How It Came About That Obonto Ya, the Minnow, Is Always “Walking” About Aimlessly in the Water
THEY say that Old-woman-grandmother was there, and that her property got lost. She said it was “the water creatures” that had taken (the things). The crab was sitting there, and she said, “Ah, you have caused our eyes to droop (in shame), and what we propose doing to show you what is in our head is (this): go and bring a brass pan and let us all fill it with (our) tears, and the one who cannot weep so as to fill it, that is the one who has taken (the things).”
She brought the brass pan. Okoto, the crab, wept and filled it; they emptied it out; Mmobonse came and wept; Okawa came and wept; Oyoyo, the eel, came and wept; Otidi came and wept; Obonko, the shrimp, came and wept; Akorese came and wept; Opitiri came and wept; Okobo came and wept; all the water creatures came and wept. Last (of all) Obonto Ya, the Minnow, came to weep; she did not get water from her eyes; therefore they perceived that Obonto Ya had taken (the things).
But Old-woman-grandmother said, “I shall not do anything to you.” Thereupon, all the creatures said, “As for us, we shall beat her, for she has put us to shame.” So they beat her.
When they had finished beating her, Old-woman-grandmother said, “I leave you (for ever) to flit about aimlessly; no one will ever wish to have anything to do with you.”
This is the reason that, when women “go splashing” (for fish), they see OBONTO YA wandering (now) here and there.
This, my story, which I have related, if it be sweet, (or) if it be not sweet, take some elsewhere, and let some come back to me.
Mpitripi and Mpatrapa
MPITRIPI and Mpatrapa and Anyankama-Kyerebi and Kyerebi-Koso-Adawurampon went and dug up thirty palm-wine trees, and they said, “Let no one touch the froth of the palm-wine and lick (his fingers).” ; Now Father Spider went and touched the froth of the palm-wine and licked (his fingers), and people (lit. they) said, “Take the debt.” Ananse said, ‘What debt have I incurred?’ They answered, “You have incurred a debt because, Mpitripi and Mpatrapa and Anyankama-Kyerebi and Kyerebi-Koso-Adawurampon have gone and dug up thirty palm-wine trees, and they said let no one touch the froth of the palm-wine and lick (his fingers), and you have touched the froth of the palm-wine and licked (your fingers), that is why we say, “take the debt” (i. e. you must pay the penalty); and they dunned the Spider in order to receive (the compensation), so he jumped and clung to the ceiling, (with a noise like) Kado!
That is why they say for ever after, one will see Ananse plastered against the ceiling, although long ago he used to walk on the ground like Okoto, the Crab.
This, my story, which I have related, if it be sweet, (or) if it be not sweet, take some elsewhere, and let some come back to me.
How It Came About That Wisdom Came Among the Tribe
THEY say that Kwaku, the Spider, was there, and that he swept up all knowledge, gathered it together in one spot, and placed it in a gourd pot. He then declared that he would climb a tree and go and hang it on it, so that all wisdom on earth would be finished.
So he took it up to go with it, and when he reached beneath the tree where he was going to hang it, he took a string, and tied it to the gourd, and hung it in front of him, and he set himself to climb the tree. He climbed, and climbed, and climbed; in vain. He strove again, again he made to climb, and climb, and climb; in vain.
Now, his son, Ntikuma, who was standing by, said, “Oh, your eyes have surely died (for shame), would it not have been better if you had turned round the gourd and put it on your back, then doubtless you would have been able to climb?” He (the Spider) said, “Clear out, you and your old-fashioned sayings.” Then he turned to climb once more as before, but once again, fruitlessly. Then he considered long, and (finally) took the gourd and put it behind him. Then he set himself to climb, and mounted swiftly, Kra! kra! kra! (was the sound of his climbing); there he goes. He reached where the branches began to spread out from the stem, and he said (to himself), “I, Kwaku Ananse, by the lesser god, Afio! I might as well be dead, my child who is so small, so small, so small— there was I, I collected all wisdom (so I thought) in one place, yet some remained which even I did not perceive, and lo! my child, this still-sucking infant, has shown it me.” Then he seized that gourd, and there was a sound of rending, tintini! and he cast it away, and there was a sound of scattering, tesee!
That is how every one got wisdom; and any one who did not go there in time (to pick some up) is—excuse my saying so—a fool.
