West African Folk Tales

by Hugh Vernon-Jackson

  “Are you going to shoot me?” the lioness asked.

  Manma put down the gun and took up his bow and arrows.

  “Are you going to kill me?” the lioness asked.

  Manma put down his bow and arrows and took up a whistle.

  “Let us go,” he said, and the lioness agreed that they should go.

  After Manma had escorted her for over five miles through fields and high grasses, they reached a river. Manma and the lioness said good-bye to each other and Manma began to walk back to his village. After Manma had walked for some distance, he found a locust-bean tree growing beside the path. He managed to climb up the tree just before the lioness, who had changed herself from the shape of a princess into her true shape, sprang at him in order to kill him. She had been following him.

  Manma blew very loudly on his whistle. Immediately Manma’s seven dogs appeared from the bush grass, first Tabantagi, then Guye, then Tako, followed by Tifi, Etsuegu, Tazata, and Eyeshisoko.

  Before the lioness was able to run away, the dogs jumped on her and killed her. The dogs kept the meat and Manma took the skin.

  “My wife,” said Manma when he reached his house, “we had one child for our one lion skin. Now here is another skin.”

  The Story of Muhammadu

  In olden times there lived a man called Muhammadu, a wood-cutter. The bundles of wood which he collected he brought to the market-place in the town to sell. Unfortunately, where he lived there were not many trees or bushes, so that the work did not bring him much profit.

  Muhammadu had no wife, but he worked very hard in order to save enough money to be able to afford one. He dug a hole in the ground in his compound, and in the hole he hid his money. He put in the hole all the money he earned from his wood-cutting, keeping out only what he needed to buy food.

  When Muhammadu had collected by his hard work and saved enough money to afford a wife, he dug up his money and left his town. He left behind him the gates and the walls and went to a small village in the bush. In the village he met a girl who agreed to be his wife. Muhammadu therefore went to the father of the girl and the marriage was arranged.

  Everyone in the village came to the marriage celebration. There was a great feast, at which Muhammadu’s wife received many presents—cloth, basins, pots, and corn. Muhammadu himself bought much corn and many mats, and he bought donkeys to carry the loads.

  When it was time for Muhammadu to return to his town, he loaded his donkeys with the cloth, the basins, the mats, the pots, the corn, and all the belongings of himself and his newly married wife. He said farewell to the people in the village and he and his wife set out on their journey.

  When they reached the gates and walls of the town, Muhammadu said to his wife, “This is the town where I live, and here is where we shall settle and prosper. This gate is where we shall enter.”

  There were many camels and donkeys and people entering the gates. Many of the people were greatly surprised to see Muhammadu the wood-cutter arriving with a wife and with donkeys heavily laden with goods and foodstuffs.

  Muhammadu met one of the most important councillors of the town, a man whose title was Galadima. Muhammadu made polite greetings to the Galadima, and then went on with his wife and his possessions to his compound.

  During the night thieves entered Muhammadu’s compound and bound Muhammadu and his wife with ropes. The thieves had sharp knives, and they said they would kill Muhammadu and his wife if they cried out. So saying, they took the donkeys and the corn, the cloth and everything that was in the compound. They did not leave one pot, they did not leave even a needle.

  The next morning Muhammadu and his wife were able to free themselves from the ropes with which the thieves had tied them. When they went out into the street, they told their neighbours what had happened. They went to the great compound of the Galadima in order to tell him their sad story.

  Entering the compound of the Galadima, Muhammadu and his wife heard angry voices disputing the division of donkeys, corn, cloth, pots, mats, and other goods. It was the Galadima quarrelling about his share with several men whom Muhammadu recognized as the thieves who had robbed him. Muhammadu cried out to all the people. Pointing to his belongings, he called for justice against the thieves and the Galadima, who was their master.

  “They bound us; they threatened to kill us!” Muhammadu cried. “They stole all that I had, I who as a wood-cutter had worked hard and saved my money.”

  These happenings were quickly carried to the ears of the Emir, who was the king of the town and of all the surrounding country. The Emir took speedy action. He drove the Galadima from the town for ever, he drove away the Galadima’s followers and all the people in the Galadima’s great compound.

  The Emir called Muhammadu the wood-cutter, and the turban of honour was wound around the head of Muhammadu.

  The Emir said to Muhammadu, “Now you are the Galadima of my town. You are the Galadima in my council.”

  For Muhammadu from that day on there was increasing wealth and power.

  A Hunter, when the World began

  Avery long time ago, in the beginning of the world, there lived a famous hunter. He had killed so many wild animals that he had been given the title, King of All Hunters.

  The King of All Hunters had two sons. When one of the sons wished to marry a young girl in the town, the King of All Hunters decided to test the strength and cleverness of this son.

  “All the wildest, most savage animals I have killed,” he said to his son, “except one. Go out into the bush. If you are able to kill this one remaining savage creature you will have permission to marry the young girl.”

