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If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: West African Folk-Tales - -Author: William Henry Barker - Cecilia Sinclair - -Release Date: December 11, 2021 [eBook #66923] -Last Updated: July 10, 2023 - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed Proofreading - Team at https://www.pgdp.net/ for Project Gutenberg (This file - was produced from images generously made available by The - Internet Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WEST AFRICAN FOLK-TALES *** - - - - - WEST AFRICAN - FOLK-TALES - - COLLECTED AND ARRANGED BY - W. H. BARKER B.Sc. - FORMERLY PRINCIPAL OF THE GOVERNMENT INSTITUTION ACCRA - - AND - CECILIA SINCLAIR - WITH FRONTISPIECE & TWENTY-THREE DRAWINGS BY - CECILIA SINCLAIR - - - LONDON - GEORGE G. HARRAP & COMPANY - 2 & 3 PORTSMOUTH STREET KINGSWAY W.C. - MCMXVII - - - - - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - INTRODUCTION 11 - - I. ANANSI, OR SPIDER, TALES - - I. HOW WE GOT THE NAME ‘SPIDER TALES’ 29 - II. HOW WISDOM BECAME THE PROPERTY OF THE HUMAN RACE 33 - III. ANANSI AND NOTHING 35 - IV. THUNDER AND ANANSI 39 - V. WHY THE LIZARD CONTINUALLY MOVES HIS HEAD UP AND - DOWN 45 - VI. TIT FOR TAT 51 - VII. WHY WHITE ANTS ALWAYS HARM MAN’S PROPERTY 55 - VIII. THE SQUIRREL AND THE SPIDER 59 - IX. WHY WE SEE ANTS CARRYING BUNDLES AS BIG AS - THEMSELVES 63 - X. WHY SPIDERS ARE ALWAYS FOUND IN THE CORNERS OF - CEILINGS 69 - XI. ANANSI THE BLIND FISHERMAN 73 - XII. ADZANUMEE AND HER MOTHER 77 - XIII. THE GRINDING-STONE THAT GROUND FLOUR BY ITSELF 81 - XIV. “MORNING SUNRISE” 85 - XV. WHY THE SEA-TURTLE WHEN CAUGHT BEATS ITS BREAST - WITH ITS FORE-LEGS 87 - XVI. HOW BEASTS AND SERPENTS FIRST CAME INTO THE WORLD 89 - XVII. HONOURABLE MINŪ 95 - XVIII. WHY THE MOON AND THE STARS RECEIVE THEIR LIGHT - FROM THE SUN 97 - - II. MISCELLANEOUS TALES - - XIX. OHIA AND THE THIEVING DEER 105 - XX. HOW THE TORTOISE GOT ITS SHELL 115 - XXI. THE HUNTER AND THE TORTOISE 119 - XXII. THE TAIL OF THE PRINCESS ELEPHANT 123 - XXIII. KWOFI AND THE GODS 129 - XXIV. THE LION AND THE WOLF 131 - XXV. MAKU MAWU AND MAKU FIA 133 - XXVI. THE ROBBER AND THE OLD MAN 139 - XXVII. THE LEOPARD AND THE RAM 141 - XXVIII. WHY THE LEOPARD CAN ONLY CATCH PREY ON ITS LEFT - SIDE 145 - XXIX. QUARCOO BAH-BONI 147 - XXX. KING CHAMELEON AND THE ANIMALS 155 - XXXI. TO LOSE AN ELEPHANT FOR THE SAKE OF A WREN IS A - VERY FOOLISH THING TO DO 159 - XXXII. THE UNGRATEFUL MAN 163 - XXXIII. WHY TIGERS NEVER ATTACK MEN UNLESS THEY ARE - PROVOKED 167 - XXXIV. THE OMANHENE WHO LIKED RIDDLES 171 - XXXV. HOW MUSHROOMS FIRST GREW 177 - XXXVI. FARMER MYBROW AND THE FAIRIES 181 - - - - - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PAGE - - Native Children ready for a Story Frontispiece - The Bees flying into the Jar 30 - Again and again Anansi tried to climb the Tree 34 - A great Wave dashed Anansi back on the Beach 40 - The Princess picked up the Fruit 46 - “May I give you a little of this meat?” 52 - Wolf and Leopard discover the Flesh of the Antelope 56 - Mr Ant takes the Box from Anansi 66 - Egya Anansi built himself a very comfortable Hut 70 - The Bird calls to Adzanumee 78 - The wonderful Grinding-stone 82 - Anansi saw, rushing toward him, Beasts and Serpents of - all Kinds 92 - Kweku Tsin played on the wonderful Fiddle 100 - Ohia cut down the Trees and prepared them 106 - The Hunter and the Tortoise 120 - The Princess changed into an Elephant 126 - Each received a large Helping except Kwofi 130 - Maku Mawu catches a Fish 136 - Young Leopard sprang toward the Stem and tore it 142 - They scattered in all Directions 152 - The Hunter and the Serpent 164 - He threw half the Cake to the Vulture 172 - How the Ants paid the Debt 178 - Mybrow’s Wife plucked one of the Yams 182 - - - - - - - - -INTRODUCTION - - -In presenting to the public these stories based on the folk-lore of the -Gold Coast peoples, it seems necessary to say something in general -terms of the economic and social development of the colony in so far as -that development is affecting the ‘lore’ of the folk. - -Not until the civilization and industrialism of Europe began to -penetrate into the districts of the Guinea Coast was any great attempt -made to study the folk-lore of these peoples. It is obvious, therefore, -that the student must find considerable admixture from outside sources -which the absence of a native system of writing and consequent -literature makes exceedingly difficult to detect. The difficulties -increase with time, for we are getting farther and farther from the -genuine folk-lore. Each year, from towns like Accra, Seccondee, and -Cape Coast the tentacles of European civilization are slowly extending -in all directions. Railways and roads are creeping out, old-fashioned -crudity is giving way to simpler and more expeditious methods; new -industries, as rubber and cocoa, are being established. [1] All this -must be borne in mind in studying the folk-lore as told by the native -to-day. What is happening is, unfortunately, not an awakening, but a -transformation. The negro is discarding his native cloth for a European -suit of clothes. - -“On all sides it is reported that the demand for European provisions, -luxuries, and apparel is large and greatly increasing. The large -imports of tinned provisions, flour, etc., is in part due to the -scarcity of native food-stuffs in certain districts, but there is no -doubt that the standard of living is changing and rising. - -“There is a general desire not only in the colony, but in Ashanti, for -better roads, better houses, cleaner villages, and the desire has been -prompted by the example of the great sanitary improvements in the -larger towns.... - -“It can be observed that the people take a growing pride in the -institutions and traditions of their country, that the chiefs are -realizing the duties and influence of their position, and that public -opinion, among the educated classes, at any rate, is beginning to -recognize that some advance on the ideals and standards of the past -must now be demanded.” [2] - -This, from the utilitarian and Imperial standpoints, is as it should -be, but it tends to be fatal to the mythology, the customs, and the -traditions of such peoples as the negroes of West Africa. For this -change is not taking place only in the direction of mere materialism. -Christianity, entering the country through the ports, and -Mohammedanism, being carried by Haussas along the trade routes from the -interior, are playing their part in these psychological and -sociological changes. The negro of yesterday differs from the negro of -to-day as he in turn will differ from the negro of to-morrow. In view -of all this metamorphosis it is much to be regretted that the -geographical and linguistical difficulties have made the task of the -folk-lorist not only difficult but wellnigh impossible. Much, of -course, might be done if those whose duties carry them into the various -districts would take in hand the task. The collation of their results -might enable one to eradicate outside and recent influences and in a -measure get at “the back of the black man’s mind.” - -The material in this book was collected in the following manner: The -new educational policy of the Government provided for a Training -Institution for Teachers at Accra. The first students to be admitted -were men who had already had some considerable experience in the -schools of their districts. They were, therefore, sufficiently familiar -with the English language to express themselves clearly and fluently. -At the same time they were men who could remember the time when the new -civilizing forces at present at work were not nearly so pronounced. By -obtaining from these students a variety of versions of the same story -it became possible to some extent to eradicate the superfluous and the -spurious. - -The selection of tales has been carefully made, and in the retelling -and illustrating of the story the object has been to give the reader an -introduction to the thought and customs of the West African negro. - -In order to produce the correct ‘atmosphere’ for the story, picture an -evening scene in a native village. The sun is nearing the western -horizon, seeming to fall like a huge ball behind the distant hills, the -air is cool, and a solemn stillness prevails. Even the noisy youths and -girls are quiet, and the time for tom-toms, crickets, bull-frogs, and -the miscellaneous instruments of man and Nature for the production of -the most weird and inharmonious of sounds is not yet. In the -compound—the courtyard round which are the family dwellings—the women -with their picin (children) on their backs are busy with mortar and -pestle making foo-foo (native food from maize). Squatting near the mud -walls, naked to the waist, their cloth forming but a covering for the -loins, are a number of men smoking short clay pipes and expectorating -in a most insanitary manner—a perfect picture of idleness. Naked -youngsters stand open-mouthed listening to the conversation of their -elders, or amuse themselves at hide-and-seek, marbles, or some other -native game. - -The short twilight of the tropics brings all occupations except talking -to an end, and of talking there seems to be no end. Here and there some -one or other lies down, covers himself entirely with his cloth, and is -lost to the world. - -A lantern is brought out, and unconsciously and imperceptibly it -becomes the centre of dark forms, relieved now and again by rows of -beautiful white teeth as the owners indulge in a hearty laugh. At times -conversation lags; some one drones a monotonous tune, others smoke in -quiet contemplation, while others again follow the example of the dark -human mounds scattered about the compound. - -Suddenly, “Comrades, listen to a story.” At once the men, women, and -children press round the speaker, an eager crowd, ready to hear or to -tell the tales of their folk. - -“All right, let it come.” - -Thus commences another evening wherein the native recounts to his -neighbour for the hundredth time the stories handed down by tradition -from the dim ‘before-time.’ The native is a born raconteur, and his -stories are not the outcome of his imagination, but folk-lore modified -and ornamented perhaps to suit the particular audience or particular -circumstance. Some of these modifications which have assumed a more or -less permanent form are commented on below. - -Throughout the Gold Coast Colony and Southern Ashanti the stories as -given by the various tribes are essentially the same. It may be that -further and more detailed investigation in the domain of folk-lore will -help to solve a very important ethnic problem, namely, whether the -coast tribes are or are not of the same stock as those of the -hinterland. It is generally accepted at present that “these people of -the West Coast were for the most part the broken fragments of races -that have been driven to the sea by the stronger races of the -interior.” [3] If this were so, then one would expect to find -differences in the folk-lore of the stronger and weaker races similar -to those between the folk-lore of the Celts and Anglo-Saxons. Actually, -this does not appear to be so, though at present the data is not -sufficient to enable one to form a definite opinion. - -The following is from a recent work on the Gold Coast, and presents a -slightly different view from that in the quotation above: “The general -sum of these traditions [regarding the origin of the tribes] is that -the Fantis, Ashantis, Wassaws, and in fact all the Twi-[Tshi] speaking, -or Akan, peoples, were originally one tribe. They were a pastoral race -and inhabited the open country beyond the forest belt and farther north -than Salaga. A northern and lighter-skinned people, which is commonly -supposed to have been the Fulanis, commenced to encroach on their -territory, and, being stronger than they, seized their cattle and young -women and made many of the others slaves.... The subdivision of the -united Akan race into its main branches, the Fantis and Ashantis, is -variously accounted for.... One story very plausibly explains that the -constant raids of their northern enemy, who burned all the farms, -reduced the Akans to great straits for food. Some of them subsisted on -a wild plant named fan and others on a plant named shan, and thus -gained the names Fan-dti and Shan-dti (dti, to eat).” [4] A possible -alternative explanation is that the same stock occupies the coast and -the hinterland, and that differentiation has come about as the result -of malaria affecting that portion of the race inhabiting the region of -the lagoon marshes along the coastal plain. It has now been fairly well -established that malaria can and does have a deleterious effect on -races, and that even in the case of Greece and Rome the malarial factor -must be taken into account in discussing the causes which brought about -their fall. [5] It may be that the marshes round Salonica and the -swamps of the Campagna have their counterpart in the long line of -lagoon swamps that lie between the surf-wall and the forest wall of -‘the Coast.’ Medical science alone, perhaps, will be able to solve the -problem, but folk-lore can and does render valuable assistance toward a -solution. A conquered people do not give up their ‘lore’ with the land, -but carry their customs and traditions with them to their new homes. - -There is one story which has a special interest in this connexion -because, after being carried by the negroes from Africa to the Southern -States in the slave days, it became the basis of a story which has -served to amuse the children and adults of the whole of the -English-speaking peoples, namely, The Wonderful Adventures of Old Brer -Rabbit. It is interesting to compare the tar-baby narrative with the -manner in which Anansi was caught in Story X. - -From the scanty material we have at present, it would seem that the -folk-lores of the coastal and hinterland peoples are substantially the -same, the differences being traceable in many cases to the influence of -the new environment. Thus, in the story where Anansi seeks to hide the -wisdom of the world (Story II), which he has collected in a pot, among -the coast peoples he finds a difficulty in climbing up the palm-tree, -but among the forest tribes his difficulty is to get over the trunk of -a tree which has fallen across the bush-path. Here the difference is -due to environment and not to race. - -It is necessary to point out that similarity of story cannot by itself -be taken as indicative of similarity of race. Indeed, so common is it -to find the same story told by people of varying types and in every -stage of progress that it has opened up a problem of great importance. -Have such stories originated from a common source? and, if so, where -may the common origin be found? Or are folk-stories like the material -productions of the races, i.e. do they follow a more or less common -line of development? [6] What connexion can there be, for example, -between the negro of the Gold Coast and the Serb? Yet they have a story -remarkably similar. In the story of Ohia (Story XIX) the power of -understanding the language of animals was given him on condition that -he should not disclose the secret to any human being under pain of -death. This knowledge often gave him occasion for laughter, and at such -times his wife, ignorant of the cause, became angered and suspicious. -She demanded to know the reason for such outbursts, and at last her -importunity resulted in the telling of the secret, and consequent death -of the man. In the Serbian story [7] the dénouement is somewhat -different, comedy taking the place of tragedy. The man when just about -to yield his life to satisfy the curiosity of his wife listens to the -cock, who declares that he can manage to keep his hundred wives in -order by giving them a good peck when they need it. The man accordingly -leaves his coffin and brings his wife to reason and her knees by a -well-administered chastisement. How came these two peoples to have a -story with so many features in common? Is it possible that the Turk and -the Moor may have provided links? - -It may not be out of place here to mention the effect of the contact of -the slave-trading Europeans on the folk-lore of the Coast negroes. The -grim white castles every few miles along the whole of the Guinea Coast -stand as stern reminders of the time when the helpless coastal tribes -were raided and men, women, and children sold into slavery. But one who -has conversed with the native of to-day cannot doubt that the greatest -effect of those terrible days is discernible in the native mentality -itself. It has, as one might expect, influenced more or less the -folk-story. Here, for example, is one type of influence: - -“When the Portuguese first landed, the natives betook themselves to the -forest. When the white man had put off again the natives crept -cautiously back to the beach. To their great surprise they found there -a basin full of rum. One of them, by name Mbura, tasted some, and -finding that it was sweet, drank as much as he could and became -intoxicated. Others did the same, and when many of them were helpless -the boatmen returned and carried them off. On account of the rum being -tasted by Mbura, we call rum in Fantee Mbura-nsa—i.e. Mbura’s wine.” -[8] - -Even more remarkable is the origin of the god Nyankupon, who figures -largely in both mythology and folk-lore. Many stories introduce -Nyankupon, and yet he is no native god at all. - -“After an intercourse of some years with Europeans, the Tshi-speaking -inhabitants of the towns and villages in the vicinity of the various -forts added to their system of polytheism a new deity whom they termed -Nana-Nyankupon—sometimes called simply Nyankupon. This was the god of -the Christians, borrowed from them and adopted under a new designation. -The great superiority manifested by the whites in their weapons, ships, -manufactures—in short, in everything—convinced the natives with whom -they had intercourse that they must necessarily be protected by a deity -of greater power than any of those to which they themselves offered -sacrifice, since their own deities had not, except very remotely, -helped them to attain any such prosperity. They therefore gladly -enrolled themselves amongst the followers of the god of the whites, and -being informed that he dwelt in the heavens above, they denominated him -Nana-Nyankupon, which may be freely translated ‘Lord of the Sky.’” [9] - -The Gold Coast folk-stories are readily divisible into two groups, -Anansi and non-Anansi tales. Anánsi is the spider, and with him is -generally associated his son, Kweku Tsin (Tsĩ). Why so many spider -stories? No satisfactory explanation can as yet be given. It cannot be -due entirely to the superabundance of spiders in native dwellings and -surroundings, for other tribes along the Coast seem to concentrate on -other creatures, as the elephant and the tortoise. Nor does there seem -to be sufficient evidence to trace the origin to totemism. No doubt -many of the Anansi