Tag: African tale

The Hunter’s Bride

On By Dr. Y.In Great Legends & Tales3 Comments

Here is a story from: Ethiopian Folktales.  You can read the full story there.

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Afar Girl
Afar Girl

Once there was a very beautiful Afar girl and one young man fell madly in love with her. So he sent people to her father’s house to ask for her hand in marriage.

But her father said, “I’ll only bestow my daughter if he gives me all his wealth, his camels, his cows, everything.”

So they went back and said, “Look, her father’s asking for the impossible. He wants all your wealth.”

The young man said, “That’s OK. She’s everything in this world. You can take all my animals.”

And he married the girl.

But he had nothing to feed her and therefore he had to become a hunter and he fed her.

San (Basarwa/Bushmen) hunters
San (Basarwa/Bushmen) hunters

Then one day her father decided to go and visit his son-in-law and daughter and he came over to their house. Of course a guest has to eat, so she brought in her father and made him sit down and she started boiling water hoping her husband would soon come in with the kill, but all the water in the pot boiled away. So she put in more water, but it too boiled away. She filled it again and it boiled away. By this time she was desperate and she looked out of their hut and saw another man walk by with a bush buck he had just killed.

So she went to him and said, “Look mister, I have an unexpected guest and my husband, who is a hunter, has gone out, so please give me one of the legs of the bush buck so I can feed my guest. When my husband comes back, I’ll repay you in kind.”

And he said, “No way. I’ve got enough meat for myself, therefore I don’t want the leg of meat that your husband is going to bring. But since you are so beautiful, I want to make love to you.”

She said, “OK, but the guest is in my house right now, so go and come back after dark.”

So she took the leg of meat and went in and started cooking it. Then her husband came, having killed a zebra, so there was plenty of meat and he gave it to her and he sat down and started eating with his father-in-law.

Zebras
Zebras

When it became dark the other hunter came and he threw a pebble on to the roof so that she would come out. But she just sat down and went on cooking the zebra meat. He threw a second pebble, but she pretended not to notice. Then he threw a third pebble and she burst out laughing.

Her father turned round and said, “What are you laughing at?”

She said, “I’m laughing at three fools.”

Her father said, “What do you mean?”

She said, “I’m laughing at three fools. The first fool is my husband, who gave away all his wealth for the sake of a woman. The second fool is my father, who took away all the wealth of his child, his son-in-law, then comes to have a meal and where does he expect the meat to come from? And the third fool is the man outside who gave me a leg of his bush buck and expects me to make love with him.”

So the moral is: (i) men are foolish over women and wealth; (ii) wealth is necessary for people to live well besides love.

Horse cursed by Sun

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Horse
Horse

IT is said that once Sun was on earth, and caught Horse to ride it.  But it was unable 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:

Le soleil / The sun
Le soleil / The sun

“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.

South African Folk Tales, by James A. Honey, 1910, Baker & Taylor Company.

Lion and Baboon

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Baboon
Baboon
Lion
Lion

BABOON, it is said, once worked bamboos, sitting on the edge of a precipice, and Lion stole upon him.  Baboon, however, had fixed some round, glistening, eyelike 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 bid himself.  Thus, when Baboon 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.

South African Folk Tales, by James A. Honey, 1910, Baker & Taylor Company.

Lion’s Defeat

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Lion
Lion

The wild animals, it is said, were once asembled at Lion’s.  When 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 assembled, Lion said (using this form of conjuration)–
“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 question was first put–
I, child of my mother and father’s love,
I, mother and father’s love, I have not done it.

Renard / Fox
Renard / Fox

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.

South African Folk Tales, by James A. Honey, 1910, Baker & Taylor Company.

The Story of a Dam

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Inga Falls on the Congo river
Inga Falls on the Congo river

HERE was a great drought in the land; and Lion 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 summons 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.

