay down and went to sleep. When
the duiker was asleep, the inkalimeva ate up
all the fat.
[95]
Then it threw a stone at the duiker, which
caused him to jump up and cry out: "The
fat belonging to all the animals has been eaten
by the inkalimeva."
The animals, when they heard the cry, ran
to the kraal and killed the duiker.
They put fat in the kraal the fourth time,
and appointed the bluebuck (inputi) to be the

keeper of the gate. When the animals went
away, the inkalimeva came as before.
It said: " What are you doing by yourself? "
The bluebuck answered :
" I am watching the
fat belonging to all the animals."
The inkalimeva said :
" I will be your com-
panion. Come, let us scratch each other's
heads."
The bluebuck agreed to this. The inkalimeva
sat down and scratched the head of the other
till he went to sleep. Then it arose and ate all
the fat. When it had finished, it threw a stone
at the bluebuck and awakened him.
The bluebuck saw what had happened and
cried out " The fat belonging to all the ani-^
:
mals has been eaten by the inkalimeva."

[96]
THE STORY OF HARE
Then the animals ran up and killed the blue-
buck also.
They put fat in the kraal the fifth time, and

appointed the porcupine (incanda) to be the
keeper of the gate. The animals went away,
and the inkalimeva came as before.
It said to the porcupine, " Let us run a race
against each other."

It let the porcupine beat in this race.
Then it said, " I did not think you could
run so fast, but let us try again." They ran

again, and it allowed the porcupine to beat the
second time. They ran till the porcupine was
so tired that he said, " Let us rest now."
They sat down to rest, and the porcupine went
to sleep. Then the inkalimeva rose up and ate
all the fat. When it had finished eating, it
threw a stone at the porcupine, which caused him

to jump up.
He called out with a loud voice, " The fat be-
longing to all the animals has been eaten by the
inkalimeva."
Then the animals came running up and put
the porcupine to death.
[97]
They put fat in the kraal the sixth time,
and selected the hare (umvundla) to be the

keeper of the gate. At first the hare would not
consent.
He said, " The coney is dead, and the muis-
hond is dead, and the duiker is dead, and the
bluebuck is dead, and the porcupine is dead,
and you will kill me also."
They promised him that they would not kill
him, and after a good deal of persuasion he at

last agreed to keep the gate. When the animals
were gone he laid himself down, but he only
pretended to be asleep.
In a short time the inkalimeva went in, and
was just going to take the fat when the hare
cried out : " Let the fat alone."
The inkalimeva said, " Please let me have
this little bit only."
The hare answered, mocking, " Please let me

have this little bit only."
After that they 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.
[98]
THE STORY OF HARE
The hare said, " Don't tie mj tail so tight."
Then the hare fastened the tail of the inkali-
meva.
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 inkali-
meva."
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 with-

out 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 " !
[99]
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 re-
mained 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 bush-
buck (imbabala) 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. After-

wards he whistled in a particular manner, and
there fell a storm of hail which killed the bush-
buck. 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.

[100]
THE WHITE MAN AND SNAKE
A
rise.
WHITE MAN,
The White Man

it is
upon whom a large stone had

and covered her so that she could not
Snake, but when he had done so, she wanted to

lifted
said,
the
met Snake
stone
fallen
off
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 (who thought he would get his share

of the White Man's body) said, " If you were
bitten what would it matter " .f^
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
[101]
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.
[[102]
ANOTHER VERSION OF THE
SAME FABLE
A DUTCHMAN
, stone.
when she had become free she said, "

shall eat you."
was walking by himself
and saw Snake lying under a large
Snake implored his help;
Now
but
I
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 consider-

ately, 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
[103]
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."
[104]
CLOUD-EATING
JACKALwhen
and Hyena were together,
a white cloud
said, Jackal rose.
it is
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 grey-
ish 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 (painfully jumping to one side), " 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.
[105]
Since that day, it is said that Hyena's hind
feet have been shorter and smaller than the
front ones.
[106]
LION'S ILLNESS
was and they

LION,
went
it
to see
is said,
him
ill,
in his suffering.
all
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
me ? "
here to see
Jackal said, " Oh, no \ when I heard that
my uncle was so very ill, I went to the witch
(doctor) to consult him, whether and what med-
icine 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

