|
tUtJLV tLQ J U JNA Al,
EDITED BY THE WORKING COMMITTEE O THE SOUTH
AFRTAN FOLK-LORE SOCIETY.
S- .. Smper hov uid e Africa.
...e.... : 1 .-PART V .
E PTEMBER, 1879.
CONTENTS.
Uma-a ma. Collected byi The Re. O. S ta ... 102
.. ,.. goldka .. Contributed by Mr. S. H. Edwards. 110
:'u.:na.:.. 'rt;':Prov. ," erb'i, ? ....s . ,, ,, ,,. -,, ,, 116 .
.. ,, The Right Rev. .
r . :. Edward Steere, LL.D., Missionary
.ry'". .:. Bishop ... . .. ... 118
SCAPE TOWN: .
SDARTER BROTHERS AND WALTON.
S".LONDON:
DAVID NDTT,
.279, STRAND.
1879.
r . ; *" : . '. .. : '- . : ; .. . -
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL,
EDITED BY
THE WORKING COMMITTEE OF THE SOUTH
AFRICAN FOLK-LORE SOCIETY.
Semper novi quid ex Africa.
VOL. I.-PART V.
SEPTEMBER,
CONTENTS.
Story I.
Story II ..
1879.
PAGE
... Collected by The Rev. O. Stavcz... 102
... Contributed by Mr. S. H. Edwards. 110
. ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, 116
.. ... ,, ,, The Right Rev.
SEdward Steere, LL.D., Missionary
.... Bishop ... ... ... ... 11I
CAPE TOWN:
DARTER BROTHERS AND WALTON.
LONDON:
DAVID NUTT,
270, STRAND.
1879.
UrMambakamaquola ...
Kgolodikane ... .
Setslhuftna Proverbs...
CAPE TOWS :
SA:UL SOLOMON AND CO.,
PRINTERS,
A Manuscript on forty-two pages quarto containing six
pieces of Native Literature in Zulu, accompanied by a
translation into English, side by side with the original text,
has lately been sent to the Grey Library by the Rev. O.
Stavem, Norwegian Missionary. In a letter dated LUn-
voti Mission station, Natal, August 12th, 1879, Mr. Stavem
writes regarding this collection as follows:-
According to my promise, I send my Zulu tales to the
Grey Library. They are all collected in Zululand, where
I had been working some time before I became aware of
the existence of tales among that people. No one of the
Zulus but women and children are willing to relate tales.
Consequently white people will seldom have an opportunity
of hearing the traditions of the Zulus, if they are not
making special inquiries.
Some years ago I was told about the Nursery tales
collected by the Rev. Dr. Callaway, now Bishop of St.
John's, and being anxious to learn the pure Zulu language
I at last succeeded in persuading one of the more intel-
lectual Zulus to tell me tales and historical reports, that he
knew. What he related, I carefully wrote down from his own
mouth with the purpose of getting hold of the native idiom,
and, therefore, these tales may be considered as pure Zulu
tongue.
"The informant of these tales belongs to the 'Umbo-
nambi tribe in Zululand. He lives near the Norwegian
mission station Umbonambi, some twenty miles south of
Lucia bay. Ideas and the language of people living so
far into the country are, of course, not yet mixed by
foreign elements."
K2
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
In a later letter, dated Umvoti, September 18th, 1879,
the following additional particulars have been communicated
by Mr. Stavem:-
"The name of the native man, who related to me* most
of the tales is Ukolekile, and he is one of the
most clever Zulus. He had been a Zulu diviner previous
to my acquaintance with him, but he learned to understand
the folly of the smelling and he gave up that practice.
The mythological story about Uvelinxangi," the first
man, however, I was told by a very old Zulu woman. She
is from the time of the Zulu King Tyaka. I have for-
gotten her name. She also told me the historical report
of the Umtetwa King, Dingiswayo, which has been in-
serted into the small Zulu paper Ubaqa," edited by Miss
Hance. The last short tale about the Cannibal I heard
from a young man; Usodaka. I considered that tale only
to be a fragment."
In Mr. Stavem's most welcome gift the following pieces
are contained:-
PAGES.
I. Uvelinxangi, the First Man on the Earth ... 1 & 2
II. UDemane and uDemazane .. ... ... 3 9
III. USomamekutyo ... ... ... ... 10-17
IV. Umambakamaqula, The Bewitched King ... 18-25
V. UDumase and her Daughter ... ... 26-39
VI. The Cannibal ... ... ... ... ... 39-42
Of these pieces, No. IV., Umambakamaqula,* The Be-
witched King, is here given. It is a more complete version
of the story of the Serpent Bridegroom than any one of
the other South African versions which have at present
reached us, and appears to shew not only that the burning of
the bridegroom, referred to in Mr. Theal's Story of Long
0 The translation of the title Urnambamcanaqula is, Mr. Stavem tells
us, The Umamba (a kind of snake) of Maqula."
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL. 101
Snake" (see pp. 5-9 of this journal), was probably not done
with any evil intention, but that the real end of the story was
probably not known to those through whom it reached Mr.
Theal's ears. (See also Mr. Theal's "Story of Five
Heads," on pp. 28-31, and the story of Untombinde, in
Callaway's Nursery Tales," &c., of the Zulus, Vol. I.
Part II. pp. 55 -69.)
