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
Early next morning they went to the forest, and came to the Okume
trees; they cut one down, and hacked it into shape. They launched it on
the sea, and said to their young men, "Go!" Four young men went into
the canoe to go alongside the ship. When they had nearly reached it,
looking hither and thither they feared, and they stopped and ceased
paddling. The white men on the ship made repeated signs to them. Then
the young men, having come close, spoke to the white men in the native
language. A white man answered also in the same language. That white
man said, "I have come to buy the tusks of the beast which is here
in the forest with big feet and tusks and great ears, that is called
Njâku." They said, "Yes! a good thing!" When they were about leaving,
the white man advancing to them, deposited with them four bunches of
tobacco, four bales of prints, four caps, and other things.
When they reached the shore, they told the others, "The white men want
Njâku's tusks; and also they have things by which to kill his tribe."
The next morning, they went to the white men; they were trusted with
guns and bullets and powder; they went to the forest, and fought with
the elephants. In two days the ship was loaded, and it departed.
This continues to happen so until this day, in the Ivory-Trade.
TALE 4
LEOPARD'S MARRIAGE JOURNEY
Persons
Njambi (Chief of a Town)
Njâ (Leopard)
Etoli (House-Rat)
Mbindi (Wild Goat)
Vyâdu (Antelope)
Ehibo (Red Antelope)
Iheli (Gazelle)
Ekwedikwedi (Fire-Fly)
Leopard wanted to marry, and he sought a betrothal at Njambi's
town. Secretly, Njambi had arranged with Leopard that he should bring
him no goods in payment of the "Dowry," but only the bodies of animals.
Leopard agreed, and said to Njambi's daughter, "I will dowry you
only with animals." He returned to his home for a few days; and
then he called Rat to escort him to the town of his prospective
father-in-law. Rat consented. And they started on their journey.