stories as told to-day are due to observation of the -ways and peculiar characteristics of the spider, and are an attempt to -explain the why and the wherefore. And generally it is decided that he -is a wise, cunning, deceitful creature who scampers off to hide in the -ceiling because he has done something to be ashamed of and has, -unfortunately, been found out. Here are two comments from folk-stories -on Anansi: - -“The wisdom of the spider is greater than that of all the world -together.” - -“Woe to one who would put his trust in Anansi—a sly, selfish, and -greedy person.” - -The non-Anansi stories are generally of the ‘Just-so’ type—why the ears -of the deer are long, why the waist of the wasp is slim, etc. There is -nothing in the wide realm of botany, astronomy, or geography of a -peculiar or striking character but an explanation is forthcoming in the -lore of the folk. There is, of course, the usual sprinkling of magic -tales, which bear a striking resemblance to many European märchen, or -fairy-tales. - -In conclusion, an apology must be offered to the scientific -folk-lorist. The stories have been retold in order to appeal to a wider -public, but it is hoped that ere long the complete original material -may be available for the student of folk-lore. - - - W. H. B. - - - - - - - - -I. ANANSI, OR SPIDER, TALES - - -I. HOW WE GOT THE NAME ‘SPIDER TALES’ - - -In the olden days all the stories which men told were stories of -Nyankupon, the chief of the gods. Spider, who was very conceited, -wanted the stories to be told about him. - -Accordingly, one day he went to Nyankupon and asked that, in future, -all tales told by men might be Anansi stories, instead of Nyankupon -stories. Nyankupon agreed, on one condition. He told Spider (or Anansi) -that he must bring him three things: the first was a jar full of live -bees, the second was a boa-constrictor, and the third a tiger. Spider -gave his promise. - -He took an earthen vessel and set out for a place where he knew were -numbers of bees. When he came in sight of the bees he began saying to -himself, “They will not be able to fill this jar”—“Yes, they will be -able”—“No, they will not be able,” until the bees came up to him and -said, “What are you talking about, Mr Anansi?” He thereupon explained -to them that Nyankupon and he had had a great dispute. Nyankupon had -said the bees could not fly into the jar—Anansi had said they could. -The bees immediately declared that of course they could fly into the -jar—which they at once did. As soon as they were safely inside, Anansi -sealed up the jar and sent it off to Nyankupon. - -Next day he took a long stick and set out in search of a -boa-constrictor. When he arrived at the place where one lived he began -speaking to himself again. “He will just be as long as this stick”—“No, -he will not be so long as this”—“Yes, he will be as long as this.” -These words he repeated several times, till the boa came out and asked -him what was the matter. “Oh, we have been having a dispute in -Nyankupon’s town about you. Nyankupon’s people say you are not as long -as this stick. I say you are. Please let me measure you by it.” The boa -innocently laid himself out straight, and Spider lost no time in tying -him on to the stick from end to end. He then sent him to Nyankupon. - -The third day he took a needle and thread and sewed up his eye. He then -set out for a den where he knew a tiger lived. As he approached the -place he began to shout and sing so loudly that the tiger came out to -see what was the matter. “Can you not see?” said Spider. “My eye is -sewn up and now I can see such wonderful things that I must sing about -them.” “Sew up my eyes,” said the tiger, “then I too can see these -surprising sights.” Spider immediately did so. Having thus made the -tiger helpless, he led him straight to Nyankupon’s house. Nyankupon was -amazed at Spider’s cleverness in fulfilling the three conditions. He -immediately gave him permission for the future to call all the old -tales Anansi tales. - - - - - - - - -II. HOW WISDOM BECAME THE PROPERTY OF THE HUMAN RACE - - -There once lived, in Fanti-land, a man named Father Anansi. He -possessed all the wisdom in the world. People came to him daily for -advice and help. - -One day the men of the country were unfortunate enough to offend Father -Anansi, who immediately resolved to punish them. After much thought he -decided that the severest penalty he could inflict would be to hide all -his wisdom from them. He set to work at once to gather again all that -he had already given. When he had succeeded, as he thought, in -collecting it, he placed all in one great pot. This he carefully -sealed, and determined to put it in a spot where no human being could -reach it. - -Now, Father Anansi had a son, whose name was Kweku Tsin. This boy began -to suspect his father of some secret design, so he made up his mind to -watch carefully. Next day he saw his father quietly slip out of the -house, with his precious pot hung round his neck. Kweku Tsin followed. -Father Anansi went through the forest till he had left the village far -behind. Then, selecting the highest and most inaccessible-looking tree, -he began to climb. The heavy pot, hanging in front of him, made his -ascent almost impossible. Again and again he tried to reach the top of -the tree, where he intended to hang the pot. There, he thought, Wisdom -would indeed be beyond the reach of every one but himself. He was -unable, however, to carry out his desire. At each trial the pot swung -in his way. - -For some time Kweku Tsin watched his father’s vain attempts. At last, -unable to contain himself any longer, he cried out: “Father, why do you -not hang the pot on your back? Then you could easily climb the tree.” - -Father Anansi turned and said: “I thought I had all the world’s wisdom -in this pot. But I find you possess more than I do. All my wisdom was -insufficient to show me what to do, yet you have been able to tell me.” -In his anger he threw the pot down. It struck on a great rock and -broke. The wisdom contained in it escaped and spread throughout the -world. - - - - - - - - -III. ANANSI AND NOTHING - - -Near Anansi’s miserable little hut there was a fine palace where lived -a very rich man called Nothing. Nothing and Anansi proposed, one day, -to go to the neighbouring town to get some wives. Accordingly, they set -off together. - -Nothing, being a rich man, wore a very fine velvet cloth, while Anansi -had a ragged cotton one. While they were on their way Anansi persuaded -Nothing to change clothes for a little while, promising to give back -the fine velvet before they reached the town. He delayed doing this, -however, first on one pretext, then on another—till they arrived at -their destination. - -Anansi, being dressed in such a fine garment, found no difficulty in -getting as many wives as he wished. Poor Nothing, with his ragged and -miserable cloth, was treated with great contempt. At first he could not -get even one wife. At last, however, a woman took pity on him and gave -him her daughter. The poor girl was laughed at very heartily by -Anansi’s wives for choosing such a beggar as Nothing appeared to be. -She wisely took no notice of their scorn. - -The party set off for home. When they reached the cross-roads leading -to their respective houses the women were astonished. The road leading -to Anansi’s house was only half cleared. The one which led to Nothing’s -palace was, of course, wide and well made. Not only so, but his -servants had strewn it with beautiful skins and carpets, in preparation -for his return. Servants were there, awaiting him, with fine clothes -for himself and his wife. No one was waiting for Anansi. - -Nothing’s wife was queen over the whole district and had everything her -heart could desire. Anansi’s wives could not even get proper food; they -had to live on unripe bananas with peppers. The wife of Nothing heard -of her friends’ miserable state and invited them to a great feast in -her palace. They came, and were so pleased with all they saw that they -agreed to stay there. Accordingly, they refused to come back to -Anansi’s hut. - -He was very angry, and tried in many ways to kill Nothing, but without -success. Finally, however, he persuaded some rat friends to dig a deep -tunnel in front of Nothing’s door. When the hole was finished Anansi -lined it with knives and broken bottles. He then smeared the steps of -the palace with okro to make them very slippery, and withdrew to a -little distance. - -When he thought Nothing’s household was safely in bed and asleep, he -called to Nothing to come out to the courtyard and see something. -Nothing’s wife, however, dissuaded him from going. Anansi tried again -and again, and each time she bade her husband not to listen. At last -Nothing determined to go and see this thing. As he placed his foot on -the first step, of course he slipped, and down he fell into the hole. -The noise alarmed the household. Lights were fetched and Nothing was -found in the ditch, so much wounded by the knives that he soon died. -His wife was terribly grieved at his untimely death. She boiled many -yams, mashed them, and took a great dishful of them round the district. -To every child she met she gave some, so that the child might help her -to cry for her husband. This is why, if you find a child crying and ask -the cause, you will often be told he is “crying for nothing.” - - - - - - - - -IV. THUNDER AND ANANSI - - -There had been a long and severe famine in the land where Anansi lived. -He had been quite unable to obtain food for his poor wife and family. -One day, gazing desperately out to sea, he saw, rising from the midst -of the water, a tiny island with a tall palm-tree upon it. He -determined to reach this tree—if any means proved possible—and climb -it, in the hope of finding a few nuts to reward him. How to get there -was the difficulty. - -This, however, solved itself when he reached the beach, for there lay -the means to his hand, in the shape of an old broken boat. It certainly -did not look very strong, but Anansi decided to try it. - -His first six attempts were unsuccessful—a great wave dashed him back -on the beach each time he tried to put off. He was persevering, -however, and at the seventh trial was successful in getting away. He -steered the battered old boat as best he could, and at length reached -the palm-tree of his desire. Having tied the boat to the trunk of the -tree—which grew almost straight out of the water—he climbed toward the -nuts. Plucking all he could reach, he dropped them, one by one, down to -the boat. To his dismay, every one missed the boat and fell, instead, -into the water until only the last one remained. This he aimed even -more carefully than the others, but it also fell into the water and -disappeared from his hungry eyes. He had not tasted even one and now -all were gone. - -He could not bear the thought of going home empty-handed, so, in his -despair, he threw himself into the water, too. To his complete -astonishment, instead of being drowned, he found himself standing on -the sea-bottom in front of a pretty little cottage. From the latter -came an old man, who asked Anansi what he wanted so badly that he had -come to Thunder’s cottage to seek it. Anansi told his tale of woe, and -Thunder showed himself most sympathetic. - -He went into the cottage and fetched a fine cooking-pot, which he -presented to Anansi—telling him that he need never be hungry again. The -pot would always supply enough food for himself and his family. Anansi -was most grateful, and left Thunder with many thanks. - -Being anxious to test the pot at once, Anansi only waited till he was -again seated in the old boat to say, “Pot, pot, what you used to do for -your master do now for me.” Immediately good food of all sorts -appeared. Anansi ate a hearty meal, which he very much enjoyed. - -On reaching land again, his first thought was to run home and give all -his family a good meal from his wonderful pot. A selfish, greedy fear -prevented him. “What if I should use up all the magic of the pot on -them, and have nothing more left for myself! Better keep the pot a -secret—then I can enjoy a meal when I want one.” So, his mind full of -this thought, he hid the pot. - -He reached home, pretending to be utterly worn out with fatigue and -hunger. There was not a grain of food to be had anywhere. His wife and -poor children were weak with want of it, but selfish Anansi took no -notice of that. He congratulated himself at the thought of his magic -pot, now safely hidden in his room. There he retired from time to time -when he felt hungry, and enjoyed a good meal. His family got thinner -and thinner, but he grew plumper and plumper. They began to suspect -some secret, and determined to find it out. His eldest son, Kweku Tsin, -had the power of changing himself into any shape he chose; so he took -the form of a tiny fly, and accompanied his father everywhere. At last, -Anansi, feeling hungry, entered his room and closed the door. Next he -took the pot, and had a fine meal. Having replaced the pot in its -hiding-place, he went out, on the pretence of looking for food. - -As soon as he was safely out of sight, Kweku Tsin fetched out the pot -and called all his hungry family to come at once. They had as good a -meal as their father had had. When they had finished, Mrs. Anansi—to -punish her husband—said she would take the pot down to the village and -give everybody a meal. This she did—but alas! in working to prepare so -much food at one time, the pot grew too hot and melted away. What was -to be done now? Anansi would be so angry! His wife forbade every one to -mention the pot. - -Anansi returned, ready for his supper, and, as usual, went into his -room, carefully shutting the door. He went to the hiding-place—it was -empty! He looked around in consternation. No pot was to be seen -anywhere. Some one must have discovered it. His family must be the -culprits; he would find a means to punish them. - -Saying nothing to any one about the matter, he waited till morning. As -soon as it was light he started off towards the shore, where the old -boat lay. Getting into the boat, it started of its own accord and -glided swiftly over the water—straight for the palm-tree. Arrived -there, Anansi attached the boat as before and climbed the tree. This -time, unlike the last, the nuts almost fell into his hands. When he -aimed them at the boat they fell easily into it—not one, as before, -dropping into the water. He deliberately took them and threw them -overboard, immediately jumping after them. As before, he found himself -in front of Thunder’s cottage, with Thunder waiting to hear his tale. -This he told, the old man showing the same sympathy as he had -previously done. - -This time, however, he presented Anansi with a fine stick and bade him -good-bye. Anansi could scarcely wait till he got into the boat—so -anxious was he to try the magic properties of his new gift. “Stick, -stick,” he said, “what you used to do for your master do for me also.” -The stick began to beat him so severely that, in a few minutes, he was -obliged to jump into the water and swim ashore, leaving boat and stick -to drift away where they pleased. Then he returned sorrowfully -homeward, bemoaning his many bruises and wishing he had acted more -wisely from the beginning. - - - - - - - - -V. WHY THE LIZARD CONTINUALLY MOVES HIS HEAD UP AND DOWN - - -In a town not very far from Anansi’s home lived a great king. This king -had three beautiful daughters, whose names were kept a secret from -everybody except their own family. One day their father made a -proclamation that his three daughters would be given as wives to any -man who could find out their names. Anansi made up his mind to do so. - -He first bought a large jar of honey, and set off for the bathing-place -of the king’s daughters. Arrived there, he climbed to the top of a tree -on which grew some very fine fruit. He picked some of this fruit and -poured honey over it. When he saw the princesses approaching he dropped -the fruit on the ground and waited. The girls thought the fruit dropped -of its own accord, and one of them ran forward to pick it up. When she -tasted it, she called out to her sisters by name to exclaim on its -sweetness. Anansi dropped another, which the second princess picked -up—she, in her turn, calling out the names of the other two. In this -fashion Anansi found out all the names. - -As soon as the princesses had gone Anansi came down from the tree and -hurried into the town. He went to all the great men and summoned them -to a meeting at the King’s palace on the morrow. - -He then visited his friend the Lizard, to get him to act as herald at -the Court next day. He told Lizard the three names, and the latter was -to sound them through his trumpet when the time came. - -Early next morning the King and his Court were assembled as usual. All -the great men of the town appeared, as Anansi had requested. Anansi -stated his business, reminding the King of his promise to give his -three daughters to the man who had found out their names. The King -demanded to hear the latter, whereupon Lizard sounded them on his -trumpet. - -The King and courtiers were much surprised. His Majesty, however, could -not break the promise he had made of giving his daughters to the man -who named them. He accordingly gave them to Mr Lizard. Anansi was very -angry, and explained that he had told the names to Lizard, so that he -ought to get at least two of the girls, while Lizard could have the -third. The King refused. Anansi then begged hard for even one, but that -was also refused. He went home in a very bad temper, declaring that he -would be revenged on Lizard for stealing his wives away. - -He thought over the matter very carefully, but could not find a way of -punishing Lizard. At last, however, he had an idea. - -He went to the King and explained that he was setting off next morning -on a long journey. He wished to start very early, and so begged the -King’s help. The King had a fine cock, which always crowed at daybreak -to waken the King if he wished to get up early. Anansi begged that the -King would command the cock to crow next morning, that Anansi might be -sure of getting off in time. This the King readily promised. - -As soon as night fell Anansi went by a back way to the cock’s -sleeping-place, seized the bird quickly, and killed it. He then carried -it to Lizard’s house, where all were in bed. There he quietly cooked -the cock, placed the feathers under Lizard’s bed, and put some of the -flesh on a dish close to Lizard’s hand. The wicked Anansi then took -some boiling water and poured it into poor Lizard’s mouth, thus making -him dumb. - -When morning came, Anansi went to the King and reproached him for not -letting the cock crow. The King was much surprised to hear that it had -not obeyed his commands. - -He sent one of his servants to find and bring the cock to him, but, of -course, the servant returned empty-handed. The King then ordered them -to find the thief. No trace of him could be found anywhere. Anansi