Fetichism in West Africa : $b forty years' observation of native customs and superstitionsNassau, Robert Hamill
Philosophy
Fetichism in West Africa : $b forty years' observation of native customs and superstitions
Nassau, Robert Hamill
Ethnology -- Africa, West; Fetishism -- Africa, West
The next day the thief made a feast. He met Ogula again on the street and
saluted him, "Mbolo! I am making a feast. You seem a stranger. I would
like you to come." "Yes; where?" "At such-and-such a place." "Yes, I will
come. But this attendant of mine is good, and must be invited too." "Yes,
I have no objections." Next evening the feast was held, and people came to
it. The thief placed Ogula and his servant near himself. There was much
eating and drinking. The thief became excited, and determined to kill
Ogula at the table by sticking him with a knife.
All the while that the thief was watching Ogula, the servant was watching
the thief. Presently the latter turned slightly and began to draw a knife.
The servant watched him closely. The thief's knife was out, and the
servant's knife was out too. But the thief was watching only Ogula, and
did not know what the servant was doing. Just as the thief was about to
thrust at Ogula, the servant jumped and thrust his knife into the thief's
neck. The man fell, blood flowing abundantly over the table. The guests
were alarmed, and were about to seize the servant, who pointed at the
drawn knife in the man's hand that had been intended for his master; and
then he told their whole story.
So the guests decided that there was no charge against Ogula and his
servant, and scattered. The next day Ogula and his servant left. As he
knew that that man was the last of the company of thieves, he said, in
gladness, "Now! Glory!" Then he thought, "All that wealth is mine, since
this last one who tried to take my life is dead."
As he had seen enough of the world by travel, he decided to stay in one
place. He would call people to live with him in a new town which he would
build for them around that enchanted house of the thieves, which he took
as his own with all its wealth. And he lived long in that house in great
glory, with wife and children and retainers and slaves.
VI. BANGA OF THE FIVE FACES.
Ra-Mborakinda lived in his town with his sons and daughters and his glory.
One son was Nkombe, and another Ogula, whose full name was
Ogula-keva-anlingo-n'-ogěndâ (Ogula-who-goes-faster-than-water); but
they were not of the same mother.
Ogula grew up without taking any wife. He became a great man, with
knowledge of sorcery. One day his father said to him, "Ogula, as you are a
big man now, I think it is time for you to have a wife. I think you had
better choose from one of my young wives." Ogula replied, "No, I will get
a wife in my own way." So one day he went to another osěngě
(clearing) of a town which belonged to a man of the awiri (spirits; plural
of "ombwiri"), _i. e._, one who possessed magic power, and obtained one of
his daughters. Her name was Ikâgu-ny'-awiri.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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