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
UMAMBAKAMAQULA.
(Collected by the Rev. O. Stavcm.)0
Yati inkosi ye zizwe zayo ya zala abantwana
bamantombazana. Ba kulu, ba ze ba izintombi ezindala,
b'ezwa ukuti i kona'Jnkosi, uMambakamaqula.
W'esuka lomdala, yena o inkosasana, y'emuka ya ya uku
gana ku Mambakamaqula. Ya hamba ya fika. Yati i
semfuleni wa kona, ya fumanisa isifumbu si ka amansi si
twala ngegolo sati, U ya pi na Mame ? Zana lapa u za
ku ngi twesa." Sa buza sa ti, U ya pi na ?" Wati, Ngi
ya ku gana ku Mambakamaqula." Wati, U! Hlala pansi
ngi ku tyele; wati, U inyoka umtwana womuntu; "
wati, U nga yi ku tuka, u nga bi novalo, u ya ku bulala.
Uti u b'u fike ekaya u capume upoko u siye u gaye. U s'e ku
zwile nJalo, loku u y'alusa; u yena olusayo. U za 'ye uku
tulula amasi ngezimpiso, a bekwe ezinhlangotini zombili
zomusi, amanye a bekwe emseleni wenkomo, a fike-ge, ba mu
zwe ngekwelo. Se zi buya. Se e za ku qala ngawo amasi
a s'emsileni. Zi ya ngena izinkomo ekaya." Sa sem tyela
isifumbu ukuti, U ya ku ngena endhlini u hale. U ya ku
qumbuka lapa pezulu; u nga m etuki, funa a ku limaze a ku
bulale, loku u ya ku tandela kuwe."
Wa e s'e fika ekayu, se e kwenza loku, esi ku tyoyo isi-
J.umbu. Se e dhla yena, e se ngena ekaya, e s'e qula
w [No. IV. of Mr, Stav-in's collection.]
FOLI-LORD JOURNAL.
THE BEWITCHED KING.
It happened that a King of his tribes begot female
children. They grew up, until they were old girls, and they
heard that there was a King, uMambakamaqula. The
elder one, she Ahat was the Crown princess, left, and she
went to be married to uMambakamaqula.
She went out and she came there. Being at the river of
that place, she found a cripple fetching water and carrying
on her hips*, and she (the cripple) said, "Where are
you going, Mother? Come here and you shall put the
burden upon me." She asked and said, Where are you
going ?" The princess answered, "I am going to be
married to uMambakamaqula." She said, Alas! Sit
down and let me tell you;" and she proceeded, He is a
snake, thou Child of Man ;" she went on, "Don't be
frightened, don't be seized by fear, if you do [are], he will
kill you. When you have come to the kraal, take out upoko
(a kind of small corn), and crush and grind. He has
already heard of you, because he is herding ; it is he who is
herding. You shall go and pour sour milk from the large
pots, and put some at both sides of the kraal, and some into
the cattle path, and then he will come, and they will hear
him by the whistling. Then they (the cattle) are returning.
And he will commence with the sour milk on the path.
The cattle are entering the kraal." The cripple told her,
saying, You shall go into the hut and sit down. He will
come through from above (from outside); but don't be
afraid, else he might hurt you and kill you, as he is going
to wind round you."
She came to the kraal, and did what the cripple had told
her. So he ate, and came to the kraal, and he crawled
FOLti-LORE JOURNAL.
ngolunye uhlangoti. Se e goba endhlini, se e m fumanisa lo
umlolokazi, e s'e fika e s'e qumbusa indhlu pezulu e s'e
tandela emsimbeni, e s'em tandela e s'em tandela e s'e beka
ikanda lapa enhliziweni, e tula lowesifazarie du. E s'e
sombuluka emsimbeni kuye, e s'e buya e s'e qula lapa yedwa
e s'e hlala yedwana. I s'i puma inyoka, i s'i hlaba inkomo
i s'i hlabisa umfazi wayo. I s'i mema izizwe zayo, i se za ku
keta. E s'e caca njalo umfazi. Se ku pela ukucaca. E s'e
tyukela izingubo emfulcni, e s'e m qalisa ngesidiya sempuzi;
e s'e tyukela isikaka, isikumba senkomo, e si qonda ngetusi
nesidiya. E s'e puma-ge eti, Ngi sa ya giti." E s'e fika
kubo, loku ba be nga m azi ukuti u ya ku gana kuba, se be
fika-ge be babaza izingubo zake, a zi feteyo.
Yati intombazana ya kwdbo e m elamayo i s'i bona icebo
li ka dade wabo, ya i s'i suka i baleka i s'i ya ku gana, i
nga ka buzi, u gane umuntu anjani na. Ya fika emfuleni wa
kona ya fumanisa sona lesi isifumbu. Sa ti isifumbu, "Zana
lapa u za ku ngi twesa." Wa nqaba wati, "U twala
ngegolo, u ti ma u tweswe emi na ?" Wa ti, Hamba-ge
mame; loku be ngi za ku tyela."
Wa hamba-ge wa fika ekaya wa fumanisa inyoka iy'alusile.
Ya ze ya buya-ge; ya m ezwa kona ngasenhle enkomeni.
