In the morning, when the sky had become daylight, Mwindo took up his billhook and went to cultivate the bananas as he had been instructed. Muisa picked out a man to go with Mwindo to the fields. As they traveled, the man showed Mwindo a mountain with mango trees all over it. Mwindo, seeing that mountain, placed the billhooks on the ground, so that they might, by themselves, lay out fresh trails for them to get through the bush. When they finished cutting the trails, the billhooks mowed the grasses. Having cut the grasses, the banana trees planted themselves. Mwindo placed a number of axes there along with the billhooks. The axes felled the trees. Having finished there, the billhooks went across the banana grove, cutting the newly grown weeds. Mwindo’s companion returned to Muisa. When he arrived there, he brought Muisa the news, saying: “This time he there is not just a cultivator. He is fast, a cultivator of marvelous things. He has not touched one iron tool. The iron tools themselves are hoeing, and sawing and felling trees, and cutting weeds.”
Having given the news, he returned again to where Mwindo was in the field of fresh bananas. The billhooks had finished cutting the weeds there, and now cut poles. The poles, by themselves, were propping up the banana trees. The poles completed the propping of the trees, and the banana stems were ripened. The observer ran back with this news to Muisa. “I have observed more than a man in the fields cultivating today. The banana trees already have stems and the bananas already are ripe.” And Mwindo, he also exclaimed, was already on his way carrying a stem of bananas. Hearing this, Muisa said: “Lo, this boy is going to manage to pass all of these tests there in the forest. I slept having set traps for him last evening, but he freed himself by his wits and escaped those dangers. Today I have again tested him, but here he is about to escape again.” Having thus been astonished because of Mwindo, Muisa sent his powerful belt of cowries over to where Mwindo was, saying to it: “My belt, you are going to Mwindo. When you have seen him, you must break him in two and smash his mouth against the ground.” The belt, obeying the instructions of its master, went to the banana grove. When it saw Mwindo in the banana grove cutting up the banana stems on which there were ripe bananas and carrying them away, it fell upon him and lashed at him, making Mwindo scream. It crushed him, smacking his mouth against the ground until froth came out. He couldn’t breathe. Urine and excrement flowed out of him, so little could he control himself. Seeing its master unable to find means to escape, Mwindo’s scepter recalled its duty. It drew itself up above the head of Mwindo. Mwindo, in sneezing, lifted his head. He opened his eyes and gazed about.
During the time Mwindo had been pinned down by Muisa’s belt, the rope that he was attached to was stilled. It did not move any more. His aunt, back in Tubondo, had held on to the other end of the rope. When it was still, she threw herself down, saying that her son was dead. She uttered a cry, low and high, imploring the gods, and she said: “However he returns, I will take care of him.” Back where Mwindo was, he lifted up his eyes, and sang:
Though Muisa slay Mwindo
And I shall die,
Muisa, you are really helpless against Mwindo,
Against Mwindo, the Little One Just Born He Walked.
Mwindo, while singing, remembered his aunt: “You there in Tubondo, I felt that my rope did not move, that it had become still because Muisa had pinned me to the ground. He wrapped me up like a bunch of bananas. But don’t worry any more, there where you are, because I am saved. It is my scepter that brought me back to life.”
Mwindo now sent his scepter to Muisa in the village, saying: “You, my scepter, when you have arrived where Muisa is in the village, you must smash him powerfully. You must force his mouth to the ground so that his tongue will cut the earth like a hoe. For as long as I stay away from the village, you must not let him loose again.”
The scepter went whirling around. When it arrived at Muisa’s meeting place, it smashed him. It shoved his mouth to the ground. His tongue dug into the earth. He could not control his bowels and he messed himself badly. He couldn’t breathe.