then -cunningly said to the King: “I know Lizard is a rogue, because he stole -my three wives from me. Perhaps he is the thief.” Accordingly, the men -went to search Lizard’s house. - -There, of course, they found the remnants of the cock, cooked ready to -eat, and his feathers under the bed. They questioned Lizard, but the -poor animal was unable to reply. He could only move his head up and -down helplessly. They thought he was refusing to speak, so dragged him -before the King. To the King’s questions he could only return the same -answer, and his Majesty got very angry. He did not know that Anansi had -made the poor animal dumb. Lizard tried very hard to speak, but in -vain. - -He was accordingly judged guilty of theft, and as a punishment his -wives were taken away from him and given to Anansi. - -Since then lizards have always had a way of moving their heads -helplessly backward and forward, as if saying, “How can any one be so -foolish as to trust Anansi?” - - - - - - - - -VI. TIT FOR TAT - - -There had been a great famine in the land for many months. Meat had -become so scarce that only the rich chiefs had money enough to buy it. -The poor people were starving. Anansi and his family were in a -miserable state. - -One day, Anansi’s eldest son—Kweku Tsin—to his great joy, discovered a -place in the forest where there were still many animals. Knowing his -father’s wicked ways, Kweku told him nothing of the matter. Anansi, -however, speedily discovered that Kweku was returning loaded, day after -day, to the village. There he was able to sell the meat at a good price -to the hungry villagers. Anansi immediately wanted to know the -secret—but his son wisely refused to tell him. The old man determined -to find out by a trick. - -Slipping into his son’s room one night, when he was fast asleep, he cut -a tiny hole in the corner of the bag which Kweku always carried into -the forest. Anansi then put a quantity of ashes into the bag and -replaced it where he had found it. - -Next morning, as Kweku set out for the forest, he threw the bag, as -usual, over his shoulder. Unknown to him, at each step, the ashes were -sprinkled on the ground. Consequently, when Anansi set out an hour -later he was easily able to follow his son by means of the trail of -ashes. He, too, arrived at the animals’ home in the forest, and found -Kweku there before him. He immediately drove his son away, saying that, -by the law of the land, the place belonged to him. Kweku saw how he had -been tricked, and determined to have the meat back. - -He accordingly went home—made a tiny image and hung little bells round -its neck. He then tied a long thread to its head and returned toward -the hunting-place. - -When about half-way there, he hung the image to a branch of a tree in -the path, and hid himself in the bushes near by—holding the other end -of the thread in his hand. - -The greedy father, in the meantime, had killed as many animals as he -could find, being determined to become rich as speedily as possible. He -then skinned them and prepared the flesh—to carry it to the -neighbouring villages to sell. Taking the first load, he set off for -his own village. Half-way there, he came to the place where the image -hung in the way. Thinking this was one of the gods, he stopped. As he -approached, the image began to shake its head vigorously at him. He -felt that this meant that the gods were angry. To please them, he said -to the image, “May I give you a little of this meat?” Again the image -shook its head. “May I give you half of this meat?” he then inquired. -The head shook once more. “Do you want the whole of this meat?” he -shouted fiercely. This time the head nodded, as if the image were well -pleased. “I will not give you all my meat,” Anansi cried. At this the -image shook in every limb as if in a terrible temper. Anansi was so -frightened that he threw the whole load on the ground and ran away. As -he ran, he called back, “To-morrow I shall go to Ekubon—you will not be -able to take my meat from me there, you thief.” - -But Kweku had heard where his father intended to go next day—and set -the image in his path as before. Again Anansi was obliged to leave his -whole load—and again he called out the name of the place where he would -go the following day. - -The same thing occurred, day after day, till all the animals in the -wood were killed. By this time, Kweku Tsin had become very rich—but his -father Anansi was still very poor. He was obliged to go to Kweku’s -house every day for food. - -When the famine was over, Kweku gave a great feast and invited the -entire village. While all were gathered together, Kweku told the story -of his father’s cunning and how it had been overcome. This caused great -merriment among the villagers. Anansi was so ashamed that he readily -promised Kweku to refrain from his evil tricks for the future. This -promise, however, he did not long keep. - - - - - - - - -VII. WHY WHITE ANTS ALWAYS HARM MAN’S PROPERTY - - -There came once such a terrible famine in the land that a grain of corn -was worth far more than its weight in gold. A hungry spider was -wandering through the forest looking for food. To his great joy he -found a dead antelope. - -Knowing that he would not be allowed to reach home in safety with it, -he wrapped it up very carefully in a long mat and bound it securely. - -Placing it on his head, he started for home. As he went, he wept -bitterly, telling every one that this was his dead grandfather’s body. -Every one he met sympathized heartily with him. - -On his way he met the wolf and the leopard. These two wise animals -suspected that this was one of Spider’s tricks. They knew that he was -not to be trusted. Walking on a little way, they discussed what they -could do to find out what was in the bundle. - -They agreed to take a short cut across the country to a tree which they -knew Cousin Spider must pass. When they reached this tree they hid -themselves very carefully behind it and waited for him. - -As he passed the place they shook the tree and uttered frightful -noises. This so frightened Mr Spider that he dropped his load and ran -away. - -The two gentlemen opened the bundle and, to their great joy, discovered -the flesh of the antelope in it. They carried it off to their own home -and began to prepare supper. - -When Mr Spider recovered from his fear he began to wonder who could -have been at the tree to make the noises. He decided that his enemies -must be Wolf and Leopard. He made up his mind he would get his meat -back from them. - -He took a small lizard and filed his teeth to fine, sharp points. He -then sent him to spy upon the wolf and leopard—by begging fire from -them. He was to get the fire and quench it as soon as he left their -cottage. He could then return and ask a second time. If they asked him -questions, he must smile and show his teeth. - -The lizard did as he was told, and everything turned out just as Spider -had expected. Wolf and Leopard eagerly asked the lizard where he had -had his teeth filed so beautifully. He replied that “Filing Spider” had -done it for him. - -Wolf and Leopard discussed the matter and decided to have their teeth -filed in the same way. They could then easily break the bones of their -food. - -Accordingly, they went to the house of the disguised spider and asked -him to make their teeth like Lizard’s. Spider agreed, but said that, to -do it properly, he would first have to hang them on a tree. They made -no objection to this. - -When he had them safely hung, Spider and his family came and mocked -them. Spider then went to their cottage and brought away the body of -the antelope. The whole village was invited to the feast, which was -held in front of the two poor animals on the tree. During this festival -every one made fun of the wolf and leopard. - -Next morning White Ant and his children passed the place on their way -to some friends. Mr Leopard begged them to set him and his friend free. -White Ant and his family set to work, destroyed the tree and set them -at liberty. Leopard and Wolf promised the ants that on their return -they would spread a feast for them. - -Unfortunately, Spider heard the invitation and made up his mind to -benefit by it. On the third day (which was the very time set by the -wolf and leopard) Spider dressed up his children like the ants. They -set out, singing the ants’ chorus, in order to deceive Leopard. - -Wolf and Leopard welcomed them heartily and spread a splendid feast for -them, which the spiders thoroughly enjoyed. - -Soon after their departure the real ants arrived. The two hosts, -thinking these must be Spider and his family, poured boiling water over -them and killed them all except the father. - -White Ant, on reaching home again, in great anger, vowed that he would -never again help any one. He would take every opportunity to harm -property. From that day to this white ants have been a perfect pest to -man. - - - - - - - - -VIII. THE SQUIRREL AND THE SPIDER - - -A hard-working squirrel had, after much labour, succeeded in -cultivating a very fine farm. Being a skilful climber of trees, he had -not troubled to make a roadway into his farm. He used to reach it by -the trees. - -One day, when his harvests were very nearly ripe, it happened that -Spider went out hunting in that neighbourhood. During his travels, he -arrived at Squirrel’s farm. Greatly pleased at the appearance of the -fields, he sought for the roadway to it. Finding none, he returned home -and told his family all about the matter. The very next day they all -set out for this fine place, and set to work immediately to make a -road. When this was completed Spider—who was very cunning—threw pieces -of earthenware pot along the pathway. This he did to make believe that -his children had dropped them while working to prepare the farm. - -Then he and his family began to cut down and carry away such of the -corn as was ripe. Squirrel noticed that his fields were being robbed, -but could not at first find the thief. He determined to watch. Sure -enough Spider soon reappeared to steal more of the harvest. Squirrel -demanded to know what right he had on these fields. Spider immediately -asked him the same question. “They are my fields,” said Squirrel. “Oh, -no! They are mine,” retorted Spider. “I dug them and sowed them and -planted them,” said poor Squirrel. “Then where is your roadway to -them?” said crafty Spider. “I need no roadway. I come by the trees,” -was Squirrel’s reply. Needless to say, Spider laughed such an answer to -scorn, and continued to use the farm as his own. - -Squirrel appealed to the law, but the court decided that no one had -ever had a farm without a road leading to it, therefore the fields must -be Spider’s. - -In great glee Spider and his family prepared to cut down all the -harvest that remained. When it was cut they tied it in great bundles -and set off to the nearest market-place to sell it. When they were -about half-way there, a terrible storm came on. They were obliged to -put down their burdens by the roadside and run for shelter. When the -storm had passed they returned to pick up their loads. - -As they approached the spot they found a great, black crow there, with -his broad wings outspread to keep the bundles dry. Spider went to him -and very politely thanked him for so kindly taking care of their -property. “Your property!” replied Father Crow. “Who ever heard of any -one leaving bundles of corn by the roadside? Nonsense! These loads are -mine.” So saying, he picked them up and went off with them, leaving -Spider and his children to return home sorrowful and empty-handed. -Their thieving ways had brought them little profit. - - - - - - - - -IX. WHY WE SEE ANTS CARRYING BUNDLES AS BIG AS THEMSELVES - - -Kweku Anansi and Kweku Tsin—his son—were both very clever farmers. -Generally they succeeded in getting fine harvests from each of their -farms. One year, however, they were very unfortunate. They had sown -their seeds as usual, but no rain had fallen for more than a month -after and it looked as if the seeds would be unable to sprout. - -Kweku Tsin was walking sadly through his fields one day looking at the -bare, dry ground, and wondering what he and his family would do for -food, if they were unable to get any harvest. To his surprise he saw a -tiny dwarf seated by the roadside. The little hunchback asked the -reason of his sadness, and Kweku Tsin told him. The dwarf promised to -help him by bringing rain on the farm. He bade Kweku fetch two small -sticks and tap him lightly on the hump, while he sang: - - - “O water, go up, O water, go up, - And let rain fall, and let rain fall.” - - -To Kweku’s great joy rain immediately began to fall, and continued till -the ground was thoroughly well soaked. In the days following the seeds -germinated, and the crops began to promise well. - -Anansi soon heard how well Kweku’s crops were growing—whilst his own -were still bare and hard. He went straightway to his son and demanded -to know the reason. Kweku Tsin, being an honest fellow, at once told -him what had happened. - -Anansi quickly made up his mind to get his farm watered in the same -way, and accordingly set out toward it. As he went, he cut two big, -strong sticks, thinking, “My son made the dwarf work with little -sticks. I will make him do twice as much with my big ones.” He -carefully hid the big sticks, however, when he saw the dwarf coming -toward him. As before, the hunchback asked what the trouble was, and -Anansi told him. “Take two small sticks, and beat me lightly on the -hump,” said the dwarf. “I will get rain for you.” - -But Anansi took his big sticks and beat so hard that the dwarf fell -down dead. The greedy fellow was now thoroughly frightened, for he knew -that the dwarf was jester to the King of the country, and a very great -favourite of his. He wondered how he could fix the blame on some one -else. He picked up the dwarf’s dead body and carried it to a kola-tree. -There he laid it on one of the top branches and sat down under the tree -to watch. - -By and by Kweku Tsin came along to see if his father had succeeded in -getting rain for his crops. “Did you not see the dwarf, father?” he -asked, as he saw the old man sitting alone. “Oh, yes!” replied Anansi; -“but he has climbed this tree to pick kola. I am now waiting for him.” -“I will go up and fetch him,” said the young man—and immediately began -to climb. As soon as his head touched the body the latter, of course, -fell to the ground. “Oh! what have you done, you wicked fellow?” cried -his father. “You have killed the King’s jester!” “That is all right,” -quietly replied the son (who saw that this was one of Anansi’s tricks). -“The King is very angry with him, and has promised a bag of money to -any one who would kill him. I will now go and get the reward.” “No! No! -No!” shouted Anansi. “The reward is mine. I killed him with two big -sticks. I will take him to the King.” “Very well!” was the son’s reply. -“As you killed him, you may take him.” - -Off set Anansi, quite pleased with the prospect of getting a reward. He -reached the King’s court, only to find the King very angry at the death -of his favourite. The body of the jester was shut up in a great box and -Anansi was condemned—as a punishment—to carry it on his head for ever. -The King enchanted the box so that it could never be set down on the -ground. The only way in which Anansi could ever get rid of it was by -getting some other man to put it on his head. This, of course, no one -was willing to do. - -At last, one day, when Anansi was almost worn out with his heavy -burden, he met the Ant. “Will you hold this box for me while I go to -market and buy some things I need badly?” said Anansi to Mr Ant. “I -know your tricks, Anansi,” replied Ant. “You want to be rid of it.” -“Oh, no, indeed, Mr Ant,” protested Anansi. “Indeed I will come back -for it, I promise.” - -Mr Ant, who was an honest fellow, and always kept his own promises, -believed him. He took the box on his head, and Anansi hurried off. -Needless to say, the sly fellow had not the least intention of keeping -his word. Mr Ant waited in vain for his return—and was obliged to -wander all the rest of his life with the box on his head. That is the -reason we so often see ants carrying great bundles as they hurry along. - - - - - - - - -X. WHY SPIDERS ARE ALWAYS FOUND IN THE CORNERS OF CEILINGS - - -Egya Anansi was a very skilful farmer. He, with his wife and son, set -to work one year to prepare a farm, much larger than any they had -previously worked. They planted in it yams, maize, and beans—and were -rewarded by a very rich crop. Their harvest was quite ten times greater -than any they had ever had before. Egya Anansi was very well pleased -when he saw his wealth of corn and beans. - -He was, however, an exceedingly selfish and greedy man, who never liked -to share anything—even with his own wife and son. When he saw that the -crops were quite ripe, he thought of a plan whereby he alone would -profit by them. He called his wife and son to him and spoke thus: “We -have all three worked exceedingly hard to prepare these fields. They -have well repaid us. We will now gather in the harvest and pack it away -in our barns. When that is done, we shall be in need of a rest. I -propose that you and our son should go back to our home in the village -and remain there at your ease for two or three weeks. I have to go to -the coast on very urgent business. When I return we will all come to -the farm and enjoy our well-earned feast.” - -Anansi’s wife and son thought this a very good, sensible plan, and at -once agreed to it. They went straight back to their village, leaving -the cunning husband to start on his journey. Needless to say he had not -the slightest intention of so doing. - -Instead, he built himself a very comfortable hut near the farm—supplied -it with all manner of cooking utensils, gathered in a large store of -the corn and vegetables from the barn, and prepared for a solitary -feast. This went on for a fortnight. By that time Anansi’s son began to -think it was time for him to go and weed the farm, lest the weeds -should grow too high. He accordingly went there and worked several -hours on it. While passing the barn, he happened to look in. Great was -his surprise to see that more than half of their magnificent harvest -had gone. He was greatly disturbed, thinking robbers had been at work, -and wondered how he could prevent further mischief. - -Returning to the village, he told the people there what had happened, -and they helped to make a rubber-man. When evening came they carried -the sticky figure to the farm, and placed it in the midst of the -fields, to frighten away the thieves. Some of the young men remained -with Anansi’s son to watch in one of the barns. - -When all was dark, Egya Anansi (quite unaware of what had happened) -came, as usual, out of his hiding-place to fetch more food. On his way -to the barn he saw in front of him the figure of a man, and at first -felt very frightened. Finding that the man did not move, however, he -gained confidence and went up to