I ti i ya fika emtambama, i funyanisa c hlezi endhlini. Uteya
i sa i zwa i qumbusa indhlu, wa e s'e suka e baleka ekaya.
Ba te abasekaya, "U mi balekelani unnyeni wako na ?"
Ya puma nayo ya m xotya. Wati ingani i s'i fikile kuye
emsimbeni, ka i m luma.
WaC baleklic va ya w j fika ekaya lubo, i su i ya in
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
along one side (of the kraal). Then he bent over to the hut,
discovered the bride, came and pierced the top of the hut,
wound round her body and embraced her again and again, and
he put his head just at her heart, the woman being perfectly
quiet all the while. He unloosened himself from her body,
and he went to creep alone, and lay by himself. Then the
snake went out, and he slaughtered cattle for his wife. He
summoned his tribes together, as he was going to have a
dance. Then the woman danced her bridal dance. The
bridal dance was ended. Then he rubbed clothing for her
at the river, making her to begin by putting on a skin of a
goat; then he rubbed her petticoat, a hide of a cow, and
trimmed it with brass and the skin of the goat. Then she
started, saying, "Now I shall go home." On her arrival [at]
home, people, as they did not know to whom she had gone to
be married, began praising her garments, which she had on.
When their younger girl saw the splendor of her sister,
she ran away to get married, without asking to what kind
of a man she (her sister) had been married. She came to
the river of that place and met with that cripple. The
cripple said, Come here, and put my burden upon me."
She refused, saying, You are carrying on your hips, and
you think that your burden should be put upon you by
me?" She (the cripple) said, "Go on, my mother, as I was
only about to tell you something."
She went on, came to the kraal, and found the snake
gone out to herd. He returned; he heard of her when
with the cattle in the field. As he was coming in the after-
noon, he found her sitting in the hut. At the moment she
heard him piercing the hut, she started and ran away from
the kraal. People, belonging to the kraal, said, Why do
you run away from your husband?" He went out and
chased her. And although he reached her body, he did
not bite her.
She ran until she arrived at her owNn home, while the
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL,
landela inyoka. Uti u fika udade wabo u s'e m buza uti,
" U vela pi na ? Wati, Ngi vela uku gana. Umuntu, e
be ngi za ku m gana, u inyoka." Wati, Kante u vela u
dhala ngaye umnyeni -wami na ?" Yona inyoka i s'i fika
emsini i s'i fika i s'i qula emfuleni wvamansi. I s'i puma
intombazana; i ya ku ka amansi emfuleni, i s'i fumanisa
inyoka. I s'i ti, Wati gi gi w'ema na ? Kwa za u bone
indaba ya kwa dade wenu na ?" Wa e s'e buyela emva
ekaya, e s'e fika e tyo ekaya eti, Ku kulu okusemfuleni."
Wa e s'e ti udade wabo, "0! inkosi le, e semfuleni,
umnyeni wami." Wa e s'e tyo ku yise ukuti, ma' ye' ku
kutyulwa, 'eze ekaya. I s'i qujwa inkomo, i ya ku hbajwa
emnfuleni; i s'i fika i hlajwa inkomo. Se ku pekwa ukudhla
lapa ekaya. S e kupuka eze ekaya.
E s'e ti lo umkake ma ku kitywe izinto endllini, loku ka
si muntu, ku inyoka (wa e ng umuntu, wa penduka inyoka ;
ngi ti ba be kungula abakubo). Wa e s'e ngeniswa endhlini;
-wa e s'e qula yedwa ohlangotini lwendhlu. Se ku ngena
umusi wonke, se be hlala ngenxaenye. Se ku ngena ukudhla,
se e dhla. Se be hlala-ge se ku ze ku h1we. Uti yena um-
gake lo a ti ni ngi funele izinkuni ngi bazele umnyeni wami.
Se ku baswa ungaka umlilo endhlini, se be puma nijalo
abantu; i s'i sala endhlini i hlala yod*-a. Se e vala um-
kake lo, e vala ngapanhle ; se e hotya amahlala otango
lomusi; se e buta notyane se e bungela e bungela endhlini;
se e cina nezikala; se e faka umlilo, se kui tya. I s'i tya-ge
o! is'i tya-ge, is'i tya nendhlu. I s'i tye iti qota, a s'e hlala
amatambo, a ti, Yekani ku pole,"
POLK-LOB t JOURNAL.
snake followed her all along. When arriving, her sister
asked her, saying, "Where do you come from? She
answered, "I come from 'my wedding. The man I was
going to be married to, is a snake." She (the elder sister)
said, "IndeedI Do you come from playing with my
husband ? The snake had now come near the kraal, andhe
was crawling at the river. Then the girl went out; she was
going to fetch water from the river, and she discovered the
snake. He said, Why did you jump and jump and stop
at once ? Did you happen to see the matter of your sister ? "
She returned to the kraal, and on reaching it, she said at
the kraal, There is something great at the river." Then
her sister said, 0! The king, who is at the river, is my
husband." And so she told her father that he should be
brought to the kraal. Then cattle were driven to be
killed at the river ; the cattle came down and were
slaughtered. At the kraal there was cooked food. He
went up to the kraal.
Then his wife said that the things should be taken out
of the hut, since he was not a man, but a snake (he had
been a man, but he became a snake ; I think his own rel-
atives were using witchcraft). He was brought into the hut;
and then he was crawling alone at one side of the hut.