[107]
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.
[108]
JACKAL, DOVE, AND HERON
came once to Dove,
JACKAL, it is said,
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 ! Other-
wise, 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? "
Dove answered him, " Jackal has taken away
my little ones; it is for this that I cry." He
asked her, " In what manner did he take them ^ "
She answered him, " When he asked me I re-
fused him ; but when he said, '
I shall at once
fly up, therefore give me it,' I threw it down
to him."
[109]
Heron said, " Are you such a fool as to give
your young ones to Jackal, who cannot fly?"
Then, with the admonition to give no more, he
went away.
Jackal came again, and said, " Dove, give me
a little one." Dove refused, and told him that
Heron had told her that he could not fly up.
Jackal said, " I shall catch him."
So when Heron came to the banks of the
water. Jackal asked him :
" Brother Heron,
when the wind comes from this side, how will you
stand .^ He turned his neck towards him and
"
said, " I stand thus, bending my neck on one

side." Jackal asked him again, " When a storm
comes and when it rains, how do you "
stand.?
He said to him " I stand thus, indeed, bending

:
my neck down."
Then Jackal beat him on his neck, and broke
his neck in the middle.
Since that day Heron's neck is bent.
[110]
COCK AND JACKAL
was once overtaken by
COCK, it is said,
Jackal, and caught. Cock said to

Jackal, " Please, pray first (before you
kill me), as the white man does."
Jackal asked, " In what manner does he
pray.? Tell me."
" He folds his hands in praying," said Cock.
Jackal folded his hands and prayed. Then
Cock spoke again :
"
You ought not to look
about you as you do. You had better shut
your eyes." He did so; and Cock flew away,
upbraiding at the same time Jackal with these
words, "You rogue! do you also pray?"
There sat Jackal, speechless, because he had
been outdone.
[ni]
ELEPHANT AND TORTOISE
TWO powers, Elephant and Rain, had a

dispute. Elephant said, " If you say
that you nourish me, in what way is it
that you do so ? " Rain answered, " If you

say that I do not nourish you, when I go away,
will you not die? " And Rain then departed.
Elephant said, " Vulture ! cast lots to make
rain for me."
Vulture said, " I will not cast lots."
Then Elephant said to Crow, " Cast lots " !
who answered, " Give the things with which I

may cast lots." Crow cast lots and rain fell.
It rained at the lagoons, but they dried up,
and only one lagoon remained.
Elephant went a-hunting. There was, how-
ever. Tortoise, to whom Elephant said, " Tor-
toise, remain at the water " ! Thus Tortoise
was left behind when Elephant went a-hunting.
[112]
ELEPHANT AND TORTOISE
There came Giraffe, and said to Tortoise,
*'
Give me water " ! Tortoise answered, " The
water belongs to Elephant."
There came Zebra, who said to Tortoise,
'*
Give me water !
" Tortoise answered, " The
There came Gemsbok, and said to Tortoise,
''
Give me water " Tortoise answered, " The
!

There came Wildebeest, and said, " Give me
water " Tortoise said, " The water belongs to
!
Elephant."
There came Roodebok, and said to Tortoise,
" Give me water " Tortoise answered, " The
!

There came Springbok, and said to Tortoise,
" Give me water " Tortoise said, " The water
!
belongs to Elephant."
There came Jackal, and said to Tortoise,
" Give me water " Tortoise said, " The water
!
belongs to Elephant."
There came Lion, and said, " Little Tortoise,
give me water "!
When little Tortoise was
about to say something, Lion got hold of him
[113]
and beat him; Lion drank of the water, and
since then the animals drink water.
When Elephant came back from the hunting,

he said, " Little Tortoise, is there water?
Tortoise answered, " The animals have drunk
the water." Elephant asked, " Little Tortoise,
shall I chew you or swallow you down ? " Lit-
tle Tortoise said, " Swallow me, if you please !
"
and Elephant swallowed him whole.

After Elephant had swallowed Little Tor-
toise, and he had entered his body, he tore off
his liver, heart, and kidneys. Elephant said,
" Little Tortoise, you kill me."
So Elephant died; but little Tortoise came
out of his dead body, and went wherever he
liked.
[114]
SAME FABLE
GIRAFFE and Tortoise, they say, met

one day. Giraffe said to Tortoise,
" At once I could trample you to
death." Tortoise, being afraid, remained silent.
Then Giraffe said, " At once I could swallow
you." Tortoise said, in answer to this, " Well,
I just belong to the family of those whom it
has always been customary to swallow." Then

