Where Animals Talk: West African Folk Lore TalesNassau, Robert Hamill
Philosophy
Where Animals Talk: West African Folk Lore Tales
Nassau, Robert Hamill
Animals -- Folklore; Tales -- Africa, West
After Njambu had lived there a short time all his wives were about to
become mothers. Then Ngwe-konde took a net, and (by Magic Art) threw
it into the womb of Ngwe-lege. The net entered the belly of her child.
At the time of their confinement, they all gave birth. The infants
were washed. They were dressed also, and were given suck. Also, they
were assigned their names. That of Ngwe-lege's was Savulaka. When he
was given the breast, he was not satisfied, he was only crying and
crying; for, whoever held him, there were only cries and cries. When
his mother would nurse him, there was only crying. His father said,
"If it is like this, then, lest he die, feed him the food of adults."
His mother cut down a plantain bunch; she boiled it; it was cooked. The
child ate, and finished the plantains; and yet it was crying and
crying. They cut down another bunch; it was boiled, it was cooked. At
only one eating, he finished the food, with cries in his mouth. Two
more bunches were boiled; he ate. All at once, though born only
that day, he spoke, "My mother! Hunger!" Four bunches were cut down;
they were cooked; he ate, and finished them, but with crying.
Then he was cooked for ten times; he ate; and at once finished. The
people cooked, and he ate. The plantains of his father's town were all
cleared off, the entire town was left like a prairie. The father spoke
to the mother, and said, "No! go away with him to your father's town."
Ngwe-lege picked up her child, carrying him away. She with the child
went on, to the town of her father.
Her father asked her, "My child! wherefore the crying, and your
carrying the infant?" She replied, "My father! I know not! This one
whom you see, since he was born, is not filled. He has made an end to
all the plantains of his father's town, leaving the town a prairie. And
his father said to me, 'Just go and take him to your father's.' So,
I have brought him."
The towns-people all were laughing, "Kye! kye! kye!" They said,
"What? Really, food? No! it's something else, not food. But, enter
into the house." She says, "You are talking foolishly." The child
began to cry. They said, "Let us see!"
Then, at once, they began to cook; the food is ready; he eats;
and finishes it. Other food was placed; he ate it at once. Food
was cooked again. At once, all of it, and the dishes, and the jars,
and the plates, were swallowed up by him. Food is cooked again, and
he ate; and then said, "My mother! Hunger!" Food is cooked again;
he ate until he finished all the pots. All the food of the town,
and all the gardens were done.
Her father spoke to her saying, "My child! Just carry him to the town
of your grandfather."
She then carried the child, still crying with hunger, and made her
journey, and came to her grandfather's town.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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