I. The Mantis

The Mantis Assumes the Form of a Hartebeest

The Mantis is one who cheated the children, by becoming a hartebeest, by resembling a dead hartebeest. He feigning death lay in front of the children, when the children went to seek gambroo (ǀkũĩ, a sort of cucumber); because he thought (wished) that the children should cut him up with a stone knife, as these children did not possess metal knives.

The children perceived him, when he had laid himself stretched out, while his horns were turned backwards. The children then said to each other: “It is a hartebeest that yonder lies; it is dead.” The children jumped for joy (saying): ‘Our hartebeest! we shall eat great meat.” They broke off stone knives by striking (one stone against another),* they skinned the Mantis. The skin of the Mantis snatched itself quickly out of the children’s hands. They say to each other: “Hold thou strongly fast for me the hartebeest skin!” Another child said: The hartebeest skin pulled at me.”

Her elder sister said: ‘It does seem that the hartebeest has not a wound from the people who shot it; for, the hartebeest appears to have died of itself. Although the hartebeest is fat, (yet) the hartebeest has no shooting wound.”

Her elder sister cut off a shoulder of the hartebeest, and put it down (on a bush). The hartebeest’s shoulder arose by itself, it sat down nicely (on the other side of the bush), while it placed itself nicely. She (then) cut off a thigh of the hartebeest, and put it down (on a bush); it placed itself nicely on the bush. She cut off another shoulder of the hartebeest, and put it upon (another) bush. It arose, and sat upon a soft (portion of the) bush; as it felt that the bush (upon which the child had laid it) pricked it.

Another elder sister cut off the other thigh of the hartebeest. They spoke thus: “This hartebeest’s flesh does move;* that must be why it shrinks away.”

They arrange their burdens; one says to the other: “Cut and break off the hartebeest’s neck, so that (thy) younger sister may carry the hartebeest’s head, for, (thy) yonder sitting elder sister, she shall carry the hartebeest’s back, she who is a big girl. For, we must carrying return (home); for, we came (and) cut up this hartebeest. Its flesh moves;

(As regards) a man’s flesh, when another man shoots him, the poison enters the body. The people cutting break away his flesh, while they cutting take away the mouth of the poisonous wound. The people set aside the man’s flesh; it remains quivering, while the other part of the flesh moves (quivers) in his body,—that (flesh) which he sits in (literally “which he possesses sitting”),— that which the people cutting broke. This it is which moves in the (cut out) wound’s mouth, while the flesh feels that the flesh is warm. Therefore, the flesh moves, as (while) the flesh (feels that the flesh) is alive; hence it is warm. As (while) the man (feels that he) warms himself at the fire, all his flesh is warm, while it (feels that it) lives. The thing (reason) on account of which he really dies is that his flesh feels cool. While it feels that it is cold, his flesh becomes very cold. This is the reason why his flesh dies. its flesh snatches itself out of our hand. ǀáttā!* it of itself places itself nicely.”

They take up the flesh of the Mantis; they say to the child: “Carry the hartebeest’s head, that father may put it to roast for you.” The child slung on the hartebeest’s head, she called to her sisters: “Taking hold help me up; † this hartebeest’s head is not light.” Her sisters taking hold of her help her up.

They go away, they return (home). The hartebeest’s head slips downwards, because the Mantis’s head wishes to stand on the ground. The child lifts it up (with her shoulders), the hartebeest’s head (by turning a little) removes the thong from the hartebeest’s eye. The hartebeest’s head was whispering, it whispering said to the child: “O child! the thong is standing in front of my eye. Take away for me the thong; the thong is shutting my eye.” The child looked behind her; the Mantis winked at the child. The child whimpered; her elder sister looked back at her. Her elder sister called to her: “Come forward quickly; we return (home).”

The child exclaimed: “This hartebeest’s head is able to speak.” Her elder sister scolded her: “Lying come forward; we go. Art thou not coming deceiving (us) about the hartebeest’s head?”

The child said to her elder sister: ‘The hartebeest has winked at me with the hartebeest’s eye; the hartebeest desired that I should take away the thong from his eye. Thus it was that the hartebeest’s head lay looking behind my back.”

The child looked back at the hartebeest’s head, the hartebeest opened and shut its eyes. The child said to her elder sister: ‘The hartebeest’s head must be alive, for it is opening and shutting its eyes.”

The child, walking on, unloosened the thong; the child let fall the hartebeest’s head. The Mantis scolded the child, he complained about his head. He scolded the child: “Oh! oh! my head!* Oh! bad little person! † hurting me in my head.”