him. “What do you want here?” said he. -There was no answer. He repeated his question with the same result. -Anansi then became very angry and dealt the figure a blow on the cheek -with his right hand. Of course, his hand stuck fast to the rubber. “How -dare you hold my hand?” he exclaimed. “Let me go at once or I shall hit -you again.” He then hit the figure with his left hand, which also -stuck. He tried to disengage himself by pushing against it with his -knees and body, until, finally, knees, body, hands, and head were all -firmly attached to the rubber-man. There Egya Anansi had to stay till -daybreak, when his son came out with the other villagers to catch the -robber. They were astonished to find that the evil-doer was Anansi -himself. He, on the other hand, was so ashamed to be caught in the act -of greediness that he changed into a spider and took refuge in a dark -corner of the ceiling lest any one should see him. Since then spiders -have always been found in dark, dusty corners, where people are not -likely to notice them. - - - - - - - - -XI. ANANSI THE BLIND FISHERMAN - - -Anansi, in his old age, became a fisherman. Very soon after that his -sight began to fail. Finally, he grew quite blind. However, still being -very strong, he continued his fishing—with the help of two men. The -latter were exceedingly kind to him, and aided him in every possible -way. They led him, each morning, to the beach and into the canoe. They -told him where to spread his net and when to pull it in. When they -returned to land they told him just where and when to step out, so that -he did not even get wet. - -Day after day this went on, but Anansi—instead of being in the least -grateful to them—behaved very badly. When they told him where to spread -his net, he would reply sharply, “I know. I was just about to put it -there.” When they were directing him to get out of the boat, he would -say, “Oh, I know perfectly well we are at the beach. I was just getting -ready to step out.” - -This went on for a long time, Anansi getting ruder and ruder to his -helpers every day, until they could bear his treatment no longer. They -determined when opportunity offered to punish him for his ingratitude. - -The next day, as usual, he came with them to the beach. When they had -got the canoe ready, they bade him step in. “Do you think I am a fool?” -said he. “I know the canoe is there.” They made no answer, but got in -and patiently pulled toward the fishing-place. When they told him where -to spread his net, he replied with so much abuse that they determined, -there and then, to punish him. - -By this time the canoe was full of fish, so they turned to row home. -When they had gone a little way they stopped and said to him, “Here we -are at the beach.” He promptly told them that they were very foolish—to -tell him a thing he knew so well. He added many rude and insulting -remarks, which made them thoroughly angry. He then jumped proudly out, -expecting to land on the beach. To his great astonishment he found -himself sinking in deep water. The two men rowed quickly away, leaving -him to struggle. - -Like all the men of that country he was a good swimmer, but, of course, -being blind, he was unable to see where the land lay. So he swam until -he was completely tired out—and was drowned. - - - - - - - - -XII. ADZANUMEE AND HER MOTHER - - -There once lived a woman who had one great desire. She longed to have a -daughter—but alas! she was childless. She could never feel happy, -because of this unfulfilled wish. Even in the midst of a feast the -thought would be in her mind—“Ah! if only I had a daughter to share -this with me.” - -One day she was gathering yams in the field, and it chanced that she -pulled out one which was very straight and well shaped. “Ah!” she -thought to herself, “if only this fine yam were a daughter, how happy I -should be.” To her astonishment the yam answered, “If I were to become -your daughter, would you promise never to reproach me with having been -a yam?” She eagerly gave her promise, and at once the yam changed into -a beautiful, well-made girl. The woman was overjoyed and was very kind -to the girl. She named her Adzanumee. The latter was exceedingly useful -to her mother. She would make the bread, gather the yams, and sell them -at the market-place. - -She had been detained, one day, longer than usual. Her mother became -impatient at her non-appearance and angrily said, “Where can Adzanumee -be? She does not deserve that beautiful name. She is only a yam.” - -A bird singing near by heard the mother’s words and immediately flew -off to the tree under which Adzanumee sat. There he began to sing: - - - “Adzanumee! Adzanumee! - Your mother is unkind—she says you are only a yam, - You do not deserve your name! - Adzanumee! Adzanumee!” - - -The girl heard him and returned home weeping. When the woman saw her -she said, “My daughter, my daughter! What is the matter?” Adzanumee -replied: - - - “Oh, my mother! my mother! - You have reproached me with being a yam. - You said I did not deserve my name. - Oh, my mother! my mother!” - - -With these words she made her way toward the yam-field. Her mother, -filled with fear, followed her, wailing: - - - “Nay, Adzanumee! Adzanumee! - Do not believe it—do not believe it. - You are my daughter, my dear daughter - Adzanumee!” - - -But she was too late. Her daughter, still singing her sad little song, -quickly changed back into a yam. When the woman arrived at the field -there lay the yam on the ground, and nothing she could do or say would -give her back the daughter she had desired so earnestly and treated so -inconsiderately. - - - - - - - - -XIII. THE GRINDING-STONE THAT GROUND FLOUR BY ITSELF - - -There had been another great famine throughout the land. The villagers -looked thin and pale for lack of food. Only one family appeared healthy -and well. This was the household of Anansi’s cousin. - -Anansi was unable to understand this, and felt sure his cousin was -getting food in some way. The greedy fellow determined to find out the -secret. - -What had happened was this: Spider’s cousin, while hunting one morning, -had discovered a wonderful stone. The stone lay on the grass in the -forest and ground flour of its own accord. Near by ran a stream of -honey. Kofi was delighted. He sat down and had a good meal. Not being a -greedy man, he took away with him only enough for his family’s needs. - -Each morning he returned to the stone and got sufficient food for that -day. In this manner he and his family kept well and plump, while the -surrounding villagers were starved and miserable-looking. - -Anansi gave him no peace till he promised to show him the stone. This -he was most unwilling to do—knowing his cousin’s wicked ways. He felt -sure that when Anansi saw the stone he would not be content to take -only what he needed. However, Anansi troubled him so much with -questions that at last he promised. He told Anansi that they would -start next morning, as soon as the women set about their work. Anansi -was too impatient to wait. In the middle of the night he bade his -children get up and make a noise with the pots as if they were the -women at work. Spider at once ran and wakened his cousin, saying, -“Quick! It is time to start.” His cousin, however, saw he had been -tricked, and went back to bed again, saying he would not start till the -women were sweeping. No sooner was he asleep again than Spider made his -children take brooms and begin to sweep very noisily. He roused Kofi -once more, saying, “It is time we had started.” Once more his cousin -refused to set off—saying it was only another trick of Spider’s. He -again returned to bed and to sleep. This time Spider slipped into his -cousin’s room and cut a hole in the bottom of his bag, which he then -filled with ashes. After that he went off and left Kofi in peace. - -When morning came the cousin awoke. Seeing no sign of Spider he very -gladly set off alone to the forest, thinking he had got rid of the -tiresome fellow. He was no sooner seated by the stone, however, than -Anansi appeared, having followed him by the trail of ashes. - -“Aha!” cried he. “Here is plenty of food for all. No more need to -starve.” “Hush,” said his cousin. “You must not shout here. The place -is too wonderful. Sit down quietly and eat.” - -They had a good meal and Kofi prepared to return home with enough for -his family. “No, no!” cried Anansi. “I am going to take the stone.” In -vain did his friend try to overcome his greed. Anansi insisted on -putting the stone on his head, and setting out for the village. - - - “Spider, spider, put me down,” said the stone. - “The pig came and drank and went away, - The antelope came and fed and went away: - Spider, spider, put me down.” - - -Spider, however, refused to listen. He carried the stone from village -to village selling flour, until his bag was full of money. He then set -out for home. - -Having reached his hut and feeling very tired he prepared to put the -stone down. But the stone refused to be moved from his head. It stuck -fast there, and no efforts could displace it. The weight of it very -soon grew too much for Anansi, and ground him down into small pieces, -which were completely covered over by the stone. That is why we often -find tiny spiders gathered together under large stones. - - - - - - - - -XIV. “MORNING SUNRISE” - - -A man in one of the villages had a very beautiful daughter. She was so -lovely that people called her “Morning Sunrise.” Every young man who -saw her wanted to marry her. Three, in particular, were very anxious to -have her for their wife. Her father found it difficult to decide among -them. He determined to find out by a trick which of the three was most -worthy of her. - -He bade her lie down on her bed as if she were dead. He then sent the -report of her death to each of the three lovers, asking them to come -and help him with her funeral. - -The messenger came first to “Wise Man.” When he heard the message, he -exclaimed, “What can this man mean? The girl is not my wife. I -certainly will not pay any money for her funeral.” - -The messenger came next to the second man. His name was “Wit.” The -latter at once said, “Oh dear, no! I shall not pay any money for her -funeral expenses. Her father did not even let me know she was ill.” So -he refused to go. - -“Thinker,” the third young man—when he received the message—at once got -ready to start. “Certainly I must go and mourn for Morning Sunrise,” -said he. “Had she lived, surely she would have been my wife.” So he -took money with him and set out for her home. - -When he reached it her father called out, “Morning Sunrise, Morning -Sunrise. Come here. This is your true husband.” - -That very day the betrothal took place, and soon after the wedding -followed. “Thinker” and his beautiful wife lived very happily together. - - - - - - - - -XV. WHY THE SEA-TURTLE WHEN CAUGHT BEATS ITS BREAST WITH ITS FORE-LEGS - - -Many centuries ago, the people of this earth were much troubled by -floods. The sea used at times to overflow its usual boundaries and -sweep across the low, sandy stretches of land which bordered it. Time -and again this happened, many lives being lost at each flood. Mankind -was very troubled to find an escape from this oft-repeated disaster. He -could think of no way of avoiding it. - -Fortunately for him the wise turtle came to his help. “Take my advice,” -said she, “and plant rows of palms along the sea-coast. They will bind -the sand together and keep it from being washed so easily away.” He did -so, with great success. The roots of the palms kept the sand firmly in -its place. When the time came again for the sea to overflow, it washed -just to the line of trees and came no farther. Thus many lives were -saved annually by the kind forethought of the turtle. - -In return—one would think—mankind would protect and cherish this poor -animal. But no! Each time a turtle comes to the seashore to lay her -eggs among the sand, she is caught and killed for the sake of her -flesh. It is the thought of the ingratitude of mankind to her, which -makes her beat her breast with her fore-legs when she is caught. She -seems to be saying, “Ah! this is all the return I get for my kindness -to you.” - - - - - - - - -XVI. HOW BEASTS AND SERPENTS FIRST CAME INTO THE WORLD - - -The famine had lasted nearly three years. Kweku Tsin, being very -hungry, looked daily in the forest in the hope of finding food. One day -he was fortunate enough to discover three palm-kernels lying on the -ground. He picked up two stones with which to crack them. The first -nut, however, slipped when he hit it, and fell into a hole behind him. -The same thing happened to the second and to the third. Very much -annoyed at his loss, Kweku determined to go down the hole to see if he -could find his lost nuts. - -To his surprise, however, he discovered that this hole was really the -entrance to a town, of which he had never before even heard. When he -reached it he found absolute silence everywhere. He called out, “Is -there nobody in this town?” and presently heard a voice in answer. He -went in its direction and found an old woman sitting in one of the -houses. She demanded the reason of his appearance—which he readily -gave. - -The old woman was very kind and sympathetic, and promised to help him. -“You must do exactly as I tell you,” said she. “Go into the garden and -listen attentively. You will hear the yams speak. Pass by any yam that -says, ‘Dig me out, dig me out!’ But take the one that says, ‘Do not dig -me out!’ Then bring it to me.” - -When he brought it, she directed him to remove the peel from the yam -and throw the latter away. He was then to boil the rind, and, while -boiling, it would become yam. It did actually do so, and they sat down -to eat some of it. Before beginning their meal the old woman requested -Kweku not to look at her while she ate. Being very polite and obedient, -he did exactly as he was told. - -In the evening the old woman sent him into the garden to choose one of -the drums which stood there. She warned him: “If you come to a drum -which says ‘Ding-ding’ on being touched—take it. But be very careful -not to take one which sounds ‘Dong-dong.’” He obeyed her direction in -every detail. When he showed her the drum, she looked pleased and told -him, to his great delight, that he had only to beat it if at any time -he were hungry. That would bring him food in plenty. He thanked the old -woman very heartily and went home. - -As soon as he reached his own hut, he gathered his household together, -and then beat the drum. Immediately, food of every description appeared -before them, and they all ate as much as they wished. - -The following day Kweku Tsin gathered all the people of the village -together in the Assembly Place, and then beat the drum once more. In -this way every family got sufficient food for their wants, and all -thanked Kweku very much for thus providing for them. - -Kweku’s father, however, was not at all pleased to see his son thus -able to feed the whole village. Anansi thought he, too, ought to have a -drum. Then the people would be grateful to him instead of to Kweku -Tsin. Accordingly, he asked the young man where the wonderful drum had -come from. His son was most unwilling to tell him, but Anansi gave him -no peace until he had heard the whole story. He then wasted no time, -but set off at once toward the entrance hole. He had taken the -precaution to carry with him an old nut which he pretended to crack. -Then throwing it into the hole, he jumped in after it and hurried along -to the silent village. Arrived at the first house, he shouted, “Is -there no one in this town?” The old woman answered as before, and -Anansi entered her house. - -He did not trouble to be polite to her, but addressed her most rudely, -saying, “Hurry up, old woman, and get me something to eat.” The woman -quietly directed him to go into the garden and choose the yam which -should say, “Do not dig me out.” Anansi laughed in her face and said, -“You surely take me for a fool. If the yam does not want me to dig it -out I will certainly not do so. I will take the one which wants to be -gathered.” This he did. - -When he brought it to the old woman she told him, as she told his son, -to throw away the inside and boil the rind. Again he refused to obey. -“Who ever heard of such a silly thing as throwing away the yam? I will -do nothing of the sort. I will throw away the peel and boil the -inside.” He did so, and the yam turned into stones. He was then obliged -to do as she first suggested, and boil the rind. The latter while -boiling turned into yam. Anansi turned angrily to the old woman and -said, “You are a witch.” She took no notice of his remark, but went on -setting the table. She placed his dinner on a small table, lower than -her own, saying, “You must not look at me while I eat.” He rudely -replied, “Indeed, I will look at you if I choose. And I will have my -dinner at your table, not at that small one.” Again she said -nothing—but she left her dinner untouched. Anansi ate his own, then -took hers and ate it also. - -When he had finished she said, “Now go into the garden and choose a -drum. Do not take one which sounds ‘Dong-dong’; only take one which -says ‘Ding-ding.’” Anansi retorted, “Do you think I will take your -advice, you witch? No, I will choose the drum which says ‘Dong-dong.’ -You are just trying to play a trick on me.” - -He did as he wished. Having secured the drum he marched off without so -much as a “Thank you” to the old woman. - -No sooner had he reached home, than he longed to show off his new power -to the villagers. He called all to the Assembly Place, telling them to -bring dishes and trays, as he was going to provide them with food. The -people in great delight hurried to the spot. Anansi, proudly taking his -position in the midst of them, began to beat his drum. To his horror -and dismay, instead of the multitude of food-stuffs which Kweku had -summoned, Anansi saw, rushing toward him, beasts and serpents of all -kinds. Such creatures had never been seen on the earth before. - -The people fled in every direction—all except Anansi, who was too -terrified to move. He speedily received fitting punishment for his -disobedience. Fortunately, Kweku, with his mother and sisters, had been -at the outer edge of the crowd, so easily escaped into shelter. The -animals presently scattered in every direction, and ever since they -have roamed wild in the great forests. - - - - - - - - -XVII. HONOURABLE MINŪ - - -It happened one day that a poor Akim-man had to travel from his own -little village to Accra—one of the big towns on the coast. This man -could only speak the language of his own village—which was not -understood by the men of the town. As he approached Accra he met a -great herd of cows. He was surprised at the number of them, and -wondered to whom they could belong. Seeing a man with them he asked -him, “To whom do these cows belong?” The man did not know the language -of the Akim-man, so he replied, “Minū” (I do not understand). The -traveller, however, thought that Minū was the name of the owner of the -cows and exclaimed, “Mr Minū must be very rich.” - -He then entered the town. Very soon he saw a fine large building, and -wondered to whom it might belong. The man he asked could not understand -his question so he also answered, “Minū.” “Dear me! What a rich fellow -Mr Minū must be!” cried the Akim-man. - -Coming to a still finer building with beautiful gardens round it, he -again asked the owner’s name. Again came the answer, “Minū.” “How -wealthy Mr Minū is,” said our wondering traveller. - -Next he came to the beach. There he saw a magnificent steamer being -loaded in the harbour. He was surprised at the great cargo which was -being put on board and inquired of a bystander, “To whom does this fine -vessel belong?” “Minū,” replied the man. “To the Honourable Minū also! -He is the richest man I ever heard of!” cried the Akim-man. - -Having finished his business, the Akim-man set out for home. As he -passed down one of the streets of the town he met men carrying a -coffin, and followed by a long procession, all dressed in black. He -asked the name of the dead person, and received the usual reply, -“Minū.” “Poor Mr Minū!” cried the Akim-man. “So he has had to leave all -his wealth and beautiful houses and die just as a poor person would do! -Well, well—in future I will be content with my tiny house and little -money.” And the Akim-man went home quite pleased to his own hut. - - - - - - - - -XVIII. WHY THE MOON AND THE STARS RECEIVE THEIR LIGHT FROM THE SUN - - -Once upon a time there was great scarcity of food in the land. Father -Anansi and his son, Kweku Tsin, being very hungry, set out one morning -to hunt in the forest. In a short time Kweku Tsin was fortunate enough -to kill a fine deer—which he carried to his father at their -resting-place. Anansi was very glad to see such a supply of food, and -requested his son to remain there on guard, while he went for a large -basket in which to carry it home. An hour or so passed without his -return, and Kweku Tsin became anxious. Fearing lest his father had lost -his way, he called out loudly, “Father, father!” to guide him to the -spot. To his joy he heard a voice reply, “Yes, my son,” and immediately -he shouted again, thinking it was Anansi. Instead of the latter, -however, a terrible dragon appeared. This monster breathed fire from -his great nostrils, and was altogether a dreadful sight to behold. -Kweku Tsin was terrified at his approach and speedily hid himself in a -cave near by. - -The dragon arrived at the resting-place, and was much annoyed to find -only the deer’s body. He vented his anger in blows upon the latter and -went away. Soon after, Father Anansi made his appearance. He was -greatly interested in his son’s tale, and wished to see the dragon for -himself. He soon had his desire, for the monster, smelling human flesh, -hastily returned to the spot and seized them both. They were carried -off by him to his castle, where they found many other unfortunate -creatures also awaiting their fate. All were left in charge of the -dragon’s servant—a fine, white cock—which always crowed to summon his -master, if anything unusual happened in the latter’s absence. The -dragon then went off in search of more prey. - -Kweku Tsin now summoned all his fellow-prisoners together, to arrange a -way of escape. All feared to run away—because of the wonderful powers -of the monster. His eyesight was so keen that he could detect a fly -moving miles away. Not only that, but he could move over the ground so -swiftly that none could outdistance him. Kweku Tsin, however, being -exceedingly clever, soon thought of a plan. - -Knowing that the white cock would not crow as long as he had grains of -rice to pick up, Kweku scattered on the ground the contents of forty -bags of grain—which were stored in the great hall. While the cock was -thus busily engaged, Kweku Tsin ordered the spinners to spin fine -hempen ropes, to make a strong rope ladder. One end of this he intended -to throw up to heaven, trusting that the gods would catch it and hold -it fast, while he and his fellow-prisoners mounted. - -While the ladder was being made, the men killed and ate all the cattle -they needed—reserving all the bones for Kweku Tsin at his express -desire. When all was ready the young man gathered the bones into a -great sack. He also procured the dragon’s fiddle and placed it by his -side. - -Everything was now ready. Kweku Tsin threw one end of the ladder up to -the sky. It was caught and held. The dragon’s victims began to mount, -one after the other, Kweku remaining at the bottom. - -By this time, however, the monster’s powerful eyesight showed him that -something unusual was happening at his abode. He hastened his return. -On seeing his approach, Kweku Tsin also mounted the ladder—with the bag -of bones on his back, and the fiddle under his arm. The dragon began to -climb after him. Each time the monster came too near the young man -threw him a bone, with which, being very hungry, he was obliged to -descend to the ground to eat. - -Kweku Tsin repeated this performance till all the bones were gone, by -which time the people were safely up in the heavens. Then he mounted -himself, as rapidly as possible, stopping every now and then to play a -tune on the wonderful fiddle. Each time he did this, the dragon had to -return to earth, to dance—as he could not resist the magic music. When -Kweku was quite close to the top, the dragon had very nearly reached -him again. The brave youth bent down and cut the ladder away below his -own feet. The dragon was dashed to the ground—but Kweku was pulled up -into safety by the gods. - -The latter were so pleased with his wisdom and bravery in giving -freedom to his fellow-men, that they made him the sun—the source of all -light and heat to the world. His father, Anansi, became the moon, and -his friends the stars. Thereafter, it was Kweku Tsin’s privilege to -supply all these with light, each being dull and powerless without him. - - - - - - - - -II. MISCELLANEOUS TALES - - -XIX. OHIA AND THE THIEVING DEER - - -There once lived upon the earth a poor man called Ohia, whose wife was -named Awirehu. This unfortunate couple had suffered one trouble after -another. No matter what they took in hand misfortune seemed to lie in -wait for them. Nothing they did met with success. They became so poor -that at last they could scarcely obtain a cloth with which to cover -themselves. - -Finally, Ohia thought of a plan which many of his neighbours had tried -and found successful. He went to a wealthy farmer who lived near, and -offered to hew down several of his palm-trees. He would then collect -their sap to make palm wine. When this should be ready for the market, -his wife would carry it there and sell it. The proceeds would then be -divided equally between the farmer, Ohia, and Awirehu. - -This proposal having been laid before the farmer, he proved quite -willing to agree to it. Not only so, but he granted Ohia a supply of -earthen pots in which to collect the sap, as the miserable man was far -too poor to buy any. - -In great delight Ohia and his wife set to work. They cut down the trees -and prepared them—setting the pots underneath to catch the sap. Before -cock-crow on market-day, Ohia set off, with a lighted torch, to collect -the wine and prepare it for his wife to take into the town. She was -almost ready to follow. - -To his great distress, on arriving at the first tree, instead of -finding his earthen pot filled with the sweet sap, he saw it lying in -pieces on the ground—the wine all gone. He went on to the second and -third trees—but there, and at all the others, too, the same thing had -happened. - -His wife, in high spirits and ready for market, joined him at this -moment. She saw at once by his face that some misfortune had again -befallen them. Sorrowfully, they examined the mischief, and agreed that -some wicked person had stolen the wine and then broken the pots to hide -the theft. Awirehu returned home in despair, but Ohia set to work once -more. He fetched a second supply of pots and placed them all ready to -catch the sap. - -On his return next morning, he found that the same behaviour had been -repeated. All his wine was again stolen and his pots in fragments. He -had no resource but to go to the farmer and tell him of these fresh -misfortunes. The farmer proved to be very kind and generous and gave -orders that Ohia might have as many pots as he should require. - -Once more the poor fellow returned to the palm-trees, and set his pots -ready. This third attempt, however, met with no better result than the -two previous. Ohia went home in despair. His wife was of the opinion -that they should give up trying to overcome their evil fortunes. It was -quite evident that they could never attain success. The husband, -however, determined that, at least, he would find and punish the -culprit, if that were possible. - -Accordingly, he bravely set his pots in order for the last time. When -night came, he remained on guard among the trees. Midnight passed and -nothing happened, but toward two o’clock in the morning a dark form -glided past him to the nearest palm-tree. A moment after he heard the -sound of a breaking pot. He stole up to the form. On approaching it he -found that the thief was a bush-deer, carrying on its head a large jar, -into which it was pouring the wine from Ohia’s pots. As it emptied them -it threw them carelessly on the ground, breaking them in pieces. - -Ohia ventured a little nearer, intending to seize the culprit. The -latter, however, was too quick for him and escaped, dropping his great -pot on the ground as he ran. The deer was very fleet, but Ohia had -fully determined to catch him—so followed. The chase continued over -many miles until mid-day arrived, at which time they had reached the -bottom of a high hill. The deer immediately began to climb, and -Ohia—though almost tired out—still followed. Finally, the summit of the -hill was reached, and there Ohia found himself in the midst of a great -gathering of quadrupeds. The deer, panting, threw himself on the ground -before King Tiger. [10] His Majesty commanded that Ohia should be -brought before him to be punished for this intrusion into such a -serious meeting. - -Ohia begged for a hearing before they condemned him. He wished to -explain fully his presence there. King Tiger, after consulting with -some of the other animals, agreed to listen to his tale. Thereupon Ohia -began the story of his unfortunate life. He told how one trial after -another had failed, and how, finally, he had thought of the palm wine. -He described his feelings on discovering the first theft—after all his -labour. He related his second, third, and fourth attempts, with the -result of each. He then went on to tell of his chase after the thief, -and thus explained his presence at their conference. - -The quadrupeds listened very attentively to the recital of Ohia’s -troubles. At the conclusion they unanimously agreed that the deer was -the culprit and the man blameless. The former was accordingly sentenced -to punishment, while the latter received an apology in the name of the -entire conference. King Tiger, it appeared, had each morning given Deer -a large sum of money wherewith to purchase palm wine for the whole -assembly. The deer had stolen the wine and kept the money. - -To make up to Ohia for his losses, King Tiger offered him, as a gift, -the power of understanding the conversation of all animals. This, said -he, would speedily make Ohia a rich man. But he attached one condition -to the gift. Ohia must never—on pain of instant death—tell any one -about his wonderful power. - -The poor man, much delighted, set off for home. When it was reached, he -lost no time in setting to work at his palm-trees again. From that day -his troubles seemed over. His wine was never interfered with and he and -Awirehu became more and more prosperous and happy. - -One morning, while he was bathing in a pool quite close to his house, -he heard a hen and her chickens talking together in his garden. He -listened, and distinctly heard a chicken tell Mother Hen about three -jars of gold buried in Ohia’s garden. The hen bade the chicken be -careful, lest her master should see her scraping near the gold, and so -discover it. - -Ohia pretended to take no notice of what they were saying, and went -away. Presently, when Mother Hen and her brood had gone, he came back -and commenced digging in that part of the garden. To his great joy, he -soon found three large jars of gold. They contained enough money to -keep him in comfort all his life. He was careful, however, not to -mention his treasure to any one but his wife. He hid it safely inside -his house. - -Soon he and Awirehu had become one of the richest couples in the -neighbourhood, and owned quite a large amount of property. Ohia thought -he could afford now to keep a second wife, so he married again. -Unfortunately, the new wife did not at all resemble Awirehu. The latter -had always been a good, kind, honest woman. The new wife was of a very -jealous and selfish disposition. In addition to this she was lame, and -continually imagined that people were making fun of her defect. She -took the idea into her head that Ohia and Awirehu—when together—were in -the habit of laughing at her. Nothing was further from their thoughts, -but she refused to believe so. Whenever she saw them together she would -stand and listen outside the door to hear what they were saying. Of -course, she never succeeded in hearing anything about herself. - -At last, one evening, Ohia and Awirehu had gone to bed. The latter was -fast asleep when Ohia heard a conversation which amused him very much. -A couple of mice in one corner of the room were arranging to go to the -larder to get some food, as soon as their master—who was watching -them—was asleep. Ohia, thinking this was a good joke, laughed outright. -His lame wife heard him, and rushed into the room. She thereupon -accused him of making fun of her again to Awirehu. The astonished -husband, of course, denied this, but to no purpose. The jealous woman -insisted that, if he were laughing at an innocent joke, he would at -once tell it to her. This Ohia could not do, without breaking his -promise to King Tiger. His refusal fully confirmed the lame woman’s -suspicions and she did not rest till she had laid the whole matter -before the chief. He, being an intimate friend of Ohia, tried to -persuade him to reveal the joke and set the matter at rest. Ohia -naturally was most unwilling to do anything of the sort. The persistent -woman gave the chief no peace till he summoned her husband to answer -her charge before the assembly. - -Finding no way of escape from the difficulty, Ohia prepared for death. -He first called all his friends and relatives to a great feast, and -bade them farewell. Then he put his affairs in order—bequeathed all his -gold to the faithful Awirehu, and his property to his son and servants. -When he had finished, he went to the Assembly Place where the people of -the neighbourhood were gathered together. - -He first took leave of the chief, and then commenced his tale. He -related the story of his many misfortunes—of his adventure with the -deer, and of his promise to King Tiger. Finally, he explained the cause -of his laughter which had annoyed his wife. In so speaking he fell -dead, as the Tiger had warned him. - -He was buried amid great mourning, for every one had liked and -respected him. The jealous woman who had caused her husband’s death was -seized and burnt as a witch. Her ashes were then scattered to the four -winds of heaven, and it is owing to this unfortunate fact that jealousy -and selfishness are so widespread through the world, where before they -scarcely existed. - - - - - - - - -XX. HOW THE TORTOISE GOT ITS SHELL - - -A few hundred years ago, the chief Mauri (God) determined to have a -splendid yam festival. He therefore sent his messengers to invite all -his chiefs and people to the gathering, which was to take place on Fida -(Friday). - -On the morning of that day he sent some of his servants to the -neighbouring towns and villages to buy goats, sheep, and cows for the -great feast. Mr Klo (the tortoise), who was a tall and handsome fellow, -was sent to buy palm wine. He was directed to the palm-fields of -Koklovi (the chicken). - -At that time Klo was a very powerful traveller and speedily reached his -destination, although it was many miles distant from Mauri’s palace. - -When he arrived Koklovi was taking his breakfast. When they had -exchanged polite salutations Koklovi asked the reason of Klo’s visit. -He replied, “I was sent by His Majesty Mauri, the ruler of the world, -to buy him palm wine.” “Whether he’s ruler of the world or not,” -answered Koklovi, “no one can buy my wine with money. If you want it -you must fight for it. If you win you can have it all and the -palm-trees too.” - -This answer delighted Klo as he was a very strong fighter. Koklovi was -the same, so that the fighting continued for several hours before Klo -was able to overcome Koklovi. He was at last successful, however, and -securely bound Koklovi before he left him. - -Then, taking his great pot, he filled it with wine. Finding that there -was more wine than the pot would hold, Klo foolishly drank all the -rest. He then piled the palm-trees on his back and set out for the -palace with the pot of wine. The amount which he had drunk, however, -made him feel so sleepy and tired that he could not walk fast with his -load. Added to this, a terrible rain began to fall, which made the -ground very slippery and still more difficult to travel over. - -By the time Klo succeeded in reaching his master’s palace the gates -were shut and locked. Mauri, finding it so late, had concluded that -every one was inside. - -There were many people packed into the great hall, and all were singing -and dancing. The noise of the concert was so great that no one heard -Klo’s knocking at the gate, and there he had to stay with his great -load of wine and palm-trees. - -The rain continued for nearly two months and was so terrible that the -people all remained in the palace till it had finished. By that time -Klo had died, under the weight of his load—which he had been unable to -get off his back. There he lay, before the gate, with the pile of -palm-trees on top of him. - -When the rain ceased and the gates were opened the people were amazed -to see this great mound in front of the gate, where before there had -been nothing. They fetched spades and began to shovel it away. - -When they came to the bottom of the pile there lay Klo. His earthenware -pot and the dust had caked together and formed quite a hard cover on -his back. - -He was taken into the palace—and by the use of many wonderful medicines -he was restored to life. But since that date he has never been able to -stand upright. He has been a creeping creature, with a great shell on -his back. - - - - - - - - -XXI. THE HUNTER AND THE TORTOISE - - -A village hunter had one day gone farther afield than usual. Coming to -a