X\\t (Hljpologira/ PRINCETON, N. J. Division ,ei5 Section NURSERY TALES, TRADITIONS, AND HISTORIES OP THE ZULUS. NURSERY TALES, 001101 M TRADITIONS, AND HISTORIES t OF THE ZULUS, IN THEIR OWN WORDS, With A TRANSLATION INTO ENGLISH, AND NOTES. BY THE REV. CANON CALLAWAY, M.D. , * * * ro'i. /. cdUL ku NATAL : JOHN A. BLAIR, SPRING VALE ; DAVIS AND SONS, PIETERMARITZBURG. LONDON : TRUBNER AND CO., 60, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1S68. NATAL PRINTED AT SPRINGY ALE MISSION STATION. PREFACE TO THE FIRST VOLUME. On completing this First Volume of Zulu Native Literature, — if we may be allowed to apply such a term to that which has hitherto been stored only in the mind and imparted to others orally, — I feel there is something due to the Reader and to myself. When the First Part was issued in May, 1866, I had no idea what the First Volume would be ; much less, when I wrote the Pre- face to Part I. in the preceding January. I had collected a certain amount of material from natives ; enough to make me feel that it was worth printing, even though at the same time I felt sure that it was, for the most part, very fragmentary, and to be regarded rather as a help to others to collect fuller and more perfect materials, than as being’ complete in itself. But I had no idea how really poor compara- tively the materials I then possessed were ; or how abundant a store of Popular Tales might be found among the Natives of Natal. The issue of the First Part aroused a spirit of enthusiasm among the natives of the village who were able to read, and several came and offered themselves as being capable of telling me something better than I had printed. From this source of information thus voluntarily tendered I have obtained by far the best part of the contents of this Volume, — the tale of Ukcombekcansini, which one of my reviewers describes as being “ as beautiful and graceful as a classic idyll,” — Um- badhlanyana and the Cannibal, — The Appendix on Cannibalism, — U gungyu-kubant wana and the Appendices which follow, — U mkcca- kaza-wakoginggwayo, — The Two Brothers, — TJbongopa-kamagadhlela, — The Appendices to Umdhlubu and the Frog, — Unthlangunthlangu and the Appendices which follow, — Untombi-yapansi, — Umamba, — Unanana-bosele, — The wise Son of the King, and some of the smaller pieces with which the Volume is ended. Thus the Work has to a great extent been collected, translated, and arranged whilst passing through the press. This must be my apology for the many imperfections which will be found in it ; the absence of order, and occasional repetitions. I have been feeling my way all along ; and have discovered that there exists among the people a vast store of interesting traditional tales, which may yet be col- lected ; and it is possible that I have only just learnt the way of col- lecting them. I have already several of considerable interest, which wiU appear, it is supposed, in a Second Volume. I must here state that I regard the Work in its present form as The Students’ Edition : the student whether of the Zulu language, or of Comparative Folk-lore. There are therefore some things retained in it which are not fit for the public generally ; but which could not for the student be properly suppressed. The very value of such a work depends on the fidelity with which all is told. To be a trust- worthy exposition of the native mind it must exhibit every side of it. I have felt what so many other collectors of such legends among other people have felt before me, that I have had a trust committed to me, and that I can only faithfully execute it by laying every thing before others. But it would be quite easy to prepare a Popular Edition, which with a few alterations in the tales, and a condensation and modification of the phraseology, might become an interesting and not uninstructive book for the people generally and especially for the young, with whom it would become as cherished a favourite as any which is found in nursery literature. And now for the worth of the Work itself. Those “ Who love a nation’s legends, Love the ballads of the people,” will not look upon it as a mere collection of children’s tales. They will not banish these legends to the nursery ; but will hear them, “ like voices from a distance Call to us to pause and listen.” To such as these every thing human is valuable. The least incident which can throw light on the nature and history of man, especially his nature as he was in the now hoary past ; and his history, as he has been moving upwards in an ever progressing development, or sinking lower and lower in an ever increasing degradation, becomes a treasured fact to be placed among that ever accumulating mass of materials from which hereafter a faithful record of man as he was in the past, and of the causes which have influenced him, and the varying states through which he has passed to the present, shall be compiled. Regarded from such a point of view, these simple children’s tales are the history of a people’s mind in one phase of its existence. The tales of olden times collected from the people by Grimm, or Thorpe, or Campbell, or Dasent, are of a very different character, and speak of a very different society from that which takes so much pleasure in the compositions of Hans Christian Andersen. We know not yet what shall be the result of such collections of children’s tales. Children’s tales now ; but not the invention of a child’s intellect ; nor all invented to gratify a child’s fancy. If care- fully studied and compared with corresponding legends among other people, they will bring out unexpected relationships , 1 which will more and more force upon us the great truth, that man has every where 1 An ingenuity similar to that which the Rev. G. W. Cox has exercised on the ancient literature of Greece, would readily convert many of these tales into Solar Myths , and thus connect the Greek with the Zulu, or both with a period anterior to either of them. thought alike, because every where, in every country and clime, under every tint of skin, under every varying social and intellectual con- dition, he is still man, — one in all the essentials of man, — one in that which is a stronger proof of essential unity, than mere external dif- ferences are of difference of nature, — one in his mental qualities, ten- dencies, emotions, passions. Elizabeth Cookson has remarked in her Introduction to the Legends of Manx Land : — “ What Fossil Remains are to the Geologist, Customs and Creeds are to the Historian — landmarks of the extent and progress of intel- ligence and civilization. “ Popular Tales, Songs, and Superstitions are not altogether pro- fitless ; like the fingers of the clock, they point to the time of day. Turns and modes of thought, that else had set in darkness, are by them preserved, and reflected, even as objects sunk below the horizon are, occasionally, brought again into view by atmospheric reflection. “ Fables are facts in as far as they mirror the minds of our less scientific Ancestors. “ That man should have solemnly believed in the existence of Fairies, Spectres, and every variety of Superstition, but testifies the vivid impression physical and mental phenomena made upon his mind. Placed in a world of marvels, he questioned the marvellous — ques- tioned until Dark Diviners, Interpreters, arose — bewildered and be- wildering, yet striving after the light — striving to solve the enigma of Life, — striving to fling from the soul the burden of an unexplained existence.” In reflecting on the tales of the Zulus the belief has been irre- sistibly fixed upon my mind, that they point out very clearly that the Zulus are a degenerated people ; that they are not now in the con- dition intellectually or physically in which they were during “the legend-producing period ” of their existence ; but have sunk from a higher state. Like the discovered relics of giant buildings in Asia and America, they appear to speak of a mightier and better past, which, it may be, is lost for ever. But though by themselves they may be powerless to retrace the footsteps of successive generations, yet is it unreasonable to suppose that under the power of influences which may reach them from without, they are not incapable of regeneration ? Far otherwise. For it appears to me that this Zulu legendary lore contains evidence of intellectual powers not to be despised ; whilst we have scattered every where throughout the tales those evidences of tender feeling, gentleness, and love, which should teach us that in dealing with these people, if we are dealing with savages, we are deal- ing with savage men , who only need culture to have developed in them the finest traits of our human nature. And it is in bestowing upon us the means of bringing this cul- ture to bear upon them, that we may see the chief practical use of this collection. We cannot reach any people without knowing their minds and mode of thought ; we cannot know these without a thorough knowledge of their language, such as cannot be attained by a loose colloquial study of it. What Sir George Grey felt