Gourd called to him, and told him, "It is not a garden; it is an
entire forest; it is not planted; it is all wild country. But,
tomorrow, at daylight, early, you say to your wife that she must go
and show you. You must take one young plantain-set, and a machete,
and an axe. When you shall arrive there, then you shall say to
her, 'Go back!' And she will go back. Then, you will slash with the
machete, kwa! and leave it. You take also the axe and cut, ka! and say,
'Ngunga-O! Mekud' O! Makako ma dibake manjeya-O!' You shall see what
will happen. Then you insert the plantain-set in the ground. Then
you set up a bellows, and work it. And you shall see what will happen."
(All that Garden-Plan was made by the townspeople in order that
he might weary of the task, and they then find excuse for killing
him. For they were Cannibals.)
At daybreak, he did so. He called his wife. He and she went on until
they came to the chosen spot. Said he, "Go back!" The woman went
back. He did just as he had been directed, as to the clearing, and
the felling, the incantation, and the planting. The plantains bore,
and ripened at once. Every kind of food developed in that very hour.
The man went back to the town, and sat down. They set before him food.
They sent a child to spy the garden. The child returned, excitedly
saying, "Men! the entire forest! with all such foods! only ripe
ones!" They said to him, "You're telling a falsehood!" And they said,
"Let another go and see." He went; and returned thence with a ripe
plantain held in his hand.
In the evening, the Chief said to him, "Sir! tomorrow, people will have
been filled with hunger for meat. A little pond of your mother-in-law
is over there. Tomorrow it is to be bailed out." (In order to get
the fish that would be left in the bottom pools.)
Gourd called him, ngeng! He went to It, and It said, "That is not a
pond, it is a great river, (like the Lobi at Batanga). However, when
you shall go, you must take one log up stream and one log down stream
(for a pretence of dams). You shall see what will happen. Then you
must bail only once, and say, 'Itata-O!' You shall see."
Next morning, he did so. And the whole river was drained; and the
fish were left in the middle, alone. He returned to the town, and
sat down. The people went to see; and, they were frightened at the
abundance of fish. For a whole month, fish were gathered; and fish
still were left.
The Chief went to call his townspeople, saying, "We will do nothing
to this fellow. Let him alone; for, you have tried him with every
test." They said, "Yes; and he has lingered here," (i.e., was no
longer a stranger; and therefore should not be eaten). But, they said,
"Tomorrow there will be only wrestling." (This was said deceitfully.)