African American Folktales

by Roger Abrahams

  So when the lion saw that evening was falling, and he didn’t see the kids coming back, he started to roar again. She said that she was wondering why they were staying out so long, so she asked Lion if she shouldn’t go out and get them before it got too dark. The lion agreed. And as soon as the mother got out, she really took off running.

  Women know more about life than men, especially when it comes to the children.

  —Jamaica

  81

  TURNING INTO NÓUNA—NOTHING

  There was a great hunter called Bási Kodjó. He had hunting dogs that were killing off all the fierce bush cows in the forest, those that look like the tapir but have much more power in every way. Finally, the bush cows held a council meeting. They said, “What can we do to kill this man? Soon there will be none of us left.” One of them, a female, spoke. “I’ll go to him. I have a plan to lure him back here so we can kill him.” And she changed herself into a beautiful woman (for bush cows have that power, you know) to trick Bási Kodjó.

  She arrived in his village with a basket on her head, saying that the man who could knock it to the ground would become her husband. She was really beautiful; no one could do it. Finally Bási Kodjó tried, and the basket fell. So this beautiful woman (the bush cow in disguise) became his wife. Every night, when they were in their hammock making love, she would ask Bási Kodjó what his secret was, how it was that he was able to kill so many bush cows without their ever hurting him. Each night she asked, and each night he told her a little more. She was so beautiful.

  Often, during the night, the woman would go out behind the house to stare at the row of bush-cow skulls that her husband had nailed against the rear wall as trophies. She would weep and weep, silently, for her dead relatives. When she had finished crying she would return to the house, and Bási Kodjó would ask, “Where have you been?” “I went to urinate,” she would say. But every few minutes, she would go back out and just stare at those skulls and weep.

  Over and over, each and every night, she asked Bási Kodjó, “Those animal skulls at the back of your house, how in the world were you able to kill all those animals? They’re fiercer than any animal alive!”

  One night, Bási Kodjó finally told her. “Woman, those animals live in savannahs. I go all the way to the middle of the savannah and there is where I shoot my gun. When they come charging, I toss my gun aside and climb a palm tree and then the animals circle round and furiously chew at the trunk to try and fell it. Meanwhile, back in the village, my mother is stirring the porridge that she feeds my dogs at just the proper moment to get them most excited about going hunting. Then when I see that the palm tree is about to fall, I turn myself into a chameleon, sitting on the trunk, and I call out ‘fiiii,’ and this makes the trunk grow even thicker than it was at first. I do this until I know that my dogs have had time to gobble up all the porridge and let that hunting feeling come all over them. Then I let the tree fall. By then the bush cows have realized that I am the chameleon, so I turn into a spot of sand. When they try to eat that up, I use my final disguise and turn myself into a—”

  Just then, Bási Kodjó’s mother shrieked from her house, “Bási Kodjó! Bási Kodjó! Hurry! Snake! Snake!” Bási Kodjó jumped out of his hammock and ran to kill the snake. When he got to his mother’s house she pulled him close and whispered, “There’s no snake. But I must warn you. That beautiful woman is not really a woman! Don’t tell her the last thing you know how to turn yourself into. Instead, tell her that you become a nóuna-nothing.”

  Bási Kodjó returned to his wife. She said,“That thing you were about to tell me, the very last thing you turn yourself into, when the bush cows come charging at you, what is it?” He said, “I become a nóuna-nothing.” Now she didn’t know what that was, but she was sure that some other bush cow would, so, at last, she was satisfied. They slept.

  In the middle of the night, the woman arose very quietly and went to her basket and took out a razor. She prepared to cut Bási Kodjó’s throat. Bási Kodjó’s gun said, “I will shoot her kpoo!!” His cutlass said, “I will cut her vélévélévélévélé!” His magical belt (óbiatatái) said, “I will tie her kílíkílíkílílé.” All the posts of the house groaned loudly, “Hiiiiii.” Bási Kodjó awoke with a start, saying, “What’s going on?” She answered, “I have no idea. I was asleep.” Not a single thing in the house slept during the rest of the night.