was requisite for the rightful government of the people of New Zealand, — not only a thorough knowledge of their language, but also of their traditional lore, — -the earnest and intelligent missionary will feel in a tenfold de- gree as necessary for himself, who has to deal with questions which require a much nicer and more subtle use of words than any thing affecting man in his mere external relations. For myself I must say that scarcely a day passes in which I do not find the value of such knowledge. Whilst the lighter study of these children’s tales has pre- pared me to handle with a firmer and more assured grasp the graver task ol translating the Bible and Prayer Book into the native tongue. I would take this opportunity of telling such readers as are in- terested in the Work, that the means at my disposal are very inade- quate for the easy or rapid completion of all I have in hand. We calculate that at our present rate of proceeding it would take little less than ten years to print the materials already collected. And I would earnestly ask their assistance in some practical manner. This may be rendered in various ways : — By increasing the circulation of the Work ; it has reached about four hundred copies, quite as large, I admit, as might have been anticipated, but quite insufficient to cover expenses ; or by aiding to raise for the Work a special printing fund. The loan or gift of books on kindred subjects would also be a great assistance. I must now for some time take leave of the reader. I purpose at once to commit to the press the part of the Work on the Zulu notion of the Origin of Things, — in other words, what I have been able to collect of their traditional religion. It is already prepared for the press ; but it is very undesirable to issue it in parts ; it must be read as a whole, carefully and thoughtfully, in order to form any just con- clusion as to its real meaning. It will probably be about one hundred and twenty pages, unless it should swell under my hands, as have the Nursery Tales. I would now, in conclusion, take this opportunity for heartily thanking those friends who have interested themselves in the Work, and expressing my obligations especially to Mr. John Sanderson for the much valuable assistance he has rendered me. HENRY CALLAWAY. Springvale , Natal , March , 1868. PREFACE Twelve years ago, when I commenced the study of Zulu, with the exception of a short, hut valuable, paper by Mr. J. C. Bryant, on “The Zulu Language and another by Mr. Lewis Grout on ‘ ‘ The Zulu and other Dialects of Southern Africa,” in the First Volume of The Journal of the American Oriental Society , there was not a publication to which a student could refer for a knowledge of the rudiments of the language. In the Kxosa dialect, indeed, there were the Grammars of Appleyard and Boyce ; and the small Vocabulary of Ayliff. But these were of little use to one engaged in the study of Zulu, and tended rather to confuse than to help. I was therefore, from the first, thrown on such resources as I could myself develop. At a very early period I began to write at the dictation of Zulu natives, as one means of gaining an accurate knowledge of words and idioms. In common conversation the native naturally condescends to the ignorance of the foreigner, whom, judging from what he generally hears from colonists, he thinks unable to speak the language of the Zulu : he is also pleased to parade his own little knowledge of broken English and Dutch ; and thus there is a danger of picking up a miserable gibberish, composed of anglicised Kafir, and kafirised English and Dutch words, thrown together without any rule but the caprice and igno- rance of the speaker. But whilst such a compound might answer for the common relations between whitemen and natives, yet it must be wholly insufficient to admit of any close communication of mind with mind, and quite inadequate to meet the requirements of scientific investigation. Very different is the result of writing at the dictation of a native. The first impression immediately produced is of the vast difference between the best translations and the language as spoken by natives. A native is requested to tell a tale ; and to tell it exactly as he would tell it to a child or a friend ; and what he says is faithfully written down. We have thus placed before us the language as nearly as possible such as it is spoken by the natives in their inter- course with each other. And, further, what has been thus written can be read to the native who dictated it ; corrections be made ; explanations be obtained ; doubtful points be submitted to other natives ; and it can be subjected to any amount of analysis the writer may think fit to make. Such is the history of the mode in which the original Zulu, here presented to the public, has been obtained. Very many different natives have taken part in the work. There will be, therefore, found here and there, throughout, per- sonal and dialectic peculiarities ; but for the most part the language is pure Zulu. It was clearly no part of the work of the collector to make any change in the language with a view of reducing it to one imagined standard of purity. The materials, which at first I sought to collect merely for my own instruc- tion, gradually accumulated. As my ear became more educated, and the natives more intelligent, and able to comprehend the object I had in view, I could write with greater facility, until at length there was no subject on which I could not obtain the most accurate information possessed by the natives themselves. Thus, as the materials increased they began to have another and somewhat 11 PREFACE. different value ; they became not merely a means of learning the Zulu language, but also a means of obtaining a knowledge of Kafir customs, histories, mode of thought, religion, &c. And what was commenced as a mere exercise-lesson w as soon pursued with the further object of discovering; what was the character of the mind of the people with whom we are brought into contact ; and of endea- vouring to trace out their connection with other nations by the similarity which might exist in their traditions and myths, their nursery tales and proverbs. The result of this investigation has been quite beyond my own most san- guine expectation ; and it is probable that very much remains to be added which may help us in many ways to understand the past history of the Zulus, and to connect them with other people. For some time it has appeared to me hardly right to allow so vast a mass of materials, full of interest to the missionary, the philologist, the ethnologist, and antiquarian, as well as to a large portion of the general public, to remain on my shelves, useful to myself alone, or to some few friends who might see it in MSS. Others whom I consulted were of the same opinion ; and after much considera- tion, and overcoming many difficulties, I have at length entered on the task of preparing it for the press. At first I intended to print the Kafir only with a few explanatory notes. But so many have expressed the opinion that a Zulu book would have but few attractions, and a very limited sphere of usefulness, that I have, at the moment of going to press, concluded to print, side by side with the original Zulu, a translation. It will thus become available both to English and Kafir scholars, and can be used as a class-book to teach the English Zulu, or the Zulus English. The translation, without being absolutely literal, wall be found to be a true representation of the original. An absolutely literal translation, on the Hamil- tonian system, would be almost as unintelligible, to a person unacquainted with the language, as the original Zulu itself. My object has been to give idiom for idiom rather than word for word, and at the same time to preserve, as far as possible, the characteristic peculiarities of the original. Hence the translation will necessarily present a quaint and somewhat unenglish character, which will not, however, be urged against it as an objection. Whilst on the subject of translation, it may be as well to remark that among the natives, as among all uncultivated people, there is great freedom of speech used in allusion to the relations between the sexes, &c. Whenever I could soften down such expressions, to suit our own more refined taste, I have done so. But, perhaps, there will still be found instances of what some may regard as too great outspokenness. I would, however, deprecate the thought that such outspokenness is to be construed into an evidence of a want of purity among the natives, or that our reticence on such subjects is a proof of purity in ourselves. Writing and Spelling. — The principles which have guided me in writing and spelling claim a few remarks in this place. There are two modes of writing — one adopted by Dr. Colenso and Dr. Bleek, in which a number of small words is run together ; and the other, that adopted by the American missionaries and others, in which there is, perhaps, the opposite mistake of unnecessary division. As regards the first, I am quite