This, my story, which I have related, if it be sweet, (or) if it be not sweet, take some elsewhere, and let some come back to me.
How It Came About That We Do Not Leave a Child in an Empty House
THEY say that a hunter and his child went and built a small settlement, and in it they dwelt. And the hunter has killed beasts, has killed, has killed, has killed. Every kind of animal was among them. Now, when he killed these beasts he used to eat the meat, and cut off the heads, and put them there; one whole room was full of animal heads, as full as this. Now words are sometimes left behind (i. e. there is something I have forgotten to say); that hunter, when he went off to the bush, always left his child at home. One day, as the child sat there, he saw the White (spotted) animal; and it was all of a sudden. He said, “My grandchild, good evening.” He said, “Where is your father.” He (the child) said, “Father has gone to the bush.” The leopard, as he was looking about, saw the heads of the animals, and there were many. He said, “Ah! you are in for trouble.” Said he, “Bring all the beasts’ heads for me to see.” And the fearful one stood there and lashed his tail (which made a swishing sound like) f’re! fre! f’re! And the child took the heads of the beasts and set them out there in a long, long line that reached (as it were) from here to over yonder. And the Leopard said, “Name them for me that I may hear.” And he stood over against the child’s neck, and said, “Call out (their names); this one, what kind of a beast is it?”
He (the child) said:
“This one is the little antelope, Adowa, Adowa, Adowa, Kwadwo Berefi Adowa, Father killed this Adowa, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!” (Alas). “What kind of beast is this?”
“This is Otwe, the Duyker, the Duyker, the Duyker (whose title is), the-agileone-if-unhappy-the-fault-lies-with-the-hunter. Father killed this Duyker, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!”
“What kind of beast is this?”
“This is the black duyker, Oyuo, Oyuo, Oyuo, Oyuo Kwabi, Father killed this Oyuo, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!”
“What kind of beast is this?”
“This is the red duyker, Abedie, Abedie, Abedie, Father killed this Abedie, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!”
“What kind of beast is this?”
“This is the Otromo, the Bongo, the Bongo, the Bongo, Sakwa the Bongo, Father killed this Bongo, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!”
“What kind of beast is this?”
“This is Wansane, the Bush-buck, the Bush-buck, the Bush-buck, Mmomire the Bush-buck, Father killed this Bush-buck, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!”
“What kind of beast is this?”
“This is the Kotoko, the Porcupine, the Porcupine, the Porcupine, Gyanbibi, the Porcupine, Father killed this Porcupine, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!”
“What kind of beast is this?”
“This is Ekuo, the Buffalo, the Buffalo, Asempi, the Buffalo, Father killed this Buffalo, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!”
“What kind of beast is this?”
“This is Oforotie, the Cob, the Cob, the Cob, Pantan, the Cob, Father killed this Cob, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!”
“What kind of beast is this?”
“This is Osonson, the Hartbeest, the Hartbeest, the Hartbeest, Ofuntum Kwoa, the Hartbeest, Father killed this Hartbeest, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!”
“What kind of beast is this?”
“This is Oko, the Roan, the Roan, the Roan, Father killed this Roan, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!”
“What kind of beast is this?”
“This is Aboa Kesie, the Great Beast, the Great Beast, the Great Beast, ’Sai, King of the tall-grass-country, Father killed this Great Beast, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!”
“What kind of beast is this?”
“This is Esono, the Elephant, the Elephant, the Elephant, The Great bull that walks alone, he who breaks the axes, Father killed this Elephant, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!”
“What kind of beast is this?”
“This is Susono, the Hippo, the Hippo, the Hippo, Father killed this Hippo, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!”
“What kind of beast is this?”
“This is Ebie, the Giant-forest-Hog, the Giant-forest-Hog, the Giant-forest-Hog, Father killed this Giant-forest-Hog, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!” “What kind of beast is this?”
“This is Kokotee, the Bush pig, the Bush pig, the Bush pig, Asamoa, the Bush pig, Father killed this Bush pig, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!” “What kind of beast is this?”
“This is Ofosuo, the Water-buck, the Water-buck, the Water-buck, Father killed this Water-buck, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!”
“What kind of beast is this?”
“This is Kwaduo, the Yellow-backed-duyker, the Yellow-backed-duyker, the Yellow-backed duyker, Boapampa, Father killed this Yellow-backed-duyker, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!”
“What kind of beast is this?”