Giraffe swallowed Tortoise ; but when the latter
was being gulped down, he stuck in Giraffe's
throat, and as the latter could not get it down,

he was choked to death.
When Giraffe was dead. Tortoise crawled out
and went to Crab (who is considered as the
mother of Tortoise), and told her what had
happened. Then Crab said:
[115]
" The little Crab ! I could sprinkle it under
its arm with Boochoo,*
The crooked-legged little one, I could sprin-

kle under its arm."
Tortoise answered its mother and said:

" Have you not always sprinkled me,
That you want to sprinkle me now? "
Then they went and fed for a whole year on

the remains of Giraffe.
* (In token of approval, according to a Hottentot cus-

tom.)
[116]
TORTOISES HUNTING
OSTRICHES
ONE day,
a council
it is said,
how
the Tortoises held
they might hunt Os-
triches, and they said, " Let us, on
both sides, stand in rows near each other, and
let one go to hunt the Ostriches, so that they
must flee along through the midst of us." They
did so, and as they were many, the Ostriches
were obliged to run along through the midst
of them. During this they did not move, but,
remaining always in the same places, called each
to the other, " Are you there.? " and each one
answered, " I am here." The Ostriches hearing
this, ran so tremendously that they quite ex-
hausted their strength, and fell down. Then
the Tortoises assembled by-and-by at the place
where the Ostriches had fallen, and devoured
them.
[117]
THE JUDGMENT OF BABOON
ONE happened
day, it is said, the following story
Mouse had torn the clothes of

Itkler (the tailor), who then went to Baboon,
and accused Mouse with these words:
*'
In this manner I come to thee Mouse has
:
torn my clothes, but will not know anything

of it, and accuses Cat Cat protests ; likewise her
innocence, and says, '

Dog must have done it '
but Dog denies it also, and declares Wood has

done it; and Wood throws the blame on Fire,
and says, '
Fire did it ' ; Fire says, ^
I have not.
Water did it ' ; Water says, '

Elephant tore the
clothes ' ; and Elephant says, Ant tore them.'
'
Thus a dispute has arisen among them. There-

fore, I, Itkler, come to thee with this proposi-
tion : Assemble the people and try them in order

that I may get satisfaction."
Thus he spake, and Baboon assembled them
[118]
THE JUDGMENT OF BABOON
for trial. Then they made the same excuses
which had been mentioned by Itkler, each one
putting the blame upon the other.
So Baboon did not see any other way of
punishing them, save through making them pun-
ish each other; he therefore said,
" Mouse, give Itkler satisfaction."
Mouse, however, pleaded not guilty. But

Baboon said, " Cat, bite Mouse." She did so.
He then put the same question to Cat, and

when she exculpated herself. Baboon called to
Dog, " Here, bite Cat."

In this manner Baboon questioned them all,
one after the other, but they each denied the

charge. Then he addressed the following words
to them, and said,
" Wood, beat Dog.

Fire, burn Wood.
Water, quench Fire.
Elephant, drink Water.
Ant, bite Elephant in his most tender parts."
They did so, and since that day they cannot

any longer agree with each other.
[119]
Ant enters into Elephant's most tender parts
and bites him.
Elephant swallows Water.

Water quenches Fire.
Fire consumes Wood.
Wood beats Dog.
Dog bites Cat.
And Cat bites Mouse.
Through this judgment Itkler got satisfac-
tion, and addressed Baboon in the following

manner
" Yes ! Now I am content, since I have re-
ceived satisfaction, and with all my heart I thank
thee, Baboon, because thou hast exercised jus-
tice on my behalf and given me redress."
Then Baboon said, " From to-day I will not
any longer be called Jan, but Baboon shall be
my name."
Since that time Baboon walks on all fours,
having probably lost the privilege of walking

erect through this foolish judgment.
[120]
LION AND BABOON
BABOON, it is said, once worked bam-

boos, sitting on the edge of a precipice,
and Lion stole upon him. Baboon,
however, had fixed some round, glistening, eye-
like plates on the back of his head. When,
therefore. Lion crept upon him, he thought,
when Baboon was looking at him, that he sat
with his back towards him, and crept with all
his might upon him. When, however, Baboon

turned his back towards him. Lion thought that
he was seen, and hid himself. Thus, when Ba-
boon looked at him, he crept upon him.* When
he was near him Baboon looked up, and Lion
continued to creep upon him. Baboon said
(aside), " Whilst I am looking at him he steals
upon me, whilst my hollow eyes are on him."
When at last Lion sprung at him, he lay
(quickly) down upon his face, and Lion jumped
over him, falling down the precipice, and was
dashed to pieces.
* Whilst Baboon did this, Lion came close upon him.
[121]
THE ZEBRA STALLION
THE Baboons, it is said,
turb the Zebra Mares in drinking.

