African Folktales

by Roger Abrahams

  —Vai

  67

  Medicine to Catch Him

  Lion, Leopard, and Dog were living together. They heard the news that Goat had built a big town. Lion said to Leopard, “We had better make war on that town, as we have nothing to eat here.” So the two joined forces and invaded Goat town. They fought a whole day, but were unable to capture it. They went to tell Dog of their bad luck, and asked him to join them in another attempt. The next morning, after fighting all day, the three took Goat town.

  They entered it, and found only one Goat and one Cat. Lion caught Goat and Cat and said they were going to carry them away. Cat begged to be left untied so that he could dance, and Lion agreed. Then Goat said, “You should leave me untied as I am a doctor,” and Lion agreed to that, too. “Let me see you dance now,” said Lion. Cat began to dance and he danced well. Then he said, “I can jump.” “Jump then,” said Lion. Cat jumped over the barricade and ran into the bush.

  Lion turned to Goat, and said, “You say you are a doctor. Well, Cat has run away. I want you to try your medicine, so that we can catch him.” Then Lion, Leopard, and Dog all closed up around Goat to prevent his getting away, too. Goat told Lion to bring him a large pot. Then, Goat put his hand in his bag, and he took out a bottle filled with honey. He placed the honey in the pot. “You must put a cloth over me and the pot,” said Goat. Lion did not know that Goat had honey; he thought it was water in the pot. Goat took a spoon and gave Lion some of the honey in the pot, saying, “This is some of the water my medicine gave me.”

  When Lion tasted the honey, he said: “Oh, you are really a doctor.” Lion said: “I know you are a doctor now, so make me some medicine to wear around my neck.” Goat told Lion that medicine worn around the neck is put up in leopard skin, and that he must kill Leopard to get some of his. “All right,” said Lion. Lion started after Leopard, and Leopard ran, and Lion after him, and Dog followed. So Goat made his escape back the other way.

  So Lion dislikes Leopard, Leopard dislikes Goat, and Goat dislikes Dog.

  —Vai

  68

  Friends for a Time

  A certain hunter no longer wanted to live in his own village, but decided to make a little home for himself in the far bush. He searched for a nice place and there built a small house and made a little farm of yams and cassava. But he had lost his gun and was unable to get any meat.

  One day he returned to his house and found there a young lion, who said to him: “My friend, I have come to see you. This is my country, but I like you and we two will share this house.”

  The man did not mind at all and agreed that the lion should live with him. Now, every day the man went out and looked at his farm and watched the crop growing, while the lion went away into the bush and killed meat, which he brought back and shared with the man. Thus they became fast friends.

  But one day the lion said to his friend: “You told me you were a hunter, and yet all this time that we have been together it is I, not you, who have killed our meat.” Then the man told the lion that men killed their meat with guns, and the lion said nothing.

  However, he set forth and came near the dwelling places of Man. One day he saw a band of men come out to a farm, and all begin to hoe the field together. First, though, they had set their guns against a tree. So the lion rose up and went to the tree and took away one of the guns with all the little bags of powder and medicine attached to it. These he carried home and gave them to his friend, the man.

  The hunter went out every day and killed meat until they were both tired of it. Then the man said that it was now time for him to leave the bush and return to the villages of men. The lion said he was sorry, but that the man knew best, and that he, the lion, would never forget him and would remain his friend so long as he never told other men that he had a lion as a friend. The man promised, and left the bush and settled in a village where he married and had many children.

  One day the lion, remembering his friend, decided to visit him to find out if the man was still faithful to their friendship. He came down to the man’s farm and hid himself near some rocks, pretending that he was asleep. When one of the man’s youngest children found the lion, he told his father to come quick and kill it. Then the man went to see, and when he looked, he remembered, and said: “Maybe it is my friend. I will not take its skin.” The lion got up and thanked his friend, and said that now he knew truly that the man was his friend and would go back to the bush happy.

  Not long afterwards, the lion again wished to visit his friend, to show him his eldest son. So he took the cub with him to the farm and again hid himself, pretending to be asleep. But this time he did so in a different place. The cub was told to keep away, but to watch how his father’s friend was a good man.

  When the man and his children came to the farm, one of the boys saw the lion and told his father that there was meat lying there. The man then took his gun and went to the spot, and thinking that this lion was not his friend—since he had chosen a different place to hide himself in—shot the lion and killed it.

  Then he saw that it was his friend and he began to weep. But the lion’s child, who had watched his father killed, was angry. He swore that from that day onward, he and all other lions would never again look on the face of hunters with pleasure, and that they would kill them whenever they had the chance.

  That is why, from that day to this, hunters and lions hate each other.

  —Krachi

  69

  The Great Overland Trek

  In the days when animals still could talk, Crocodile was the acknowledged leader of all water creatures—(if you judged from appearances, you’d say he still is)—and it was his special duty to look after them. One year, when it was exceedingly dry, and the water of the river where they had lived became scarce, he was forced to make a plan to walk overland to another river, a short distance from there.

