How Spear-Grass Came into the Tribe

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

A GREAT hunger came and Ntikuma set off, saying he was going in search of food to bring to his sire, Father Ananse, the Spider. He set off

and went to a certain village; (there) he met Old-woman-grandmother. The old woman said to him, “My grandchild, why, when no one may come here, have you come here?” Ntikuma replied, “It is because of the hunger, and I have come in search of something to go and eat.” Old-woman-grandmother said, “Go to my plantation there, but the yam which will say, ‘Pluck me, pluck me,’ don’t pluck it, but the yam, that will say, ‘Don’t pluck me, don’t pluck me,’ pluck it and bring it.” Ntikuma went off. Some of the yams said, “Pluck me, pluck me”; others said, “Don’t pluck me, don’t pluck me.” Then Ntikuma plucked those which said, “Don’t pluck me, don’t pluck me.” He brought them to the house; he peeled them. Then Old-woman-grandmother said, “Throw away the real part for food, and put the skins in the pot and set it on the fire.” Ntikuma peeled them and took the skins and put them on the fire. When they were ready, he took them off the fire, turned out the contents of the pot, and everything (inside) has turned into good food. Ntikuma said, “I have finished, but give me meat to put in (the stew).” Old-woman-grandmother said, “Go and tell Nkwakuo, the Monkeys, who are on the tree, saying ‘Old-woman-grandmother says, as for you all, your mothers ’——!” The Monkeys said, “Ifit were not for Old-woman-grandmother, we should beat you.” Old-woman-grandmother said, “As far as I am concerned, it is no business of mine, and you may come and beat him.” The animals descended in order to beat him. Old-woman-grandmother said, “My Sharp-knife, cut off the heads of these animals for me.” ‘Then The-sharp-one cut off the animals’ heads. Ntikuma collected all the animals’ heads, and plucked some yams in addition, and set off with them all for his village. Father Spider saw (his son) Ntikuma standing before him, and he said, “Greetings on your coming, breaker of the ant-hill” (i. e. first-born). He continued, “Let me carry you on my back.” Ntikuma went and hung there. Now Ananse went and took out one yam; he said, “When I have my monthly periods, I shall eat this one.” (His wife) Aso said, “Since the Creator made things, have you seen a man who had monthly periods?” Ananse and his wife, and his children, finished eating the yams, and there remained only that one belonging to Father Spider. Next morning, when things became visible, Ananse said, “I have got my monthly periods.” And he went off to live (in seclusion) behind the house, cooked the yam, and ate it, until it was (all) finished. Ntikuma said, “I shall go off again.” Ananse said, “I and you shall go (together).” Ntikuma said, “I and you shall not go together.” When Ntikuma went to sleep, then Ananse went and got a hunter’s skin bag, riddled it with small holes, and filled it with ashes, and fastened it on the edge of Ntikuma’s cloth. When things became visible, very, very, very early, Ntikuma set out on the path. When (the darkness hiding) the face (of things) was torn aside, Ananse, seek for Ntikuma as he would, could not find him, then he went to seek out (where) the ashes (had fallen). When he saw them he followed up the spoor, on and on. He was going along, when, there were Ntikuma and Old-woman-grandmother sitting there. Old-woman-grandmother said, “Father man, what is your business?” Ananse replied, “Hunger has seized me, so give me something to eat.” Old-:

woman-grandmother said, “Where should I get ‘something’ from?” Ananse replied, “Do you suppose I am a fool, even my child, Ntikuma, Ananse at Old woman’s village