Jackal
Jackal

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 bard at it.  The first one, however, to come and drink there, was Jackal, who not only drank, but filled his 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 knobkerrie.  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 delicious 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 patronizing manner, that he pitied such an unfortunate creature, and would give him some honey on certain conditions, viz., that Baboon should give up his knobkerrie 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. Continue reading “The Story of a Dam” →

Cock and Jackal

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Cock
Cock

COCK, it is said, was once overtaken by Jackal, and caught.  Cock said to Jackal, “Please, pray first (before you kill me), as the man does.”

Jackal asked, “In what manner does he pray? Tell me.”

Jackal
Jackal

“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.

South African Folk Tales, by James A. Honey, 1910, Baker & Taylor Company.

The Hunt of Lion and Jackal

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Lion
Lion

LION and Jackal, it is said, were one day lying in wait for Eland.  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.”

Eland
Eland

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 distance, 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 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 carcass, 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
Jackal

Jackal answered: “No, my father, I do not cheat you; you may know it, I think.  I prepared 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 children.

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!”

He said to Lioness, “I go to help my father (the Lion);” but he went far away with his wife and children.

South African Folktales, J.A. Honey, 1910, Baker and Taylor Company.

Pourquoi la hyène a t-elle le pelage rayé?

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Hyena
Hyene

Il y a longtemps très longtemps hyène et lièvre étaient de très bons amis.  Mais la hyène, plus rusée trompait toujours le lièvre.
Chaque fois que ce dernier pêchait un superbe poisson bien dodu, c’était la hyène qui se régalait.  Elle inventait des jeux étranges et sournois qu’elle “gagnait” toujours, puis dévorait le gros poisson cuit par le pauvre lièvre.  Un jour le lièvre prit un si gros poisson que son amie hyène faillit s’étrangler de gourmandise quand elle le vit ! Mais ce jour-là, le lièvre dit:
– “Aujourd’hui est mon jour ! Je mangerai tout seul ce gros poisson !“
– “Il est bien trop gros pour ton petit ventre ” rétorqua la hyène; ” il pourrira avant que tu ne finisses de le déguster.“
– “C’est vrai, mais je le mettrai à fumer dès ce soir pour le manger par petits morceaux ensuite. Ce sera délicieux ! ”

Lievre
Lievre

La hyène faillit s’évanouir d’envie.  Elle voulait ce poisson.  Elle devait le manger. Et seule !  Elle convoita tant le poisson qu’elle réfléchit à une nouvelle façon de satisfaire son égoïsme et sa gourmandise aux dépends du lièvre.  Elle agirait discrètement.
La nuit venue, la hyène traversa doucement la rivière tout près de laquelle dormait le lièvre.  Le poisson cuisait tout doucement, embroché au dessus du feu et parfumant la nuit.  La hyène gloussa de joie devant le mauvais tour qu’elle jouerait à son amie et s’approcha.  Le lièvre faisait mine de dormir.  Lorsque la hyène s’empara du poisson, le lièvre bondit, attrapa la broche chauffée à blanc et rossa la hyène qui s’enfuit en hurlant de douleur, de honte, mais surtout de rage !
C’est depuis ce temps que la hyène porte des rayures sur son pelage. Et qu’elle hait le lièvre.

The Tiger, the Ram, and the Jackal

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Tiger (Leopard)
Tiger (Leopard)

TIGER (leopard) was returning home from hunting on one occasion, when he lighted on the kraal of Ram. Now, Tiger had never seen Ram before, and accordingly, 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 on my asking him what his name was, he answered, “I am Ram.”

Ram
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.

Jackal
Jackal

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 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, notwithstanding the entreaties of Jackal to let him go, to let him loose, set off in the greatest alarm, dragayed 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.

South African Folk Tales, by James A. Honey, 1910, Baker & Taylor Company.

When Lion could Fly

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Lion
Lion

LION, it is said, used once to fly, and at that time nothing could live before 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 arrived, he asked, “What have you done that I cannot fly?”  Then they answered and said, “Someone came here, broke the bones into 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 (big game); and the White Crows became entirely dumb since the day that they said, “Nothing can be said of that matter.”

South African Folk Tales, by James A. Honey, 1910, Baker & Taylor Company.