African Folktales

by Roger Abrahams

  The place was on the bank of a river, so they decided to swim before they ate.

  Hlakanyana said: “Let’s dive in and see who can stay under longest.”

  Hlakanyana came up last. Then the cunning fellow said: “Let us try once more.”

  The boy agreed and they dove into the water again. This time Hlakanyana came up quickly and climbed out, and ate all the birds. He only left the heads. Then he dove back into the water. While he was still under, the boy came out.

  When Hlakanyana had also emerged, he said: “Let us go now and eat our birds.” But they found only the heads.

  Hlakanyana said: “You have eaten them, because you came out of the water first, and you have left me the heads only.”

  The boy denied having done so, but Hlakanyana said: “You must pay for my birds with that digging stick.”

  So the boy gave him the digging stick, and Hlakanyana went on his way.

  He saw some people making pots of clay, and he said to them: “Why don’t you ask me to lend you this digging stick, instead of digging with your hands?”

  They said: “Well, lend it to us.”

  Hlakanyana lent them the digging stick, and the first time they stuck it in the clay it broke.

  He said: “You have broken my digging stick, the digging stick that I received from my companion, my companion who ate my birds and left me with the heads.”

  So they gave him a pot.

  Hlakanyana carried the pot till he came to some boys who were herding goats. He said to them: “You foolish boys, you only watch the goats, but you don’t milk them. Why don’t you ask me to lend you this pot to milk them into?”

  The boys said: “Well, lend it to us.”

  Hlakanyana lent them the pot. While the boys were milking, the pot broke.

  Hlakanyana said: “You have broken my pot, the pot that I received from the people who make pots, the people who broke my digging stick, the digging stick that I received from my companion, my companion who ate my birds and left me with the heads.”

  The boys gave him a goat.

  Hlakanyana came to the keepers of calves.

  He said to them: “You foolish fellows, you sit here and drink nothing. Why don’t you ask me to let you milk this goat and then you can drink?”

  The keepers of the calves said: “Well, let us milk this goat.”

  Hlakanyana gave them the goat. While they were milking it, the goat died.

  Hlakanyana said: “You have killed my goat, the goat that I received from the boys that were tending goats, the boys that broke my pot, the pot that I received from the people who make pots, the people who broke my digging stick, the digging stick that I received from my companion, my companion who ate my birds and left me with the heads.”

  They gave him a calf.

  Hlakanyana came to the keepers of cows.

  He said to them: “You milk the cows without letting the calf suck first. Why don’t you ask me to lend you this calf, and then the cows will give their milk more freely?”

  They said: “Well, lend us the calf.”

  Hlakanyana permitted them to take the calf. While they had the calf, it died.

  Hlakanyana said: “You have killed my calf, the calf that I received from the keepers of calves, the keepers of calves that killed my goat, the goat that I received from the boys that were tending goats, the boys that broke my pot, the pot that I received from the people who make pots, the people who broke my digging stick, the digging stick that I received from my companion, my companion who ate my birds and left me with the heads.”

  They gave him a cow.

  Hlakanyana continued on his journey. He saw a young man going the same way.

  Hlakanyana said: “Let us be companions and travel together.” The young man agreed.

  They came to a place, and Hlakanyana said: “This is a magic place. We must protect ourselves by throwing our spoons into it.”

  The foolish boy threw his spoon away, but the cunning little fellow only pretended to throw his. They went on.

  They came to another place, and Hlakanyana said: “This is a place we must throw our knives away.” Again it happened as with the spoons. Hlakanyana concealed his knife, while his companion threw his away.

  Pretty soon, they came to a village. The people said to them: “Tell us the news.”

  Hlakanyana replied: “Give us something to eat first. Just look at the wrinkles in our stomachs and see how hungry we are!”

  The people of that village brought meat.

  Hlakanyana said to his companion: “Well let’s eat.”

  The youth answered: “I have no knife.”

  Hlakanyana said: “You are just a child; I’m not going to lend you my knife.”

  The people of that village brought millet and put it before them.

