How the Neck of Anene, the Crow, Became White and His Back Became Black
A CERTAIN woman, by name Ata (the Twin), went off with her child to splash (for fish). When they reached the stream, her child said, “Let’s go up the water.” But the old lady said, “Let’s go downstream, for it is downstream where the little nkawa fishes are.” Her child said, “As for me, I am going upstream, for it is upstream where the little nkawa fishes are.” So her mother went downstream. They remained away for a long time, and her child got some, and she came and passed along to seek for her mother. As she was going, (there was) her mother’s calabash floating on the face of the water. The child said, “Ah! it’s not one (thing), it’s not two (things), it’s mother’s calabash.” And she raised (her voice,) cried and called her mother, saying:
“I said so, and you would not listen, I told you so, and you would not hear.
I said, ‘Mother, let us go upstream, for it’s upstream where the little nkawa fishes live ’;
And she said she was going downstream, for down the stream is where the little nkawa fishes live.
And what am I to do? Alas my mother, Ata, mhm!”
And the Hawk came along; he said, “Child, your song is sweet, sing it and I will get your mother out for you.” And the child lifted up (her voice):
“I said so, and you would not listen, I told you so, and you would not hear.
I said, ‘Mother, let us go upstream, for it’s upstream where the little nkawa fishes live ’;;
And she said she was going downstream, for down the stream is where the little nkawa fishes live.
And what am I to do? Alas my mother, Ata, mhm!”
And the Hawk took his (magic) animal tail-switch and struck the face of the water, but the water stood where it stood. And he (the Hawk) went on. And Kokosakyi, the Vulture, came along, and he, too, said, “Sing that song for me to hear, that I may get your mother out for you.” And the child sang the song:
“I said so, and you would not listen, I told you so, and you would not hear.
I said, ‘Mother, let us go upstream, for it’s upstream where the little nkawa fishes live ’;
And she said she was going downstream, for down the stream is where the little nkawa fishes live.
And what am I to do? Alas my mother, Ata, mhm!”
And he also took his (magic) tail and beat the face of the river, but nothing happened. And he, too, went on. And (now) Anene, the Crow, also came along. He said, “Child, why do you cry like this? Cry and let me hear that I may get your mother out for you. And the child sang the song:
I said so, and you would not listen, I told you so, and you would not hear.
I said, ‘Mother, let us go upstream, for it’s upstream where the little nkawa fishes live’;
And she said she was going downstream, for down the stream is where the little nkawa fishes live.
And what am I to do? Alas my mother, Ata, mhm!”
The Crow took a cone of medicine and threw it in the water, and he took his magic tail and struck the face of the water, and the water divided in two; and he said, “Sing the song”; and the child sang. And she saw the hair of her mother’s head; and she smiled a little. He said, “Sing again,” and she sang. And her mother emerged up to the waist. The Crow said, “Go on singing.” And the child sang, and her mother emerged as far as her ankles. He said, “Sing again’; and she sang. Her mother leaped out all at once and stood on the bank. Ata, the Twin, said, “Crow, what must I take to thank you?” He replied, “As for me, I don’t want anything at all, just go and buy dark-blue and white cloth.” Ata ran and bought some, and came with it to the Crow, and the Crow covered himself with the dark-blue, and the white he bound round his neck. That is why you will see the Crow, his back is dark coloured, but round his neck is white. They are gifts he received from Ata, the Twin.
This, my story, which I have related, if it be sweet, (or) if it be not sweet, some you may take as true, and the rest you may praise me (for telling of it).
