O Dzerikpoli,
I will marry Dzerikpoli-o!
O Dzerikpoli, I will marry Dzerikpoli.
Dze’s father and mother had built a long compound with seven rooms, and kept his corpse in the last, the seventh room, well barred with large doors. As the girl sang Dze’s private name, the first door swung open. Dze could hear her song when she was still at the chief’s farm, so he also started his song:
Oh, oh, oh, my mother,
Open the doors for me.
Wo, wo, wo, my mother,
Open the doors and let me out.
Another door opened. On nearing Kampaha, the girl sang again:
O Dzerikpoli,
I will marry Dzerikpoli-o!
O Dzerikpoli, I will marry Dzerikpoli.
The third door opened. The young man heard her, and also repeated his song:
Oh, oh, oh, my mother,
Open the doors for me.
Wo, wo, wo, my mother,
Open the doors and let me out.
And another door was opened, leaving three.
The girl then went some few yards from Tokoro hill, and started her song again. Dze heard her and again he sang his song. Another door was opened. Now the young woman could see the walls of Vaara and started singing again. The good-time girls, on hearing this woman sing Dze’s name, were all surprised and stood watching her as she approached. Then they stood up and started weeping: “Wolu, wolu, wolu, wolu—who is this strange woman from another place who has been able to find out this man’s name though we gentras, good-time girls, and tutuhi, prostitutes, have not been able to know it?” While they were saying all this, the girl sang again, this time louder:
ODzerikpoli,
I will marry Dzerikpoli-o!
O Dzerikpoli, I will marry Dzerikpoli.
The young man, now left with two doors to pass through, also sang his song:
Oh, oh, oh, my mother,
Open the doors for me.
Wo, wo, wo, my mother,
Open the doors and let me out.
At this, another door was opened and he was left with one door to pass through. Still, the Zongo women, the Nantiri women, and the Wa prostitutes stood wondering how this woman, who was a stranger, got to know Dze’s name, and would thus now have the chance of marrying him.
When the woman was a few steps from where Dze was, she started her song again:
O Dzerikpoli,
I will marry Dzerikpoli-o!
O Dzerikpoli, I will marry Dzerikpoli.
After this, the last door opened and Dze came out, and said, “This woman, who has found out my name, she shall be my wife.” Dze then went and embraced the woman and they started, kiri, kiri, kiri, fast toward Wa.
On the way, as they were nearing Kampaha village, they saw the old woman bathing again. She asked the young woman to come and wash her back, but the young woman, hearing this, turned sharply, and said, “Stop that nonsense! How can I be marrying such a nice young man and come and wash the back of an old woman?”
After this, the two passed by Kampaha and, while there, the woman was turned into a leper. At that moment, the young man said, “Why should there be so many beautiful girls and I marry you, a leper?” And then he ran away as fast as he could. Immediately, the leper started, kpidu, kpidu, kpidu, running after him. They chased each other until they were in the middle of a thick bush. The man turned into a reed, the type used for making mats lain on by women who have just given birth. The leper turned into a daangu, the fiber used to weave the reeds together to make the mats.
A weaver then went to cut the reed and the fiber to weave a mat. After the mat was made, a woman who had just given birth bought it, and while she lay on it, it made some noise, miu, miu, miu. This sound shows that the leper has not stopped running after the young man and the young man has also not stopped running.
—Wala
93
Never Ask Me About My Family
Long, long ago when the Ndemi and the Ngumba were ruling our country there was a young man called Mwenendega. He was a handsome youngster, but his father was very poor. They had neither cattle nor food enough for their sustenance.
One day Mwenendega went down to a small river not far from his home. When approaching the left bank of the river, he saw a beautiful girl, very attractive, fair as the moon and bright as the stars in the sky, with a halo on her head like a rainbow. She was timid and silent like the sun.
The youngster greeted her with hesitation and fear, and asked: “Kind and beautiful girl, how are you?”
“I am very well, perhaps better than you.”
“Gracious girl, where is your home?”
“Why do you put a question like that to me? I have no father, no mother, and nowhere to stay.”
“If that is the truth, would you agree to come with me and become my beloved wife?”
The girl looked pleased and, smiling graciously, answered with a sweet voice: “With great pleasure I consent, but on one essential condition, which is this: During all our companionship, in fact, during all our life, you must never ask me about my father, my mother, or my country of origin.” Mwenendega answered that he found the condition very reasonable, and accepted it entirely. “I will never ask about your father or mother or your country during all our life.”
And so she gave him her hand and cheerfully both climbed the riverbank, making for the boy’s village. Mwenendega built a large and beautiful hut for his bride-to-be, and in a few days they married. They arranged for a great celebration to solemnize the event. The relations were invited and they came in great number. There was a family dance and after that, there was a great feast with singing, drinking, and merrymaking. People were greatly surprised at the beauty of the girl.