unable to see anything to recommend it, or even to conceive the reason of its adoption. Why should we write ngdbebdbopa , ‘ ‘ they ought to bind them ; ” and not nga be ba bopa , ‘ ‘ ought they them bind ? ” Why should we run the Zulu words together, when we write the English ones apart ? How strange it would appear, and how difficult it would be to understand, a sentence of this kind, written in English as one word, Theyoughttobindthem ! But it is not less difficult or strange in Zulu than in English ; and tends, as it would, indeed more than it would, in English, to produce confusion and obscurity. A person thoroughly acquainted with the language gets over the obscurity by means of the context, and has little difficulty in determining whether he is to understand ubuya as u V u ya y “you were going,” or as u buy a, “you are coming back.” So in the following sentence, Nembala ateti gulugudu ukungena, “ so then he hastens inside ; ” he may see at once that teti is not the negative form of teta t to “chide:” but it requires a ready knowledge of the PREFACE. Ill language to separate a sentence so written into its elementary words, and catch at once the meaning of a t e ti in ateti. One could multiply instances ad infi- nitum of the confusion which arises from writing by sentences instead of words. Who that has ever attempted to decipher old manuscripts, in which the words are all run together, has not felt a wish that the writers had adopted the modern system of writing each word by itself ? The Cuneiform inscriptions appeared but as a mere “ conglomerate of wedges ” to those who first discovered them, about which a doubt might exist whether they were writings at all, or “mere arabesque or fanciful ornaments.” In attempting to decipher these inscriptions a sign was discovered by which the words were separated ; on which Max Muller remarks : — “ Such a sign is of course an immense help in all attempts at deciphering inscriptions, for it lays bare at once the terminations of hundreds of words.” ( Lectures on the Science of Language. Second Series, p. 4. ) Being then practically acquainted with the difficulties and obscurities occasioned by the ancients having run their words together, why should we, in reducing a savage language to writing, introduce similar difficulties ? I need not say much on the system I have adopted of writing the words apart. It is substantially the same as is found in other Zulu and Kccosa works. But in some instances, where a sentence has become petrified, as it were, into a word, although its etymology is still evident, I have written it as one word, as ngani, not nga ni , “why ; ” or kangaka, not ka nga ka, “so much.” So, per- haps arbitrarily, I have written prepositions with the nouns they govern as one word, regarding the combination as a case of the noun, as kuye, not ku ye ; nami, not na mi. By doing so I jump over, rather than solve, some questions which arise as to the proper method of writing certain words, as kwlti, bakwetu. Again, I do not separate what is called the possessive particle from the noun. In most instances they are necessarily blended, forming the possessive case. It therefore appears consistent to write them together under all circum- stances ; and as we have umntwana wenkosi (wa-inkosi), “the child of the chief,” I also write umntwana kampande, “the child of Umpande :” that is, I regard kampande as the genitive of Umpande, just as wenkosi is the genitive of inkosi. I also write umuntu waselovo, umuntu wakwazulu ; and not wa s'elovo , wa kwa Zulu ; regarding these as genitive cases, and examples of the mode in which the genitive of places is formed. A difficulty, too, has been felt as regards the capital letters ; and we find consequently in printed books some ugly anomalies, such as a capital in the middle of a word, and paragraphs beginning with a small letter. This has arisen apparently, in part, from the error of not regarding the prefix as an essen- tial part of a noun, and so giving the nominal root an undue prominence ; and, in part, from our not being accustomed to those initial changes upon which grammatical inflection so much depends in the Zulu language. But to use the capital letters to distinguish nominal roots is a novelty in writing ; and it appears to have been overlooked that when, as a mark of eminence, the capital is placed at the beginning of the root in such words as nKosi, “Lord,” Kosi has no personal meaning, indeed, no meaning whatever ; and that therefore the mark of eminence is thrown away on a meaningless combination of letters, which can only assume a living sense by having combined with it the requisite prefix. These nominal roots doubtless had, originally, determinate meanings well understood ; but the prefix was always necessary to specialise the fundamental root-meaning. I have, therefore, very much reduced the number of capital letters, and use them only to mark paragraphs, and proper names in the nominative case. The orthography of the language presents much greater difficulties. We profess to write it phonetically ; but then we are at once met by the objection that the same letters have a different phonetic value in different European lan- guages, and even in one and the same language. The desirability of a uniform orthography is very generally felt. But if it be ever attainable, we are as yet very far from the adoption of a “ universal alphabet.” The practical difficulties in the way of using that of Lepsius are insuperable, even if we were prepared to admit the soundness of all the principles on which it is founded. I have therefore departed as little as possible from the mode of spelling already in use ; IV PREFACE. for it appears better to continue for a time some things which are felt to be unsatisfactory, than to introduce new characters, according to one’s private fancy, which may not be adopted by others, and which would only have the effect of removing to a greater distance the attainment of a uniform orthography. The system of Max Muller is more available for missionaries ; and mentioning only that I have, as far as possible, followed his principles, as laid down in his Survey of Languages, it will not be necessary to allude in detail to anything but the clicks, the aspirates, and the aspirated linguals. The Clicks. — It is generally supposed that the sounds called clicks are a modern intrusion into the alliterative class of languages, arising from intercourse with the Hottentots. Dr. Bleek remarks: — “The occurrence of clicks in the Kafir dialects decreases almost in proportion to their distance from the Hottentot border. Yet the most southern Tekeza dialects and the Se-suto have also (pro- bably through Kafir influence) become to a slight extent possessed of this remarkable phonetical element. ” (Bleep’s Comparative Grammar, p. 13.) Be this as it may, the natives scout the idea of having borrowed anything from the Hottentots. It is certain, however, that there are tribes speaking an alliterative language, the Amangarija and Ajawa on the Shire for instance, in which there are no clicks. And Kolben, whose observations were made early in the eighteenth century (his work was published in 1731), speaking of the natives of “Terra du Natal,” says : — “There is nothing of the Hottentot stammering or clashing of the tongue in speaking among them.” (The Present State of the Cape of Good Hope. Vol. I., p. 81. ) Whether other tribes have driven out these “non-clashing” people who then inhabited Natal, or whether the “ clashing ” has been introduced since, we have no data at present which would enable us to determine with certainty. The question may be some day solved by researches in the comparative philology of South African languages, so hap- pily begun by Dr. Bleek. The view that the clicks are not native to the alliterative languages is quite in accordance with the theory I have formed of their nature. Dr. Bleek remarks : — “ There is this distinction between the Hottentot and Kafir clicks, namely, that the latter are only found in the place of other conso- nants, and are used like consonants at the beginning of syllables, whilst in the Hottentot a guttural explosive consonant (k, kh, or g), the faucal spirant h and the nasal n, can be immediately preceded by a click, and form together with it the initial element of the syllables.” ( Bleek? s Comparative Grammar, p. 13. ) My own conclusions as to the clicks do not accord with the view here expressed. The clicks in Zulu are never heard without an accompanying con- sonantal sound. Thee, q, and x were adopted to represent “ this remarkable phonetic element,” simply because they were not needed for other purposes, in reducing the Zulu language to writing on phonetic principles. It is customary, in some instances, to write these letters alone, not only to represent the click, but at the same time the combined consonantal sound. But this is a merely arbitrary mode of writing ; for when there is not an accompanying consonant expressed, the c, q, and x are supposed to have an inherent k sound, and are to be pronounced accordingly. The