Now all the people of the kraal went inside, and they sat
down at one part of it. Food was brought inside, and he
ate. They were sitting until it became dark. His wife
said that he was asking them to bring wood for her, that
she might make a fire for her husband. A big fire was
made,in the hut, and the people walked out ; he was left
lying alone in the hut. His wife shut the door, having
gone outside; she drew branches from the fence of the
kraal; and she gathered grass and piled up heaps of such
things at the hut ; then she filled even the holes of the hut;
and she put fire to the material, and it burned. Then
even the hut burned; lo how it burned I it burned '
FOiL-LORE jOURflNAL.
E s'e ti uba ku pole, e s'i tata imiti yake, e s'e i xoba e s'e
i xoba; e s'e tengisa inyamazane e s'e nika abane wabo e
ti, xopelani umutya ukufata nesinene. Se e buta buta
amatambo, se e fika' emba ngapanhle 's'emba e tyonisa
pansi. E s'i tela imiti, e s'e basa umlilo pakati. U s' u vuta
vuta, u su tyisa. Se e tata e tela wona amatambo se e beka
imiti eminingi ngapczulu, e s'e xiba ngomhlabati e se hiala
kona njalo.
Kute umanxkaku ntambama, kwa dabuka izimva pansi, lapa
a xiba kona amatambo. Wa m bona e s'e puma, e s'e vela
ngobuso,, wa ze wa vela ngesifuba, wea e s'e puma-ge wonke
umsimba. Wa e s'e buza lo wesifazane ukuti, Hau! u
velapi na?" Wa ti, "Au! ngi y'azi na?" Wa e s'e m
nika umutya; wa e s'e ti "Yevata." Wa e s'e m gezisa
njalo e s'e m tambisa ngamafuta. Wa e s'e goduka, se be
ya ngapati ekaya. Se ik fike ku hlajwe izinkoimo nga-
pakati; e s'e hlajelwa uyise wentombi. E s'e ti, "Hamba
u muke u ye emsini wako, loku u s' u ng umuntu." Wa e
s'e nqaba c s'e ti, So ze si muke sobabili." Ba ze ba
muka-ge. Wa e s'e ti, Se ku wena, o ya ku zala inkosi
yami. Uyise wentombi wa suka wa ya kona ku 'ndodakazi
yake. Za se zi suka zonke izizwe zake, se zi qi-'iwe
izinkomo ezi ba ziningi. Se ku ca'wa yona imisi ka yise.
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
When it was quite consumed by the fire, the bones remained,
and she said, "Leave them to cool."
When everything was cooled, she took her medicinal
herbs, and she bruised them over and over again; she caused
skins of game to be bought, and gave them to her brothers,
saying that they should cut a back dress and a front dress
for a man. She gathered the bones carefully, and she dug
a deep hole outside the kraal. She put [i.e., poured] down
the medicinal herbs, and made a fire in the hole. A fire
blazed and was burning. She put down the bones, and
placed many medicinal herbs above, filled the hole with
soil, and remained there.
In the afternoon, the ground burst, where she had buried
the bones. She saw him coming out, first appearing with
his face, then with his chest, and so he came out with the
whole body. Then the woman asked, saying, Halloo!
Where are you coming from?" He said, "Ha! Do I
know ?" She gave him the dress; and so she said, "Put
it on." She helped him to wash, and made him limber by
[means of] fat. Then she returned, and they went into
the kraal. Cattle were now slaughtered inside, he was
presented with them by the father of the girl. Then she
said, "Go and leave for your village, as you are now a
man." But he refused, saying, We shall both leave
together." Then they left. And he said, Now it is you,
who shall give birth to my successor." The father of the
girl started and went to his daughter. And then all his
tribes started, too, when much cattle had been buried.* At
last places were cleared for the kraals of her father.
T The meaning of this statement is not yet clear. Mr. Stavem tells
us that the Zulu word giba (which means "to bury" or fill earth into
a hole ") may also be translated to hide," because a buried thing is
hidden. Mr. Stavem hopes, however, to inquire further upon this point
from the native narrator.
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
KGOLODIKANE.*
(Contributed by Mr. S. I. Edwards.)
Ga toe banana e rile ba ile molapong ba epela digaga tsa
bone mo moshaoeng ea re molekane oa bone eo la setse koa
morago ba mo raea ba re, Chona re lathletse digaga tsa
chona mo teng ga metsi le oena lathlela tsa ga go." A di
.apola. A di lathlela. O rile a sena go di lathlela ba epolola
tsa bone ba tsega ka eene, Chona o lathlela digaga mo teng
ga metsi o tla di bona kae ?" Ba roala dinkgo ba ea gae ba
tsamaea ba tsega ka eene.
Eena o holotsa molapo a re, Bodiba! Bodiba! Mponela
kgolodikana e heta yana!" Bodiba bo re, Hetela
pele !" A o holotsa a ba tena a ea go hithla koa bodibeng yo
bo tunna that a re, "Bodiba Bodiba Mponela kgolodikana
e heta yana!" Bodiba tu. A bua loa bobedi, metsi a
kgaphatsega. A bua loa bo raro metsi a apoga bodiba yoa
re, Tsena kgolodikana e koano."