  The young man prepared to go into the bush to hunt the savage creature.

  “Remember,” his father warned him, “what you are going to hunt is the most fearful animal in the world: with many mouths; with fire-like eyes; with enormous strength.”

  The young man took some food, then took his gun and his knife, called for his three dogs, and went off into the bush. He walked all day, and in the evening caught a hare for his supper. He walked all the next day and the day after that.

  At last he came to the hut of an old woman who lived alone. She was outside her hut by a stream, where she was washing cooking-pots. She called out to him.

  “I cannot stop,” the young man replied, “for my business is urgent.”

  The old woman called to him again that it was very important for him to speak with her. The young man turned and went to see what she wanted.

  “Here is food,” said the old woman.

  It was good food and the young man enjoyed eating it.

  “Here is a calabash,” said the old woman, “please wash it.”

  The young man went to the stream and started to wash the calabash. But as he washed it, it broke. Inside he found an egg, a round smooth stone, and a small broom of palm-raffia.

  “You have broken the calabash and I am glad,” said the old woman. “Take with you what you have found inside. In case of danger drop one at a time, first the egg, then the small broom, then the round smooth stone.”

  The young man thanked her and went on his way.

  The next day the young man reached a dark forest. He entered the forest, and at once his dogs started to bark. To his surprise, the young man suddenly saw the fearful creature which he had set out to hunt. The creature had many mouths, and fire-like eyes, and enormous strength.

  The young man aimed his gun and fired, but the fearful creature only looked at him and grew bigger and bigger. The young man made a sign to his dogs to attack the fearful creature, but having looked into the fire-like eyes, their own eyes were blinded. The young man took his knife and ran to attack the fearful creature. They fought all that day, all that night, and all the next day, but at last the young man was victorious and killed the fearful creature.

  The young man was glad, for he was now certain to marry the young girl in his town, and also he had destroyed a more fearful creature than any other hunter had don
e. The young man put the fearful creature on his back and started on his homeward journey. He left the forest and was walking through some woods when it became dark. He lay down to sleep.

  The next morning was bright and clear, but as the young man woke up he saw coming towards him another animal, far larger than the fearful creature he had killed, far fiercer, and with far more fiery eyes.

  The young man jumped up and started to run, with the wild animal following him. He remembered what the old woman had given him, and he dropped the egg. At once, there was a wide lake behind him, the greatest lake in the world. The wild animal still followed him. He dropped the broom, and at once there was the largest forest in the world behind him. The wild animal still followed. But the young man was nearing his father’s house. He dropped the round smooth stone, and at once there stood the highest mountain in the world. But the wild animal still followed.

  At last the young man reached his father’s house.

  “Quick, quick!” he cried to his brother who had been left at home, “open the door for me!”

  As the young man ran in and the door was closing after him, the wild animal reached out and seized what he could from the young man’s back before the young man escaped. And that is how the young man lost his tail and why no man in the world after that ever had a tail.

  The Son with a Big Head

  There was once a small boy whose parents lived in a small town on the top of a steep hill. The boy’s mother and sister had to work very hard every day going down the hill to the well, drawing the water from the well, putting the water in earthenware jars on their shoulders and carrying it up the hill.

  As he grew, the small boy’s head grew bigger and bigger, until it was almost as big as the hill on which his parents lived. The boy not only had a huge head, but he also drank a great quantity of water all the time and he refused to eat food.

  Finally, the parents went down the hill in despair to ask the advice of an old man who made medicines.

  “Here is some medicine,” said the old man to the parents. “Make your big-headed son take the medicine three times a day. Then see what happens to this over-thirsty boy.”

  When the parents went up the hill again they gave their son the medicine, three times a day. When he had taken the medicine for a few days, the big-headed boy stopped asking for so much water and began to eat food.

  His parents were very pleased to see him eating, but the next day the boy ate all the food that could be found in his parents’ own house. He continued to eat a great quantity of food every day for three weeks, and after this there was no food left in his family’s compound. Then he ate all the food in the town. When the people of the town saw that they were left without food, they went to the king of the town with their complaint. They told the king what the big-headed boy had done.

  “Bring the big-headed boy to me!” ordered the king.

  But when the people went to the compound where the boy lived, they could not find him.

  “If you find the big-headed boy, kill him,” ordered the king.

  But the people still could not find the big-headed boy, so they went back to the king and told him.

  The king then called his councillors to his palace, and all the people were also called. They discussed what they should do. They decided not to kill the big-headed boy; instead, they would all leave the town while he was sleeping.

  The next day, while the big-headed boy was sleeping during the heat of early afternoon, all the people quietly left the town. After they had gone down the hill and travelled several miles, the boy’s sister stopped.

  “I have forgotten my spoon,” she said. “I left it in our house on top of the hill.”

  Her parents said they would buy her a new spoon when they reached the next town.