  Hlakanyana said to his companion: “Why aren’t you eating?”

  He answered: “I don’t have a spoon.”

  Hlakanyana said: “You are just a child; I’m not going to lend you my spoon.”

  So Hlakanyana had all the meat and the millet to himself.

  Hlakanyana met a girl herding some goats.

  He said: “Where are the boys of your village, that the goats are herded by a girl?”

  She answered: “There are no boys in my village.”

  He went to the father of the girl and said: “You must give me your daughter to live with, and I will herd the goats.” The father of the girl agreed.

  Then Hlakanyana went with the goats, and every day he killed one and ate it, until all were gone. Then, he scratched his body with thorns.

  The father of the girl came and saw that there were no goats. He said: “Where are the goats?”

  Hlakanyana replied: “Can’t you see how I have been fighting with the wild dogs? The wild dogs have eaten the goats. I’m not going to stay around here.”

  So he went on his way.

  As he was walking, he saw a trap for catching birds. There were some birds in it. Hlakanyana took the birds out and ate them. The owners of the trap were cannibals. They saw the footprints of Hlakanyana, and said: “This is a little boy that is stealing our birds.” They watched for him. Hlakanyana came again to the trap, and again saw a bird caught in it. He was just going to take it out, when the cannibals caught him. They made a big fire and put a pot on for the purpose of cooking him. Hlakanyana produced two oxen. One was white, the other was red.

  He said to the cannibals: “You can take whichever of these oxen you like instead of me.”

  The cannibals said: “We will take the white one because it is white inside also.”

  Then Hlakanyana went away with the red ox. When the cannibals had eaten the white ox, they ran after Hlakanyana. They caught up to him near a big stone. He jumped on the stone, and sang this song:

  I went to hear the news,

  About rain from the girls.

  The cannibals couldn’t resist dancing when they heard the song, so he was able to run away while the stone continued to sing the song for him.

  As he was going along, he saw a hyena building a house. The hyena had just cooked some meat, and Hlakanyana asked it to give him some.

  The hyena said: “No, I will not give you any; there is not enough even for me.”

  Hlakanyana said: “Don’t you want me to help you with your house?”

  The hyena replied: “All right, if you want to, but do it quickly.”

  While they were thatching the roof, Hlakanyana wove the tail of the hyena into the thatch. Then he took the pot and sat down.

  The hyena said: “Leave that pot alone, Hlakanyana.”

  Hlakanyana replied: “I am going to eat now.”

  The hyena tried to come down, but he found his tail was fast. Hlakanyana ate all the meat, and threw the bones at the hyena. The hyena tried to frighten him by saying that there were many hyenas coming to devour him. He answered: “You’re lying,” and kept on eating until the meat was all gone. Then he went on his way.

  Soon, Hlakanyana
came to the house of a leopardess. He offered to take care of her children while she went out to hunt, and the leopardess agreed. There were four cubs. After the leopardess had gone, Hlakranyana took one of the cubs and ate it.

  At the time for nursing, the leopardess came back and said: “Give me my children for it is time for me to feed them.”

  Hlakanyana gave one.

  The mother said: “Give me all of them.”

  Hlakanyana replied: “It is better that one should drink and then another.”

  The leopardess agreed. After three had drunk, he gave her the first one back again.

  Then the leopardess went to hunt again.

  Hlakanyana took another of the cubs and ate it. He also made the door of the house very small so that the mother of the cubs could not come in, and then he made a little hole in the ground at the back of the house, so that he could go out. The next day the leopardess came to nurse her children. There were only two left now. Hlakanyana gave each of them to her twice. After that, the leopardess went away as before.

  Now, Hlakanyana ate another of the cubs, so that only one was left. When the mother came, he gave this one to her four times. When he gave it the last time, it was already full. The leopardess said: “Why won’t my child drink more today?”

  Hlakanyana replied: “I think this one is sick.”

  The mother said: “You must take good care of it.”

  Hlakanyana promised to do so, but when the leopardess was gone he ate that one also.