Her sisters let fall the flesh of the Mantis. The flesh of the Mantis sprang together, it quickly joined itself to the lower part of the Mantis’s back. The head of the Mantis quickly joined (itself) upon the top of the neck of the Mantis. The neck of the Mantis quickly joined (itself) upon the upper part of the Mantis’s spine. The upper part of the Mantis’s spine joined itself to the Mantis’s back. The thigh of the Mantis sprang forward,‡ it joined itself to the Mantis’s back. His other thigh ran forward, racing it joined itself to the other side of the Mantis’s back. The chest of the Mantis ran forward, it joined itself to the front side of the upper part of the Mantis’s spine. The shoulder blade of the Mantis ran forward, it joined itself on to the ribs of the Mantis, The other shoulder blade of the Mantis ran forward, while it felt that the ribs of the Mantis had joined themselves on, when they raced.

The children still ran on; he (the Mantis, arose from the ground and) ran, while he chased the children,—he being whole,—his head being round,— while he felt that he was a man.* Therefore, he was stepping along with (his) shoes, while he jogged with his shoulder blade.†

He saw that the children had reached home; he quickly turned about, he, jogging with his shoulder blade, descended to the river. He went along the river bed, making a noise as he stepped in the soft sand; he yonder went quickly out of the river bed. He returned, coming out at a different side of the house (i.e. his own house); he returned, passing in front of the house.

The children said: “We have been (and) seen a hartebeest which was dead. That hartebeest, it was the one which we cut up with stone knives; its flesh quivered. The hartebeest’s flesh quickly snatched itself out of our hands. It by itself was placing itself nicely upon bushes which were comfortable; while the hartebeest felt that the hartebeest’s head would go along whispering. While the child who sits (there) carried it, it talking stood behind the child’s back.”.

The child said to her father: “O papa! Dost thou seem to think that the hartebeest’s head did not talk to me? For the hartebeest’s head felt that it would be looking at my hole above the nape of the neck, as I went along; and then it was that the hartebeest’s head told me that I should take away for him the thong from his eye. For, the thong lay in front of his eye.”

Her father said to them: ‘Have you been and cut up the old man, the Mantis, while he lay pretending to be dead in front of you?”

The children said: “We thought that the hartebeest’s horns were there, the hartebeest had hair. The hartebeest was one which had not an arrow’s wound; while the hartebeest felt that the hartebeest would talk. Therefore, the hartebeest came and chased us, when we had put down the hartebeest’s flesh. The hartebeest’s flesh jumped together, while it springing gathered (itself) together, that it might mend, that it might mending hold together to the hartebeest’s back. The hartebeest’s back also joined on.

“Therefore, the hartebeest ran forward, while his body was red, when he had no hair (that coat of hair in which he had been lying down), as he ran, swinging his arm like a man.

“And when he saw that we reached the house, he whisked round, He ran, kicking up his heels (showing the white soles of his shoes), while he running went before the wind, while the sun shone upon his feet’s face (soles), while he ran with all his might into the little river (bed), that he might pass behind the back of the hill lying yonder.”

Their parents said to the children: “You are those who went and cut up the old man ‘TinderboxOwner.’ He, there behind, was one who gently came out from the place there behind.”

The children said to their fathers: ‘He has gone round, he ran fast. He always seems as if he would come over the little hill lying yonder when he sees that we are just reaching home.

‘While this little daughter, she was the one to whom the hartebeest’s head, going along, talked; and ‘then she told us. Therefore, we let fall the hartebeest’s flesh; we laid our karosses on our shoulders, that we might run very fast.

“While its flesh running came together on its back, it finished mending itself. He arose and ran forward, he, quickly moving his arms, chased us. Therefore, we did thus, we became tired from it, on account of the running with which he had chased us, while he did verily move his arms fast.

“Then he descended into the small river,—while he thought that he would, moving his arms fast, run along the small river. Then he thus did, he, picking up wood, came out; while we sat, feeling the fatigue; because he had been deceiving. While he felt that all the people saw him, when we came carrying his thighs, when he went to die lying in front of us; while he wished that we should feel this fatigue, while this child here, it carried his head,— he looked up with fixed eyes. He was as if he was dead; he was (afterwards) opening and shutting his eyes; he afar lay talking (while the children were running off). He talked while he mended his body; his head talked, while he mended his body. His head talking reached his back; it came to join upon the top (of his neck).

(at home), while we did cut him up with stone knives (splinters). 14-4! he went feigning death to lie in front of us, that we might do so, we run.

“This fatigue, it is that which we are feeling; and our hearts burnt on account of it. Therefore, we shall not hunt (for food), for we shall altogether remain at home.”