  At dawn, the beautiful wife asked Bási Kodjó to go off to the forest with her to collect awara palm seeds. He told his mother to prepare the porridge for the dogs. And they set off. The woman led him deeper and deeper into the forest until they finally reached the savannah. Bási Kodjó climbed the awara tree and began picking fruit. Suddenly, the woman turned back into her natural form, a bush cow, and called out to her relatives. In a moment the savannah was black with bush cows, all coming to eat Bási Kodjó. Quickly, he turned himself into a chameleon. She told them he was now the chameleon. So they began felling the tree. When it finally fell, they couldn’t find the chameleon. She said, “Eat that spot of sand. It is Bási Kodjó.” After a while, they could not find the sand. Bási Kodjó had turned himself into a tiny awara palm thorn, and hidden himself by sticking himself into a leaf. She said, “Destroy the nóuna-nothing. He’s turned himself into a nóuna.” The bush cows milled around in confusion because, in fact, none of them knew what nóuna was (because it meant “nothing”).

  Meanwhile, Bási Kodjó’s hunting dogs, who by then had finished eating their porridge and had been untied, arrived on the scene, and they ripped every last bush cow to shreds. Except for one. Bási Kodjó saw that this last bush cow was pregnant, and he called off the dogs. This bush cow was hiding in a cave near a stream. She called out, “Bási Kodjó, have mercy. You’re about to kill your own offspring!” He grabbed her by one side, ripping off the whole leg, and then shoved her back into the cave.

  Now you know the importance of nóuna—nothing.

  —Surinam

  82

  THE OLD BULL AND THE YOUNG ONE

  Now, this is a story about a black bull. That bull cattle was so big and powerful that he had all the cows in that herd for his own. And if anyone had any bull calves, he would have them killed.

  But one cow, Old Nanny, knew she was going to have a bull calf, so she decided to go into the bush for the birth. And so said, so done, and the bull calf grew and grew. One day, when he had already become quite sizable, he asked his mother, he said, “Where is my daddy; I want to see my daddy.” The mother explained his father was a big bull who had all other bulls killed. “If you go to see your daddy,” she said, “he will want to kill you too. That way, he’s the only bull alive.” The bull boy’s name was Superintendent, and he was a pretty-looking fellow, young, and with lots of colors, for his mother was speckled in color.

  Well, he was so persistent that his mother said to him, “Before I let you go to see your father, you must be able to take that big stone out there and throw it over your back. Then you will be ready to go and see your father.”

  Superintendent, being young and frolicsome, he couldn’t wait. He ran to the stone with speed, man, and as soon as he reached it, he ran around the rock and pitched it over his back. Well, his mother was worried. So she said, “Yes, you have done that very easily, but you have lost three months’ strength in doing it. You must wait at least three months longer before your strength will return enough that you can go and see your father.”

  So he waited another three months and then started talking about his father again. So this time she took him to a tree, saying, “You must talk to that tree and dig it up and throw it over your back without leaving any sand on your back when you are finished.” Superintendent ran up to the tree and threw it over his back, but when he was finished he knew he didn’t even have any more strength than just enough to dig it up and throw it with his horns like that. He shook off the sand from his back, and he shone, standing there in the sun. He was so pretty and his skin was so smooth that no
ne of the sand was left on his back.

  Well, all right, he decided then that he was ready. But his mother said, “No, boy, if you go, your father will kill you.” He argued, and she said, “All right, you can go, but you must spend six more months building up your strength, because you lost so much of it when you threw the tree over your back.” And he agreed.

  So Superintendent was eager now. He went into the bush where he found a beautiful field of grass, nothing else but grass. And he began to feed. He fed there for six months. Then he went back to his mother and said to her, “Mommy, I am ready to go and see Daddy.” His mother said, “Yes, I believe you are ready.” She saw him there so big and shiny in the sun. “But if you die, remember, I am dead too,” she said.

