Kwamena, the Tiered Ant-Hill, That Stands Within the Buttress Roots
We do not really mean, we do not really mean, (that what we are going to say is true).
THEY say there once was the daughter of a Queen Mother, and that no matter to whom she was given in marriage, she would say, she did not want him. But (at last) the King of the Ghosts, one Adu Gyanfi, came and married that child of a Queen Mother. The Queen Mother’s child said to her husband, “I and you will go to your town.” The man replied, “Let me go (first), and when the Adae falls on a Sunday, on the following Monday I shall come and fetch you.” The woman said, “Oh no, I and you will go together.” So they went off. As they were going along, they saw a great town with an iron gate at the entrance of it, and iron was all around the town. Now, at this town, if no blood-relative of yours had died, (and) you stood behind the gate and called out, no one answered you. Now as for this Queen Mother’s child, no relative of hers had ever died. Speech and its left-behinds (i. e. I forgot to say that) when Adu Gyanfi reached the iron gate, then he went to his house; he did not speak again to the Queen Mother’s daughter. The Queen Mother’s daughter and her slave-girl, Kra, remained, and they stood behind the iron gate, and did not get a way to go to the house. And the Queen Mother’s child lifted up her voice (and sang):
“Adodowa, open to me, it is I who have come,
Adodowa Kwasi Kampire, open to me,
Adodowa, open to me o.”
But Adodowa did not open to her. She, too, could not see the way back to her own town. Then she and Kra went between two buttress roots. And the Queen Mother’s child took a brass pan and sat upon it, and she took another, and covered her head; and Kra sat beside her. That is why, when you go where the buttress roots (stand), there sit the Queen Mother’s child and her maid-servant Kra; they have turned into the ant-hills called “Kwamena” which rise tier upon tier.
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 (The Ntoro, Called) “Akyem Aboadee”, Came into the Tribe
We do not really mean, we do not really mean, (that what we are going to say is true).
THERE once lived a beautiful maiden. To any man who said that he loved her, she would say, “I don’t love you.” Now the Leopard transformed himself into a handsome youth, and he came and married her, and he took her off to his village. (When he reached there) he said, “I am a Leopard, and I came and mated with you.” She replied, “Father, I love you, whatever you are.” He and she had a son; he was a human child. Again she bore, and it was a girl. Now one day, her old mother said, “I am going to see my child’s whereabouts.” So her mother went, and (the daughter) took her, and hid her away. And her husband returned; he said, “Has some one come here?” And she said, “Some one has not come here.” He said, “What is that up above (on the ceiling) making kukuru, kukuru; and, moreover, urine is falling on me.” She said, “Mice.” Next morning, early, her husband went to the bush, and the woman said to her mother, “Go, and when you reach the cross-roads, don’t talk, when you reach the stream, don’t talk, for if you talk, he will come and catch you.” Now she reached yonder; she paid no attention (to what she had been told) but called out, “My son-in-law, my son-in-law!” The Leopard came and caught her and took her off, and when his wife saw her (body) she threw herself about and cried. Her husband said, “What is the matter?” She replied, “I have a pain in my stomach.” Next day, when things became visible, the woman said, “I am going to my village.” She pounded eto and eggs, and put them on her head, and took her two children; one walked in front, the other behind. Now, when she broke off some of the eto (mashed yam, and gave to her child to eat), she said, “Take and eat, child of that kind man.” And she broke off some and gave the other, saying, “Receive and eat, child of that kind man.” All this time her husband was walking (hidden) along side of her on the path. Then, when they had nearly reached the village, the Leopard said, “Aso (his wife’s name), I congratulate you because your mother came there and you did not show her to me, and you were the cause of my catching her, so stand there and let me name these my children: the man child I name Ofori; the woman child, Oforiwa.” The Leopard took off gold trinkets and gave them to his children, saying, “You must taboo any animal caught by a Leopard; and again, should they kill a leopard, you must take a sponge (and wash him), and white clay and sprinkle it on him; and now I give you my blessing, kose! kose! for you are of the Akyem Aboadee Ntoro.”
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.