On another day, Tortoise began his journey to Boa, early. He paddled
and he paddled, not stopping to eat or drink, until he had gone
about two-thirds of the way. Then hunger and thirst and calls of
Nature seized him. But he restrained himself, and went on paddling
harder and faster. These feelings had seized him about noon; and
they ceased an hour later. He continued the journey; and, before
four o'clock in the afternoon, had arrived at Boa's. There Tortoise
entered Boa's house, and found him sitting. Boa saluted, and said,
"Legs rest; but the mouth will not. Wife! bring food for Kudu!" The
wife brought food, and Tortoise ate.
Then Boa said to Tortoise, "Tell me what the journey is
about." Tortoise told him, "A great hunger is in our place. There also
we have two plants; the one,--this is its fruit; and this grass,--the
leaves. Are they eaten?" Boa replied, "The tree of this fruit, its
name is Bojabi; and it is eaten. But, I, Mbâmâ, here, I eat leaves
and drink water; and that is enough for me. These things are the food
for All-us Beasts. We have no other food. Go and tell All-the-Beasts
so." Tortoise replied, "Yes; it is well."
Then the day darkened, and they slept.
And another day came. And Tortoise began his journey of return
to his home. As he went, he sang this song, to help remember the
name:--"Njâku! Jaka Njabi. De! De! De!" (Elephant! eat the Bojabi
fruit. Straight! Straight! Straight!) The chorus was "Bojabi," And,
in each repetition of the line, he changed the name of the animal,
thus:--"Nyati! jaka njabi. De! De! De. Bojabi" (Ox! eat the Bojabi
fruit. Straight! straight! straight! Bojabi!)
He thus nerved himself to keep straight on in his journey. And,
as he went, he kept repeating the chorus. "Bojabi, bojabi! bojabi!"
He had gone about one-third of the way, when a large wave came and
upset the canoe, and threw him, pwim! into the water. He clung to the
canoe, and the wave carried it and him clear ashore, he still repeating
the word, "Bojabi! bojabi!" Ashore, he began to mend the canoe; but,
all the while, he continued singing, "Bojabi!" When he had repaired
the canoe, he started the journey again, and went on his way, still
crying out, "Bojabi!"