part of the forest with which he was unacquainted, he was astonished -to hear a voice singing. He listened; this was the song: - - - “It is man who forces himself on things, - Not things which force themselves on him.” - - -The singing was accompanied by sweet music—which entirely charmed the -hunter’s heart. - -When the little song was finished, the hunter peeped through the -branches to see who the singer could be. Imagine his amazement when he -found it was none other than a tortoise, with a tiny harp slung in -front of her. Never had he seen such a marvellous thing. - -Time after time he returned to the same place in order to listen to -this wonderful creature. At last he persuaded her to let him carry her -back to his hut, that he might enjoy her singing daily in comfort. This -she permitted, only on the understanding that she sang to him alone. - -The hunter did not rest long content with this arrangement, however. -Soon he began to wish that he could show off this wonderful tortoise to -all the world, and thereby thought he would gain great honour. He told -the secret, first to one, then to another, until finally it reached the -ears of the chief himself. The hunter was commanded to come and tell -his tale before the Assembly. When, however, he described the tortoise -who sang and played on the harp, the people shouted in scorn. They -refused to believe him. - -At last he said, “If I do not speak truth, I give you leave to kill me. -To-morrow I will bring the tortoise to this place and you may all hear -her. If she cannot do as I say, I am willing to die.” “Good,” replied -the people, “and if the tortoise can do as you say, we give you leave -to punish us in any way you choose.” - -The matter being then settled, the hunter returned home, well pleased -with the prospect. As soon as the morrow dawned, he carried tortoise -and harp down to the Assembly Place—where a table had been placed ready -for her. Every one gathered round to listen. But no song came. The -people were very patient, and quite willing to give both tortoise and -hunter a chance. Hours went by, and, to the hunter’s dismay and shame, -the tortoise remained mute. He tried every means in his power to coax -her to sing, but in vain. The people at first whispered, then spoke -outright, in scorn of the boaster and his claims. - -Night came on and brought with it the hunter’s doom. As the last ray of -the setting sun faded, he was beheaded. The instant this had happened -the tortoise spoke. The people looked at one another in troubled -wonder: “Our brother spoke truth, then, and we have killed him.” The -tortoise, however, went on to explain. “He brought his punishment on -himself. I led a happy life in the forest, singing my little song. He -was not content to come and listen to me. He had to tell my secret -(which did not at all concern him) to all the world. Had he not tried -to make a show of me this would never have happened. - - - “It is man who forces himself on things, - Not things which force themselves on him.” - - - - - - - - -XXII. THE TAIL OF THE PRINCESS ELEPHANT - - -There once lived a woman who had three sons. These sons were very much -attached to their mother and always tried to please her. She at last -grew very old and feeble. The three sons began to think what they could -do to give her great pleasure. The eldest promised that when she was -dead he would cut a fine sepulchre in stone for her. The second said he -would make a beautiful coffin. The youngest said, “I will go and get -the tail of the princess elephant and put it in the coffin with her.” -This promise was by far the hardest one to keep. - -Soon after this their mother died. The youngest son immediately set out -on his search, not knowing in the least where he would be likely to -find the tail. He travelled for three weeks, and at the end of that -time he came to a little village. There he met an old woman, who seemed -very much surprised to see him. She said no human creature had ever -been there before. The boy told the tale of his search for the princess -elephant. The old woman replied that this village was the home of all -the elephants, and the princess slept there every night. But she warned -him that if the animals saw him they would kill him. The young man -begged her to hide him—which she did, in a great pile of wood. - -She also told him that when the elephants were all asleep he must get -up and go to the eastern corner. There he would find the princess. He -must walk boldly over, cut off the tail and return in the same manner. -If he were to walk stealthily, the elephants would waken and seize him. - -The animals returned as it was growing dark. They said at once that -they smelt a human being. The old woman assured them that they were -mistaken. Their supper was ready, so they ate it and went to bed. - -In the middle of the night the young man got up and walked boldly -across to where the princess slept. He cut off the tail and returned as -he had come. He then started for home, carrying the tail very -carefully. - -When daylight came the elephants awoke. One said he had dreamed that -the princess’s tail was stolen. The others beat him for thinking such a -thing. A second said he also had had the dream, and he also was beaten. -The wisest of the elephants then suggested that they might do well to -go and see if the dream were true. This they did. They found the -princess fast asleep and quite ignorant of the loss of her tail. They -wakened her and all started off in chase of the young man. - -They travelled so quickly that in a few hours they came in sight of -him. He was afraid when he saw them coming and cried out to his -favourite idol (which he always carried in his hair), “O my juju Depor! -What shall I do?” The juju advised him to throw the branch of a tree -over his shoulder. This he did and it immediately grew up into a huge -tree, which blocked the path of the elephants. They stopped and began -to eat up the tree—which took them some little time. - -Then they continued their way again. Again the young man cried, “O my -juju Depor! What shall I do?” “Throw that corn-cob behind you,” -answered the juju. The lad did so, and the corn-cob immediately grew -into a large field of maize. - -The elephants ate their way through the maize, but when they arrived at -the other side they found that the boy had reached home. So they had to -give up the chase and return to their village. The princess, however, -refused to do so, saying, “I will return when I have punished this -impudent fellow.” - -She thereupon changed herself into a very beautiful maiden, and taking -a calabash cymbal in her hand approached the village. All the people -came out to admire this lovely girl. - -She had it proclaimed through the village that whoever succeeded in -shooting an arrow at the cymbal should have her for a bride. The young -men all tried and failed. An old man standing by said, “If only -Kwesi—the cutter of the princess elephant’s tail—were here, he could -hit the cymbal.” “Then Kwesi is the man I will marry,” replied the -maiden, “whether he hit the cymbal or not.” - -Kwesi was quickly fetched from the field where he was ploughing, and -told of his good luck. He, however, was not at all delighted to hear of -it, as he suspected the maiden of some trick. - -However, he came and shot an arrow which struck the centre of the -cymbal. The damsel and he were accordingly married. She was all the -time preparing to punish him. - -The night following their marriage she turned into an elephant, while -Kwesi was asleep. She then prepared to kill him, but Kwesi awoke in -time. He called, “O my juju Depor! Save me!” The juju turned him into a -grass mat lying on the bed and the princess could not find him. She was -most annoyed and next morning asked him where he had been all night. -“While you were an elephant I was the mat you lay on,” replied Kwesi. -The damsel took all the mats from the bed and burned them. - -Next night the princess again became an elephant and prepared to kill -her husband. This time the juju changed him into a needle and his wife -could not find him. She again asked him in the morning where he had -been. Hearing that the juju had helped him again she determined to get -hold of the idol and destroy it. - -Next day Kwesi was going again to his farm to plough a field. He told -his wife to bring him some food to the resting-place. This time she had -fairly made up her mind that he should not escape. When he had had his -food she said, “Now lay your head in my lap and sleep.” Kwesi quite -forgot that his juju was hidden in his hair and did as she bid. As soon -as he was asleep she took the juju out of his hair and threw it into a -great fire which she had prepared. Kwesi awoke to find her an elephant -once more. In great fear he cried out, “O my juju Depor! What am I to -do?” All the answer he got, however, came from the flames. “I am -burning, I am burning, I am burning.” Kwesi called again for help and -the juju replied, “Lift up your arms as if you were flying.” He did so -and turned into a hawk. - -That is the reason why hawks are so often seen flying in the smoke of -fires. They are looking for their lost juju. - - - - - - - - -XXIII. KWOFI AND THE GODS - - -Kwofi was the eldest son of a farmer who had two wives. Kwofi’s mother -had no other children. - -When the boy was three years old his mother died. Kwofi was given to -his stepmother to mind. After this she had many children. Kwofi, of -course, was the eldest of all. - -When he was about ten years old his father also died. Kwofi had now no -relative but his stepmother, for whom he had to work. - -As he grew older, she saw how much more clever and handsome he was than -her own children, and grew very jealous of him. He was such a good -hunter that day after day he came home laden with meat or with fish. - -Every day she treated him in the same way. She cooked the meat, then -portioned it out. She gave to each a large helping, but when it came to -Kwofi’s turn she would say, “Oh, my son Kwofi, there is none left for -you! You must go to the field and get some ripe paw-paw.” Kwofi never -complained. Never once did he taste any of the meat he had hunted. At -every meal the others were served, but there was never enough for him. - -One evening, when the usual thing had happened, Kwofi was preparing to -go to the field to fetch some paw-paw for his supper. All at once one -of the gods appeared in the village, carrying a great bag over his -shoulder. He summoned all the villagers together with these words: “Oh, -my villagers, I come with a bag of death for you!” - -Thereupon he began to distribute the contents of his bag among them. -When he came to Kwofi he said: “Oh, my son Kwofi, there was never -sufficient meat for you, neither is there any death.” - -As he said these words every one in the village died except Kwofi. He -was left to reign there in peace, which he did very happily. - - - - - - - - -XXIV. THE LION AND THE WOLF - - -A certain old lady had a very fine flock of sheep. She had fed and -cared for them so well that they became famous for their fatness. In -time a wicked wolf heard of them and determined to eat them. - -Night after night he stole up to the old dame’s cottage and killed a -sheep. The poor woman tried her best to save her animals from harm—but -failed. - -At last there was only one sheep left of all the flock. Their owner was -very sad. She feared that it, too, would be taken away from her, in -spite of all she could do. While she was grieving over the thought of -this a lion came to her village. - -Seeing her sad face, he asked the reason of it. She soon told him all -about it. He thereupon offered to do his best to punish the wicked -wolf. He himself went to the place where the sheep was generally -kept—while the latter was removed to another place. - -In the meantime the wolf was on his way to the cottage. As he came he -met a fox. The fox was somewhat afraid of him and prepared to run away. -The wolf, however, told him where he was going, and invited him to go -too. The fox agreed and the two set off together. They arrived at the -cottage and went straight to the place where the sheep generally slept. -The wolf at once rushed upon the animal, while Fox waited a little -behind. Just as Fox was deciding to enter and help Wolf there came a -bright flash of lightning. By the light of it the fox could see that -the wolf was attacking—not a sheep—but a lion. He hastily ran away, -shouting as he went: “Look at his face! Look at his face!” - -During the flash Wolf did look at the pretended sheep. To his dismay he -found he had made a great mistake. At once he began to make humble -apologies—but all in vain. Lion refused to listen to any of his -explanations, and speedily put him to death. - - - - - - - - -XXV. MAKU MAWU AND MAKU FIA - -OR - -‘I will die God’s death’ and ‘I will die the King’s death’ - - -Once upon a time there were two men who were such great friends that -they were almost always together. If one was seen the other was sure to -be near. They had given one another special names, which were to be -used only by themselves. One name, Maku Mawu, meant, ‘I will die God’s -death,’ and the other, Maku Fia, ‘I will die the King’s death.’ - -By and by, however, the other villagers heard these names and gradually -every one got into the habit of calling the two friends by the -nicknames in preference to the real ones. Finally, the King of the -country heard of them and wished to see the men who had chosen such -strange titles. He sent for them to Court, and they came together. He -was much pleased with the one who had chosen the name of ‘Maku Fia,’ -but he was annoyed at the other man’s choice and sought a chance of -punishing him. - -When he had talked to them a little while, he invited both to a great -feast which he was to give in three days’ time. As they went away he -gave a fine large yam to Maku Mawu and only a small round stone to his -own favourite. The latter felt somewhat aggrieved at getting only a -stone, while his friend got such a fine yam. Very soon he said, “Oh, -dear! I do not think it is any use carrying this stone home. How I wish -it were a yam! Then I could cook it for dinner.” Maku Mawu—being very -generous—immediately replied, “Then change with me, for I am quite -tired of carrying my great yam.” They exchanged, and each went off to -his own home. Maku Fia cut up his yam and cooked it. Maku Mawu broke -his stone in half and found inside some beautiful ornaments which the -King had hidden there. He thought that he would play a trick on the -King, so told nobody what had been in the stone. - -On the third day they dressed to go to the King’s feast. Maku Mawu put -on all the beautiful ornaments out of the stone. Maku Fia dressed -himself just as usual. - -When they reached the palace the King was amazed to see the wrong man -wearing his ornaments, and determined to punish him more effectually -next time. He asked Maku Fia what he had done with the stone, and the -man told him he had exchanged it for his friend’s yam. - -At first the King could not think of any way to punish Maku Mawu, as, -of course, the latter had not done anything wrong. He soon had an idea, -however. He pretended to be very pleased with the poor man and -presented him with a beautiful ring from his own finger. He then made -him promise to come back in seven days and show the ring to the King -again, to let the latter see that it was not lost. If by any chance he -could not produce the ring—he would lose his head. This the King did, -meaning to get hold of the ring in some way and so get the young man -killed. - -Maku Mawu saw what the King’s design was, so determined to hide the -ring. He made a small hole in the wall of his room, put the ring in it, -and carefully plastered over the place again. No one could see that the -wall had been touched. - -After two days the King sent for the wife of Maku Mawu and asked her to -find the ring. He promised her a large sum of money for it—not telling -her, of course, what would happen to her husband if the ring were lost. -The woman went home and searched diligently but found nothing. Next day -she tried again—with no better success. Then she asked her husband what -he had done with it. He innocently told her it was in the wall. Next -day, when he was absent, she searched so carefully that at last she -found it. - -Delighted, she ran off to the King’s palace and gave the ring to him. -She got the promised money and returned home, never dreaming that she -had really sold her husband’s life. - -On the sixth day the King sent a message to Maku Mawu, telling him to -prepare for the next day. The poor man bethought himself of the ring -and went to look if it were still safe. To his despair the hole was -empty. He asked his wife and his neighbours. All denied having seen it. -He made up his mind that he must die. - -In the meantime the King had laid the ring in one of the dishes in his -palace and promptly forgot about it. When the seventh morning had -arrived he sent messengers far and wide, to summon the people to come -and see a man punished for disobeying the King’s orders. Then he -commanded his servants to set the palace in order, and to take the -dishes out of his room and wash them. - -The careless servants—never looking to see if the dishes were empty or -not—took them all to a pool near by. Among them was the dish containing -the ring. Of course, when the dish was being washed, out fell the ring -into the water—without being noticed by the servants. - -The palace being all in readiness, the King went to fetch the ring. It -was nowhere to be found and he was obliged to go to the Assembly -without it. - -When every one was ready the poor man, Maku Mawu, was called to come -forward and show the ring. He walked boldly up to the king and knelt -down before him, saying, “The ring is lost and I am prepared to die. -Only grant me a few hours to put my house in order.” At first the king -was unwilling to grant even that small favour, but finally he said, -“Very well, you may have four hours. Then you must return here and be -beheaded before the people.” The innocent man returned to his home and -put everything in order. Then, feeling hungry, he thought, “I may as -well have some food before I die. I will go and catch a fish in the -pool.” - -He accordingly took his fish-net and bait, and started off to the very -pool where the King’s dishes had been washed. Very soon he caught a -fine large fish. Cutting it open, to clean it, his delight may be -imagined at finding the lost ring inside it. - -At once he ran off to the palace crying: “I have found the ring! I have -found the ring!” When the people heard him, they all shouted in joy: -“He named himself rightly ‘Maku Mawu,’ for see—the death God has chosen -for him, that only will he die.” So the King had no excuse to harm him, -and he went free. - - - - - - - - -XXVI. THE ROBBER AND THE OLD MAN - - -In a big town lived a very rich gentleman. The fame of his wealth soon -spread. A clever thief heard of it and determined to have some for -himself. - -He managed