used to dis-
But
one of the Mares became the mother
of a foal. The others then helped her to suckle
(the young stallion), that he might soon grow
up.
When he was grown up and they were in want
of water, he brought them to the water. The
Baboons, seeing this, came, as they formerly
were used to do, into their way, and kept them
from the water.
While the Mares stood thus, the Stallion
stepped forward, and spoke to one of the Ba-
boons, " Thou gum-eater's child " !
The Baboon said to the Stallion, " Please

open thy mouth, that I may see what thou livest
on." The Stallion opened his mouth, and it
was milky.
Then the Stallion said to the Baboon, " Please
[122]
THE ZEBRA STALLION
open thy mouth also, that I may The Ba-
see."
boon did so, and there was some gum in it. But
the Baboon quickly licked some milk off the
Stallion's tongue. The Stallion on this became
angry, took the Baboon by his shoulders, and
pressed him upon a hot, flat rock. Since that
day the Baboon has a bald place on his back.
The Baboon said, lamenting, " I, my mother's

child, I, the gum-eater, am outdone by this milk-
eater!"
1128}
WHEN LION COULD FLY
used once to and
LION, it is said,
at that time nothing could live before

fly,
him. As he was unwilling that the

bones of what he caught should be broken into
pieces, he made a pair of White Crows watch
the bones, leaving them behind at the kraal
whilst he went a-hunting. But one day Great
Frog came there, broke the bones in pieces,
and said, " Why can men and animals live no

longer? " And he added these words, " When
he comes, tell him that I live at yonder pool ; if
he wishes to see me, he must come there."

Lion, lying in wait (for game), wanted to
fly up, but found he could not fly. Then he
got angry, thinking that at the kraal something
was wrong, and returned home. When he ar-
rived, he asked, " What have you done that I
cannot fly?" Then they answered and said,
" Some one came here, broke the bones into
[124]
WHEN LION COULD FLY
pieces, and said, '
If he want me, he may look
for me at yonder pool
!
'
" Lion went, and
arrived while Frog was sitting at the water's
edge, and he tried to creep stealthily upon him.

When he was about to get hold of him. Frog
said, " Ho " and, diving, went to the other
!
side of the pool, and sat there. Lion pursued

him but as he could not catch him he returned
;
home.
From that day, it is said, Lion walked on
his feet, and also began to creep upon (his
game) ; and the White Crows became entirely
dumb since the day that they said, " Nothing
can be said of that matter."
[125]
LION WHO THOUGHT HIM-
SELF WISER THAN HIS
MOTHER
is said that when Lion and Gurikhoisip
IT (the Only man), together with Baboon,
Buffalo, and other friends, were playing
one day at a certain game, there was a thun-
derstorm and rain at Aroxaams. Lion and
Gurikhoisip began to quarrel. " I shall run to
the rain-field," said Lion. Gurikhoisip said

also, " I shall run to the rain-field." As
neither would concede this to the other, they
separated (angrily). After they had parted^
Lion went to tell his Mother those things which
they had both said.
His Mother said to him, " My son ! that
Man whose head is in a line with his shoulders
and breast, who has pinching weapons, who

keeps white dogs, who goes about wearing the
tuft of a tiger's tail, beware of him "
! Lion,
[126]
LION WISER THAN HIS MOTHER
however, said, " Why need I be on my guard
against those whom I know? " Lioness an-
swered, " My Son, take care of him who
has pinching weapons " !
But Lion would
not follow his Mother's advice, and the same
morning, when it was still pitch dark, he went
to Aroxaams, and laid himself in ambush.
Gurikhoisip went also that morning to the same
place. When he had arrived he let his dogs
drink, and then bathe. After they had finished
they wallowed. Then also Man drank; and,
when he had done drinking. Lion came out
of the bush. Dogs surrounded him as his
Mother had foretold, and he was speared by

Gurikhoisip. Just as he became aware that he
was speared, the Dogs drew him down again.
In this manner he grew faint. While he was in
this state, Gurikhoisip said to the Dogs, " Let

him alone now, that he may go and be taught
by his Mother." So the Dogs let him go. They
left him, and went home as he lay there. The
same night he walked towards home, but whilst
he was on the way his strength failed him, and
he lamented:
[127]
" Mother ! take me up
Grandmother ! take me up ! Oh me ! Alas "
!
At the dawn of day his Mother heard his
wailing, and said