came, and you gave him some.” Old-woman-grandmother said, “Go to the plantation there; the yams which say, ‘Pull me up, pull me up,’ don’t pull them up, but the ones that say, ‘Don’t pull me up, don’t pull me up,’ pull up those ones.” The Spider (replied), “Ah! what fool’s business is this you tell me, when some one says he loves one, you bid me say I must hate him, I never heard the like?” But the Spider went off to the plantation. When he reached there, some of the yams said, “Pull me up, pull me up,” some again said, “Don’t pull me up, don’t pull me up.” And he pulled up the ones which said, “Pull me up, pull me up,” and he came home with them. He came and finished skinning them; Old-woman-grandmother said, “Go and throw the good food part away, and take the skins, put them in the pot, and set it on the fire.” Ananse replied, “Ah, what rotten kind of talk is this which you tell me; since the Creator made things, do we throw away the good food, and keep the husks?” The Spider took the good part of the food, and set it on the fire, but he took one bit of the skin and put it on top. When the food was cooked, he took it off, and all had turned into stones, but the single piece of skin which he had placed on the top had turned into good food. Father Spider said, “Eh! this reincarnation of a rascal didn’t lie (after all).” And the Spider went and swept up the skins and brought them and put them on the fire. When the food was cooked, he took it off the fire, and it had turned into as well-cooked yams as you could wish to see. He said, “Old-woman-grandmother, this is all very well, but you must now give me meat to add to it.”, Old-woman-grandmother said, “Go and look on the tree, there are Monkeys on it; when you go, you will say, ‘You are beasts.’” The Spider said, “This woman! I and the Monkeys have no cause of quarrel, and why am I to go and abuse them in this manner?” Old-woman-grandmother said, “Go, and if trouble comes, that is my affair.” The Spider set off. He said, “You Monkeys, you who are on these trees, Old-woman-grandmother says you are beasts.” ‘The animals said, “If it were not for Old-woman-grandmother we should beat you.” Old-woman-grandmother said, “Then come and beat him.” Ananse said, “Old woman, that’s not fair.” Then the animals fell upon him and came and beat Ananse. The Old woman said, “My Knife Thesharp-one, cut off their heads.” Tintin! (was the sound the knife made as it set about its work). The Old-woman-grandmother said, “Softly and easy now.” But the Spider didn’t hear (her say that). Now, the Spider collected the meat and came back to the house, and the Old woman went aside for a little. Then Ananse stole her knife and thrust it into his bag, and ran off and came back to his village. When he arrived back at his village, he said to (his son), “Ntikuma, because of this knife, which I have laid my hands upon, let us go to the bush.” So they set off, and went and saw some Wild Pigs. Ananse said, “Ntikuma, go and abuse them. Ntikuma went and said, “Bush-pigs, you are filthy.” The

Bush-pigs replied, “If it were not that you are Kwaku Ananse, the Spider’s son, we should come and beat you.” Kwaku Ananse said, “Come and beat him by all means, he is totally bad, his impudence is no joking matter.” The Bush-pigs were about to beat him, when Kwaku Ananse said, “Old woman’s Knife, The-sharp-one, cut off their heads for me.” Oh! and the Knife fell upon them, and finished cutting off all the beasts’ heads. Then it set about cutting down the trees. Kwaku Ananse said, “Hai! what is this you are about? I said cut off the beasts’ heads, and you finished doing that, and now what is all this?” Now Ntikuma looked on for a while, then he said, “Softly and easy now.” Kwaku Ananse did not hear him, and the Knife came to the ground, and Ananse went and got it. They returned home. Next day, when things became visible, Kwaku Ananse said that they would go to the Sky-god there. Ntikuma said, “Father, don’t go if it’s on account of this Knife.” Ananse said, “Get out there.” Ntikuma said, “Go your own way.” Ananse set off, and went to the Sky-god there, and said to him, “Sire, to-day, if there is any one has offended you, I alone, I, Kwaku Ananse, I shall cut off all their heads in a single day and give to you.” The Sky-god said, “There is a thank-offering for any one who can do so, for a great hostile army is standing on the outskirts of the town, so off you go.” Ananse said, “Let them bring wine and one sheep.” Immediately they brought them. Ananse went out on the path; Ananse asked the hostile army, “Is it you who say you are going to fight with the Sky-god?” They replied, “Yes, that is what we say.” Now the Sky-god’s forces stood behind Ananse. Then Kwaku Ananse addressed the Old woman’s Knife, The-sharp-one, saying, “Cut off the heads of this hostile army for me.” And the Knife cut off their heads, tan! tan! and finished. Ananse said, “That is good, desist.” But the Knife fell upon the army of the Sky-god and was cutting off (their heads). Ananse said, “Oh, that’s the Sky-god’s army, so stop.” But it cut on. Ananse said, “If your breast is choked, let it become cool.” Oh! all the Sky-god’s army were wiped out. Now the Knife travelled in the air; it came to where Kwaku Ananse was. He said, “Look out, don’t you know me? Don’t you know me? I am Kwaku Ananse, I brought you from the Old-woman’s there.” Oh! now Kwaku Ananse’s head fell with a, tan! And on and on went the Knife; and the place where it stopped turned into a certain grass, which we call “Etene” (spear-grass); its edge is very, very, very sharp.

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.