  “No,” said the sister. “I must go back for my own spoon.”

  She refused to go on, saying that she had to go back to fetch her spoon, and she went back up the hill.

  When she reached the house, she found that the big-headed boy had woken up.

  “Where have all the people gone?” he asked.

  “They have run away,” his sister answered. “You have been eating all their food.”

  “We must go after them together,” said the big-headed boy.

  “You can’t come with me,” she replied.

  “Why don’t you want me to go with you?” he asked.

  “If you go with me,” said the sister, “everyone will beat me, and you will eat all their food.”

  However, the sister had to go back, and the big-headed boy followed her. On their way the sister asked him whether he had any idea as to how they might have a meal, for they were both tired and hungry and it was clear that all the people had gone on without waiting.

  “You will soon have a meal,” the big-headed boy replied.

  He began to chant many extraordinary words, as in a song, and after a few minutes a crowd of people appeared carrying animals, clothes, and food.

  The big-headed boy asked the people to build houses of good shapes and with strong walls. This they did, building them very quickly beside a river of clear water. The people then settled in the houses they had built, and the big-headed boy with his sister settled with them. Every day the people supplied the big-headed boy with all the food he needed. Every day the boy’s body became larger and stronger, and his head became smaller, until at last he was a handsome man.

  The people gathered together, and agreed that the big-headed boy who had so quickly changed should be their king.

  “Will you be our king?” the people asked.

  “Yes,” the man replied, “from today I will be your king.”

  A fine, large house with many rooms and courtyards was built for him, and this was his palace. The new king ordered that the people build another fine house for his faithful sister.

  One day, when the king was sitting in the great hall of his palace, an old old man came in to see him.

  “I know who you are,” said the old old man.

  “Where have you seen me before?” the king asked.

  “Were you not the boy whose parents ran away together with all the people of a town because you ate all their food and had a very big head?”

  “I was,” the king replied, “and now I am a king.”

  The king asked the old old man where he lived.

  “I live in the town,” he replied, “where your mother and father now live. I am going back there now, and I hope you will go with me in order to see your parents.”

  The king put on his expensive clothes, and he followed the old old man to the town where his parents lived. It was not far away, and they soon reached the house of the parents.

  When the parents saw their son, handsome and in his expensive clothes, followed by servants, they made humble greetings and salutations.

  “Long may you live, Your Highness!” they said.

  “My greetings to you,” said the king. “Do you not know me?”

  “We do not know you,” his parents answered.

  The king returned to his town and to his palace, and asked his wife to cook bowlfuls of excellent food to be sent to his parents. He asked his servants to take the food to his parents but not to allow them to eat it, for they were to uncover the bowls and the servants were to bring back the food after his parents had seen it.

  When the servants reached the parents’ house they did what they had been asked to do. They uncovered the bowls of food and showed it to the parents but refused to let them eat. Then the servants returned to the palace with the food. The parents followed them, and entered the palace. In the palace the servants gave the food to the king, but the parents still did not know that the king was their son.

  “Why have you followed my servants?” the king asked them.

  “Because we have no food of our own and we are hungry,” the parents answered. “We want to eat the food which they showed us.”

  Then the king told them that he was their son whom they had
left in the town on the hill to die without food. When the parents heard this they wept and they wailed and they cried.

  The heart of the king softened, and he ordered his servants to bring more and better food for his parents.

  “You are my father and mother, so you shall eat,” said the king, “and you shall have good houses built for you in the courtyards of my palace.”

  The king and his parents and his sister then lived very happily together for the rest of their lives.

  Koba, the Hunter who stopped Hunting

  There was once a man called Koba, a hunter. One day he left his house and went off to hunt in a place which was far away.

  When Koba reached a certain locust-bean tree, he made his camp under it. Every day he went out hunting, and every night also, resting only for necessity, to eat and to sleep.

  One day when he was out hunting he suddenly heard the mighty roar of a lion very close to him. Never had he heard such a roar before. Greatly alarmed, Koba turned and ran as fast as he could towards his camp. He was carrying a bow and some arrows. On the way his bow caught in the low branches of a tree. He pulled but could not release the bow, and he thought it was the lion who had caught it, but he was too frightened to turn his head to look.

  “Please, King of Animals,” cried Koba, “let go of my bow. I have not come out to hunt you. You are the king not only of animals but also of human beings who are your Majesty’s subjects.”

  Koba never turned his head. He waited for an answer from the lion, but as it was branches of a tree holding his bow there was no answer.

  “If you are angry with me because of other hunters,” Koba continued, “I promise to tell them no longer to hunt you. If you are too angry to release my bow, keep it. Only let me go free to tell other hunters not to hunt lions.”

  Again there was no answer. Koba left his bow and ran on to his camp by the locust-bean tree. Quickly he packed his belongings, and then made the journey back to his house with all possible speed.