" My Son, this is the thing which I have told
thee:
'
Beware of the one who has pinching weapons.
Who wears a tuft of tiger's tail,
Of him who has white dogs

Alas ! thou son of her who is short-eared,
Thou, my short-eared child
Son of her who eats raw flesh,
Thou flesh-devourer
Son of her whose nostrils are red from the prey,
Thou with blood-stained nostrils !
Son of her who drinks pit-wâter.
Thou water-drinker !
'
"
[128]
LION WHO TOOK A WOMAN'S
SHAPE
SOME Women,
and roots
it is said, went out to seek
herbs and other wild food. On
their way home they sat down and said,
" Let us taste the food of the field." Now they
found that the food picked by one of them
was sweet, while that of the others was bitter.
The latter said to each other, " Look here ! this
Woman's herbs are sweet." Then they said to

the owner of the sweet food, " Throw it away
and seek for other." So she threw away the
food, and went to gather more. When she had
collected a sufficient supply, she returned to
join the other Women, but could not find them.
She went therefore down to the river, where
Hare sat lading water, and said to him, " Hare,
give me some water that I may drink." But

he replied, " This is the cup out of which my
uncle (Lion) and I alone may drink."
[129]
She asked again :
" Hare, draw water for
me that I may drink." But Hare made the

same reply. Then she snatched the cup from
him and drank, but he ran home to tell his uncle
of the outrage which had been committed.
The Woman meanwhile replaced the cup and
went away. After she had departed Lion came
down, and, seeing her in the distance, pursued
her on the road. When she turned round
and saw him coming, she sang in the following
manner
" My mother, she would not let me seek herbs.

Herbs of the field, food from the field. Hoo "!
When Lion at last came up with the Woman,

they hunted each other round a shrub. She
wore many beads and arm-rings, and Lion said,
" Let me put them on " ! So she lent them to
him, but he afterwards refused to return them
to her.
They then hunted each other again round
the shrub, till Lion fell down, and the Woman
jumped upon him, and kept him there. Lion
(uttering a form of conjuration) said:
[130]
LION WHO TOOK A WOMAN'S SHAPE
" My Aunt ! it is morning, and time to rise
Pray, rise from me " !
She then rose from him, and they hunted

again after each other round the shrub, till the
Woman fell down, and Lion jumped upon her.
She then addressed him:
" My Uncle ! it is morning, and time to rise
Pray, rise from me " !
He rose, of course, and they hunted each

other again, till Lion fell a second time. When
she jumped upon him he said:
" My Aunt ! it is morning, and time to rise ;
from me "
Pray, rise !
They rose again and hunted after each other.

The Woman at last fell down. But this time
when she repeated the above conjuration. Lion
said:
"He Kha Is it morning, and time to rise? "
!
He then ate her, taking care, however, to

leave her skin whole, which he put on, together
with her dress and ornaments, so that he looked

[131]
quite like a woman, and then went home to her
kraaL
When this counterfeit woman arrived, her lit-
tle sister, crying, said, " My sister, pour some

milk out for me." She answered, " I shall not
pour you out any." Then the Child addressed
their Mother :
" Mama, do pour out some for
me." The Mother of the kraal said, " Go to
your sister, and let her give it to you " ! The
little Child said again to her sister, " Please,
pour out for me " ! She, however, repeated her
refusal, saying, " I will not do it." Then the
Mother of the kraal said to the little One,
" I refused to let her (the elder sister) seek
herbs in the field, and I do not know what may
have happened; go therefore to Hare, and ask
him to pour out for you."
So then Hare gave her some milk; but her
elder sister said, " Come and share it with me."
The little Child then went to her sister with her
bamboo (cup), and they both sucked the milk
out of it. Whilst they were doing this, some
milk was spilt on the little one's hand, and the
elder sister licked it up with her tongue, the
[132]
roughness of which drew blood; this, too, the
Woman licked up.
The little Child complained to her Mother:

" Mama, sister pricks holes in me and sucks the
blood." The Mother said, " With what Lion's
nature your sister went the way that I forbade
her, and returned, I do not know."
Now the Cows arrived, and the elder sister
cleansed the pails in order to milk them. But

when she approached the Cows with a thong
(in order to tie their fore-legs), they all re-
fused to be milked by her.
Hare said, " Why do not you stand be-
fore the Cow.f^ " She replied, " Hare, call your
brother, and do you two stand before the Cow."
Her husband said, " What has come over her
that the Cows refuse her.? These are the same
Cows she always milks." The Mother (of the
kraal) said, " What has happened this evening.'*
These are Cows which she always milks without

assistance. What can have affected her that
she comes home as a woman with a Lion's na-
ture.?"
The elder daughter then said to her Mother,
[133]
" I shall not milk the Cows." With these words
she sat down. The Mother said therefore to
Hare, " Bring me the bamboos, that I may milk.
I do not know what has come over the girl."
So the Mother herself milked the cows, and
when she had done so. Hare brought the bam-
boos to the young wife's house, where her
husband was, but she (the wife) did not give
him (her husband) anything to eat. But when
at night time she fell asleep, they saw some of
the Lion's hair, which was hanging out where
he had slipped on the Woman's skin, and they
cried, " Verily ! this is quite another being. It
is for this reason that the Cows refused to be
milked."
Then the people of the kraal began to break
up the hut in which Lion lay asleep. When
they took off the mats, they said (conjuring
them), " If thou art favourably inclined to me,
O Mat, give the sound '
sawa ' " (meaning, mak-
ing no noise).
Tothe poles (on which the hut rested) they
said, " If thou art favourably incHned to me,
O Pole, thou must give the sound gara.' " '
[134]
They addressed also the bamboos and the bed-
skins in a similar manner.
Thus gradually and noiselessly they removed
the hut and all its contents. Then they took
bunches of grass, put them over the Lion, and
lighting them, said, " If thou art favourably in-
clined to me, O Fire, thou must flare up, '
boo
boo,' before thou comest to the heart."
So the Fire flared up when it came towards

the heart, and the heart of the Woman jumped
upon the ground. The Mother (of the kraal)
picked it up, and put it into a calabash.
Lion, from his place in the fire, said to the
Mother (of the kraal), " How nicely I have
eaten your daughter." The Woman answered,
" You have also now a comfortable place " !
Now the Woman took the first milk of as

many Cows as had calves, and put it into the
calabash where her daughter's heart was; the
calabash increased in size, and in proportion to
this the girl grew again inside it.
One day, when the Mother (of the kraal)

went out to fetch wood, she said to Hare,
" By the time that I come back you must have
[135]
everything nice and clean." But during her
Mother's absence, the girl crept out of the cala-
bash, and put the hut in good order, as she
had been used to do in former days, and said
to Hare, " When Mother comes back and asks,
' Who has done these things ? '
you must say,
' I, Hare, did them.' " After she had done all,
she hid herself on the stage.

When the Mother of the kraal came home,
she said, " Hare, who has done these things ?
They look just as they used when my daugh-
ter did them." Hare said, " I did the things."
But the Mother would not believe it, and looked

at the calabash. Seeing it was empty, she
searched the stage and found her daughter.
Then she embraced and kissed her, and from
that day the girl stayed with her Mother, and
did everything as she was wont in former times;,
but she now remained unmarried.
[136]
WHY HAS JACKAL A LONG
BLACK STRIPE ON HIS
BACK?
THE Sun, it is said, was one day on earth,

and the men who were travelling saw
him sitting by the wayside, but passed
him without notice. Jackal, however, who came
after them, and saw him also sitting, went to
him and said, " Such a fine little child is left
behind by the men." He then took Sun up,

and put it into his awa-skin (on his back).
When it burnt him, he said, " Get down," and

shook himself; but Sun stuck fast to his back,
and burnt Jackal's back black from that day.
[137]
HORSE CURSED BY SUN
is said that once Sun was on earth, and
IT caught Horse to ride it. But it was un-
able to bear his weight, and therefore Ox
took the place of Horse, and carried Sun on its
back. Since that time Horse is cursed in these

words, because it could not carry Sun's weight:
" From to-day thou shalt have a (certain) time

of dying.
This is thy curse, that thou hast a (certain)
time of dying.
And day and night shalt thou eat,
But the desire of thy heart shall not be at
rest,
Though thou grazest till morning and again

until sunset.
Behold, this is the judgment which I pass

upon thee," said Sun.
Since that day Horse's (certain) time of

dying commenced.
[138]
LION'S DEFEAT
THE wild animals,

assembled at Lion's.
it is said,
When
were once
Lion was
asleep, Jackal persuaded Little Fox to
twist a rope of ostrich sinews, in order to
play Lion a trick. They took ostrich sinews,
twisted them, and fastened the rope to Lion's
tail, and the other end of the rope they tied
to a shrub. When Lion awoke, and saw that