Mwindo stayed in the banana grove preparing a load of bananas, both green ones and ripe ones. When he returned to the village, he glanced over at the meeting place and he saw Muisa. Foam spewed out of his mouth and nose, he was so enraged. Kahindo, Muisa’s daughter, seeing Mwindo, hurried to him. She told him: “You are just coming here, while my father’s body has already cooled in death.” Mwindo answered Kahindo that he had come looking for his father: “Now bring my father here, so that I may go home with him.” Kahindo answered: “First you must heal my father. Then I will show you your father, and deliver him to you.” Mwindo sang while awakening Muisa:
He who sleeps shall wake up.
Muisa, you are powerless against Mwindo
Because Mwindo is the Little One Just Born He Walked.
Kahombo, whom Muisa brought forth,
He-who-is-accustomed-to-mocking-himself.
Muisa, you are helpless against Mwindo.
A bit of food, thanks, puts an end to a song.
Mwindo went on singing like that while incessantly beating Muisa’s head with his scepter to bring him back to life. When Muisa had awakened and saw that he was safe, he said: “You, Mwindo, lo, you are a powerful man.”
Muisa again tested Mwindo. “You, child, must go as soon as it is light and gather for me the honey that is in that tree there.” After Mwindo had been shown that honey by Muisa so he could set out in the early morning to extract it, sky became night. Kahindo stirred paste for Mwindo. Having eaten the paste, they went to sleep.
When the sky had turned to day, Mwindo took up his axe and went straight into the forest to gather the honey. He took coals with him to start a fire. When he arrived at the base of the tree, he climbed up into it, arriving at the hive where the honey was. Mwindo made the fire, and used it to smoke out the bees. When it was ready, he struck his axe against the trunk, singing:
I am extracting honey in Muisa’s country;
My friend Nkuba, may you be victorious.
Hatred is in the heart.
My little father threw me into the drum into the river;
My father believed that I would drift away.
Muisa, back in the village, said: “I think this man will finally gather this honey!” Muisa sent his magical belt. It flew and smashed Mwindo against the tree trunk. Again he couldn’t breathe and he couldn’t control his bowels. Urine and excrement ran down his legs.
His aunt Iyaugura saw that the rope was still, and again she feared that he was dead. Where Mwindo had left it, his scepter realized that its master was dying. It climbed up to where he was, pressed against the tree trunk, and it beat and beat on the head of Mwindo. Mwindo sneezed. He lifted his eyes and gasped. Mwindo said: “Lo, while I was perched here, I was on the verge of death.” When he had opened his eyes, he implored his friend Nkuba, singing:
My friend Nkuba, be victorious.
Hatred is in the heart.
In climbing down, he gazed into the sky, saying: “My friend Nkuba, I am suffering.” When Nkuba heard the cry of his friend Mwindo, he descended to the tree. He cleaved it into pieces. On the ground, his friend Mwindo did not have a single wound.
Mwindo had come down with the basket of honey. He carried it to Muisa’s. He laid the honey basket at his feet. Then Muisa sent a boy to look for the place where he had hidden Shemwindo. The boy arrived there, but Shemwindo was gone. Having seen no one there, the boy returned to Muisa and Mwindo. He told them: “While you were sitting here, Shemwindo has fled. He is not where he has been.” Just then Kahungu came in and told Mwindo: “Your companion Muisa lies, for he has warned your father to flee to Ntumba’s, the sacred aardvark, saying that you are too powerful.” After Kahungu had told Mwindo the news in that manner, he flew away into the sky.
Mwindo then told Muisa the truth bluntly. “Bring me my father right now! Have him emerge from where you have hidden him so that I may take him with me. You scoundrel, you said that when I plowed a field for you, and when I gathered
honey for you, you would then give me my father. I want you to produce him right now.” When Muisa heard how Mwindo was criticizing him, he twitched his eyes. He said: “This time, this boy is really getting annoying, and right here in my own village.”
Having seen that Muisa did not produce his father, Mwindo began to beat Muisa on the head with his scepter. Muisa then couldn’t control himself and excrement stuck to his buttocks. He fainted away. His urine ran all over the ground, and froth came out of his nose and eyes and covered his face. He tossed his hooves up into the air and he stiffened like a viper. Mwindo said, “Stay like that, you dog.” He would not heal him until he came back. Mwindo was going in pursuit of his father, where he had gone to the aardvark, Ntumba’s. Mwindo went on singing:
I am searching for Shemwindo
In the place where Shemwindo went.