consonantal sounds found with the clicks, and, with the exception of h already mentioned, expressed in writing, are g, k, and n ; the g may be nasalised, ng ; and it, as well as k and n, is often found in combination with w. Thus we have g, ng, ngw ; k, kw ; n, and nw, in com- bination with the clicking sound. A difference of opinion exists as to whether the click precedes or follows in pronunciation the associated consonantal sound. Lepsius (Standard Alphabet. Second Edition, p. 81 ) and Dr. Bleek (Comparative Grammar, p. 13 ) consider that the click precedes the consonantal sound, and that therefore the sign for the clicking should precede the associated consonant. Grout and Dohne, on the other hand, do not concur with this opinion, but write the click sign after the consonant. The true explanation of the clicking sounds appears to be, that they are impediments coming in the way of the free enunciation of the consonants with which they are combined, and which they modify. The organs of speech assume the position for uttering g, ng, ngw ; k, kiv ; n, or nw, and find a bar to PREFACE. V the utterance, which is leaped over, giving rise to the click sound ; and then the consonantal sound is uttered. If this view be correct, there is an unsuc- cessful, but quite perceptible, effort to pronounce the combined consonant before the click, but its full utterance takes place after it. In fact , the sound is one ; and it is immaterial whether the click sign precedes or follows the consonant with which it is associated. But what shall the click signs be ? As the click sounds are new sounds, for which our alphabet has not pro- vided, they seem to demand new signs, not found in that alphabet ; especially as c, q, and x, though not wanted in Zulu, are wanted when the Zulus are taught to read English or other languages. If the clicks are an intrusion into Zulu of a foreign origin, and the sounds be a mere modification of previously existing consonantal sounds, it would appear that the best way of indicating them would be by a diacritic mark written with the consonants thus modified. These two principles being laid down, it would not be difficult to determine a diacritic sign. The form of that sign is absolutely unimportant : it demands only that it should be distinct in print, and of easy adaptation to writing. If these two requisites are ensured, all that is required further is that writers generally should agree upon one sign. If we cannot yet have a uniform ortho- graphy in other respects, we ought to have no difficulty in determining what shall be the sign for a new sound, not provided for in any known alphabet. Mr. Lewis Grout has adopted Lepsius’ characters for the clicks. And I would have willingly followed his example, but that the characters suggested by Lepsius do not present the two requisites above mentioned, distinctness in print, and easy adaptability to writing ; defects which, as it seems to me, must be fatal to their being generally used. Further, they do not provide for the con- sonantal sounds with which the clicks are pronounced. Whilst this subject was under my consideration, being desirous of carrying out the principles above alluded to, and at the same time very unwilling to introduce novelties on my own responsibility, I corresponded, through a friend, with Max Muller. He suggested the employment of k, t, and l, either with a dot under each, or to be printed in Italics in Homan type, and vice versa. To follow such a suggestion appears to me calculated to increase the present difficulties without any corresponding advantage : k, t, and l have already • in Zulu their known and acknowledged phonetic value : to introduce them as the signs of the click sounds, even though distinguished by being written as Italics, or with a diacritic dot, would be confusing. All that can be said, on the other side, is that k, t, and l dimly intimate the parts of the organs of speech where the several clicks are formed. I have therefore concluded, until something better can be determined, to continue to use c, q, and x, which are already used, which are well known to the natives, and which have no other phonetic value in the Zulu language. But in order to impress on the eye the fact that they are not letters but diacritic marks, I so far adopt Max Muller’s suggestion, that I write them in Italics in Homan type, and vice versa. And as these letters, thus used as diacritic signs, have no inherent consonantal value, I always write the consonants before them with which they are combined in pronunciation. I should prefer diacritic marks written with g, k, and n. But having stated my own opinions, I leave the matter to the consideration of others, and would express the hope that before very long, on this subject at least, there may be a uniform orthography. The Aspirates. — There are at least four aspirates — the common aspirate h, a “lateral fricative,” and two guttural fricatives. The aspirate h requires no remark ; the lateral fricative will be spoken of presently. The letter r, not being used in Zulu orthography (although the sound of r does actually occur in one onomatopoetic word, ukuti dri, “ to whir ”), has been used for the guttural fricative. It is absolutely necessary to cease to use r for this purpose ; for it is continually needed to express its own proper sound in the names of persons and places now being rapidly introduced into the Zulu VI PREFACE. language. There may be something said in favour of the Greek x, recommended by Lepsius, and adopted by Bleek and Grout. But I have preferred on the whole, at the suggestion of Max Muller, to use hh. We cannot use kh, because that will be required for the aspirated k, which is a wholly different sound from the guttural fricative. The guttural fricative in many Zulu words is inter- changeable with the simple h ; the double h, therefore, seems a very appropriate sign for the guttural fricative. The second guttural fricative is extremely difficult to pronounce ; and as I can only approximately pronounce it myself, I speak with some diffidence on the subject. It is the sound alluded to by Dr. Colenso in his Zulu Grammar , as a “ sound peculiar to Zulu-Kafir, which may be pronounced either as a gut- tural from the bottom of the throat, or as a click in the ordinary way. Happily it occurs in only a very few words. ( Elementary Grammar of the Zulu-Kafir Language , p. 6 . ) The sound certainly does somewhat resemble an imperfect faucal click. But it is not a click. Dr. Colenso uses the italic x to represent it. Mr. Grout uses for this sound the Greek x with a diacritic mark (which Lepsius proposes for a different purpose). He describes it as “a peculiar, hard, rough guttural sound, which seems to be made by contracting the throat, and giving the breath a forcible expulsion, at the same time modifying the sound with a tremulous motion of the epiglottis.” ( Grammar of the Zulu Language , p. 16 . ) Dr. Bleek, who apparently has not heard the sound pronounced, cads it a “ faucal explosive ; ” but acknowledges that he is “ as yet at a loss regarding this sound,” from the description of Colenso and Grout. (Comparative Gram- mar, p. n.j I should propose to call it the lateri- guttural fricative. Natives, and those who can pronounce it as the natives, have one idea of the mode in which the sound is produced : it is this, — the anterior portion of the tongue lies flat and relaxed in the mouth ; its base is curved upwards, so as to close the centre of the faucal region, and the breath is forcibly expelled on each side. It generally has a k sound with it ; and in many words is interchangeable with the guttural fricative. I shall therefore use for this sound the Italic hh in Homan type, and vice versd. When it is combined with a k sound, k will of course be written before hh. The Aspirated Linguals , or more properly the aspirated l. — This sound occurs under at least two forms, usually spelt by hi and dhl. The aspirate heard in either case is not the common aspirate h. Dr. Bleek says: — “The aspirated lingual hi sounds in Kafir as if the guttural fricative (like the German ch in “ suchen ”) was pronounced in combination with and at the same time as l.” ( Comparative Grammar , p. 16. ^ The aspirate, however, is a lateral frica- tive, as stated by Lepsius, who compares the Zulu aspirated l (that is dhl ) with the Welsh 11. ( Standard Alphabet, pp. 172, 270, 272 . ) The sounds produced by the aspiration of l are difficult to pronounce, as is evident from the sounds which are uttered by colonists instead of the true native pronunciation, such as shla, or thla, the t being too much pronounced. To my own ear, the first aspi- rated l (hi J has always somewhat of a t sound more or less audible, especially where it follows a vowel, as in lahleka. But it is probable that the aspirated l occurs in three forms — simply aspirated, and preceded by th and dli ; the aspirate being not the common h, but a lateral fricative. I think it will help English readers to the pronunciation if they try to pronounce hi, as in lilala, as though the l were