A hithlela mosadinyana eo di 'ntho-'ntho eo yeloeng ki
Dimo ka 'nthla ngoe. A le chogo le ngoe a lekoto le ngoe
hela. O ntllomile a thunya mosadinyana thla ha.pele ga ga
goe a re, "O ko ntsege-ntsege 'na ha !" Oa morobanyana a
thlomoga pelo a se ka tsega. Yana mosadinyana a mo raea
a re, "'Ntlo 'ntachoe di 'ntho tse." A ea mo go chone a di
lachoa. Mosadinyana, O! a na o re o le montle ntle
0 In transmitting the story of Kgolodikane, accompanied by a very
interesting version of that of Alasilo and lMasilonyane and twelve Sc-
tshumna Proverbs, Mr. Edwards tells us (in a letter dated Bank Drift,
Moy 4th, 1879) that the narrators belong to the Batlaping Tribe, under
the Chief Afrkdcorme, and that he was assisted by Mr Agenor Daumas
in collecting and translating.
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
KGOLODIKANE.*
It [is] said that maidens, having gone to the river to
fetch water, hid their beads in the sand. To one of their
companions, who had delayed coming up, they said, We
have thrown our beads into the river, do you the same."
She took them off, and threw them into the river. As soon
as she had done so, they unearthed theirs, and laughed at
her, saying, She has thrown her beads into the water;
where will she find them again ? They took their pitchers
on their heads, and went home, laughing at her.
She went down the river, saying, "Pool! Pool! Shew
me my beads that have passed this way !" The pool said,
"Pass on !" She went along, until she became tired, and
then came to a large deep pool. She said again, Pool!
Pool! Shew me my beads passing this way!" The pool
was silent. She spoke the second time, and the water was
disturbed. She spoke the third time, and the pool opened,
and said, "Enter Your beads are here "
She entered; and found an old woman, covered with
wounds, who was half eaten up by Dimo.t She had only
one arm and one leg. As soon as the girl appeared, the
old woman hopped in front of her, and said, "Laugh at
me, laugh at me, my little sister." The girl had compas-
sion, and would not laugh. Then the old woman said to
her, Come here and lick my sores." She went up to her
and licked them. The old woman said, You young maid,
0 Kgolodikane, a large bead. [S. H. E.]
Mr. Edwards tells us that the Dimo of this story is a kind of
supernatural being, and also that the word itself, which is the singular
of madimo cannibals," should properly be ledimo. A note regarding
the words modimo (pl. medimo) and ledimo (pl. madimo) supplied by
S the Rev. Emile Rolland during a recent visit to Cape Town will be
found on pp. 14-I-7.
FOLK-LORlE JOURNAL.
ngoana ki oena o bile o pelo, thlomogi. O thlomogela pelo
selo se 'ntse yaka 'na. Me 'ntla go boloka. 'Na koano ki
agile le Dimo. Oa ba i lo go choma batho ba o tla ba yang
o tla itse o e tla o bone go hoka pheho phehonyana go oa
marothodi a pula. Tsaea o ye o re o semana ya o i chubo
ha morago ga lomota lo."
Ha o i chubeleng gone ga manete ga hoka phehonyana
marothodi a pula a hahatsa Dimo a thunya a boitsega a le
seriri, melomo e le mehibidu, meno ekote a kolobe oa nageng.
A ba hithla a taboga le 'ntlu, Motho o a nkga! Motho o a
nkga!" A tsaea molelo a chuba mosadinyana, Motho o a
nkga." Mosadinyana, Ga go na motho o ka mpolaea hela
yaka o mpolaile yana." Dimo a re ko re o ka mo ya ka a
boiloe ki tiala ka a seka bona motho o pe ka tsatsi yeo pelo
cc ngoe ca yana ka a tla thloka eo mo apeelang yana .a ea
go robabala ea re kamosho a choga go sa le ga lea ea go
choma batho.
Mosadinyana a sala a apesa ngoana eo digaga, a mo tlotsa
sebilo, a mo roesa maseka, le mohetsana, le di tilo, le di
teloane, a mo choesa mosese oo montle, le khiba ea potsane,
le kgothlo, a mo naea kobo tsa di thlosi, le mekhutlela ea di
phokoye, a ba mo naea tsiloana me a re, Tsiloana ee o re
o semane go thlatlogela koa 'ntle o i chuthle magoaha ka
eone me o se ka oa leba koa morago me e re o sena go i
chuthla magoaha ka cona o e tammetse mo teng ga bodiba
e tie tia koano go 'na. O tla re o tla leba koa morago mongoe
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
that are so beautiful, have also a compassionate heart; you
have pity on a thing like me; I shall preserve you. I am
living with Dimo; he has gone to hunt for human beings
that he may eat them. You will know when he is coming
by a light wind which will blow, and a few drops of rain
will fall. Take and eat, and, when you have finished, hide
yourself behind this wall."
When she had hidden herself, in very truth a light, wind
did blow, and a few drops of rain fell. Dimo appeared
and looked awful. He had long hair ; his mouth was red;
his teeth looked like the tusks of a wild pig. He ran round
the house, saying, "I smell a human being! I smell a
human being !" He took fire and burnt the sores of the
old woman, saying, "I smell a human being The old
woman replied, "There is no human being here. You may
kill me, as you have always killed me." Dimo wished to
devour her, as he was hungry, not having been successful
in hunting that day. But he was loth to do it, because he
would have no one to cook for him. He then went to
sleep. The next morning he arose early and went to hunt
for human beings.