Shemwindo fled into Ntumba’s dwelling.
I am searching for Ntumba’s dwelling
Ntumba, open for me.
Shemwindo is in flight inside Ntumba’s dwelling.
I am searching for my father Shemwindo
In Ntumba’s dwelling.
The sun begins to set.
I am searching for Shemwindo.
Shemwindo is in flight inside Ntumba’s dwelling.
My little father threw me into the drum.
Mwindo implored lightning-bringing Nkuba, saying:
My friend Nkuba, may you be victorious.
Hatred is in the heart.
My little father, the dearest one,
I am searching for my father in Ntumba’s dwelling,
My friend Nkuba, may you be victorious,
Hatred is in the heart.
I am looking for my little father.
My little father threw me into the drum,
My little father, eternal malefactor among people.
My little father shot me into the river.
Ntumba, open for me.
Mwindo paced around Ntumba’s cave where his father was, but inside Ntumba paid no attention to him. Then the aardvark, Ntumba, made a sign to Shemwindo, saying: “You be ready to go. The little man at the door is strong, and you see the way he is threatening at the entrance of the cave.” When Shemwindo heard how his son was toughening himself (like a hide drying in the sun) at the entrance of the cave, he said: “The little boy comes to us looking severe.” Then he told his friend Ntumba that he was going to continue to run away. Shemwindo then escaped to Sheburungu’s—the god of creation, known too as Onfo.
Where Nkuba was in the sky, when he heard the voice of Mwindo, he said: “My friend is already too tired of praying to me.” Nkuba sent down seven bolts of lightning. They struck inside the cave, cleaving it into a million pieces. The cave turned into dust. Realizing that his friend Nkuba had struck the cave, Mwindo opened the door, and walked inside. He searched for his father there in the cave but did not find him. Then he met Ntumba and told him: “Ntumba, where did you let my father go, where have you hidden him?” The aardvark kept silent as though he had not heard. Mwindo spat at him, saying: “Get out, you scoundrel! While I was spending all my energy at the door asking you to open up for me, you refused. May you die of scrotal elephantiasis!”
When Ntumba saw the way in which Mwindo proceeded to blame him, he said to Mwindo: “You see how my house was just destroyed and all my crop. What am I going to do now?” Where Kahungu dwelt in the sky, he came down. He went to bring the news to Mwindo. He arrived, saying: “You know, Mwindo, that Ntumba has allowed your father to escape. Your father ran away to Sheburungu’s.” Kahungu, having brought Mwindo the information, again flew away into the sky. Mwindo remained at Ntumba’s. Because of anger and weariness, he cursed the aardvark: “Ntumba, this is how you will die—may you never again find food in this country of yours.” Where his aunt Iyaugura dwelt in Tubondo, she went on pondering sadly, saying: “My heart will return to normal only when Mwindo is safely back from where he has gone.” She looked at the rope that she was holding. She said: “Lo, Mwindo is still searching for the place to which his father has escaped.”
Mwindo followed his father, going in search of him all wrapped up in hatred. He arrived at the entrance of the creation god, Sheburungu’s, village. He encountered a group of little children there. They greeted him, saying: “Mwindo, don’t run ahead of us. We are hungry and we need you to give us food.” Mwindo implored his aunt Iyaugura to send him food, telling her that the children of Sheburungu were hungry. While asking for food from his aunt, Mwindo sang. Mwindo howled. He said:
Oh, you there, where Iyaugura has stayed,
Sister of Shemwindo,
I must have seven portions of food.
You see where Mwindo passed,
I am suffering from hunger.
Aunt Iyaugura,
I am claiming meat.