preceded by the th as heard in thigh, or, better still, the th as heard in breath. Lepsius, indeed, tells us that t must not be the basis of this sound. ( Standard Alphabet, p. 65 . ) And no doubt thigh can be pronounced, or a sound very like it, without a t, in the same way as hla. The dhl, as in dhlula, may be pronounced by supposing the l to be preceded by th as heard in thy, or better as in breathe. The difference of the sounds in thigh and thy, or in breath and breathe, appears to me very exactly to distinguish the difference between hi and dhl. And it may well admit of discussion whether we should not use thl and dhl for the aspirated l sounds as heard in Zulu ; for I feel sure that no one who has never heard the sound would be guided to anything like a correct pronunciation by the ordinary spelling, hi. In translations I have used thl. At the same time I would have it understood that the t must be as little PREFACE. Vll audible as possible. I do not think that k is ever heard in Zulu with the aspirated l, as it appears to be in other dialects of South Africa. ( B leek' 3 Com- parative Grammar , p. 16. ,1 As it appeared desirable to distinguish the lateral fricative from the common h, I have determined to use for this purpose the Italic h in Roman type, and vice versa : thus, /ilala, dMula ; h lala, dhlula. We shall thus have a uniformity and distinctness without any real change in the spe llin g, and without the introduction of new characters. The four aspi- rates, therefore, are thus written : — The common h, or faucal spirant, h ; the lateral fricative, only found with 1, h ; the guttural fricative, hh ; the lateri- guttural fricative, hh. It does not appear worth while to mark by any sign the long and short vowels, as the organs of speech seem naturally to use the short vowels in the proper place. Neither have those few instances in which u is pronounced as in French been distinguished by any diacritic mark. In conclusion, I would remind those who may read the following pages that * ‘ he who first undertakes to bring into form the scattered elements of any sub- ject can only accomplish his task imperfectly.” No one will be more sensible of the many imperfections which mark my work than I am myself. If, however, the result of my labours be to lead others to a deeper study of the Kafir language, and so to a deeper knowledge of the Kafir people ; and by their own investigations to fill up the gaps which exist in many subjects here brought before them, I shall be satisfied. If others will continue and perfect what I have begun, I shall not have begun in vain. H. C. Springvale , Natal , January , 1866. The Tight of Translation and Reproduction is Reserved. VOL. I. IZINGANEKWANE. (NUESEKY TALES.) IZINGANEKWANE. INTRODUCTION TO THE ZULU NURSERY TALES. Like most other people, the Zulus have their Nursery Tales. They have not hitherto, so far as I know, been collected. Indeed, it is pro- bable that their existence even is suspected but by a few ; for the women are the depositaries of these Tales ; and it is not common to meet with a man who is well acquainted with them, or who is willing to speak of them in any other way than as something which he has some dim recollection of having heard his grandmother relate. It has been no easy matter to drag out the following Tales ; and it is evident that many of them are but fragments of some more perfect narrative. One cannot but feel that one has here put together a great deal of what is supremely ridiculous, and which considered by itself may well be regarded as utterly unworthy of being perpetuated. Yet ridiculous and worthless as it is in itself, it will have its use in many ways. It will, I think, help us to find unsuspected points of contact between the Zulus and other people ; and may even give us a clue to their origin. It will also give them a claim to be reckoned as an integral part of our common humanity, by showing that they have so many thoughts in common with other men, and have retained in their tra- ditional tales so much that resembles the traditional tales of other people. It will form a book, too, which the young Kafir will greedily read, whilst he pores, not without loathing, over translations which he understands with difficulty, which relate to subjects that are new and strange to him, and which he does not readily comprehend ; to which, it may be, he has a repugnance. It would be a great mistake to teach an English child to read solely from the Bible or books of devotion : yet this is what hitherto we have been doing, with scarcely any exception, for the Zulu. We want to teach the young Kafirs to read. We must, then, give them some inducement to read; and where can we find a greater than by giving them the traditionary tales of their forefathers, in the same words as they have heard them around their hut-fires 1 The first Tale in the Series is the History of the Travels and Adventures of Uthlakanyana, a kind of Tom Thumb, the Giant 2 IZINGANEKWANE. Killer. Not that his cunning is exerted on giants alone. All is fish that comes to Uthlakanyana’s net ! Uthlakanyana is not a common man : he is a cunning, malicious dwarf ; and is possessed of magical powers. There are in these Tales, too, accounts of gigantic cannibals, who can carry a man in a sack, or swallow him at a gulp, as the Guzzler, in Uthlakanyana ; whilst the ogress Uzwanide, or Long-toe, is evidently a mighty magician, and capable, like Heitsi Eibip, of the Hottentots , 1 of rising from a succession of deaths. We have, too, various animals introduced, not exactly as in Fables, but talking freely and, as it were, naturally, and holding intercourse with man. The leopard, the hare, the iguana ; doves, swallows, pigeons, and mice play their part on the stage, sometimes in their own characters, some- times rather as forms assumed by magical powers ; as the swallow in the Tale of Uzwanide, and the striped mouse in that of Ubabuze. All these Tales allude more or less distinctly to the magical, and a contest going on between good and malicious genii ; and it is remark- able that nothing is said of the use of medicines, so much talked of now among the natives, and which they imagine can produce such marvellous results — love or hatred ; beauty or deformity ; prosperity or ill-luck ; bravery or cowardice. This would seem to give the Tales an antiquity of origin, referring them back to a very different social condition from that now existing. There are two Tales in which a Magical Tree is introduced ; and there is the Rock of Two-holes, which opens and closes at the voice of those who know the secret, reminding one of “ Open Sesame” in the Forty Thieves. Huge fabu- lous monsters, the existence of which has not been suggested by the fossil bones of extinct animals , 2 are introduced ; the Isikgukgumadevu, which was as big as a mountain ; the Isitwalangcengce, or Isidawane, which carried people away on its head, and fed on their brains, and to this day is the nursery bogy, with which noisy Zulu children are silenced; and the huge River Tortoise, which is mistaken for an island. And then there is what is probably a modem “Myth of Observation,” in which is gravely related, as a fact, the existence of a Fiery Serpent five hundred yards long ! I have combined with the Nursery Tales the few Fables I have met with, and some other Narratives, which do not properly belong to them, but which could not so well be arranged with any other subject. 1 Bleek’s Hottentot Fables and Tales, p. 75. 2 See Tylor’s Researches into the Early History of Mankind. UHLAKANYANA. 3 PREFACE TO THE TALE OF UTHLAKANYANA. Uhlakanyana umuntu oAlakani- pile kakulu, onmcinyane kakulu, ngangekcakide. Lo ’muntu wa deleleka ngezikati zonke kulabo ’bantu, aeba ko/disa, a vela kubo ; ngokuba ba be ti, ba nge koAliswe umntwana ; ba nga koAliswa umu- ntu o ngangabo. Ku ngaloko ke ngoku nga m kgondi, ukuba ka kulanga nje ngokusindwa ubukgili noku/dakanipa, wa za wa batslia, wa ba imbatshelana yokudelelwa, ba zinge be m delela njalo. Kepa a koAHse umuntu e nga bonakali- sisi ukuba u yena impela o fanele ukukoAlisa. Kwa tiwa futi u Ukcaij ana-bogconono, MaAlab’-in- doda-i-s’-emi. Lelo ’gama lokuti Ukcaij ana innyamazane encinyane ebomvana, i nomsila omnyama, isiAloko sawo. Kepa leyo ’nyama- zane innyamazane e/dakanipe ka- kulu kunezinye, ngokuba ubukgili bayo bukulu. Ku ti, uma ku tiywe insimba, i fika masinyane endAlwaneni, i tate umjonjo 4 o bekelwa insimba, i godele yona kuk^ala ; i ya fika insimba, i fika umjonjo se u d/di we ikcakide. U thlakanyana is a very cunning man ; be is also very small, of tbe size of a weasel. This man was despised constantly among those peojole, whom he used to deceive, and from whom he sprang; for they thought they could not be deceived by a child — they could be deceived by a man as big as themselves. Therefore, through not understanding him, that he had not grown because he was overweighted by cunning and wis- dom, and so was undersized, and became a contemptible dwarf, they habitually despised him at all times. But he deceived a man, through his not being clearly seen to be, in fact, the very man to deceive. He was called also Ukcaij ana-bogconono, Mathlab’-in- doda-i-s’-emi. The word Ukcaij ana signifies a little red animal, which has a black-tipped tail. And this animal is cleverer than all others, for its cunning is great . 