The old woman then took the young maiden and
decorated her with beads, anointed her head with sebilo, $
put brass rings on her legs, and rings on her arms, and
adorned [her] with elbow bracelets and anklets of beads.
She dressed her in a new kirtle, a pretty one, and an apron
of kid skin, also a copper fringe. She gave a robe of Vaal
jackal skins, and a mantle of the silver jackal skins. She
then gave her a small round stone, and said, This round
stone, as soon as you have emerged, take and rub your arm-
pits with it. You must not look back. As soon as you
have rubbed your armpits, throw it back over your shoulder
into the pool. It will return to me. Before you may look
$ Bebilo is a kind of very shining mica, which the natives mix with
grease, and rub on their hair. [8. H. E.]
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
a go nee metsi o noe. Ha o ka diha yaka ki go kaela Dimo
ga kitl a go choara. 0 tsamae sentle motho oe cho! o
neoe ki pula !"
Ga manete ngoana eo a diha yalo a ba 'a go tsena koa o
lathletseng digaga gone monna oe a mo hithlela gone, He a
o nkgonone. 0 choa kae o bonye kae dilo tse tse di 'ntle
kaitsane o battiloe oa ba oa batloa." A raea monna oe a
re, "Naea metsi ki noe." Monna oe a a mo naea ba eE
gae.
Bo ma goe le batho ba motse ba mo kokoanela ba 'motsa
koa o choang gone le koa o bonyeng dilo tse di 'ntle tse di mo
go eene a 'ntsa hela a ba bolelela. Bangoe ba i tumela ba
'ngoe ba 'na le lehuha ba re, Ki ha e ne se eena kaitsane
thotho a ba chona ba ko 'ba banye!"
Bana ba ka ngoana 'goe ba ea koa o choang gone me ba
seka ba tsaea molao oa ga goe ba hithla ba tsega ka
mosadinyana e rile mo o reng a lachoe di'ntho tsa ga goe ba
re, O! a na 'ntla oa tsenoa re lachoa selo se se 'ntseng
yalo re dihile yang. He Re nee digaga re tsamae re tsile
go batla digaga ga re a tia go dula." Papadi ee. ba eeng
ba e tsamaetse ba seka ba e bona. Mosadinyana ka ba mo
kgopisitsi a ba naea Dimo a bha ya.
NOTE BY THE REV. EMILE ROLLAND.
Modimo in Sesato means the spirit, of your ancestor or
father, who is looked on as a tutelary god. He possesses
unlimited power, and protects or punishes. He is vindic-
tive unless propitiated, and never forgives unless the pro-
pitiatory sacrifice and ablution has been performed by the
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
back, one will give you water to drink. If you do as I
instruct you, Dimo will not catch you. Go in peace, my
friend I and may rain fall upon you I" Verily, this child
did as she was instructed, and arrived at the place where
she had thrown her beads into the river. Her younger
sister found her there. Are you my elder sister? Where
do you come from? Where did you get all these pretty
things ? Believe me, you have been sought for again and
again I" She [the elder sister] replied, Give me some
water to drink !" Her sister gave it. They then went
home.
Her parents and people of the village crowded round her,
inquiring where she had been, and where she had obtained
all the beautiful things she had on her person. She told
them all. Some were pleased, others were jealous, and said,
It is like her fortune, if it had been any of ours it would
not have happened."
Her uncle's children went to the place where she had
been, but did not follow her instructions. They laughed at
the old woman. When she said, Come and lick my sores,"
they replied, What! Are you mad ? Shall we lick such
a thing as you ? What has become of us ? Give us beads !
We are going, we have not come to delay. We came for
beads I The gain for which they had travelled they did
not obtain. The old woman, being angered, gave them over
to Dimo, who devoured them.
Malome" (maternal uncle) who is the family priest. The
term Modimo has been adopted by the Missionaries to trans-
late the word God, and appropriately so, as the ultimate
ancestor or father is necessarily the oldest God or God of
gods. The plural of Modimo is Medimo.
Ledimo pl. Madimo means cannibal or cannibals. These
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
were also called Majabatih [*] (ja = to eat, batho = men) or
men eaters. The connection between Ledimo and Modimo
is not very obvious. Some think that cannibals were so
called on account of the supernatural terror they inspired,
others say they were so called from a supposed chief called
[o Majabatho:-The following' extract from Dr. Emin-Bey's
"Journal einer Reise von Mrili nach der Hauptstadt Uny6ro's," &c.,
found on page 222 of Petermann's Mittheilungen, Part VI., 1879, will
be of interest here :-" Fiir Anthropophagen, die mit dem allgemeinen
Namen "valiabantu" (Menschenfresser) bezeichnet werden, existiren
eigenthiimlicher Weise sowohl in Kiny6ro als in KigAnda eigene
Ausdriicke; mss6ri dort und mliggu hier. Sollte das auf wirkliches
Vorkommen dieser Sitto deuten ?"]
LINE TSA SICHUANA.*
(Contributed by Mr. S. H. Edwards.)
Choene mopalami ga lebale go oa. (9.)