  He first sent Otter out to spy. Otter 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 heard this, Crocodile called Tortoise and Alligator to his side. “Tonight I need you two to carry a report to Lion,” he said. “Get ready. The field is dry, and you will probably have to travel for a few days without any water. We must make a peace treaty with Lion and his subjects, otherwise we will all perish this year. He must help us to travel to the other river, especially past the white man’s farm that lies in between, and to get there unharmed by any of the animals of the field. 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 field, but eventually they reached Lion and handed him the treaty.

  “What is going on now?” thought Lion to himself, when he had read it. “I must consult Jackal.” But to Tortoise and Alligator, he said that the following evening he and his advisers would be at the appointed place, the big willow tree, at the farther end of the water hole where Crocodile had his headquarters.

  When Tortoise and Alligator came back, Crocodile was exceedingly pleased with himself at the turn things had taken.

  He invited Otter and a few others to join him on that evening, and ordered them to have plenty of fish and other good food lying under the willow, ready for their guests.

  That evening as it grew dark, Lion appeared with Wolf, Jackal, Baboon, and a few other important animals, at the willow tree and they were received with the greatest cordiality by Crocodile and the other water creatures.

  Crocodile was so overjoyed with the meeting of the animals that he now and then let fall a great tear of joy that disappeared into the sand. After the guests had done well by the fish, Crocodile laid the situation open to them and told them of his plan. He wanted peace among all animals, for not only did they destroy one another, but unless they banded together, the farmer would in time destroy them all.

  To irrigate his land, the farmer had already stationed no less than three ste
am pumps at the source of the river, and water for the animals was becoming scarcer every day. Worse, because they had to stay in the shallow water, the farmer was able to kill them, one after the other. As Lion himself clearly saw the need to make peace, it was to his glory to give his hand to these peace-making water creatures. He agreed to escort them from the dried-up water, past the farmer’s farm, and to the long sea-cow pools.

  “And what benefit shall we receive from the peace?” asked Jackal.

  “Well,” answered Crocodile, “the peace made will benefit all of us. We won’t kill each other off. If you want 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 on your side, we are to be safe from Elephant, who, whenever he gets the opportunity has the habit of tossing us with his trunk up into some narrow fork of a tree.”

  Lion and Jackal stepped aside to talk the whole thing over and while they did, Lion asked how he could be sure that Crocodile would keep to his part of the contract.

  “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 everything seemed honest and open as far as he could tell. He thought it was nonsense to attempt to dig pitfalls for one another, and he also well knew that his race would benefit, too, from this contract of peace and friendship. He would, however, like to suggest to Lion that it would be well to have everything put down in writing, so that there would be no problems in case there was disagreement.

  Jackal did not want to listen to the terms of the treaty. He could not see that it would benefit the animals of the field. But Wolf, who had fully satisfied himself with the fish, was in an exceptionally peace-loving mood, and he advised Lion to close the agreement.

  After Lion had listened to all his advisers, and also to the pleading tones of Crocodile’s followers, he made a speech in which he said that he was inclined to enter into the agreement, seeing that it was clear that Crocodile and his subjects were in a very tight spot.

  A document was drawn up immediately, and it was resolved to begin the move overland before midnight. Crocodile’s messengers swam in all directions to summon together the water animals for the trek.

  Frogs croaked and crickets chirped in the long water grass. Soon, all the animals had assembled at the willow. Lion had earlier sent out a few messengers to his subjects to raise an escort group, and long before midnight they, too, were at the willow in the moonlight.

  The walk overland was regulated by Lion and Jackal. It was agreed that because Jackal was to act as spy, he would take the lead, but when he was able to draw Lion to one side, Jackal said to him:

  “See here, I don’t 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 wait long for you there.”

  Elephant was to act as advance guard because he could walk so softly and could hear and smell so well. Then would come Lion with one division of the animals, then Crocodile’s group with protection on both sides, and Wolf would bring up the rear.

  While all this was being arranged, Crocodile was making his preparations as well. He called Yellow Snake to one side and said to him: “It would be good for us if these animals, who go among us every day, and who will continue to do so, fall into the hands of the farmer. Listen. You remain behind, out of sight, and when you hear me shout you will know that we have arrived safely at the sea-cow pool. Then you must stir up the farmer’s dogs as much as you can, and everyone will have to look out for themselves.”

  Thereupon, the group moved out. They had to go very slowly since many of the water animals were not used to traveling on land; but they trekked past the farmer’s property in safety, and toward break of day they were all safely at the sea-cow pool. At once, most of the water animals disappeared into the deep water, and Crocodile prepared to follow their example. With tearful eyes he said to Lion that he was very thankful for the help, that, out of pure relief, he must vent his feelings by screaming with joy, and this he did until even the mountains echoed with his cries. He thanked Lion on behalf of his subjects, and purposely made a long speech, dwelling on all the benefits both sides would derive from the peace agreement.

  Lion was just about to say goodbye, when the first shot fell, and with it Elephant and a few other animals.

  “I told you all so!” shouted Jackal from the other side of the sea-cow pool. “Why did you allow yourselves to be misled by a few Crocodile tears?”