to hide himself in a dark corner of the gentleman’s -room—while the latter was counting his bags of money. As soon as the -old gentleman left the room to fetch something, the thief caught up two -of the bags and escaped. - -The owner was astonished, on his return a few minutes later, to find -two bags short. He could find no trace of the thief. - -Next morning, however, he chanced to meet the robber just outside the -house. The dishonest man looked so confused that the rich man at once -suspected he was the thief. He could not, however, prove it, so took -the case before the judge. - -The thief was much alarmed when he heard this. He sought a man in the -village and asked his advice. The wise man undertook to help him—if he -would promise to pay him half the money when he got off. This the -robber at once said he would do. - -The old man then advised him to go home and dress in rags. He must -ruffle his hair and beard and behave as if he were mad. If any one -asked a question he must answer “Moo.” - -The thief did so. To every question asked by the judge he said, “Moo, -moo.” The judge at last grew angry and dismissed the court. The thief -went home in great glee. - -Next day, the wise man came to him for his half of the stolen money. -But he could get no answer but “Moo” from the thief, and at last, in -despair, he had to go home without a penny. The ungrateful robber kept -everything for himself. The wise man regretted very much that he had -saved the thief from his just punishment—but it was now too late. - - - - - - - - -XXVII. THE LEOPARD AND THE RAM - - -A ram once decided to make a clearing in the woods and build himself a -house. A leopard who lived near also made up his mind to do the very -same thing. - -Unknown to each other they both chose the same site. Ram came one day -and worked at the clearing. Leopard arrived after Ram had gone and was -much surprised to find some of his work already done. However, he -continued what Ram had begun. Each was daily surprised at the progress -made in his absence, but concluded that the fairies had been helping -him. He gave them thanks and continued with his task. - -Thus the matter went on—the two working alternately at the building and -never seeing one another. At last the house was finished to the -satisfaction of both. - -The two prepared to take up their abode in the new home. To their great -astonishment they met. Each told his tale, and after some friendly -discussion, they decided to live together. - -Both Leopard and Ram had sons. These two young animals played together -while their parents hunted. The leopard was very much surprised to find -that every evening his friend Ram brought home just as much meat or -venison from the hunt as he himself did. He did not dare, however, to -ask the other how he obtained it. - -One day, before setting out to hunt, Leopard requested his son to find -out, if possible, from young Ram, how his father managed to kill the -animals. Accordingly while they were at play, little Leopard inquired -how Father Ram, having neither claws nor sharp teeth, succeeded in -catching and killing the beasts. Ram refused to tell unless young -Leopard would promise to show his father’s way also. The latter agreed. -Accordingly they took two large pieces of plantain stem and set out -into the woods. - -Young Leopard then took one piece and placed it in position. Then, -going first to the right, then to the left—bowing and standing on his -hind legs and peeping at the stem just as his father did—he took aim, -sprang toward the stem and tore it. - -Young Ram then took the other piece and placed it in position. Wasting -no time he went backward a little way, took aim, then ran swiftly -forward—pushing his head against the stem and tearing it to pieces. -When they had finished they swept the place clean and went home. - -In the evening the leopard obtained all the information about the hunt -from his son. The latter warned him that he must always be careful when -he saw the ram go backward. He kept this in mind, and from that day -watched the ram very closely. - -Some time afterward it rained, making the floor of the house very -slippery. The leopard called the ram, as usual, to dine with him. As he -was coming, the ram slipped backward on the wet floor. The leopard, -seeing this, thought the other was about to kill him. Calling to his -son to follow, he sprang with all his might over the wall of the house -and fled to the woods. The ram called him back, but he did not listen. -From that time leopards have made their abode in the woods while rams -have remained at home. - - - - - - - - -XXVIII. WHY THE LEOPARD CAN ONLY CATCH PREY ON ITS LEFT SIDE - - -At one time leopards did not know how to catch animals for food. -Knowing that the cat as very skilful in this way, Leopard one day went -to Cat and asked very politely if she would teach him the art. Cat -readily consented. - -The first thing Leopard had to learn was to hide himself among the -bushes by the roadside, so that he would not be seen by any animal -passing by. Next, he must learn how to move noiselessly through the -woods. He must never allow the animal he chased to know that he was -following it. The third great principle was how to use his left paws -and side in springing upon his prey. - -Having taught him these three things, Cat requested him to go and -practise them well. When he had learnt them thoroughly he could return -to her and she would give him more lessons in hunting. - -Leopard obeyed. At first he was very successful and obtained all the -food he wanted. One day, however, he was unable to catch anything at -all. - -Being very hungry, he bethought himself what he could have for dinner. -Suddenly he remembered that the cat had quite a large family. He went -straight to her home and found her absent. - -Never thinking of her kindness to him—Leopard only remembered that he -was hungry—he ate all her kittens. Puss, on discovering this dreadful -fact, was so angry that she refused to have anything more to do with -the great creature. - -Consequently the leopard has never been able to learn how to catch -animals that pass him on the right side. - - - - - - - - -XXIX. QUARCOO BAH-BONI - -(The Bad Boy) - - -Once upon a time in a certain village lived a man and his wife who were -childless. One day, however, when the husband was away hunting, the -woman had a baby son. She was greatly troubled at her husband’s -absence, because she was unable to let him know of the child’s arrival. -In that country it is the custom for the father to give the baby its -name when it is a week old. As the time approached for the naming, the -woman wondered to herself what name she could give the child if her -husband did not return in time. To her amazement, the child himself -answered, “My name is Quarcoo Bah-boni.” As he was only a week old she -was astonished to hear him talk. The next day she got a greater -surprise. She had been grumbling because her husband was not there to -go to the farm for her and fetch food. The baby announced, “I will go -to the farm”—which he did. - -When he was a few weeks old, she was one day very busy. She laid him -down on the bed while she went on with her task. In a few minutes -several boys came up to her in great anger. “Your son has been beating -us and ill-treating us in the street,” said they. “My son!” she cried. -“Why, my son is only a tiny baby. He is lying asleep on my bed.” To -convince them she went indoors to show them the baby. Imagine her -surprise when he was nowhere to be seen! She had to apologize to the -boys and beg them to forgive the child. Shortly after, he came in and -put himself to bed. - -He continued these mischievous tricks till his mother could no longer -endure them. So she turned him out of the house and forbade him to -return. He departed in great glee. - -After walking a few miles, he came to a building where a goat, wolf, -tiger, lion, and elephant lived very happily together. These animals -were all sitting round their fire when he approached. After many polite -speeches, he begged their permission to stay and be their servant, as -he was motherless. The animals, after a little discussion, agreed to -this, thinking that he would be able to help them in many ways. He was -given a seat and some food, which he ate with great relish. - -These five animals usually took it in turns to go out to their farm—a -few miles away—every morning, to bring home food for the day. It being -Goat’s turn, he asked Quarcoo to come with him to carry back the load. - -The basket was accordingly handed to the little boy and he set off -meekly after the goat. When they reached the farm, Quarcoo set down the -basket and ran off to play. He paid no heed at all to the goat’s calls -for assistance, but went on quietly playing. At last the goat was so -annoyed that he came up to Quarcoo and boxed his ears. To his great -astonishment, the boy gave him such a blow that he fell to the ground. -Quarcoo then proceeded to beat him till he cried for mercy. Nor would -he stop his blows till the goat had promised to finish the work, carry -home the load, and tell no one what had happened. Having promised this, -the goat was allowed to go free. By this time the poor animal’s face -was bruised and swollen. - -When the time came to go home the goat had to pack up the load and put -it on his head. Then they set out. - -As soon as they came in sight of their cottage, Quarcoo took the basket -from the goat and he himself carried it into the cottage. - -The other animals all exclaimed in wonder when they saw the goat’s -face, and asked him how it had happened. “I was unfortunate enough to -get into a swarm of bees when I was working. They stung me,” answered -the poor goat. - -Next day it was the wolf’s turn to go to the farm. He also returned, -much bruised and swollen. Goat (guessing what had happened) listened -with a smile to the excuses made by Wolf to the others. - -Goat and Wolf afterward talked the matter over and wondered much at the -strength of the little boy. - -Each day another animal took his turn at the farm, and each day he -returned in the same condition as his friends had done. At last all the -animals had been, and all now came together to discuss how best they -might get rid of Quarcoo Bah-boni. - -They made up their minds that, early the following morning, they would -start off together and leave the boy in possession of the house. They -prepared a big basket of food and set it ready. - -Unfortunately for them, Quarcoo had heard their discussion and decided -that he also would go with them. He quietly got himself a large leaf, -rolled it round him (for he was very tiny) and laid himself down in the -basket of food. - -At dawn the animals got up very quietly. Goat, being the youngest, was -given the basket to carry. They started, feeling very thankful to get -away from the tiresome boy—never dreaming that they were carrying him -along with them. - -When they had gone a fair distance Goat, feeling very hot and tired, -sat down to rest for a little while. As soon as the others had gone out -of sight, he opened the basket, meaning to have some food unknown to -his friends. His greed was rewarded, however, by a terrible blow on the -face. He then heard the words, “Shut the basket at once, and say -nothing to the others.” He obeyed and hurried after the others in fear -of this terrible boy. - -As soon as he reached them he called out, “Wolf, Wolf, it is your turn -now to take the basket. I am very tired.” Wolf took the load at once. - -They had not gone far when Wolf began to think of all the nice things -in the basket and he also said he was going to rest a little while in -the shade. Having got rid of the others in this way, he hastily opened -the basket. He was greeted by Quarcoo in the same way as Goat had been, -and speedily closed the basket and followed the others. In this way -each animal got his turn of carrying the basket, and each was punished -for his greed. - -Finally, Elephant’s turn came. When he rejoined the others and asked -some one to relieve him of his load they cried out, “If you do not want -to carry it any farther, throw it away.” He did so, and they all took -to their heels. They ran for several miles and only stopped when they -came to a huge tree, in whose shade they sat down to rest, being quite -breathless. - -Quarcoo, however, had got there before them. He had quietly stepped out -of the basket, taken a short cut across country and arrived at the tree -some time before them. He guessed that they would probably rest -there—so he climbed up into the branches. There he remained, hidden -among the leaves, while the animals sat on the ground below. - -There they discussed Quarcoo and all the trouble he had caused them. -They blamed Goat for having been the one to persuade them to take the -boy as a servant. Goat being the youngest of the company had the -domestic work to do and he had welcomed the idea of help. Goat -indignantly denied being the cause of all their troubles, saying: “If I -am really to blame for the admission of Quarcoo—let him appear before -us.” Quarcoo promptly jumped down from the tree and stood in front of -them. They were so alarmed at his appearance they scattered in all -directions. The wolf ran to the woods—the tiger into the heart of the -forest, the elephant to Nigeria, the lion to the desert, and the goat -to the abode of human beings. That is the reason why they live now in -these various places instead of all together as they did previously. - - - - - - - - -XXX. KING CHAMELEON AND THE ANIMALS - - -In the olden days all the animals of the world lived together in -friendship. They had no one to rule over them and judge them. In -consequence, many very wicked deeds were constantly being done, as no -one needed to fear any punishment. - -At last they all met together to discuss this bad state of affairs, -and, as a result, they decided to choose a king. The great difficulty -was how to choose him. - -Lion was the first animal suggested. But all opposed him because, they -said, he was too fierce. Wolf was next named—but the sheep and goats -refused to have him because he was their foe. They knew they would have -bad treatment if he were chosen. - -As it was impossible to please every one by choice, they decided in -another way. Two miles away was a great stool, placed under a very -ancient tree which they believed to be the abode of some of their gods. -They would have a great race. The animal which reached and sat down -first on the stool should be chosen king. - -The day of the race arrived. All animals, great and small, prepared to -take part in it. The signal being given, they started off. The -hare—being a very fine runner—speedily outdistanced the others. He -reached the stool quite five hundred yards ahead of the next animal. -You may judge of his annoyance when, just as he was going to sit down, -a voice came from the stool saying, “Take care, Mr Hare, take care. I -was here first.” This was the chameleon. He, being able to change his -colour to suit his surroundings, had seized Mr Hare’s tail just as the -race began. Having made his colour match the hare’s, no one had noticed -him. He had held on very tightly, and when the hare turned round to -take his seat Chameleon dropped off and landed on the stool. - -The hare saw how he had been tricked and was very angry. The other -animals, however, arrived before he could harm the chameleon. According -to the agreement they had made, they had no choice but to make -Chameleon king. - -But none of the animals were satisfied with the choice. So as soon as -the meeting was over, all scattered in every direction and left -Chameleon quite alone. - -He was so ashamed that he went and made his home at the top of a very -high tree on a mountain. In the dead of night you may hear him calling -his attendants to come and stay with him. But he is left quite alone. -“A king without subjects is no king.” - - - - - - - - -XXXI. TO LOSE AN ELEPHANT FOR THE SAKE OF A WREN IS A VERY FOOLISH -THING TO DO - - -In the olden times there stood in the King’s town a very great tree. -This tree was so huge that it began to overshadow the neighbouring -fields. The King decided to have it cut down. He caused his servants to -proclaim throughout the country that any one who succeeded in cutting -down the tree with a wooden axe should have an elephant in payment. - -People thought it would be impossible to cut down such a great tree -with an axe of wood. Spider, however, decided to try by cunning to gain -the elephant. He accordingly presented himself before the King and -expressed his readiness to get rid of the tree. - -A servant was sent with him to keep watch and to see that he only used -the wooden axe given him. Spider, however, had taken care to have -another, made of steel, hidden in his bag. - -He now began to fell the tree. In a very few minutes, he said to the -servant, “See, yonder is a fine antelope. If you are quick, you will be -able to hit it with a stone. Run!” The lad did as he was bid, and ran a -long way—but could see no sign of the antelope. In his absence, Spider -seized the sharp axe and hastened to cut as much of the tree as he -could, carefully hiding the axe in his bag before the servant’s return. - -This trick he repeated several times, till finally the tree was cut -down. Spider went to the King to get the elephant, and took the servant -to prove that he had used only the wooden axe. He got his promised -reward, and started for home in great glee. On the way, however, he -began to think over the matter. “Shall I take this animal home?” -thought he. “That would be foolish, for then I would be obliged to -share it with my family. No! I will hide it in the forest, and eat it -at my leisure. In that way I can have the whole of it for myself. Now -what can I take home for the children’s dinner?” - -Thereupon he looked around, and, a little distance away, saw a tiny -wren sitting on a tree. “Exactly what I want,” he said to himself. -“That will be quite sufficient for them. I will tie my elephant to this -tree while I catch the bird.” - -This he did, but when he tried to seize the latter, it flew off. He -chased it for some time, without success. “Well! well!” said he. “My -family will just have to go without dinner. I will now go back and get -my elephant.” He returned to the spot where he had left the animal, but -to his dismay the latter had escaped. Spider was obliged to go home -empty-handed, and he, as well as his family, went dinnerless that day. - - - - - - - - -XXXII. THE UNGRATEFUL MAN - - -A hunter, who was terribly poor, was one day walking through the forest -in search of food. Coming to a deep hole, he found there a leopard, a -serpent, a rat, and a man. These had all fallen into the trap and were -unable to get out again. Seeing the hunter, they begged him to help -them out of the hole. - -At first he did not wish to release any but the man. The leopard, he -said, had often stolen his cattle and eaten them. The serpent very -frequently bit men and caused their death. The rat did no good to any -one. He