ǃGáunu-TsaΧÁu (The Son of the Mantis), the Baboons, and the Mantis

ǃgáunu-tsaχáu * formerly went to fetch for his father sticks, that his father might take aim at the people who sit upon (their) heels. Fetching, he went up to them (the baboons) as they were going along feeding. Therefore, a baboon who feeding went past him,—he who was an older baboon,—he was the one to whom ǃgáunu-tsaχáu came, Then he questioned ǃgáunu-tsaχáu. And ǃgáunu-tsaχáu told him about it, that he must fetch for his father sticks, that his father might take aim at the people who sit upon (their) heels. Therefore, he (the baboon) exclaimed †: “Hie! Come to listen to this child.” And the other one said:

“First going I listen, To the child yonder.

I listen, To the child yonder.” And he reached them. He said: ‘What does this child say?” And the child said: “I must fetch for my father sticks (bushes?), that my father may take aim at the people who sit upon (their) heels.” Then the baboon said: “Tell the old man yonder that he must come to hear this child.” Then the baboon called out: “Hie! Come to hear this child.” Then the other one said:

And he came up (to them); he exclaimed: “What does this child say?” And the other one answered: “This child, he wishes, he says, to fetch sticks for his father, that his father may take aim at the people who sit upon (their) heels.” And this baboon said: ‘Tell the old man yonder that he must come to hear this child.” Then this (other) baboon called out: “O person passing across in front! come to listen to this child.’ Therefore, the other one said:

And he came up (to them). He said: “What does this child say?’ And the other one answered: “This child wants, he says, to fetch sticks * for his father, that his father may take aim at the people who sit upon (their) heels.” Therefore, this baboon exclaimed: ‘It is ourselves! Thou shalt tell the old man yonder that he shall come to listen to this child.” Therefore, this other baboon called out: “Ho! come to listen to this child.” Then the other one said:

He came up to the other people on account of it. He said: “What does this child say?” And the other one answered: ‘This child, he wants, he says, to fetch * sticks for his father, that his father may take aim at the people who sit upon (their) heels.” Therefore, this baboon exclaimed (with a sneering kind of laugh): ‘Oho! It is ourselves! Thou shalt quickly go to tell the old man yonder, that he may come to listen to this child.” And the other one called out: “O person passing across in front! come to listen to this child.’ And the other said:

And he went up to the other people; he said: “What does this child say?” And the other one answered: “This child, he wants, he says, to fetch sticks for his father, that his father may take aim at the people who sit upon their heels.”

Then that baboon,—he felt that he was an old baboon,—therefore, he said, when the other one had said, “This child wanted, he said, to fetch sticks for his father,” therefore the other one (the old baboon) exclaimed: “What? it is we ourselves; ourselves it is! Ye shall strike the child with your fists.”

Therefore, they were striking ǃgáunu-tsaχáu with their fists on account of it; they hit with their fists, breaking (his) head. ‘And another struck with his fist, knocking out ǃgáunu-tsaχáu’s eye; and the child’s eye in this manner sprang (or rolled) away. Then this baboon exclaimed: “My ball! my ball!” Therefore, they began to play a game at ball,* while the child died; the child lay still. They said (sang):

The other people said:

while they were playing at ball there with the child’s eye.

The Mantis was waiting for the child. Therefore, the Mantis lay down at noon. Therefore, the Mantis

was dreaming about the child, that the baboons were those who had killed the child; that they had made a ball of the child’s eye; that he went to the baboons, while the baboons played at ball there with the child’s eye.

Therefore, he arose; he took up the quiver, he slung on the quiver; he said, ‘Rattling along,* rattling along,” while he felt that he used formerly to do so, he used to say, “Rattling along.” Then, when he came into sight, he perceived the baboons’ dust, while the baboons were playing at ball there with the child’s eye. Then the Mantis cried on account of it, because the baboons appeared really to have killed the child. Therefore, they were playing at ball there with the child’s eye. Therefore, when he came into sight, he perceived the baboons’ dust, while the baboons were playing at ball there with the child’s eye. Therefore he cried about it. And he quickly shut his mouth; he thoroughly dried the tears from his eyes, while he desired that the baboons should not perceive tears in his eyes; that he appeared to have come crying, hence tears were in his eyes; so that he might go to play at ball with the baboons, while his eyes had no tears in them.