  Crocodile had long ago disappeared into the water. All one could see was a lot of bubbles.

  On the banks of the sea-cow pool there was war against the animals. The air crackled as the farmer shot them. But most of them, fortunately, made it out alive.

  They say, Crocodile received his well-earned reward, when, shortly after, he met a driver with a load of dynamite.

  Even today when Elephant runs into Crocodile, he pitches him up into the highest forks of the trees.

  —Amalouw or Amakosa

  70

  The Shundi and the Cock

  There was once a shundi, a spurred cockatoo, who wanted to be friends with the cock. The cock said, “Very well, friendship is not to be refused. Where do you live?” The shundi said, “I live in Sekitu, near to Mpapayu.” The cock said, “I live in Mneese, a great country.” The friendship was made.

  After a few days, the shundi sent word to the cock that he would come to see him, and named the day after tomorrow. The cock said, “Very well.” He said to his wives, “My friend is coming with his wives.” The shundi brought as visitors his three wives and four children. The names of his wives were these—the first, Makipitu, the second, Makibengu, the third, Kiongwe. The cock asked the shundi the news, and then he was given a goat as a relish, and he killed it, and they fed on it every day till they returned home.

  Now, sometime after that, the cock sent word to his friend that he also should prepare for a visit, for he would be there the day after tomorrow. The shundi told his wives that the cock was coming, so they made the corn ready for pounding. The cock came with his wife, who was named Makivulu; she had no children. The cock was asked the news, and was given twenty large maggots as a relish. He ate them, and by the time he finished it was evening, so they went to sleep till morning. He stayed for a long time, and then went home.

  After many days the shundi again sent word that he was coming to greet the cock. The cock told his wife to go and get some bananas. The woman did not know that her husband liked bananas, but she went to cut them, and she returned and peeled them all. The cock said, “Put them in the pot.” His wife put them in. He said, “Have you finished?” She said, “I have finished, I have not left out one. I will put them on the fire.” The cock said, “Pour water all over my body, and put me near the hearth stones. When the shundi comes and asks for me, tell him I am in the pot.” His wife said, “All right.” The cock went to the stones and lay down.

  Before long the cock heard, “Hello!” His wife said, “Welcome visitors.” The shundi arrived, alone, and squatted down on a stool by the door. When he asked, where the cock was, he was told, “He is in the pot.” There between them the pot was boiling. He did not ask again; he was dumbfounded. The cock’s wife went and took off the lid and, immediately, the cock came from behind the pot, shook his feathers and crowed, “Ko, koi, koo.” The shundi asked, “Friend, where are you?” The wily cock said, “I came out of the pot.” They ate the bananas, and in the morning the shundi went home.

  After some days, the cock sent word that he was coming to the shundi’s. The day he was to come, the shundi sent his wife Makipitu for bananas; he wished to do what the cock had done, and he said to his wife, “Put in the bananas.” She put them in. The shundi said, “And put me in also.” She said, “You will die.” But he said, “No.” So she put him in. When the cock came he saluted them all, and sat
down by the door. “Where is the shundi?” he asked. Makiputi answered, “He has gone into the pot.” The cock said, “What do you say?” She said, “It is true.” The cock knew his companion was dead. Makipitu went and took the pot off the fire; they looked at him. Shundi was of yesterday, he was dead, all his feathers were awry. His wives wept, and then every woman returned to her father with her children. The cock went home.

  Many days passed, then there appeared a leopard who said, “Mate, I want you to be my friend.” The cock replied, “Very good. Friendship is not to be refused.” But the cock foresaw trouble; he was afraid of the leopard on account of his size and ferocity. The leopard lived at Lunguza. The leopard was ready to journey with his wife Makinyula; they had no children. They went to visit the cock. The leopard was asked the news, and then they ate the food that had been prepared for them. After two days, they went home.

  Soon after, the cock then got ready to return the visit to the leopard. When he arrived he was asked the news, and when he had finished, the cock and his wife were given very nice food. They stayed three days, and then went home. The mother leopard sent word to the cock that he was coming to see him again, and the cock said, “Very well.”

  The cock owned many goats, as did the leopard. The cock said to his wife, “The leopard is coming today. Now, when he comes and asks for me, say to him, Your friend is outside, he is waiting for his head, which went with the shepherds to feed,’ ” And the cock killed a goat, and he gave its head to the shepherds along with some meat. The leopard went into the village and greeted the people, and then went to the cock’s house and gave greeting there. Only the wife was home to welcome him. He asked her about the cock, and was told, “The cock is outside, waiting for his head.” The leopard went to look for him. Now, the cock had put his head under his wings, so that it appeared to have been cut off. Then, as the goats came home, he popped his head out again and entered into their midst. He met with the leopard, and the leopard asked the cock, “Friend, where were you?” “I was waiting outside for my head, which I had cut off and sent with the shepherds. Now it has come back.” The leopard in his heart thought, “Listen to this clever one. He cuts off his head and yet does not die, for look at him alive and smiling.” The leopard stayed as was proper, and finally returned home.