  The next day, when the leopardess came, there was no cub left to give her. She tried to get into the house, but the door was too small. She sat down in front to watch. Then Hlakanyana went out the back, through the hole he had made in the ground. The leopardess saw him and ran after him. He went under a big rock, and cried out loudly for help, saying the rock was falling.

  The leopardess said: “What is that you are saying?”

  Hlakanyana replied: “Can’t you see that this rock is falling? Just hold it up while I get a prop to put under it.”

  The leopardess went to hold the rock up, and Hlakanyana did not return. He just ran away.

  Hlakanyana came to the house of a jackal. He asked for food, but the jackal said there was none. Then Hlakanyana made a plan.

  He said to the jackal: “You must climb up on the house and cry out with a loud voice, ‘We are going to be fat today, because Hlakanyana is dead.’ ”

  The foolish jackal did this. All the animals came running to hear the news. Because the door was open, they went inside the house. Then Hlakanyana locked the door, and the animals were caught. He killed them and ate his fill.

  Now, Hlakanyana returned to the home of his father. He was told that his sister had gone to get some red clay. When he saw her returning, he shouted: “Let all the black cattle that have white teeth be killed. The daughter of my father has white teeth.”

  The chief said: “What is the matter with you Hlakanyana?”

  He just repeated the same thing.

  Finally, the chief said: “Let a black ox be killed.” So Hlakanyana got fat meat to eat that day.

  Another time, Hlakanyana went to tend his father’s calves. On his way, he met a tortoise.

  He said: “Where are you going tortoise?”

  The tortoise answered: “To that big stone.”

  Hlakanyana said: “Aren’t you tired?”

  The tortoise replied: “No, I am not tired.” But Hlakanyana took the tortoise and put it on his back. Then he went to the house of his mother.

  His mother said: “What have you got there, my son?”

  Hlakanyana answered: “Just take it off my back, mother.”

  But the tortoise held fast and couldn’t be pulled off. The mother then heated some fat and poured it on him, which made the tortoise let go so quickly, that the fat fell on Hlakanyana. It burnt him, and he died. That was the end of this cunning little fellow.

  —Kaffir

  49

  Cursing the Birds

  Blackbird, Ringdove, and many of the other birds once met together. Ringdove opened the conversation by asking, “Here, where we are all together, who is the most beautiful?” The birds answered: “Blackbird is the only beautiful one. How very black he is!” Then Ringdove said to himself: “I am going to ask Blackbird for a potion for medicine that will make me as beautiful as he is.” He implored Blackbird, saying, “Change me, so that we may be alike.” Blackbird promised to give him a potion the next day. “When we are all together, and Lapwing is there, and Kestrel and Eagle and Francolin and Tomtit and Guinea Fowl, when the birds of all species are together, I will give you the potion.” Ringdove was very grateful, and said: “I shall be very thankful to be like you.”

  The next day, all the birds were gathered together, feeding in the cool of the morning. Blackbird came to where they were assembled, and said: “Ringdove, you are wanting a potion?” “Yes,” he replied. Blackbird said: “Come here,” and putting his finger around Ringdove’s neck, he made the black ring which Ringdove still wears today. All the birds were astounded. Then another bird asked for the same, and Blackbird said: “What will you give me in return?” All the birds answered: “If only you will make us all beautiful like you, you can do whatever you want to us.” Blackbird then told them: “Tomorrow I will give you all a potion, so that you will be black.”

  The next day, Blackbird rose early and went into the forest where he found Guinea Fowl eating termites out of the ground. He was offended that this bird was so unclean. “What are you eating?” he asked. Guinea Fowl answered: “Termites.” Then Blackbird said: “You begged a potion from me, while you eat dirt insects. I can’t help one such as you!” Then she cursed the bird: “Guinea Fowl, I will give you a speckled coat, so that you resemble a leopard, and when a leopard finds you, he will devour you—all because you do not eat properly, as I do. And you, Francolin, you shall be red about the mouth and on the head, and you shall always eat the grain belonging to others. You shall be trapped by people and they will bring you trouble. All the birds who begged from me, I give them in the same manner, things good for them or things not good for them.”