Hihing go choara noa ka dikobo. (1o.)
Ma ngoana ki mbchoara thipa. (*)
Masa mantsi. ("-)
Mokala o palangoa ka lephotho. (7.)
Nama tsitela e thuba pitsa. (2.)
Ngoana moloki ga bolokoe. (')
Pelo chula e ya mungoa cona. (12.)
Sedibana se pele ga se ikangoe. (8.)
Sehuba moraba. (3.)
Tau go bolaea ee sa dumeng. (4.)
Thlotsa pele ga se shoa pele. (1')
o For greater convenience in reference, the above Proverbs are here
given in alphabetical order. The numbers which follow them indicate
their position in Mr. Edwards' manuscript.
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
"Dimo," a name which exists here and there still. Others,
again, connect the term with the war cry of the Basutos,
constantly used at parades of their regiments:-
Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi!
le Madimo; We are cannibals;
Re ja batho ; We eat men ;
Re tla gu ja; We will eat you;
Re ja bokwana babana; We eat the small brain of
children;
Le bokwana ba dinchana. And the small brain of little
dogs.
None of these explanations are satisfactory. The first is
the most plausible.
SETSHUANA PROVERBS.
The baboon is a climber, but does not forget that he may
fall. ('*)
In the dark, hold on to each other by the robe. (10.)
The mother of the child wards off the knife. (1.
There are many dawns (or daysprings). (".)
The "Kameel" thorn tree is climbed by its knobs. (7')
Overfilling the pot with meat, breaks it. ('')
The child of the saviour is not saved. (6')
The bitter heart eats its owner. ("2')
The well ahead is not to be depended on. (8')
The breast is an intricate net (or mystery). (3')
The lion which kills, is the one which does not roar. (4.)
The first lame, is not the first to die. (6')
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
STORY 1.*
(Contributed by the Right Rev. Edward Steere, LL.D., Missionary
Bishop.)
Palikuwa no mtu mwanamume akaenda kuoa kijana
mzuri sana, wakapendana sana. Hatta walipokuwamo
nyumbani mwao mwanamume akamwambia mwanamke,
Mimi nakupenda sana, siku nitakayokufa nitakutokea.
Mwanamke akamwambia vile-vile. Baada ya siku nyingi
yule mwanamume akaugua, akafa. Wakaja watu wengi,
wakalia sana: Na yule mwanamke akalia akitumaini yale
maneno waliyoahidiana. Yule aliyekufa akaenda kuzikwa
lakini mwanamke hakukubali kurudi pamoja na watu.
Watu waliporudi akabaki yeye peke yake kaburini, ana-
kwimba tu peke yake. Akaona udongo wa kaburi unapasuka,
akamtokea. Yule kijana alipomwona akafurahiwa sana,
wakaenda zao hatta nyumbani.
Bassi mama yake yule mwanamke aliweka msiba hatta
jioni akamsikia yule kijana mwanamke anacheka kwa furaha
kuu. Mamake akaja, akamkaripia, akamwambia, Unacheka
nini ? mume wako amekufa. Akamjibu, Hakufa, yuko ndani.
Akaingia ndani mama yake akamwona kweli.
Baada ya siku kidogo akaugua yule kijana mwanamke,
akafa. Watu pia wakalia, lakini mume hakulia akanyamaza
tu. Hatta akaenda akamzika, waliporudi watu yule kijana
mwanamume hakurudi. Akatoa ushahidi akiimba, akaona
kaburi likapasuka, akatokea yule mwanamke, wakaenda zao
hatta nyumbani kwao. Hatta jioni akaja yule yule mama
yake mtoto mwanamke, akawakuta wote wawili, wakakaa
mlangoni. Akaenda zake kwa furaha. Watu walipowaona
wakafurahi. Ndio mwisho.
POLK-LORE JOURNAL.
STORY 1.
[Translation.]
There was a man who went and married a very beautiful
girl, and they loved one another very much. Till when
they were in their house the husband said to the wife, "I
love you dearly, the day I die I will appear to you." The
woman said the same to him. After many days the husband
fell sick and died. And many people came, and wept much.
And the wife wept feeling confidence in those words which
they had promised one another. He who had died was
buried, but the wife would not consent to return with the
people. When the people returned she was left by herself
at the grave, just singing by herself. And she saw the
earth of the grave split, and he came out to her. The
young woman when she saw him rejoiced much and they
went away to their house.
The woman's mother went on grieving till the evening
and heard the young woman laughing with great glee.
Her mother came, and cried out at her, and said to her,
" What are you laughing at ? and your husband is dead."
And she answered, "He is not dead, he is inside." And
her mother went in and saw that it was true.
After a little while the young woman fell sick, and died.
All the people wept, but the man did not weep, he just
kept quiet. Till they went and buried her. When they
returned the young man did not come back. And he
testified as he sang, and he saw the grave split open, and
the woman came out to him and they went away to their
house. Till in the evening that same mother of the girl
came, and found them both, and they sat in the door. And
she went away in joy. And the people when they saw it
rejoiced. This is the end.
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
STORY 2.
