When Some One Spoils Something Belonging to You (Accidentally), Do Not Accept Payment for It

We do not really mean, we do not really mean, (that what we are going to say is true).

THEY say that there once lived together twins whose mother had died and left them (alone). A festival was being held, and the elder twin (Ata ’Panin) took some precious beads and some gold trinkets and hung them round the younger twin’s, Ata Kuma’s, neck. The younger twin and her friends said they were going down to the stream to bathe. As they were bathing, the string on which were threaded the gold trinkets around Ata Kuma’s neck broke, and the ornaments fell into the water. Search as she would, she could not find them. She came back home to report to her sister, saying, “The gold trinkets have been lost.” Ata ’Panin (the elder twin) said, “I’m not so sure about them being lost, and even if they were, there is something I will claim from you.” Ata Kuma (the younger twin) said, “What will you claim from me?” She said, I will claim from you the claw of a leopard, the nest of the little Aserewa bird, Water that gurgles ponponponponsa, a leaf which is the only one (on the tree from which you pluck it), and the tail of the Queen Mother of the Elephants. Ata Kuma said, “I have heard.” Ata Kuma set out (to find these things), and came to a certain spot where there stood a single tree. When the tree saw her, he said, “Here is Ata Kuma, (of whom people say) she appears on the outskirts of the town like a refreshing shower of rain.” (Ata Kuma) said, “The only reason I have come here is that father’s child is one Ata ’Panin, and mother’s child is one Ata ’Panin, and she strung variegated beads and hung them around my neck, and they broke and got lost.’” (Here Ata Kuma broke into song):

“She says she is claiming something from me.

She is claiming from me a leaf from a tree, which bears but a single leaf.

She says she is claiming something from me.

She is claiming a leaf from me.

She says she is claiming something from me.

She is claiming the nest of the Aserewa bird.

She says she is claiming something from me.

She is claiming Water, gurgling ponponponponsa.

She says she is claiming something from me.

She is claiming the claw of Father Leopard.

She says she is claiming something from me. She is claiming the tail of the Queen Mother of the Elephants, up to the root. And what must I do, O father, to get some?

She says (here is) a small, small child, daughter of Akwasi Toboro Kojo.

Kojo Nsa.

Father Elephant, you had better take yourself off, you had better be off.

Kojo Nsa a a.”

And the Single-leaf-on-a-tree said, “And that is why you are weeping, come and receive something.” And Ata Kuma went and received (the leaf from a tree that had but a single leaf upon it), and she thanked him (the tree). And she went on, and met an Aserewa bird. And the Aserewa bird said, “Here is Ata Kuma, who, when she appears on the outskirts of the town, every one says is like a refreshing shower of rain.” Ata Kuma replied, “The only reason why I have come here is that father’s child is one Ata ’Panin, and mother’s child is one Ata ’Panin, and she threaded variegated beads and hung them around me, and they broke and got lost.” (And here Ata Kuma broke into song):

“She says she is claiming something from me.

She is claiming from me a leaf from a tree, which bears but a single leaf.

She says she is claiming something from me.

She is claiming from me a leaf.

She says she is claiming something from me. She is claiming the nest of the Aserewa bird.

She says she is claiming something from me. She is claiming Water, gurgling ponponponponsa.

She says she is claiming something from me. She is claiming the claw of Father Leopard.

She says she is claiming something from me. She is claiming the tail of the Queen Mother of the Elephants, up to the root. And what must I do, O father, to get some?

She says (here is) a small, small child, daughter of Akwasi Toboro Kojo.

Kojo Nsa.

Father Elephant, you had better take yourself off, you had better be off.

Kojo Nsa a a.”

The Aserewa bird said, “That is why you weep, come and accept something.” And Ata Kuma went and received (the nest of the Aserewa bird), and thanked her. And she set out, and she met Water, gurgling ponponponponsa. She said, “Here is Ata Kuma, whom, when she appears at the end of the village street, people welcome like a refreshing shower of rain.” Ata Kuma told her the news which she had already told the others. And Gurgling-water gave her some (of her gurgling water), and she took it and went on. Next she met with the Leopard. When the Leopard saw her, he said, “Here is Ata Kuma; when she appears at the end of the village street, she is like a refreshing shower of rain.” Ata Kuma told him her errand. He said, “Come and accept something, (and he gave one of his claws). Then Ata Kuma said, “Father Leopard, what must be done that I may get the tail of the Queen Mother of the Elephants?” He said, “Ah, as you go, all the animals will have lain down, and the Queen Mother of the Elephants will be lying in the middle, and as you go, tread firmly over them, and when you reach the Queen Mother of the Elephants, cut off her tail, but if you tread on them carefully, they will kill you.” Ata Kuma said, “I thank you.” And as she went along, she saw these animals; she trampled very firmly upon them, and reached the Queen Mother. She cut off her tail, and turned back. On the way she bought a looking-glass, and took it (home). And she reached home. She said, “Ata ’Panin, here are the things which you said you would take from me.” Ata ’Panin said, “My hand has touched them.” Now, one day they were sitting together, and Ata Kuma took the mirror and looked into it. She said, “This mirror, when one gazes in it, one sees mother who is in the land of the Ghosts.” Ata ’Panin said, “Is that so, bring it, and let me look.” She gave it to her. When she was about to look in it, it escaped from her hand, and broke. Ata Kuma said, “As for this, what you received from me, I shall demand from you.” Then Ata ’Panin went and fetched the things which Ata Kuma had brought her. Ata Kuma said, “I don’t want (these), what I want is that you go and bring me new ones.” Ata ’Panin set out, and went and met a tree with a single leaf. He said, “Here is Ata ’Panin, who, when she appears at the end of the village street, is as welcome as a shower of rain.” Ata ’Panin answered, “I have ‘appeared’ your mother! and your father!, as far as I am concerned, give me your single leaf and let me be gone.” (The tree with) the solitary leaf said, “Pass on, he who knows (how to deal with you) is there.’” She went on, and met an Aserewa bird. The Aserewa bird said, “Here is Ata “Panin; when she appears at the end of the village street she is as refreshing as a shower of rain.” Ata ’Panin said, “When I ‘appear’ your mother and your father, as for me, all I want is one of your nests, and let me be gone.” The Aserewa bird said, “Pass on, he who knows (how to deal with you) is there.” Then she came across Gurgling-water. Gurgling-water said, “Here is Ata ’Panin; when she appears at the end of the town, she is like a refreshing shower of rain.” Ata ’Panin said, ‘When I ‘appear’ your mother, when I ‘appear’ your father, as for me, give me some of your water and let me pass on.” Gurgling-water said, “Pass on in front, he who knows (how to deal with you) is there.” Next she met the Leopard. The Leopard said, “Here is Ata ’Panin, who, when she appears at the end of the street, is as refreshing as a shower of rain.” Ata ’Panin replied, “I ‘appear’ your mother! and your father! as for me, give me some of your claws and let me pass on.” The Leopard said, “He who knows (how to deal with you) is there.” She set off, and met a herd of Elephants, and the Queen Mother of the Elephants lay in the middle. Then she went on to cut her tail. The whole herd of the Elephants seized hold of her, and trampled upon her, and she died. Ata Kuma looked for her sister on the path. She did not come. That is why we say, “If you and any of your blood are living there, and if one of them spoil anything belonging to you, do not exact payment, for Ata ’Panin did so, and she went and died.”

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.