3 4 If a trap is set for a wild cat, it comes immediately to the trap, and takes away the mouse which is placed there for the cat : it takes it out first ; and when the cat comes, the mouse has been already eaten by the weasel. 3 As we say in English, “You must be pretty deep, to catch weasels asleep.” 4 Umjonjo. — This name is given to the mouse only when it is used as a bait. Its meaning is uncertain. But it is an ukuhlonipa -word, that is, a term of respect. The natives say that if they give a mouse the name of impuku when used as a bait, it will not catch anything, because it has been treated with contempt ! It is also called injova , and umvuzane. The same notion appears below, where it is said that when a weasel has been caught, it stands in the way of other animals, that is, exerts an influence adverse to the trapper’s success. — The same remarkable custom of speaking of numerous animals, and even of inanimate things, by euphemisms, instead of by their proper names, prevails in the north of Europe. ( Thorpe's Northern Mythology, Vol. II., p. 83 . ) 4 IZINGANEKWANE. Futi, i Alup’ abantu ; ngokuba uma i nga tandi ukusuka enclAle- leni, i ti i nga bona umuntu ’eza, i kcezuke kancinane endAleleni, i bod/de, y etuse umuntu ; nembala umuntu a ze a gweme lapo, e ti i vinjelwe isilwane. Kanti ikcakide. Kumbe ku ti, lapa e se hambele kude, e hamb’ e bheka, a bone se li suka, li gijima; umuntu a jambe, a pel’ amandAla, ngokuti, “ O, in- d/dela le ngi i shiyiswe i lesi ’sili- mana ! ” A buyele end/deleni. Futi, li ya zondana kakulu nezinyoka ; ngokuba li ya zi d/da. Ku ti lapa li bona kona imamba y ejwayele, li i linde, li ze li bone ukuba i pumile, y alukile ; li sale li ngene kuk^ala emgodini wayo, ukuze i t’ i fika, i fike se li pam- bili ; li i bone i s’ eza njeya ; li be li lunga, li /dale emgochni, se li bbekene nen/doko, ukuze i ti i sa ngena imamba, loku i ngena pela emgodini wayo a y azi ’luto, li i bambe ngen/doko, li pume nayo ; se li bod/da li i bulale ; li d/dale, li i d/dalela, ngokuba li i bulele. Li zinge li y ekga ekupeleni, li i d/de. Futi, ikcakide li nesisila esikulu ; ngokuba uma abatiyi be tiyile izi- nyamazane, kwa banjwa ikcakide, lowo ’muntu k’ etembi ukuba izi- nyamazane u ya ’ku zi bamba ; u y’ azi ukuba ikcakide li ya landula ; 5 umva walo mubi. Noma u Alan- It also is a trouble to men ; for if it does not choose to get out of the way, if it see a man coming, it just quits the path a little, and growls and frightens the man ; and, sure enough, at length he goes round, thinking the path is obstructed by a wild animal. And it is a weasel, forsooth. Perhaps, when he has gone to a distance, he going and looking, he sees it depart and run away ; so he is ashamed, and his heart sinks, and he says, “ O, I have been made to quit the path by this piece of de- formity ! ” And he returns to the path. Again, it is at great enmity with snakes ; for it eats them, if it sees a place to which an imamba habitually resorts, it watches it, until it sees that it has gone out to feed ; it then goes into the hole of the snake first, that when the snake comes, it may come, it being there beforehand ; it sees the snake coming at some distance, and pre- pares itself ; it remains in the hole altogether intent on the snake’s head, that as soon as the snake enters, — for it enters the hole without any suspicion, — it may lay hold of its head, and go out with it ; and then it growls and kills it : it plays with the snake because it has killed it. At last it jumps backwards and forwards over the snake, and eats it. Again, the weasel is an animal which occasions very bad luck ; for if trappers trap wild animals, and a weasel is caught, that man has no confidence that he shall catch any animals : he knows that the weasel stands in the way ; evil 5 Landula , “ stands in the way,” that is, not by actual presence, but by a kind of magical influence. The meaning of IJmuva is, “ that which follows in order after, or as the result of something.” Its force may be understood by comparing it with antecedents. As we say, “his antecedents are bad;” so here, if we may coin a word, “the succedents of the weasel are bad ; ” that is, that which follows in order after, or happens as a result of its entering the trap, is bad luck. Or it may be rendered the “ leavings.” UHLAKANYANA. 5 gene nalo endAleleni, 1’ ek^a in- dAlela, a u tembi ukuba lapa u ya kona u ya ’ku ku fumana ukudAla ; u ti, “Ngi Alangene nomtakati, nokudAla a ngi sa yi ’ku ku tola.” Ukcaijana u lingana nekcakide ; ku nga i lolu ’luAlobo impela; ngokuba e bizwa ngegama lekca- kide, ku nga u ’luAlobo lunye nekcakide ; ubuncinane bake bu ngangobalo ; nobukgili bake bu ngangobalo : u lingana nalo ngako konke. Amanye amabizo okuti Bogco- nono, MaAlab’-indoda-i-s’-emi, izi- bongo zake zokutshenisa ubukgawe bake ; u wezwa 7 ngazo. Lapa ku tiwa Bogconono, ku tiwa uma si kumusha, “ owabogconono,” isiswe sakubo esi pambili. Ogconono elinye ilizwi eli nga Alangani kakulu nelokuti UmaAlab’-indoda. Li lodwa Iona, ngokuba li ti “ amakcakide.” Uma si kumusha UmaAlab’-indoda-i-s’-emi, li ti, u i Alaba kukgala, i sa delele, i bona emncinane, i ti, inganyana nje; a i bulale, i nga ka m enzi ’luto. follows it. Or if you have fallen in with it in a path, it crossing the path, 6 7 you no longer expect to get food at the place where you are going ; you say, “ I have fallen in with a wizard, and I shall no longer get any food.” XJkcaijana is like the weasel ; it is as though he was really of that genus, for since he is called by the name of the weasel, it is as though he was of the same genus as it; his smallness is like its, and his cunning as great as its : he resem- bles it in all respects. The other names, Bogconono, Mathlab’-indoda-i-s’-emi, are his praise-giving names, which set forth his bravery : he is lauded by them. When we say Bogconono, it means, when interpreted, “ one of the weasel family,” the nation from which he sprung. Ogconono is a word which has a different mean- ing from Umathlab’-indoda ; it has its distinct meaning, for it means “ weasels.” If we interpret Uma- thiab’-indoda-i-s’-emi, it means that he stabs a man first, whilst he still despises him, seeing that he is so small, and regarding him as a mere infant ; he kills the man before he has done anything to him. 6 So in other countries it is considered a bad sign if a hare cross the way. (Thorpe, Op. cit. Vol. II., p. 274.) 7 Ukuweza , “ to help to cross a river,” or ukuweza ngamazibulco, “ to help to cross over by the fords,” is used of celebrating the praises of braves, by recounting one after another their praise-giving names, which they have gained by great actions. Amazibuko is used metaphorically for the difficult things they have accomplished. Thus, if a man has interfered between two fighting bulls, or between two contending parties, and so has obtained the praise-giving name, U mulamula-nkunzi-zi-lwako, “ He-separates-fighting-bulls,” they pass him over the river by this name. c IZINGANERWANE. UIILAKANYANA. U thlakanyana speaks before he is born. Kwa ti umfazi w’ emita. Kwa ti ngensuku wa kuluma umntwana esiswini, wa ti, “Ngi zale masinya; inkomo zikababa za pela abantu.” Wa t’ unina, “ Ake ni ze ’kuzwa ; nanku um/Jola ; iimntwana u ya kuluma kumi esiswini lapa.” Ba ti, “ XJ ti ni na ? ” “Uf ‘A ngi m zale masinya ; ’ u ti, * Inkomo zi ya pela esibayeni.’ ” A certain woman happened to be pregnant. When her time was fully come, the child spoke in the womb, and said, “Mother, give birth to me at once ; the cattle of my father are devoured by the people.” The mother said, “ Just come and listen. Here is a pro- digy. The child is speaking within me.” They asked, “What does he say 1 ” “ He tells me to give birth to him at once ; he says the cattle in the kraal are coming to an end.” 8 The father calls the people together. Kwa ku /datshiwe inkabi uyise. Ba fika abantu, ba butana, ba puma namadoda esibayeni, ba ti, “Woza ni ’kuzwa; nank’ umAlola, umntwana e kuluma.” Wa tsho uyise, wa ti, “ Ka kulume ke umntwana njengokutsho kwako.” Wa kuluma umntwana, wa ti, “ Yebo ; ngi ti, ka ngi zale umame, ngokuba inkomo zi ya pela esiba- yeni ; nami ngi ti, a ngi ye ’kuzi- Alinzela innyama.” Ba ti manga abantu, ba ti, “ Ku za ’kwenziwa njani na? ” The father had slaughtered some oxen. The people came together, and left the cattle-kraal with the men, crying, “ Oome and hear. Here is a prodigy, an unborn child speaking ! ” The father said, “Let the child speak according to your saying.” The child spoke, and said, “Yes, indeed, I say, let my mother give birth to me ; for the cattle in the kraal are coming to an end. And, I say, let me go and get ready flesh for myself.” The people wondered, and said, “ What is going to happen ! ” 8 How utterly absurd and far-fetched ! exclaims the English reader. Yet a no less wonderful thing happened, according to Mabillon, towards the end of the fifth century. He informs us that “St. Benedict sang eucharistic hymns in his mother’s womb.” (Stephen's Ecclesiastical Biography. ) To whom shall we award the palm of originality — to Pope Gregory the First, Mabillon’s authority, or to the inventor of the Tale of Uthlakanyana ? The Pope intended his “ pious fraud ” to be believed ; the author of Uthlakanyana intended his fiction to pro- duce laughter. The authors of fiction are allowed some license ; but those who invent “pious frauds” should be careful to state, as facts, such things only as are within the bounds of possibility. UHLAKANYANA. 