Nianga took him out; he set him on the ground. He says: "Elephant has
stuck me up in the fork of the tree. Sir, to whom one has given life,
one gives more. I have been two days on the tree; give me a little
food." Nianga says: "Where shall I find food?" He says: "Anywhere."
Nianga takes up his dog; he gives it to Mr. Leopard. Mr. Leopard ate
it and said, "I am not satisfied." Nianga takes up also the other dog;
he gives it to Mr. Leopard. He has eaten, says, "Still I have not
enough." Nianga dia Ngenga took up his cartridge-box; he gives him it.
Mr. Leopard, when he had eaten it, said, "Still I have not enough."
Hare comes; he finds them talking; says: "Why are you quarrelling?"
Nianga says: "Mr. Leopard, I found him in the fork of a tree. Says
he, 'Take me out!' I took him out. Says he, 'Give me to eat!' I gave
him both my dogs and my cartridge-box. He says, 'Give me more to eat.'
That is what we are quarrelling about."
Hare says: "Mr. Leopard, let him be again on the tree, where he was;
that I may see." Mr. Leopard returns to the tree, where he was. Hare
moves off to a distance; he calls Nianga. He says: "Thou, Nianga, art
unwise. Mr. Leopard is a wild beast, he is wont to catch people.
Thou, who didst get him out of there, he wanted to devour thee. Shoot
him."
Nianga then shoots Mr. Leopard.
The end . . . "is with God."
Leopard and the Other Animals
Mr. Leopard lived. One day hunger grasps him. He says: "How shall I
do? I will call all the animals in the world, saying, 'Come ye, let us
have a medical consultation.' When the animals come then I may catch
and eat."
He sends at once to call Deer, Antelope, Soko, Hare, and Philantomba.
They gather, saying: "Why didst thou send for us?" He says: "Let us
consult medicine, that we get health."
The sun is broken down. They begin the drums outside with the songs.
Mr. Leopard himself is beating the drum; he is saying, saying:
"O Antelope! O Deer!
Your friend is sick;
Do not shun him!
O Antelope! O Deer!
Your friend is sick;
Do not shun him!
O Antelope! O Deer!
Your friend is sick;
Do not shun him'"
Deer says: "Chief, the drum, how art thou playing it? Bring it here;
that I play it." Mr. Leopard gives him it. Deer takes the drum, says:
"Not sickness;
Wiliness holds thee
Not sickness;
Wiliness holds thee!
Not sickness;
Wiliness holds thee!"
Mr. Leopard stood up from ground, said: "Thou, Deer, knowest not how to
play the drum."
The animals all then ran away, saying, "Mr. Leopard has a scheme to
catch us."
Elephant and Frog
I often tell of Mr. Elephant and Mr. Frog, who were courting at one
house.
One day Mr. Frog spake to the sweetheart of Mr. Elephant, saying: "Mr.
Elephant is my horse." Mr. Elephant, when he came at night, then the
girls tell him, saying: "Thou art the horse of Mr. Frog!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account