saw no use in setting them free. - -However, these animals pleaded so hard for life that at last he helped -them out of the pit. Each, in turn, promised to reward him for his -kindness—except the man. He, saying he was very poor, was taken home by -the kind-hearted hunter and allowed to stay with him. - -A short time after, Serpent came to the hunter and gave him a very -powerful antidote for snake-poison. “Keep it carefully,” said Serpent. -“You will find it very useful one day. When you are using it, be sure -to ask for the blood of a traitor to mix with it.” The hunter, having -thanked Serpent very much, took great care of the powder and always -carried it about with him. - -The leopard also showed his gratitude by killing animals for the hunter -and supplying him with food for many weeks. - -Then, one day, the rat came to him and gave him a large bundle. -“These,” said he, “are some native cloths, gold dust, and ivory. They -will make you rich.” The hunter thanked the rat very heartily and took -the bundle into his cottage. - -After this the hunter was able to live in great comfort. He built -himself a fine new house and supplied it with everything needful. The -man whom he had taken out of the pit still lived with him. - -This man, however, was of a very envious disposition. He was not at all -pleased at his host’s good fortune, and only waited an opportunity to -do him some harm. He very soon had a chance. - -A proclamation was sounded throughout the country to say that some -robbers had broken into the King’s palace and stolen his jewels and -many other valuables. The ungrateful man instantly hurried to the King -and asked what the reward would be if he pointed out the thief. The -King promised to give him half of the things which had been stolen. The -wicked fellow thereupon falsely accused his host of the theft, although -he knew quite well that he was innocent. - -The honest hunter was immediately thrown into prison. He was then -brought into Court and requested to show how he had become so rich. He -told them, faithfully, the source of his income, but no one believed -him. He was condemned to die the following day at noon. - -Next morning, while preparations were being made for his execution, -word was brought to the prison that the King’s eldest son had been -bitten by a serpent and was dying. Any one who could cure him was -begged to come and do so. - -The hunter immediately thought of the powder which his serpent friend -had given him, and asked to be allowed to use it. At first they were -unwilling to let him try, but finally he received permission. The King -asked him if there were anything he needed for it and he replied, “A -traitor’s blood to mix it with.” His Majesty immediately pointed out -the wicked fellow who had accused the hunter and said: “There stands -the worst traitor—for he gave up the kind host who had saved his life.” -The man was at once beheaded and the powder was mixed as the serpent -had commanded. As soon as it was applied to the prince’s wound the -young man was cured. In great delight, the King loaded the hunter with -honours and sent him happily home. - - - - - - - - -XXXIII. WHY TIGERS NEVER ATTACK MEN UNLESS THEY ARE PROVOKED - - -A man, hunting one day in the forest, met a tiger. At first each was -afraid of the other; but after some talking they became quite friendly. -They agreed to live together for a little time. First the man would -live with the tiger in his forest home for two weeks. Then the tiger -would come and live in the man’s home. - -The tiger behaved so well to the man during his visit that the man felt -he had never been so well treated in all his life. Then came the time -for the tiger to return home with the man. As they were going the tiger -was somewhat afraid. He asked the man if he really thought he would be -safe. “What if your friends do not like my face and kill me?” he asked. -“You need fear nothing,” said his host; “no one will touch you while I -am there.” The tiger therefore came to the man’s house and stayed with -him three weeks. He had brought his male cub with him, and the young -tiger became very friendly with the man’s son. - -Some months later the man’s father died. When Tiger heard of his -friend’s great loss, he and his cub set out at once to see and condole -with him. They brought a large sum of money to help the man. - -As Tiger was going home again two of the man’s friends lay in hiding -for him and shot him. Fortunately he was not killed, but he was very -much grieved lest these men had shot him at his friend’s wish. He -determined to find out if the man had known anything at all about the -shot. - -Accordingly he went to the place in the forest where he had first met -his friend. There he lay down as if he were dead, after telling his cub -to watch and see what would happen. - -By and by the man came along. When he saw the tiger lying, as he -thought, dead, he was terribly troubled. He began to cry and mourn for -his friend, and sat there all night long with Tiger’s cub, to watch -that no harm should befall the body. - -When morning came and Tiger was quite assured that his friend had had -nothing at all to do with the shot, he was very glad. He got up, then, -to the man’s great astonishment, and explained why he had pretended to -be dead. - -“Go home,” said Tiger, “and remember me always. In future for your sake -I will never touch a man unless he first meddles with me.” - - - - - - - - -XXXIV. THE OMANHENE WHO LIKED RIDDLES - - -The Omanhene is the chief of a village. A certain Omanhene had three -sons, who were very anxious to see the world. They went to their father -and asked permission to travel. This permission he readily gave. - -It was the turn of the eldest to go first. He was provided with a -servant and with all he could possibly require for the journey. - -After travelling for some time he came to a town where lived an -Omanhene who loved riddles. Being a stranger the traveller was, -according to custom, brought by the people before the chief. - -The latter explained to him that they had certain laws in their -village. One law was that every stranger must beat the Omanhene in -answering riddles or he would be beheaded. He must be prepared to begin -the contest the following morning. - -Next day he came to the Assembly Place, and found the Omanhene there -with all his attendants. The Omanhene asked many riddles. As the young -man was unable to answer any of them, he was judged to have failed and -was beheaded. - -After some time the second son of the Omanhene started on his travels. -By a strange chance he arrived at the same town where his brother had -died. He also was asked many riddles, and failed to answer them. -Accordingly he too was put to death. - -By and by the third brother announced his intention of travelling. His -mother did all in her power to persuade him to stay at home. It was -quite in vain. - -She was sure that if he also reached the town where his brothers had -died, the same thing would happen to him. Rather than allow this, she -thought she would prefer him to die on the way. - -She prepared for him a food called cankey—which she filled with poison. -Having packed it away in his bag, he set off. Very soon he began to -feel hungry. Knowing, however, that his mother had not wished him to -leave home, and therefore might have put some poison in the food, he -thought he would test it before eating it himself. Seeing a vulture -near by, he threw it half the cake. - -The bird ate the cankey, and immediately fell dead by the roadside. -Three panthers came along and began to eat the vulture. They also fell -dead. - -The young man cut off some of the flesh of the panthers and roasted it. -He then packed it carefully away in his bundle. - -A little farther on he was attacked by seven highway robbers. They -wanted to kill him at once. He told them that he had some good roast -meat in his bundle and invited them to eat with him first. They agreed -and divided up the food into eight parts. - -While they were eating the young man carefully hid his portion. Soon -all the seven robbers fell ill and died. The young man then went on his -way. - -At last he reached the town where his brothers had died. Like them, he -was summoned to the Assembly Place to answer the riddles of the -Omanhene. For two days the contest proved equal. At the end of that -time, the young man said, “I have only one riddle left. If you are able -to answer that, you may put me to death.” He then gave this riddle to -the Omanhene: - - - Half kills one— - One kills three— - Three kills seven. - - -The ruler failed to answer it that evening, so it was postponed till -the next day. - -During the night the Omanhene disguised himself and went to the house -where the stranger was staying. There he found the young man asleep in -the hall. - -Imagining that the man before him was the stranger’s servant, and never -dreaming that it was the stranger himself, he roused the sleeper and -promised him a large reward if he would give him the solution to the -riddle. - -The young man replied that he would tell the answer if the Omanhene -would bring him the costume which he always wore at the Assembly. - -The ruler was only too pleased to go and fetch it for him. When the -young man had the garments quite safely, he explained the riddle fully -to the crafty Omanhene. He said that as they were leaving home, the -mother of his master made him cankey. In order to find out if the -cankey were good, they gave half to a vulture. The latter died. Three -panthers which tasted the vulture also died. A little of the panthers’ -roasted flesh killed seven robbers. - -The Omanhene was delighted to have found out the answer. He warned the -supposed servant not to tell his master what had happened. - -In the morning all the villagers assembled together again. The Omanhene -proudly gave the answer to the riddle as if he himself had found it -out. But the young man asked him to produce his ceremonial dress, which -he ought to be wearing in Assembly. This, of course, he was unable to -do, as the young man had hidden it carefully away. - -The stranger then told what had happened in the night, and how the -ruler had got the answer to the riddle by cheating. - -The Assembly declared that the Omanhene had failed to find out the -riddle and must die. Accordingly he was beheaded—and the young man was -appointed Omanhene in his place. - - - - - - - - -XXXV. HOW MUSHROOMS FIRST GREW - - -Long, long ago there dwelt in a town two brothers whose bad habits -brought them much trouble. Day by day they got more deeply in debt. -Their creditors gave them no peace, so at last they ran away into the -woods. They became highway robbers. - -But they were not happy. Their minds were troubled by their evil deeds. -At last they decided to go home, make a big farm, and pay off their -debts gradually. - -They accordingly set to work and soon had quite a fine farm prepared -for corn. As the soil was good, they hoped the harvest would bring them -in much money. - -Unfortunately, that very day a bushfowl came along. Being hungry, it -scratched up all the newly planted seeds and ate them. - -The two poor brothers, on arriving at the field next day, were dismayed -to find all their work quite wasted. They put down a trap for the -thief. That evening the bushfowl was caught in it. The two brothers, -when they came and found the bird, told it that now all their debts -would be transferred to it because it had robbed them of the means of -paying the debts themselves. - -The poor bird—in great trouble at having such a burden thrust upon -it—made a nest under a silk-cotton tree. There it began to lay eggs, -meaning to hatch them and sell the young birds for money to pay off the -debt. - -A terrible hurricane came, however, and a branch of the tree came down. -All the eggs were smashed. As a result, the bushfowl transferred the -debts to the tree, as it had broken the eggs. - -The silk-cotton tree was in dismay at having such a big sum of money to -pay off. It immediately set to work to make as much silk cotton as it -possibly could, that it might sell it. - -An elephant, not knowing all that had happened, came along. Seeing the -silk cotton, he came to the tree and plucked down all its bearings. By -this means the debts were transferred to the poor elephant. - -The elephant was very sad when he found what he had done. He wandered -away into the desert, thinking of a way to make money. He could think -of none. - -As he stood quietly under a tree, a poor hunter crept up. This man -thought he was very lucky to find such a fine elephant standing so -still. He at once shot him. - -Just before the animal died, he told the hunter that now the debts -would have to be paid by him. The hunter was much grieved when he heard -this, as he had no money at all. - -He walked home wondering what he could do to make enough money to pay -the debts. In the darkness he did not see the stump of a tree which the -overseers had cut down in the road. He fell and broke his leg. By this -means the debts were transferred to the tree-stump. - -Not knowing this, a party of white ants came along next morning and -began to eat into the tree. When they had broken it nearly to the -ground, the tree told them that now the debts were theirs, as they had -killed it. - -The ants, being very wise, held a council together to find out how best -they could make money. They decided each to contribute as much as -possible. With the proceeds one of their young men would go to the -nearest market and buy pure linen thread. This they would weave and -sell and the profits would go to help pay the debts. - -This was done. From time to time all the linen in stock was brought and -spread out in the sunshine to keep it in good condition. When men see -this linen lying out on the ant-hills, they call it ‘mushroom,’ and -gather it for food. - - - - - - - - -XXXVI. FARMER MYBROW AND THE FAIRIES - - -Farmer Mybrow was one day looking about for a suitable piece of land to -convert into a field. He wished to grow corn and yams. He discovered a -fine spot, close to a great forest—which latter was the home of some -fairies. He set to work at once to prepare the field. - -Having sharpened his great knife, he began to cut down the bushes. No -sooner had he touched one than he heard a voice say, “Who is there, -cutting down the bushes?” Mybrow was too much astonished to answer. The -question was repeated. This time the farmer realized that it must be -one of the fairies, and so replied, “I am Mybrow, come to prepare a -field.” Fortunately for him the fairies were in great good humour. He -heard one say, “Let us all help Farmer Mybrow to cut down the bushes.” -The rest agreed. To Mybrow’s great delight, the bushes were all rapidly -cut down—with very little trouble on his part. He returned home, -exceedingly well pleased with his day’s work, having resolved to keep -the field a secret even from his wife. - -Early in January, when it was time to burn the dry bush, he set off to -his field, one afternoon, with the means of making a fire. Hoping to -have the fairies’ assistance once more, he intentionally struck the -trunk of a tree as he passed. Immediately came the question, “Who is -there, striking the stumps?” He promptly replied, “I am Mybrow, come to -burn down the bush.” Accordingly, the dried bushes were all burned -down, and the field left clear in less time than it takes to tell it. - -Next day the same thing happened. Mybrow came to chop up the stumps for -firewood and clear the field for digging. In a very short time his -faggots and firewood were piled ready, while, the field was bare. - -So it went on. The field was divided into two parts—one for maize and -one for yams. In all the preparations—digging, sowing, planting—the -fairies gave great assistance. Still, the farmer had managed to keep -the whereabouts of his field a secret from his wife and neighbours. - -The soil having been so carefully prepared, the crops promised -exceedingly well. Mybrow visited them from time to time, and -congratulated himself on the splendid harvest he would have. - -One day, while maize and yams were still in their green and milky -state, Mybrow’s wife came to him. She wished to know where his field -lay, that she might go and fetch some of the firewood from it. At first -he refused to tell her. Being very persistent, however, she finally -succeeded in obtaining the information—but on one condition. She must -not answer any question that should be asked her. This she readily -promised, and set off for the field. - -When she arrived there she was utterly amazed at the wealth of the corn -and yam. She had never seen such magnificent crops. The maize looked -most tempting—being still in the milky state—so she plucked an ear. -While doing so she heard a voice say, “Who is there, breaking the -corn?” “Who dares ask me such a question?” she replied angrily—quite -forgetting her husband’s command. Going to the field of yams she -plucked one of them also. “Who is there, picking the yams?” came the -question again. “It is I, Mybrow’s wife. This is my husband’s field and -I have a right to pick.” Out came the fairies. “Let us all help -Mybrow’s wife to pluck her corn and yams,” said they. Before the -frightened woman could say a word, the fairies had all set to work with -a will, and the corn and yams lay useless on the ground. Being all -green and unripe, the harvest was now utterly spoiled. The farmer’s -wife wept bitterly, but to no purpose. She returned slowly home, not -knowing what to say to her husband about such a terrible catastrophe. -She decided to keep silence about the matter. - -Accordingly, next day the poor man set off gleefully to his field to -see how his fine crops were going on. His anger and dismay may be -imagined when he saw his field a complete ruin. All his work and -foresight had been absolutely ruined through his wife’s forgetfulness -of her promise. - - - - - - - - -NOTES - - -[1] The cocoa exported in 1891 realized £4; in 1914 £2,193,749. - -[2] Colonial Report, G.C., 1913. - -[3] The Story of the Negro, Booker T. Washington, vol. i, p. 57 - -[4] A History of the Gold Coast and Ashanti, W. W. Claridge, vol. i, -pp. 4–5. - -[5] See Malaria and Greek History, by W. H. S. Jones. - -[6] E.g. ancient and modern primitive men in all parts of the earth -seem to have shown a similar development in flint, bronze, and iron -weapons, and in the arts generally. See Cinderella: Three Hundred and -Forty-five Variants (Folk Lore Society). - -[7] “Animals’ Language,” in Hero-Tales and Legends of the Serbians, by -Woislav M. Petrovitch. - -[8] From a story told by a native of the Gold Coast. - -[9] Tshi-speaking Peoples of the Gold Coast of West Africa, A. B. -Ellis, p. 24. - -[10] ‘Tiger’ in West African stories is a leopard. - - - - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WEST AFRICAN FOLK-TALES *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following -the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use -of the Project Gutenberg trademark. 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