  So his mother showed Superintendent the way. When they got to a certain place, his mother said, “It’s over yonder that your father is living.” And he was anxious to find out if he was strong enough to go and meet his father. So he sang out with his strongest voice:

  A-me Superintendent-eh,

  A-me Superintendent-eh;

  No other man can stay in the grand champion’s ground,

  No more Bully Manger.

  Now, Bully Manger was his father’s name, and when he heard that, he started to look around wondering who could be brave enough to challenge him like that. When he saw one of his cows was missing from the herd, he said, “My God, Old Nanny has gone, and look now she has brought back a son.” So when he looked at this boy now, he got mad and he sang out this song:

  A-me Bully Manger-eh,

  A-me Bully Manger-eh;

  No other man can stay in the grand champion’s ground,

  No more Superintendent.

  So Superintendent walked right up to where his father had all the herd, and stopped at the edge of the field. His father called to him, “What do you want now?” When he looked, Old Nanny was at her son’s side, and he knew that he was going to have to fight.

  In the crowd there was this one beautiful young heifer named Fireling. So from the time she saw the young shiny, beautiful fellow out there, man she began to fun all around, because she believed that this young chap would be able to kill the father. And she fell in love with Superintendent just standing there in the sun.

  So Superintendent marched up to her, for he had never seen any cow like her. As soon as he reached her he started to run, kicking up his heels. And he was feeling so frisky that every time he turned around, his heels went right up. He decided that he was going to kill his father, for otherwise he could never have Fireling.

  But his father warned him not to be rude to his elders. The son, taking this as his challenge, said, “We will fight. And if I kill you, I reign, and if you kill me, you reign.” His father said, “All right, when would you like to fight?” Old Nanny said, “Tell him twelve o’clock in the day when the sun is high.” Young Superintendent said, “I will fight you exactly at twelve o’clock, not later or earlier, twelve o’clock in the day when the sun is in the middle of the sky.” Now, remember, Bully Manger was all black, so he couldn’t stand the heat of the sun. Superintendent was all different colors, and knew he had his father there. Bully Manger didn’t see any shade spot where they could fight so he knew that he would have to kill the boy quickly. They decided that the fight would be the very next day.

  The next day, young Superintendent went to his father as soon as he saw him in the field. He sang out:

  A-me Superintendent-eh,

  A-me Superintendent-eh;

  No other man can stay in the grand champion’s ground,

  No more Bully Manger.

  He didn’t rush across the field, but forced his father to rush at him. As soon as Bully Manger came out at him, he sang out:

  A-me Bully Manger-eh,

  A-me Bully Manger-eh;

  No other man can stay in the grand champion’s ground,

  No more Superintendent.

  And he just picked up Superintendent on his horns and he threw him up way in the air. And Superintendent, he didn’t even stay up there two minutes. When he dropped back he landed on all of his four legs. Superintendent said, “All right, it’s my turn now.” Bully Manger replied, “Yes, it’s your turn.” He was angry and amazed because it looked like he hadn’t hurt Superintendent at all; nothing was broken. Superintendent went to him now, and he sang out:

  A-me Superintendent-eh,

  A-me Superintendent-eh;

  No other man can stay in the grand champion’s ground,

  No more Bully Manger.

  And he picked up his father, Bully Manger, and he shot him way up in the air And while he was up in the air, he and Fireling began to dance and sing together:

  Fire Girl,

  Fireling,

  Fire tonight,

  Fireling,

  Fire Girl,

  Fireling,

  Fire tonight,

  Fireling.

  Fire tonight,

  Fireling.

  Fire tonight,

  Fireling.

  Crick!

  When old Bully Manger dropped back, he came down with only three legs; one was missing. From the time Fireling saw that, she wanted to run around and to kick up her heels, and Superintendent’s mother could see too that her son was going to win.