Many years passed in peace and love and mutual understanding. During those happy years, seven children were born to Mwenendega and he was very pleased with each new addition to his family. The children grew and the time arrived when the first-born had to go through the rites of circumcision. I am going to tell you now what happened at that event. When the solemn rites were near the end, just before each of the initiates shaved the hair of his head, Mwenendega said to his beloved wife: “Darling, from the day of our marriage until now, I have never seen your father or your mother. What has prevented them from coming today to see their grandchildren, how fine and strong they are? Don’t you think that they should have taken part in this family feast?”
Good heavens! That was the start of a disaster! At the sound of those words the gentle lady suddenly grew frantic. She rose from the ground like a bouncing ball, and fell down heavily on the earth, making a hole seven miles deep, all the while shooting in the air stones, trees, rubble, and mud, like a blast of gunpowder. Meanwhile, she shouted with an awful cry, “My father, my mother, and all my kinfolk, where are they? Children of Mboto, come out.” After that cry, the old spirits came down in great number from the top of Mount Kenya carrying beer, goats, cattle, and food. They went straight to Mwenendega’s house to play havoc. A long blast from a horn was heard in the valley and a heavy roar of drum beating followed. There was a great noise in the air and on earth. A frightful storm of hail soon covered the ground with iced stones. The thunder was rumbling in the sky with a terrific noise and the lightning was flashing from one end of the country to the other, like a great conflagaration. Terrified, the inhabitants took refuge in the huts and in the caverns nearby. Then the old spirits started to pour beer on the earth, and in a few instants the country was flooded and looked like Lake Naivasha. Shall I tell you what the old spirits made of the poor Mwenendega? They surrounded him, and in the twinkling of an eye they carried him and his wife and his children to the top of Mount Kenya, and buried them in a big hole under the stones.
So when you look at Mount Kenya, remember this story. It is the reason why our people, when they make a sacrifice or slaughter a goat, turn themselves toward Mount Kenya to glance at the white spot, lest some misfortune happen to them as it did to those
others. This sad event occurred in this, our Kikuyu country, long, long ago.
—Kikuyu
94
A Man Marries a Lioness
Here is a story!
(Story it is.)
The goats of Kimona-ngombe are asleep;
The slave of Kimona-ngombe is asleep;
The hen of Kimona-ngombe is asleep;
The pig of Kimona-ngombe is asleep;
The sheep of Kimona-ngombe is asleep;
Kimona-ngombe himself is asleep,
Kimona-ngombe himself is asleep.
I will tell you all a story of lions, who are, as all know, second only to elephants in strength and power. One time there were no lions here on the land, but then they came and settled here. One year there was a terrible famine that came upon the earth. There was no place anyone could go to eat for there was no food, and the lions began to wander around, looking everywhere for something to feed themselves and their families.
So they got together and spoke among themselves, wondering where they could try next. “What are we going to do? We are all so hungry.” One of them said, “Well, Man always has his cattle. So we must go out and find Man.” One of them asked, “But how do we get there? We have always shied away from Man, and I don’t even know where he lives!” The first one said, “They don’t live so far away. I’m sure maybe as close as one day’s walk. We just have to go looking.”
They started out, and before they knew it, they found themselves on the outskirts of one of the villages. One of the young lionesses, then, was turned into a human being so they could have someone go in and find out what was going on in the village, how many cattle were left, and where they might find other food if they needed it. The others dressed her and trimmed her hair, so she was beautiful to look at. Then they told her what she must look for and what she must say to the headman of the village: “You will pass through the village of a man who is well known for having many head of cattle, by the name of Ngana Kimona-ngombe kia na Mbua, ‘The Owner of Mr. Dog’s cattle.’ When you pass this man, he’ll stop you, and you must pay him proper respect by saying, ‘Good sir, I am going to see my brother who lives in the next village.’ Kimona-ngombe sees you, he is certain to want to talk with you and have you for his wife, for you have been made to look like such a beautiful young woman. You must agree to marry him, and then you can kill him and we can catch all of his cattle to eat.” She agreed to all of this, and took to the road.
She arrived at Kimona-ngombe’s gate and saw him there sitting at the entrance to his house. He asked, “You, young woman! Where are you going?” just as they said he would. And she replied, “I’m going to visit my brother who lives in the next village. But I’m so tired and thirsty, may I sit and have a little water to drink?” He sent his servants right away to bring her some water and he welcomed her into his yard. He began talking with her right away, he was so struck with her beauty. Ngana Kimona-ngombe asked her, “Young woman, are you married already?” and she replied, “Not yet.” He proposed to her immediately and she accepted, saying, “You have a fine house, many servants and cattle here.” She said, “I must go home first to tell my parents. I’ll return in two days.”
She went back to where the lions were staying and told everyone what had happened: “It worked. Kimona-ngombe has talked to me and asked me to marry him.” The others, when they heard, were overjoyed. The woman slept for two days and then went back to the man’s house and found him there. He was so glad to see her again, he had a goat killed for her, and she had her fill. Then they built her a house in preparation for the marriage, and she went into it.