Having said to his aunt that he needed seven portions of meat and paste to come to him there where he was with the children of Sheburungu, Mwindo looked up, and the pastes had already arrived. Mwindo gave them to the youngsters. The children of Sheburungu began eating the paste, while Mwindo kept them company. When the children had finished eating, Mwindo returned the wicker plates to his aunt Iyaugura, telling her to line them up so that they might be used as steps to climb up to Sheburungu’s. Mwindo sent back the wicker plates, singing:
I send back the wicker and wooden plates.
O Aunt Iyaugura, (I pay you honor),
I send back the wicker and wooden plates.
After he had sent back the wicker and wooden plates, he climbed up to Sheburungu’s, and the youngsters followed him (as they always do when a visitor arrives). He went up to Sheburungu’s, singing:
Sheburungu, you,
I am looking for Shemwindo.
Shemwindo gave birth to a hero
In giving birth to the Little One just Born He Walked.
Sheburungu,
I am looking for Shemwindo.
Sheburungu shouted and said:
O Mwindo, let us gamble together!
And Mwindo shouted and said:
O my father Sheburungu,
I am looking for Shemwindo.
And he—
O Mwindo, let us gamble together!
And Mwindo shouted, he said:
O my father, give me Shemwindo!
My little father threw me into the drum,
My little father threw me into the river.
The youngsters asked me to gamble with them,
The youngsters—I do not gamble with them.
After Mwindo had entreated Sheburungu to return his father, Sheburungu said to him: “I cannot just give your father to you. First we must gamble. Then I will deliver your father to you, and then you may go home with him.” Thus Sheburungu spoke to Mwindo. Mwindo answered him: “Go ahead and spread the seed shells out on the ground that I may guess at how many there are (for that was how they gambled). I will not run away from you for you know the dangers that I have already escaped from.” After Sheburungu had heard Mwindo’s response, he brought a mat and spread it out on the ground. He brought out the very old seed shells of the isea tree. Sheburungu wagered: “Mwindo, if you beat me, you will carry your father off with you. Here are three sums of money. If you beat me, you will carry them off, too.” Mwindo wagered three sums of money. Sheburungu was the first to take a handful of seeds. With the first take-up, he won all of Mwindo’s money. Mwindo wagered the goats that remained in Tubondo. Sheburungu took the seeds and he won all the goats from Mwindo. Mwindo wagered everything, even his aunt—Sheburungu won all his goods and his followers and his aunt. Mwindo simply sat there all alone with his scepter. And then Mwindo wagered his scepter. When Sheburungu tried to take the seeds, he failed. Mwindo took the seeds. He won back from Sheburungu all the money that he had wagered. Sheburungu wagered again and Mwindo again took the seeds. All that Sheburungu had bet, Mwindo won it back. Sheburungu wagered all his objects, together with his cattle. Mwindo took the seeds up again, and again he won. Finally
he won all the things of Sheburungu—people, goats, cattle. Mwindo piled up everything and Sheburungu was left all alone.
Kantori and Kahungu ran to where Mwindo was, warning him: “You, Mwindo, come quickly, your father is trying to run away again.” After he had heard that news, Mwindo abandoned the game: he sped away to encounter his father in the banana grove of Sheburungu. Seeing his father, Mwindo inquired of him: “0 my father, are you here?” (Now he was able to pay the respect due to a father, for he had defeated him properly.) Shemwindo answered: “Here I am.” Mwindo again inquired of his father: “O Shemwindo, is it really you?” Shemwindo again answered: “Here I am, my son.”
After Mwindo had seized his father, he returned with him to Sheburungu s. Mwindo said: “Sheburungu, you have been hiding my father. This is my father, is he not?” Mwindo said further to Sheburungu: “Sheburungu, I don’t want any of your things that I have won. Just keep all those things that I have won, for I am leaving here with my father.” Mwindo gave his respectful farewell to Sheburungu and to all his people: “O father Sheburungu, farewell!” Sheburungu answered: “Yes, you, too, Mwindo, go and be strong, along with your father Shemwindo.” After Mwindo had said farewell to Sheburungu, he returned singing:
Listen, Ntumba,
He who went away comes back.
African Folktales (The Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library) Page 35