Where Animals Talk: West African Folk Lore Tales — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Where Animals Talk: West African Folk Lore Tales
John Stuart Mill · en
The Gourd spoke to him, saying, "Call for the canoe!" He replied,
"How shall I call for a canoe, while I see no people?" Gourd repeated
to him, "Call!" Then he shouted out, "You, bring me the canoe!" Voices
asked, "Who art thou?" He answered, "I! Njâ!" Some of the voices said,
"Come! let us ferry him across." Others said, "No!" But the rest
answered, "Come on!" Then they entered their canoe, laid hold of
their paddles, and came singing,
"Kapi, madi, madi, sa!
Kapi, mada, mada, sa!"
And they came to the landing. He saw nothing but what seemed a log,
and exclaimed, "How shall I embark in a log, while there is neither
paddle, nor a person for a crew?" But Gourd directed him, "Embark!" So,
he went in the log. They paddled, and brought him to the other side. He
jumped ashore, and stood for a moment. Then he moved on with the
journey, walking on to a certain town (that town of the Spirits). He
saw nobody, but entered into the public Reception-House, and sat down.
Gourd spoke to him, saying, "Come, and escort me to the back-yard." He
curtly answered, "Yes." He carried It, and stood It at the foot of a
plantain stalk. Then he went back to the Reception-House and sat down.
A Bundle of Medicines came to salute him, and was about to sit on his
lap. He jumped up saying, "What is this?" He sat down again. Another
Bundle fell on his lap. He exclaimed, "Hump! what is that?" The Bundle
being displeased, replied, "You will not come to the end." (i.e. you
will not have a successful journey.)
The Gourd called him; and he went to the back-yard. The Gourd said to
him, "Stand up!" And he stood up. Then the Gourd took a leaf, folded
it as a funnel, and dropped a Medicine into his eyes; and he began
to see everything clearly. He said, "This is the only thing which I
can see that this Hova has done for me." He passed by, and entered
the Reception-House again, and sat down. A person came saluting him,
"Mbolo!" He responded, "Ai!" Another came, "Mbolo!" He replied, "Ai!"
They cooked food, and got it ready to bring to him.
During this while, he told his errand, and was given a wife.
Gourd called him. He went out to It: and It directed him, "When you are
going to eat, you must take only one piece of plantain, and a piece of
the flesh of the fowl. Then you dip it into the udika-gravy, and put it
into your mouth; and you will chew it; and when you have swallowed it,
then you leave the remainder of the food." He disregardfully said,
"Yes! Yes!" And he laughed, "kye! kye! kye! I do not know what this
Hova means! And that 'remainder,' shall I give it to It?" And he
entered the house again, and sat down.