Then he, running, came up to the baboons, while the baboons stared at him, because they were startled at him.† Then, while the baboons were still staring at him, he came running to a place where he laid down the quiver; he took off (his) kaross (i.e. skin cloak), he put down the kaross, he, grasping, drew out the feather brush which he had put into the bag, he shook out the brush, he played with (?) the ball. He called out to the baboons, why was it that the baboons were staring at him, while the baboons did not play with (?) the ball, that the baboons might throw it to him.

Then the baboons looked at one another, because they suspected why he spoke thus. Then he caught hold of the ball, when the ball had merely flown to another baboon, when this (the first) baboon had thrown the ball to the other. Then the child’s eye, because the child’s eye felt that it was startled (?), on account of his father’s scent, it went playing about; the baboons trying to get it, missed it, Then one baboon, he was the one who caught hold of it, he threw it towards another. Then the Mantis merely sprang out from this place, the Mantis caught hold of the child’s eye, the Mantis, snatching, took the child’s eye. Then the Mantis whirled around the child’s eye; he anointed the child’s eye with (the perspiration of) his armpits. Then he threw the child’s eye towards the baboons, the child’s eye ascended, the child’s eye went about in the sky; the baboons beheld it above, as it played about above in the sky. And the child’s eye went to stand yonder opposite to the quiver; it appeared as if it sprang over the quiver, while it stood inside the quiver’s bag.*

Then the baboons went to seek for it. The Mantis also sought for it, while the baboons sought for it. Then all the baboons were altogether seeking for the child’s eye. They said: “Give my companion the ball.” * The baboon whose ball it was, he said: “Give me the ball.’ † The Mantis said: ‘Behold ye! I have not got the ball.” The baboons said: “Give my companion the ball.” The baboon whose ball it was, he said: “Give me the ball.” Then the baboons ‡ said that the Mantis must shake the bag, for the ball seemed to be inside the bag. And the Mantis exclaimed: ‘Behold ye! Behold ye! the ball is not inside the bag. Behold ye!” while he grasped the child’s eye, he shook, turning the bag inside out. He said: “Behold ye! Behold ye! the ball cannot be inside the bag.”

Then this baboon exclaimed: ‘Hit the old man with (your) fists.” Then the other one exclaimed: “Give my companion the ball!” while he struck the head of the Mantis. Then the Mantis exclaimed: “I have not got the ball,” while he struck the baboon’s head. Therefore, they were all striking the Mantis with their fists; the Mantis was striking them with his fist. Then the Mantis got the worst of it; the Mantis exclaimed: ‘Ow! Hartebeest’s Children! § ye must go! ǃkáu ǃγèrri-

it; it was the one that he tied, placing it by the side of the quiver. That bag, it was the one that the child’s eye was in. That bag, it was the one that he laid the bow upon.

“Give my companion the ball.” ggú!* ye must go!” while the baboons watched him ascend; as he flew up, as he flew to the water. Then he popped into the water on account of it; while he exclaimed: “Ī ǀké, ttén ǀkhwaitenǀkhwaiten, ǃkuí há ī ǀkă!” † Then he walked out of the water; he sat down; he felt inside (his) bag; he took out the child’s eye; he walked on as he held it; he walked, coming up to the grass at the top of the water’s bank †; he sat down. He exclaimed: ‘Oh wwi ho!” § as he put the child’s eye into the water. “Thou must grow out, that thou mayest become like that which thou hast been.” ‖ Then he walked on; he went to take up (his) kaross, he threw it over his shoulder; he took up the quiver, he slung on the quiver; and, in this manner, he returning went, while he returning arrived at home.

Then the young Ichneumon exclaimed: ‘Who can have done thus to my grandfather, the Mantis, that the Mantis is covered with wounds?” Then the Mantis replied: ‘The baboons were those who killed grandson, ǃgáunu-tsaχáu; I went [the Mantis speaks very sadly and slowly here], as they were playing at ball there with grandson’s eye; I went to play at ball with them. Then grandson’s eye vanished. Therefore, the baboons said (that) I was the one who had it; the baboons were fighting me; therefore, I was fighting them; and I thus did, I flying came.”.

Then ǀkuamman-a said: “I desire thee to say to grandfather, Why is it that grandfather continues to go among strangers [literally, people who are different?’ Then the Mantis answered: “Thou dost appear to think that yearning was not that on account of which I went among the baboons;” while he did not tell ǀkuamman-a and the others that he came (and) put the ‘child’s eye into the water.

Then he remained there (i.e. at home), while he did not go to the water. Then he went there, while he went to look at the place where he had put in the child’s eye. And he approached gently, while he wished that he might not make a rustling noise. Therefore, he gently came. And the child heard him, because he had not come gently when afar off; and the child jumped up, it splashed into the water. Then the Mantis was laughing about it, while his heart yearned (for the child). And he returned; altogether returned.