  Thereupon Ringdove, whose neck had been encircled, was also cursed, and told: “And you, too, Ringdove, you shall always eat the grain belonging to me, so that you may die. All the birds I condemn, because they begged for potions, saying, ‘Let us be like Blackbird,’ whereas in truth they do not resemble me at all, they do not act as I act, nor eat as I eat. To make you look like me is simply impossible. I refuse.” So, although Ringdove has color around its neck where Blackbird’s finger encircled it, in that alone they are alike. As for the rest of the birds, they are in trouble, they are killed, they are ensnared, they are persecuted. Some are caught in traps. And all because they were cursed by Blackbird.

  —Ila

  50

  Saving the Rain

  There was a great drought in the land, and Lion called together a number of animals so that they might devise a plan for gathering up water when the rains fell. The animals who attended at Lion’s summons were Baboon, Leopard, Hyena, Jackal, Hare, and Mountain Tortoise.

  It was agreed that they should scratch out a large hole to catch the rain, and so the next day they all set to work. Only Jackal didn’t help; he hovered nearby, muttering that he was not going to scratch his nails off in making water holes.

  When the hole was finished, the rains fell and soon filled it with water, to the great delight of those who had worked so hard. The first one to come and drink there, however, was Jackal, who not only drank, but filled his clay pot with water, and then went for a swim in the water hole, making it as muddy and dirty as he could.

  This was made known to Lion, who was very angry. He ordered Baboon to guard the water the next day, armed with a huge fighting stick. Baboon concealed himself in a bush close to the water, but Jackal soon became aware of his presence there, and guessed the reason for it. Knowing the fondness of baboons for honey, Jackal immediately hit a plan. Marchin
g back and forth, he every now and then, dipped his fingers into his clay pot, and licked them with an expression of intense relish, saying to himself in a low voice, “I don’t want any of their dirty water when I have a pot full of delicious honey.” This was too much for poor Baboon, whose mouth began to water. He begged Jackal to give him a little honey, as he had been guarding the water for several hours, and was incredibly hungry and tired.

  At first, Jackal took no notice of Baboon. Then he looked around, and said, in a patronizing manner, that he pitied such an unfortunate creature, and would give him some honey on the condition that Baboon give up his fighting stick and allow himself to be bound by Jackal. Baboon foolishly agreed, and was soon tied in such a way that he couldn’t move hand or foot.

  Jackal now drank the water, filled his pot, and swam in front of Baboon. From time to time he chided him, pointing out how foolish he had been to be so easily duped, since he, Jackal, had no honey or anything else to give him, except a good blow on the head every now and then with his own fighting stick.

  The animals soon appeared and found poor Baboon in this sorry way, looking the picture of misery. Lion was so exasperated that he had Baboon severely punished, and denounced him as a fool.

  Then, Tortoise came forward, and offered to catch Jackal. They thought, at first, that he was merely joking, but when he explained his plan, it was considered so good that Lion told him to go ahead. Tortoise asked them to spread a thick coating of beeswax resin all over him. Then he went and placed himself across the path to the water hole, so that on his way to drink, Jackal would have to walk on him, and would stick fast.

  The next day, when Jackal came, he approached very cautiously, wondering why no one was there. In order to get a better look around, he stepped on a large black stone—and, at once, he was stuck fast. Jackal saw that he had been tricked, for now the stone put out its head and began to move. Since Jackal’s hind legs were still free, he threatened to smash Tortoise with them if he didn’t let him go. Tortoise answered, “Do as you like.” Jackal made a violent jump, and now found, to his horror, that his hind feet were also stuck fast. “Tortoise,” he said, “I have still my mouth and teeth left, and will eat you alive if you don’t let me go.” “Do as you like,” Tortoise again replied. Jackal made a desperate snap at Tortoise, and now found himself completely stuck, head and feet. Tortoise, feeling proud of his successful ruse, now marched quietly up to the top of the bank with Jackal on his back, so that he could be seen by the other animals as they came to the water.