How Kwatima, the Ram, Came to Get the Name of Odwanini
THERE (once) was a Ram, Kwatima, and he said, “I am going to look for some land on which to build a house.” And the Leopard too, at the same time, had exactly the same idea. Then Kwatima, the Ram, set out to go and view the land which he wanted; and he cleared it, in order that he might build a house. And Osebo, the Leopard, also went off (and when he reached where the Ram had cleared), he said, “Gracious me! The village I was going to build, but had not done any work on yet, my spirit ancestors have already begun upon it.” And he, too, did a little clearing and went off. Next day, when things began to appear (i. e. at dawn), the Ram went again. When he got to the place, he said, “Gracious me! Of a truth my spirit ancestors are going to help me, (look at) the ground which they have cleared.” And he, too, swept up (the rubbish) and went off. And the Leopard, also, came. He said, “Oh! this is some matter; I am almost afraid about it.” And he, too, went off to the bush; he cut poles and laid them down there (on the site). And the Ram also came, and he also looked long in surprise. He also went off to the bush, to cut rope creepers, and he threw them down there and went off. And again the Leopard came. He, too, looked long (at the progress made), and he pegged out (the house) and off he went. Again Kwatima came, and he dug holes and placed the poles in them, and went off. And again the Leopard came, and he tied on the cross sticks, and went away. And again Kwatima came, and he went and collected the thatch and placed it there and went off. And the Leopard came again, and mixed the mud and did the plastering; and went away. And again Kwatima came and did the roofing, and went off. And again the Leopard came, and beat the floors, and went off. Then Kwatima came, too, and picked out white clay and plastered (the walls), and went off home. When he went, he told his child, “To-day I have completed the house, and when the Sunday Adae falls, on the (following) Monday we shall have the new house warming, so look for people with guns to go and fire into the room.” Now the Leopard also came (and saw the completed house). He said, “Eh! I have not anything to say, but only that I shall go and collect my belongings and return.” Then he went off, and went and told his child, saying, “Run as fast as you can and tell the Ghost-hunter that when the Adae falls on a Sunday, on the (following) Monday I shall celebrate the new house warming, therefore let him come and fire a gun for me.” And his child went off and told him. He (the Ghost-hunter) said, “I have heard.” Then on the day preceding the Adae, Kwatima collected his belongings, and took them and deposited them there in the house, and came back. And the Leopard, too, collected his, and took them (there). When it was clear enough to see things, on the Sunday Adae, Kwatima went all round bidding the people with whom he lived good-bye; and the Leopard, too, made his farewells. On Monday, when things appeared (i. e. at dawn), Kwatima and his child went (to the new house); then went and fired a gun into the room. And the Leopard also came; he heard the gun; he said, “To-day is not a good day, to-day the spirits are firing guns.” And he, too, came; and the Ghost-hunter also went into the house there, and caused the gun to cry out, pomm! The Leopard came and saw Kwatima and his child sitting there. He said, “What is your business?” Kwatima also said, “You too, what is your business?” The Leopard said, “If you have no reason (for coming here), I, too, have none.” And Kwatima said, “If that is so, then we shall both live here.” So they settled down there. Every day, when the Leopard got up, he went hunting, and brought back meat. Always it was so. But as for Kwatima, he did not bring anything. Then one day the fearful one went off to the bush; he did his very best to catch something, but was unsuccessful. He returned home, and said, “Kwatima, if to-day you don’t go to the bush and bring back some meat, what I shall do to you, you will not like.” Kwatima set out, and went to the bush, and brought back a bush-buck and threw it down there. When the Leopard saw the animal, it made him as surprised as anything. When things appeared (i. e. at dawn), Kwatima went off, and again he brought back another (antelope). The Leopard said, “E!” He said to his child, “Look here, I am going to the bush, and I am taking Kwatima along with me as well, and the young duyker that I brought you the other day, when we have gone, call Kwatima’s child and ask him, saying, “When your father goes to the bush to catch meat, demonstrate for us on this duyker how he does it.” And the people (Osebo and Kwatima) set out. And the Leopard’s child said, “Kwatima’s child, come and let us play.” He came; he said, “When father goes to the bush, this is how he catches game.” And he leaped, and caught the young duyker and seized its throat. Kwatima’s child said, “Do you go and fetch a big stone.” The Leopard’s child went and brought one. He placed it down there. Kwatima’s child backed away from it and came and then hit the stone with the top of his head, pirn! and it smashed to pieces. The Leopard’s child said, “Ah.” And their fathers came in from the bush, and the Leopard’s child told his father what had happened, and Kwatima’s child, too, told his father what had happened. Now there they were, when one day something stuck to Kwatima’s foot, and he was about to brush it off, but the Leopard thought that he was backing in order to kill him. Immediately the Leopard rushed upon Kwatima in order to catch him. And Kwatima ran off kiri, kiri, kiri. He went to a pool that lay there, in which was a Python. Kwatima said, “Father Python, I flee to you for protection that the Leopard may not catch me.” There and then the Python said, “You, fellow, you have done right (to come to me), so take my hand.” Kwatima tried hard and shook hands with him. That is how Kwatima came to get the name of Odwa-nini (lit. Shake hands with the Python). It originated in his shaking hands with the Python.
This, my story, which I have related, if it be sweet, (or) if it be not sweet, some you may take as true, and the rest you may praise me (for telling of it).