Then the child grew; it became like that which it had (formerly) been. Then the Mantis came; while he came to look; and he in this manner walking came. While he came walking and looking, he espied the child, as the child was sitting in the sun. Then the child heard him, as he came rustling (along); the child sprang up, the child entered the water. And he looking stood, he went back. He went; he went to make for the child a front kaross (or apron), that and a ǁkóroko.* He put the things aside; then he put the front kaross (into a bag), that and the ǁkóroko; he in this manner went; he in this manner came; he approached gently. And, as he approached gently, he espied the child lying in the sun, as the child lay yonder, in the sun, opposite the water. Therefore, he gently came up to the child. And the child heard him, as his father gently came. And the Mantis, when the child intended to get up, the Mantis sprang forward, he caught hold of the child. And he anointed the child with his scent; he anointed the child; he said: “Why art thou afraid of me? I am thy father; I who am the Mantis, I am here; thou art my son, thou art ǃgáunu-tsaχáu: I am the Mantis, I whose son thou art; thy father is myself.” And the child sat down, on account of it; and he took out the front kaross, he took out the ǁkóroko. He put the front kaross on to the child; he put the ǁkóroko on to the child; he put the front kaross on to the child. Then he took the child with him; they, in this manner, returning went; they returning arrived at home.

Then the young Ichneumon exclaimed: “What person can it be who comes with the Mantis?” And ǀkuamman-a replied: “Hast thou not just (?) heard that grandfather said he had gone to the baboons, while they were playing at ball there with the child’s eye? while grandfather must have been playing before us; his son comes yonder with him!” And they returned, reaching the house. Then the young Ichneumon spoke; he said: “Why did my grandfather, the Mantis, first say that the baboons were those who killed the child, while the child is here?” Then the Mantis said: ‘Hast thou not seen (that) he is not strong? while he feels that I came to put his eye into the water; while I wished that I might see whether the thing would. not accomplish itself for me; therefore, I came to put his eye into the water. He came out of the water; therefore, thou seest (that) he is not strong. Therefore, I wished that I might wait, taking care of him; that I may see whether he will not become strong.”

The Story of the Leopard Tortoise.*

The people had gone hunting: she was ill; and she perceived a man f who came up to her hut; he had been hunting around.

She asked the man to rub her neck a little with fat for her; for, it ached. The man rubbed it with fat for her. And she altogether held the man firmly with it.‡ The man’s hands altogether decayed away in it. §

Again, she espied another man, who came hunting. And she also spoke, she said: “Rub me with fat a little.”

And the man whose hands had decayed away in her neck, he was hiding his hands,* so that the other man should not perceive them, namely, that they had decayed away in it. And he said: “Yes; O my mate! rub our elder sister a little with fat; for, the moon has been cut,† while our elder sister lies ill. Thou shalt also rub our elder sister with fat.” He was hiding his hands, so that the other one should not perceive them.

The Leopard Tortoise said: “Rubbing with fat, put (thy hands) into my neck.’ And he, rubbing with fat, put in his hands upon the Leopard Tortoise’s neck; and the Leopard Tortoise drew in her head upon her neck; while his hands were altogether in her neck; and he dashed the Leopard Tortoise upon the ground, on account of it; while he desired, he thought, that he should, by dashing (it) upon the ground, break the Leopard Tortoise. And the Leopard Tortoise held him fast.

The other one had taken out his hands (from behind his back); and he exclaimed: “Feel (thou) that which I did also feel!’ and he showed the other one his hands; and the other one’s hands were altogether inside the Leopard Tortoise’s neck. And he arose, he returned home. And the other one was dashing the Leopard Tortoise upon the ground; while he returning went; and he said that the other one also felt what he had felt. A pleasant thing is cut away, and only one little piece left; which the Moon piteously implores the Sun to spare for his (the Moon’s) children. (As mentioned above, the Moon is in Bushman mythology a male being.) From this little piece, the Moon gradually grows again until it becomes a full moon, when the Sun’s stabbing and cutting processes recommence.” (‘A Brief Account of Bushman Folk-lore and other Texts.” By W. H. I. Bleek, Ph.D. Cape Town, 1875. (it) was not, in which he had been! He yonder returning went; (he) arrived at home.

The people exclaimed: “Where hast thou been?” And he, answering, said that the Leopard Tortoise had been the one in whose neck his hands had been; that was why he had not returned home. The people said: ‘Art thou a fool? Did not (thy) parents instruct thee? The Leopard Tortoise always seems as if she would die; while she is deceiving us.”