he was tied up, he became angry, and called
the animals together. When they had assem-
bled. Lion said (using this form of conjura-
tion)
" What child of his mother and father's love,
Whose mother and father's love has tied
me.?"
Then answered the animal to whom the ques-

tion was first put
[139]
" I, child of my mother and father's love,
I, mother and father's love, I have not done

it."
All answered the same; but when he asked

Little Fox, Little Fox said
" I, child of my mother and father's love,
I, mother and father's love, have tied thee !
Then Lion tore the rope made of sinews, and

ran after Little Fox. But Jackal said:
" My boy, thou son of lean Mrs. Fox, thou

wilt never be caught."
Truly Lion was thus beaten in running by

Little Fox.
[140]
THE ORIGIN OF DEATH
THE to
Moon, it Is said, sent once an Insect
Men, saying, " Go thou to Men, and
tell them, '
As I die, and dying live, so
ye shall also die, and dying live.' " The Insect

started with the message, but whilst on his way
was overtaken by the Hare, who asked " On :
what errand art thou bound? " The Insect an-

swered :
" I am sent by the Moon to Men, to
tell them that as she dies, and dying Kves, they
also shall die, The Hare said,
and dying live."
" As thou art an awkward runner, let me go"
(to take the message). With these words he

ran off, and when he reached Men, he said,
"I am sent by the Moon to tell As I
you, '
die, and dying perish, in the same manner ye

"
shall also die and come wholly to an end.'
Then the Hare returned to the Moon, and told

her what he had said to Men. The Moon
reproached him angrily, saying, " Darest thou
[141]
tell the people a thing which I have not said ? "
With these words she took up a piece of wood,
and struck him on the nose. Since that day
the Hare's nose is slit.
[142]
SAME FABLE
THE Moon
The Moon
dies, and rises to life again.
said to the Hare, " Go thou

to Men, and tell them, '
Like as I die
and rise to life again, so you also shall die and
rise to life again.' " The Hare went to the Men,
and said, " Like as I die and do not rise to life
again, so you shall also die, and not rise to life
again." When he returned the Moon asked him,

" What hast thou said? " " I have told them,
' Like as I die and do not rise to life again, so
you shall also die and not rise to life again.'

"
" What," said the Moon, " hast thou said
that ? " And she took a stick and beat the Hare
on his mo\ith, which was slit by the blow. The
Hare fled, and is still fleeing.
[143]
A THIRD VERSION OF THE
SAME FABLE
THE Hare
Moon, on one
to the earth to inform
occasion, sent the
Men that
as she (the Moon) died away and rose
again, so mankind should die and rise again.
Instead, however, of delivering this message as
given, the Hare, either out of forgetfulness or
malice, told mankind that as the Moon rose and
died away, so Man should die and rise no more.
The Hare, having returned to the Moon, was
questioned as to the message delivered, and the
Moon, having heard the true state of the case,
became so enraged with him that she took up a

hatchet to split his head ; falling short, however,
of that, the hatchet fell upon the upper lip of
the Hare, and cut it severely. Hence it is that

we see the " Hare-lip." The Hare, being
duly incensed at having received such treatment,
raised his claws, and scratched the Moon's face
[144]
A THIRD VERSION OF THE FABLE
and the dark spots which we now see on the
surface of the Moon are the scars which she
received on that occasion.
[145]
A FOURTH VERSION OF THE
SAME FABLE
THE Moon, they say, wished to send

message to Men, and the Hare said that
a
he would take it. "Run, then," said the

Moon, " and tell Men that as I die and am re-
newed, so shall they also be renewed." But the

Hare deceived Men, and said, *'
As I die and
perish, so shall you also."
[146]
A ZULU VERSION OF THE LE-
GEND OF THE "ORIGIN OF
DEATH "
GOD (Unknlunkuln) arose from beneath

(the seat of the spiritual world, ac-
cording to the Zulu idea), and created
in the beginning men, animals, and all things.
He then sent for the Chameleon, and said, " Go,