“This is Apese, the Brush-tailed-porcupine, the Brush-tailed-porcupine, the Brushtailed-porcupine, Father killed this Brush-tailed-porcupine, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!”
“What kind of beast is this?”
“This is Efuo, the Colobus Monkey, the Colobus Monkey, the Colobus Monkey, Ya, the Colobus Monkey, Father killed this Colobus Monkey, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!”
And now he reached where the head of the White-(spotted)-one lay, and he said, “And this one too, eh?” He (the child) said:
“Let Father come before (I name it),
for this is fearful.”
The Leopard said, “I have heard; I am going off; to-morrow I shall return, and when your Father comes home, ask him its name.” The Father returned from the bush, and he (the child) said: “It’s misfortune I have beheld.” The Father said: “What’s the matter?” He (the child) said: “You left me here to go to the bush, and the Leopard came along, and he made me lay all the beasts’ heads in a line and name them one by one, until (we) reached that of his kinsman, and he said that I must speak its name, but I said he must let you come first, as this one was a thing of dread.” The Father said: “Oh, that’s nothing, we shall see what happens again to-morrow.” And of very truth, once again when objects began to be visible (i. e. at dawn) the Father went off to the bush. The Leopard came again and made him (the child) lay the heads out there in a line once more, and caused him to name the beasts’ heads one by one. When again, for the second time, he reached the head of the Leopard, he said:
“Let Father come before (I name it),
for this is fearful.”
The Leopard said: “All right, but to-morrow when I come and if you do not tell me, I shall cut off your head too.” The Child said: “I have heard!” Evening fell cool, and the Father returned home and (the child) said: “As for to-day— to-morrow if you do not bestir yourself and see what you are going to do about it, then I am off and will leave you here in this settlement.” The Father said: “What is the matter again?” The child said: “The Leopard came a second time, and he says if to-morrow I do not speak, what he will do for me will be more than I can stomach (lit. eat).” The Father said: “All right, I have heard.” Then he wandered off to seek for leaves and medicine roots, with which to bathe his gun. He loaded it, and set it there. Just as things became visible, he went and hid somewhere. Not long after, he saw the Leopard coming hastening along. As soon as the Leopard reached the house, he spoke to the hunter’s child, saying, “As for to-day, what will happen will happen.” The child said: “Ah, that’s because you don’t know (quite everything).” The Leopard said: “What is that you say, I didn’t hear?” The child said: “You told me to line up (the heads), and what could I say (to that)?” The Leopard said: “Get on (with the job).” The child took the heads of the beasts and spread them out in a line, saying (aside to his Father), “Where shall I put (this one)?” The Leopard said: “What’s that you say?” The child said: “I was just reminding myself of the name of this animal.” The Leopard went and stood over against the child’s neck and said, “Go on, and this one too, what kind of beast is it?”
“This is the Otwe, the Bush-buck, the Bush-buck, the Bush-buck, Father killed this Bush-buck, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!”
And he named all the beasts’ heads in like manner, and reached that of the Leopard. He (the Leopard) said: “And this one, eh?” He (the child) said: “This is Etwie, a Leopard, a Leopard, a Leopard, Father Leopard, Father killed this Leopard, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!”
The Leopard said: “Oh, but you have seen misfortune; of my ears, one has heard, there remains the other.” And he went back and asked him again, and the child repeated it, and he (the Leopard) said: “My two ears have now heard, there remains only my little calabash that contains my fetish which I have placed before me.” Now the Father whistled, and called on his child and said to him, “Draw yourself aside,” and the child leaped and stood aside. And the Leopard said: “Where are you going?” And the child said: “I was just moving a little aside.” The Leopard said: “My grandchild, you have sense.” And he (the Leopard) said: “And this one too, what is its name?” He (the child) said:
“This is Etwie, a Leopard, a Leopard, a Leopard, Father Leopard, Father killed this Leopard, when the gun goes off, I hail Father, damirifa!”
His mouth stood still, and the Leopard was about to spring and catch him, when the child’s Father made the gun cry out, Tomm! And the Leopard lay there, and the sound of his falling was, Tim! And Father came and cut up the Leopard’s flesh and threw it all around.
Now that is why the elders say we must not leave a child alone in the house, for the hunter did so, and nearly let the Leopard catch his child.
This, my story, which I have related, if it be sweet, (or) if it be not sweet, take some elsewhere, and let some come back to me.