That night, Ngana Kimona-ngombe said, “I am going to sleep in the house of my new bride.” His son from his first wife clung to his father, begging to be allowed to sleep wherever he slept. His mother said to him, “Your father is going to sleep in his new bride’s house. You must let go.” But he kept on crying. Finally his father said, “Well, the child is hanging on and crying so, let him come along with me.”
So they came to his bride’s house and went in and sat on the bed. She said, “The chief has come with a child. How did this happen?” And he said, “Well, he was hanging on to me and crying so hard, and just wouldn’t stay with his mother.” So they lay down on the ground to go to sleep, the woman and the man and his child.
In the middle of the night, the woman got up and turned back into a lioness and went to catch the man to kill him. The son, who was lying behind the man, saw her and woke his father up, saying, “Father, there is an animal here in the house who is going to bite you.” So the man got up, and the lioness quickly changed herself back to a woman.
Day came and went, and the next evening arrived. Again the man brought his crying son with him. The woman said, “Oh, Chief, last night the child kept waking you up so that you couldn’t get a good night’s rest. Why did you bring him along again?” The chief said, “Well, he was crying and carrying on so much I just brought him along.” So again they went to sleep.
In the middle of the night, the woman heard the other lions calling to her: “You were going to kill Kimona-ngombe kia na Mbua, so why don’t you do it?” The woman answered:
The goat of Kimona-ngombe is asleep;
The slave of Kimona-ngombe is asleep;
The hen of Kimona-ngombe is asleep;
The pig of Kimona-ngombe is asleep;
The sheep of Kimona-ngombe is asleep;
Kimona-ngombe himself is asleep;
But his son never seems to sleep;
His son never seems to sleep!
After singing this, the woman turned into a lioness; again she wanted to catch the man. The son, who was lying behind the man, woke him up, saying, “Father, there is an animal here who is going to bite you.” His father replied, “The house is brand-new; what animal can get in to bite me?” The son said, “Roaches and maggots on the ground.” His father answered him, “Child, you’re lying. I’m not going to listen.” They slept again a little while longer.
The woman heard the others calling to her: “You went to kill Kimona-ngomba kia na Mbua, are you coming back to us or not?” Again she sang:
The goat of Kimona-ngombe is asleep;
The slave of Kimona-ngombe is asleep;
The hen of Kimona-ngombe is asleep;
The pig of Kimona-ngombe is asleep;
Kimona-ngombe himself is asleep;
But his son never seems to sleep;
His son never seems to sleep!
The child Ndala stood up and said, “Father, get up! there is a wild beast in here.” Now his father got angry and said, “Let’s go. I’m taking you back to your mother. You are disturbing my sleep!”
They went outside in the middle of the night. The son then told his father, “Your new wife has been turning into a wild beast.” His father said, “My son, you’re lying to me.” The son said, “I’m telling you the truth, Father. Let’s go back into the house and you will see what I mean.” They went back and lay down.
The wife said, “You were going to take the child back to his mother. Why did you bring him back?” The man said, “The child would not stop crying.” They lay down again, and the man covered himself with his cloth over his head; but he was looking.
The woman heard the other lions calling again: “You went to kill Kimona-ngombe kia na Mbua, are you ever coming back? She answered, saying:
The goat of Kimona-ngombe is asleep;
The slave of Kimona-ngombe is asleep;
The hen of Kimona-ngombe is asleep;
The pig of Kimona-ngombe is asleep;
The sheep of Kimona-ngombe is asleep;
Kimona-ngombe himself is asleep, falsely;
But his son never seems to sleep;
His son never seems to sleep!
The woman then turned into a lioness again. She went to the man, but Kimona-ngombe saw her. Now he believed what Ndala had been telling him: “Ndala spoke the truth.” He got up and said, “My child, let’s get out of here. I’ll tak
e you back to your mother!” They went outside, and he put him into the house of his mother. Ngana Kimona-ngombe told the village and his slaves that same night that they must set the house on fire. “The woman that I just married keeps turning into a lioness.” They surrounded the house and set it on fire. The woman was roasted in the house. The day breaks.
And so it will always be: having children leads you on the way of truth. A woman was going to kill Ngana Kimona-ngombe, but his child, Ndala, saved his life.
So the story ends.
Bibliography
Parenthetical references indicate the specific group or country from which tales were collected.
Alland, Alexander, Jr. When the Spider Danced. Garden City, N.Y.: Anchor Press/Doubleday, 1975. (Abron)
Beidelman, T.O. “Eleven Kaguru Texts.” African Studies 26. Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press, 1967. (Kaguru)
Bender, C.J. African Jungle Tales. Girard, Kan., 1919. (Kpe)
Biebuyck, Daniel, and Mateene, Kahombo C. The Mwindo Epic.
Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1969. (Nyanga)
African Folktales (The Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library) Page 43