  Well, all right, Bully Manger went up to Superintendent, and sang out again:

  A-me Bully Manger-eh [He was angry now, you know.]

  A-me Bully Manger-eh;

  No other man can stay in the grand champion’s ground,

  No more Superintendent.

  He picked up Superintendent with his horns and threw him way up in the air. Superintendent dropped back, laughing. When he finished laughing, Superintendent sang out:

  A-me Superintendent-eh,

  A-me Superintendent-eh;

  No other man can stay in the grand champion’s ground,

  No more Bully Manger.

  He picked up Bully Manger, shot him up way in the air. While he was up there, he began to sing:

  Fire girl,

  Fireling.

  Fire girl,

  Fireling.

  Fire tonight,

  Fireling.

  Fire girl,

  Fireling.

  Crick!

  When old Bully Manger dropped back, he dropped back with only two legs this time. Well, all right, Superintendent, he began to feel joyful. Old Bully Manger went at him again:

  A-me Bully Manger-eh,

  A-me Bully Manger-eh;

  No other man can stay in the grand champion’s ground,

  No more Superintendent.

  He picked up Superintendent, threw him up in the air. When he dropped back he was still solid. In fact he was even more shiny and beautiful than ever, because he had hit a little drop of rain while he was up there and it glistened on his back. As soon as he dropped back, Superintendent went at him again and began to sing out:

  A-me Superintendent-eh,

  A-me Superintendent-eh;

  No other man can stay in the grand champion’s ground,

  No more Bully Manger.

  He picked up Bully Manger, threw him up in the air again. And while he was up there he began to sing:

  Fire girl,

  Fireling.

  Fire tonight,

  Fireling.

  Fire girl,

  Fireling.

  Fire tonight,

  Fireling.

  Crick!

  When old Bully Manger dropped back this time, he dropped back with only one leg. And all the other cows now began to circle around him, because they knew, even though he tried to rush at them, he couldn’t walk on just one leg. And now he dragged himself up to Superintendent again, and he sang the same song, sent him up in the air, and he dropped back this time looking even shinier than before. Because you know, more and more, as soon as everyone looked at him, they saw that he was feeling good and jumping around, looking more flashy, more shiny. He went to his father once more and he sang out:

  A-me S
uperintendent-eh,

  A-me Superintendent-eh;

  No other man can stay in the grand champion’s ground,

  No more Bully Manger.

  He picked up his father again, sent him way up in the air, and he grabbed hold of Fireling there, this beautiful damsel and he began to sing:

  Fire girl,

  Fireling.

  Fire tonight,

  Fireling.

  Fire girl,

  Fireling.

  Fire tonight,

  Fireling.

  Crick!

  When Bully Manger dropped back, he dropped without any head. And all that anyone could see was slime all over his body. And Superintendent reigns up until today.

  You will notice that if you have black cattle, they always look worse than those speckled-colored ones, because they can’t stand too much hot sun.

  —St. Vincent

  83

  FASTING FOR THE HAND OF THE QUEEN’S DAUGHTER

  Bru Pigeon and Bru Owl both fell in love with the queen’s daughter. Though they had been friends, they had a big fight over who would win her hand, and they decided that they would have a contest. So they went to the king and told him their problem, and he said that they must have a contest over who could stay hungry the longest from Monday to Friday.

  So they went into the bush; the pigeon sat in a berry and the owl in a dry tree. When Monday came, Bru Pigeon started in singing :

  This day is Monday morning,

  Tama tama tam.

  And Bru Owl answered:

  Whoo-oo tama tama tam.

  Meanwhile, Bru Pigeon, when no one could see him at night, sneaked down from the branch he was perched on and ate a few berries and in the morning he drank from the dew that fell on the branch. Since Owl didn’t have anything growing like this in his tree, he couldn’t even think of pulling such a trick. And there were no mice and other such vermin scampering around on those branches either, the things he likes to eat most.