Chameleon, and tell Men that they shall not
die." The Chameleon went, but it walked
slowly, and loitered on the way, eating of a shrub
called Bukwebezane.
When it had been away some time, God sent

the Salamander after it, ordering him to make
haste and tell Men that they should die. The
Salamander went on his way with this message,
outran the Chameleon, and, arriving first where

the Men were, told them that they must die.
[147]
LITERATURE
Geschiedenis van
Zuid Afrika Geo. McCall Theal
Kafir Folk-lore " " " 1882
African Native
Literature S. W. Koelle 1854
South African
Folk-lore Journal
Hottentot Fables
and Tales W. H. I. Bleek 1864
An expedition of
Discovery into
the Interior of
Africa James Alexander 1838
South Africa a
Century Ago Anna Barnard 1901
[148]
LITERATURE
An account of
travels into the
interior of
South Africa John Barrow 1802
Travels in South
Africa John Campbell 1816
The Childhood of
Man Leo Frobenius 1909
Travels and Ad-
venture in East-
ern Africa Nathaniel Isaacs 1836
Narrative of Dis-
covery and Ad-
venture in Af-
rica Jameson, etc. 1830
Voyage dans ITn-
terieur de I'Af-
rique F. Le Vaillant 1796

Missionary Trav-
els and Re-
searches in
South Africa D. Livingstone 1858

Scenes in Africa Capt. Marry at 1851
[149]
Missionary Labors
and Scenes in
South Africa R. Moffat 1845

A New Gazetteer
of the Asia,
Africa, etc.,
Continents J. Morse 1802

South African Na- S. A. Native Races
tive Races Committee 1909
Researches into
the Physical
History of
Mankind J. C. Prichard 1841
Memorials of
South Africa B. Shaw 1841

Wanderings and
Adventures in
the Interior of
South Africa A. Stedman 1835
Notes on the
Bushmen E. & D. Bleek 1909
Africa K. Johnston 1878
[150]
LITERATURE
A Voyage to the
Cape of Good
Hope A. Sparrmann 1785
Travels in South
Africa Henry Lichtenstein 1800
The Dwarfs of
Mount Atlas R. G. Haliburton 1891
The Native Races
of South Africa G. W. Stow 1905
Description du
Cap de Bonne
Esperance Pierre Kolbe 1741
Specimens of Dia-
lects John Clarke 1849
[151]
fe^t^-V (kj U&l^W
One copy del. to Cat. Div.

South African Folklore by James A. Honey

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

South African Folklore by James A. Honey

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

South African Folklore by James A. Honey

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Gopyiight}]^.

Published, November, 1910

THE TROW PKESS, NEW YORK

Origin of the Difference in Modes of

The World's Reward 28

The Lion and the Jackal 33

The Lion and Jackal 45

The Lion and Jackal 48

The Hunt of Lion and Jackal 53

Jackal and Monkey ..... 84

Lion's Share .87

The White Man and Snake . . . 101

Another Version of the Same Fable 103

Cloud Eating 105

Lion's Illness 107

Jackal, Dove, and Heron. . . . 109

Cock and Jackal Ill

Elephant and Tortoise . . . .112

Tortoise Hunting Ostriches . . . 117

The Judgment of Baboon . . .118

When Lion Could Fly .... 124

Lion Who Thought Himself Wiser Than

Lion Who Took a Woman's Shape . 129

Why Has Jackal a Long Black Stripe

Horse Cursed by Sun .... 138

Lion's Defeat 139

The Origin of Death 141

Another Version of the Same Fable 143

A Third Version of the Same Fable . 144

A Fourth Version of the Same Fable 146

A Zulu Version of the Legend of the

animals or who appreciate the folklore of other

Many of these tales have appeared among

Some of the animal stories have appeared in

stories in 1864. The object has been to keep

influence on the folklore? According to Stow,

is due to the influence of the Hottentots, a later

are the Kaffirs spread over the whole of South

origin of the animal tales here presented. Bleek

indicates a European origin of the fables, I can-

tact with. Herodotus described a race on the

these stories could best be preserved, and feel-

ing that others had not read them, I began this

rican Folklore Journal says, " in its very na-

Bain gives a story related by a Kaffir which

tact with the European in the last two or three

to illustrate the people whose stories appear in

Teco, in Kaffir, is the Supreme Being. Teco

ever he might apportion to each tribe. While

this wonderful little bird. The Teco remon-

When the fine herds of cattle were brought,

said the other, " you must throw the ointment

lowed this advice, and the flames flaring up into

knobstick), and run to the hills to hunt there

There was Red-ant, Rice-ant, Black-ant,

And, as has already been said, this delibera-

tion amounted to nothing, and each party re-

solved to go to work in its own way, and on

Greater unity than that which existed in