7 A ll the 'people are put out of the hut, wruL V thlahany ana is born. Wa ti uyise, “A ku punywe endAlini : a u zale, si m bone ukuba umuntu ini na 1 ? Ku ’mAlola lo.” Ba puma ke bonke. Wa ti uyise, “ A ku nga Alali ’muntu. Bonke abantu ba pume, ngokuba u k^ale ukukuluma e yedwa unina.” Ba puma ke. Wa puma umntwana esiswini. Wa ti e sa puma, w’ ema. Wa ti unina, “Woza lapa, ngi ku ngume oku lengako.” Wa ti umntwana, “K^abo. Musa uku ngi n^uma, ngi za ’kuzinguma ; nami ngi mdala ; ngi indoda yebandAla.” Wa tata umkonto woyise, wa zin^uma, wa laAla pantsi. Wa tabata unina amanzi, wa m geza. The father said, “ Let all go out of the house. Do you give birth to him, that we may see if it is a man or not. It is a prodigy, this.” All went out. The father said, “ Let no man remain. But all go out, because he began to speak when his mother was alone.” So they went out : and the child was born. As soon as he was born, he stood up. His mother said, “ Come here, and let me cut off that which is hanging from you.” The child said , 9 “ No, indeed. Don’t you cut me ; I am going to cut myself. I too am old. I am a man of the council.” He took his father’s spear , 10 and cut himself, and threw it down. His mother took water, ' and washed him. Uthlakanyana goes out , and the people run cmay. Wa puma ke nomkonto ; wa m amuka pand/de unina ; wa u shiya, wa ngena esibayeni ; ibandAla la baleka ; wa /Jala eziko, wa dAla imbengo e b’ i dAliwa libandAla. He went out with the spear; his mother took it from him out- side : he left it, and went into the cattle-kraaL The men ran away. He sat down by the fire, and ate a strip of meat, which the men had 9 In 1623 a report was extensively circulated in Europe, that information had been received from their spies by the “ brothers of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, in the isle of Malta,” of the birth of a child “on the 1st of May, 1623,” near Babylon, which “ said child, incontinent on his birth, walked and talked perfectly well. ” The child was supposed to be Antichrist. (English- man's Magazine. Vol. II., p. 116.,) 10 The word Umkonto, usually translated assagai, is applied to any weapon which is used in fighting, slaughtering, or hunting. (A gun or a knife is so called. ) There are various kinds ; all two-edged and sharp -pointed. The isinkemba or isijula consists of a broad and long blade, with a short strong shank, which is set entirely into a strong stick. They use this as an axe, when necessary, or to dig up roots. It is a deadly weapon, and would make a wound between two and three inches long. Ingcaice : A short blade, about as long as the finger, and slender ; the shank is very long, and is often twisted, or other- wise ornamented ; its stick is slender and short. It is used for hunting, either by throwing or stabbing, and in slaughtering. The irihkrihla or izakha is barbed, with shortish shank, and is used in hunting. The ikebezana has a short light blade ; it is used for carving, skinning, and eating. Ikhhica : Has a long blade, about as wide as two fingers, short shank and stick ; it is used as the " ingcaice. These are the chief genera of imikonto ; there are many other names, which are used to specify more slight peculiarities. D 8 IZINGANEKWANE. La buya, la ti, “Indoda kanti; umuntu omdala : si be si ti umntwana.” A buza amadoda, a ti, “ U yena umntwana na o be kuluma kuwe na esiswini sako ? ” Wa ti unina, “ U ye.” been eating. The men came back, and said, “ So then it is a man ! an old man ! We thought it was a child.” The men en- quired, and said, “ Is this the very child which was speaking within you?” The mother said, “It is he.” The men praise his wisdom, and propose that he shall be the great child. Ba ti, “ O, si ya bonga, nkosi- kazi : u si zalele umntwana oAlaka- nipile e sa zalwa. A si bonanga si bona umntwana e njengalo’mntwa- na ; lo umntwana u fanele ukuba a be umntwana omkulu kubo bonke abantwana benkosi, ngokuba u si mangalisile ngokuAlakanipa kwa- ke.” They said, “ O, we thank you, our queen. You have brought forth for us a child who is wise as soon as he is born. We never saw a child like this child. This child is fit to be the great child among all the king’s children, for he has made us wonder by his wisdom .” 11 Uthlakanyana proposes a test of manhood. “ Yebo ! ” wa ti umntwana. “ Baba, lo ni ti ngi umntwana (ngi ya bona ukuba ni ti ngi umntwa- na, nina), tata umlenze wenkomo, u u ponse lapa ngenzantsi kwesibaya, si bone ke ukuba u ya ku tatwa ngubani na ? B’ esuke bonke aba- ntu bako, nabafana namadoda, si ye ’ku u tata umlenze, si ze si bone ke, o indoda ; u ya ’kuba ngu ye o indoda, o ya ’kutata umlenze.” Wa u tata ke uyise, wa u ponsa ngenzantsi kwesibaya. Ba ya ’ku- kcinana ngasesangweni bonke, eli ngasenAla; yena wa puma ngase- “Yes, indeed,” said the child. “ Father, since you say I am a child (I perceive that you, for your part, think I am a child), take a leg of beef, and throw it below the kraal, that we may see who will get it first. Let all your people, both boys and men, and me, go to fetch the leg, so at length we shall see who is the man. He shall be the man who gets the leg.” So the father took the leg, and threw it below the kraal. They all crowded together at the opening, at the upper part of the kraal ; 1J but he 11 In the Basuto Legend, Litaolane grows to the stature and wisdom of man- hood as soon as he is born. But Uthlakanyana is a destroyer, Litaolane a deliverer. On the day of his birth he kills the monster Kammapa, the devourer of the world. Some things are said of him that are said of Uthlakanyana ; but Litaolane’s skill is used only in self-defence. ( Casalis ’ Basutos , p. 347 . ) In the Arabic Legend, Abraham is nourished by food miraculously supplied from his own fingers, and in fifteen months attains the size and semblance of a youth of fifteen years. Arabic Legends.” Englishman's Magazine. Vol. II., p. 246J 12 Among the natives of these parts, the opening of the cattle-kraal looks downwards. Among the Amakxosa, Amapondo, Amabakca, &c., it looks upwards. UHLAKANYANA. 9 nzantsi kwesibaya, e kcusha; wa Alangana nabo e se buya nawo umlenze. Wa ti, “ Mame, yamu- kela ke ; nantsi inyama yami.” Wa ti unina, “Ngi ya jabula namAla, ngokuba ngi zele indoda e Alakanipile.” went out at the lower, creeping through the enclosure; and met them when he was already return- ing with the leg . 13 He said, “ Mother, just take it. Here is my meat.” His mother said, “ I am glad this day, because I have given birth to a Wise man.” UtMakanyana practises hypocrisy , and appropriates the property of other people. Wa buya wa ya esibayeni : kwa piwa omunye umuntu, o indoda, uyise. Wa ti, “ Leti kwimi, ngi ye ’ku ku bekela endAlini yako.” Wa ti, “ Yebo ke, mntwana we- nkosi.” Wa i tabata inyama, wa ngena end/dini ; w’ etula isitebe nepini, wa bukca igazi esitebeni nasepinini ; wa puma nayo, wa ya kunina nayo inyama ; wa ti, “Mame, yamukela ; nantsi inyama yami” Wa bonga kubo bonke bebandAla; wa buya wa bonga ke. Wa buya w’ enza njalo na kwe- nye indoda, wa i tata njalo, wa ti, He returned to the cattle-kraal. His father was giving another man some meat. He said, “ Hand it to me, that I may put it for you in your house.” The man replied, “ Yes, certainly, child of the king.” He took the meat, and went into the house; he took down the eating- mat and stick, and smeared blood on them, and went out with the meat, and took it to his mother, and said, “ Mother, take it ; here is my meat.” He gave thanks to each of the men (as he took the meat from him) ; and gave thanks again on his return. Again, he did the same to another man ; he 13 How deep a descent from the grand and poetical to the petty and prac- tical, when Uthlakanyana’s exhibition of strength on a leg of beef is compared with that of Magni, a son of Thor and Jamsaxa, who, when only three days old, removed the giant Hrungnir’s foot from the neck of Thor, which all the gods had been unable to do ! (Northern Mythology. Vol. p. 71.) Or that of “ Odin’s son Vali, who though only one day old, unwashed and uncombed, slew Hod,” to avenge the death of Baldur. ( Id., p. 77.) Or that of Hercules, who when eight months old boldly seizes and squeezes to death the snakes sent to destroy him. Or with the Basuto Legend, where Litaolane kills the monster Kammapa on the day of his birth. But in Rabelais’ political satires imagi- nation is carried further than in