Palikuwa na mtu, akapata vijana wawili mmoja mkubwa,
na mmoja mdogo. Baba yao na mama yao wakafa. Hatta
ile inchi ikakaukaamaji pia; vyakula tele, maji hapana. Na
palikuwa watoto walikuwa wakicheza wanachukua unga na
vijungu. Yule kijana mwenyi hana mama akawaambia
wenziwe, hitawaambia neno, nanyi msimwambie mtu. Wa-
kamwambia, Hatusemi. Akasema leteni mitungi yenu hapa,
wakaileta. Na yale mtoto akasimama katikati yao, akata-
zama mbinguni. Akaona wingu mdogo likdkusanyika.
Ikaanguka mvua palepale waliopo. Wakapikia vyakula vyao.
Wakala, u nusu wakapeleka mjini.
Baba zao wakawauliza, Maji mmepata wapi ? Wala
hawakusema wakanyamaza tu. Siku ya pili wakaenda
wakakutana palepale. Yule kijana akawauliza, Nani
aliyekwenda kusema ? Wakasema Hapana mtu. Aka-
waambia, Leteni mitungi yenu. Na kijana mmoja mjanja
sana, akaleta mitungi miwili. Yule mtoto akasimama tena
katikati yao akitazama mbinguni, akaona wingu nene linakuja,
ikanya mvua nyingi sana palepale, wala haikufika mjini.
Na yule mtoto mjanja ilipokuwa ikinya mvua akakinga mtungi
mmoja, akaenda kuficha maguguni. Walipokwisha kufika
wakaenda zao. Hatta ilipokuwa usiku watu wote wamelala,
akamwita mama yake akamwambia, Nitakwambia neno,
usimwambie mtu. Akajibu, Nambie mwanangu. Wakatoka
wakaenda hatta alipoficha mtungi wa maji akauchukua, akaja
nyumbani make.
Akampelekea yule, na yule akampelekea mwenziwe
hatta yakafika kwa Sultani. Sultani akawaita waziri wake
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
STORY 2.
[Translation.]
There was a man, and he had two children elder and
younger. And their father and mother died. So all the
water of that land dried up, there was plenty to eat, but no
water. And there were children who were playing carrying
flour and little cooking pots. The child who had no mother
said to her companions, "I will tell you something, but
don't you tell anybody." And they said, "We will say
nothing." And she said, "Bring your water jars here,"
and they brought them. And that child stood in the midst
of them, and looked up to the heavens. And she saw a
little cloud, and they gathered, and rain fell just there
where they stood. And they cooked their food. And they
ate, and half they carried into the town.
And their fathers asked them, "Where did you get
water ?" And they said nothing, they just held their tongues.
The second day they went and met just in the same place.
The girl asked them, "Who was it went and told ?" And
they said, Nobody." And she said, Bring your water
jars." And one girl was very cunning, and she brought
two water jars. The girl stood again in the midst of them
and looked into the heavens, and saw a thick cloud coming,
and it rained very much just there but it did not reach to
the town. And that cunning child when it was raining, put
one water jar to catch it and went and hid it in the jungle.
When they had done coming, they went away. Till when
it was night every body went to sleep, and she called her
mother and said to her, I will tell you something, don't
you tell any body." And she answered, "Tell me my
child." And they set out and went to where she had hidden
the jar of water, and she carried it, and came into her house.
And this one sent to that, and that one to her fi ion,, till
it came to the Sultan. The Sultan called his Wazir, and
122 FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
akawauliza, Maji yametoka wapi ? Akamjibu, Na yule
mtoto wa masikini. Mji mzima pia wakachimba visima,
hatta vilipokwisha Sultani akamwita yule mtoto mwenyi
kuleta maji, akampamba vyombo vya thahabu wakampelelm
barazani. Watu pia kukusanyika pale pale. Sultani
akamwambia, Ulete mvua. Yule mtoto akamjibu, Jongeeni
mbali. Wakakataa pia wote. Hatta yule mtoto akatazama
mbinguni akaona mawingu tele mengi, ikanya mvua nyingi
sana. Ukaguruma umeme na radi akachukuliwa yule mtoto
mbinguni. Na wale waliopo wakamtazama mtoto hapana,
wakawachiwa maji mengi sana. Ndio mwisho.
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
asked him, Where does this water come from ?" And he
answered him, From that child of the poor man." And
all the whole town dug wells, till when they were finished,
the Sultan sent for that child, who brought water, and
adorned her with golden ornaments, and took her to the
Council. All the people were gathered there. And the
Sultan said to her, Bring the rain." The child answered
him, "Withdraw to a distance." And they all refused.
Till the child looked into heaven, and saw many abundant
clouds, and there fell a great rain. And it thundered with
lightning and thunderbolts and that child was carried into
the heavens. [*] And those who were there saw that the
child was gone, and there was left to them very much water.
This is the end.
These two stories were told in Swahili by a girl in the
School of the Universities Mission at Zanzibar, who was
brought as a slave from the country near the Lake Nyassa,
she describes herself as an Mkipeta apparently a branch
of the Nyassa nation, and said she had heard these tales in
her own old home.
EDWARD STEERE
Missionary Bishop.
[0 It appears not unlikely that the rain may here be supposed to
have become angry, when the people refused to withdraw to a distance
in obedience to the child's wish. In a piece of Bushman native
literature, related by Did!kwain, a maiden who had aroused the wrath
of the rain is carried up in a whirlwind, and becomes a great serpent,
the name of which is uttered with reluctance by Bushmen.]
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