either, both as regards coarseness and exaggeration. He represents the birth of “the gigantic despot” Gargantua as miraculous. He springs from his mother’s left ear ; and at once, instead of uttering the infant’s ordinary cry, shouts with a loud voice, “A boire, a boire, k boire ; comme invitant tout le monde k boire.” (Book /., ch. 6. ) And his son Pantagruel far exceeded his father ; and the youthful feat of Hercules was as nothing compared with that of Pantagruel. At each meal he sucked in the milk of four thousand six hundred cows ; and whilst yet in his cradle one day seized one of them by the hind leg, and eat into the bowels and devoured the liver and kidneys. The attendants summoned by the cow’s cries, took it away, but not before he had got possession of the leg, which he eat up like a sausage, swallowing the bone as a cormorant would a little fish ; and then cried, “ Good, good, good ! ” And when bound with large cables to prevent a repetition of such voracity, he snapped the cables asunder with as much facility as Samson the withs with which he was bound. (Book II., ch. 4. ) 10 IZINGAXEKWANE. “Lota kumi, ngi ye ’ku ku bekela I endAlini yako.” W’ enza njalo njengokuba ’enze njalo nakweyo- kuk^ala; wa bukca isitebe nepini, wa shiya njalo, wa i sa kwabo ; wa ti, “ Mame, yamukela ; nantsi inyama yami.” Wa bonga unina, wa ti, “Ngi zeleindodanamuAla.” Kulo lonke ibandAla a ku banga ko namunye owa i funyana inyama yake. Ya pelela kwabo vena lowo umfana, o zelwe ngelanga lelo eli Alabile inkabi zoyise. La tshona ilanga; ba m buza bonke bomuzi, be nga i funyani. Wa ti, “ Bheka ipini nesitebe, ukuba a ngi i beka- nga na esitebeni, ng > etula ipini, nga i Aloma pezulu, njengokuba inyama i ya Alonywa pezulu.” Ba ti, “Yebo; si ya si bona isitebe sibomvu, nepini libomvu. Kepa y’ etulwe ini na 1 ” Wa ti ke, “ Lo, nasi isitebe sibomvu nje.” Bonke ke kwa njalo, kubo bonke ke kwa njalo ; wa banga ngesitebe kubo bonke abantu bomuzi woyise. took his meat in the same way ; he said, “ Hand it to me, that I may put it for you in your house.” He did with that as he had done with the first ; he smeared the feeding- mat and stick ; he left them in the same way, and took the meat to his own house, and said, “ Mother, take it; here is my meat.” His mother thanked him, and said, “ I have given birth to a man this day.” In the whole company there was not one who found his meat. The whole of it was in the house of the boy, who was born on the day the oxen of his father were slaughtered. The sun set. All the people of the village en- quired of him when they did not find the meat. He said, “ Look at the stick and the feeding-mat, whether I did not place it on the mat, and take down the stick and hang it up, as meat is hung up 1 ” They said, “Yes, we see the feed- ing-mat is bloody, and the stick is bloody. Then has the meat been taken down 1 ” So he said, “ (Yes), for there is the mat really bloody.” All made the same enquiry ; and he answered them all alike. He persisted in making the feeding- mat a witness to all the people of his father’s village. The women express great doubt as to Uthlakanyana being a real man. Abafazi bomuzi ba kala, ba ti, “NamuAla ku zelwe nina? Ku zelwe umuntu onjani na? A bo- nanga si ku bona loku. Nina ni be ni m tumela ni, lo ni ya bona nje, ukuba UAlakanyana lo na? Ni ti umuntu na? Ni ti umuntu The women of the kraal cried out saying, “What is this that has been bom to-day ? What sort of a man is this that has been born ? We never saw the like. Why did you send him, since you clearly see that this is TJthlakany ana? Do you say he is a man? 14 Do you say 14 It is a pity these women were not acquainted with Ellen Leah’s specific for testing the fact of Uthlakanyana’ s being a real man ora “ fairy substitute.” Mrs. Sullivan had “a healthy, blue-eyed baby, which in one night shrivelled UHLAKANYANA. 11 wa ka wa nje na, ’azi ukukuluma kangaka e se umntwana, a kgine kangaka ’a/dule amacloda a ama- dala ? Ni be ni nga m boni ini na ekutateni kwake uni lenze wenkabi 1 Ni nga ni k^ondile lapo, ukuti lo there ever was such a man, who knew how to speak thus whilst a child ; and who was so strong that he could get the better of old men 1 Did you not see him when he took the leg of beef ? You might then have understood that this man was into almost nothing, and never ceased squalling and crying.” Of course Mrs. Sullivan believed, and her neighbours helped her in the belief, that fairies had taken a fancy to her baby, and had placed one of themselves in its stead ; and it was nothing but the strong resemblance which still lurked under the shrunken features, that saved the changeling from being griddled alive, or having some other equally merciful experiment tried upon it, which was sure to settle the child’s identity by proving the possibility or impossibility of destroying it ! But Ellen Leah was a more sensible and cautious woman ; she recommended Mrs. Sullivan to make a “brewery of egg-shells,” and she would see what she would see ; and then if the “ squalling, crying” thing turned out to be a fairy, and not till then, the red-hot poker was to be crammed down its throat. Mrs. Sullivan determined to try Ellen Leah’s specific, and the following is the result, no doubt in the authentic words of Mrs. Sullivan herself, duly attested : — ‘ ‘ Home went Mrs. Sullivan, and did as Ellen Leah desired. She put the pot on the fire, and plenty of turf under it, and set the water boiling at such a rate, that if ever water was red-hot — it surely was. “ The child was lying for a wonder quite easy and quiet in the cradle, every now and then cocking his eye, that would twinkle as keen as a star in a frosty night, over at the great fire, and the big pot upon it ; and he looked on with great attention at Mrs. Sullivan breaking the eggs, and putting down the egg- shells to boil. At last he asked, with the voice of a very old man, ‘ What are you doing, mammy ? ’ “Mrs. Sullivan’s heart, as she said herself, was up in her mouth ready to choke her, at hearing the child speak. But she contrived to put the poker in the fire, and to answer, without making any wonder at the words, ‘ I’m brewing, a vick ’ (my son). “ ‘ And what are you brewing, mammy ? ’ said the little imp, whose super- natural gift of speech now proved beyond question that he was a fairy substi- tute. “ ‘I wish the poker was red,’ thought Mrs. Sullivan ; but it was a large one, and took a long time heating : so she determined to keep him in talk until the poker was in a proper state to thrust down his throat, and therefore repeated the question. “ ‘ Is it what I’m brewing, a vick,* said she, * you want to know ? ’ “ ‘Yes, mammy : what are you brewing ? ’ returned the fairy. “ ‘Egg-shells, a vick,* said Mrs. Sullivan. “ ‘ Oh ! ’ shrieked the imp, starting up in the cradle, and clapping his hands together, ‘ I’m fifteen hundred years in the world, and I never saw a brewery of egg-shells before ! ’ The poker was by this time quite red, and Mrs. Sullivan seizing it ran furiously towards the cradle ; but somehow or other her foot slipped, and she fell flat on the floor, and the poker flew out of her hand to the other end of the house. However, she got up, without much loss of time, and went to the cradle, intending to pitch the wicked thing that was in it into the pot of boiling water, when there she saw her own child in a sweet sleep, one of his soft round arms rested on the pillow — his features were as placid as if their repose had never been disturbed, save the rosy mouth which moved with a gentle and regular breathing.” ( Croker’s Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland.) For the various methods for detecting an imp which has taken the place of a child, see Thorpe , Op. cit. Vol. II., pp. 174—177. 12 IZINGANEKWANE. ’muntu ka mitwanga ; u ngene nje lapa kuy’ inkosikazi ; u ngene, ka mitwanga; nenkosi le ka si ye wayo. Si y’ ala manje tina sonke, tina ’bafazi ; nani nina ’madoda ni za ’ku m bona ngenye imini; u za ’kwenza izinto ezinkulu, ngo- kuba e kulumile esiswini. Nantsi inyama yenu e n’ amukile ngomlo- mo, ni ’badala nonke ; wa za wa ko/disa noyise ngomlenze wenkabi yake. U za ’kwenza imi/dola, ngokuba naye e ng’ um/dola, isibili somAlola.” Ya pela ke inyama leyo. not produced in a natural way. He got into the queen ; he got in ; 15 he was not produced in a natural way ; and as for the king, he is not his son. All we women deny it now j and you men will see it some other day. He will do great things, for he spoke before he was born. There, he has taken away your meat from you by his mouth, and you all old men too ; and he cir- cumvented even his father about his leg of beef. He will do pro- digies ; for he, too, is a prodigy, a real prodigy.” Thus, all that meat was finished. U thlakanyana goes a hunting , and takes birds out of other people's traps. Wa hamba, wa ya 'uzingela ngasemfuleni ; wa fimyana izitiyo, ziningi kakulu, zi babisile izinyoni, izind/dazi, zonke izitiyo ; zi nga- mbili na ngantatu. Wa zi koka ke zonke, wa zi bopa umfunzi, wa goduka nazo. Wa fika ekaya, wa ngena kunina, wa ti, “ Mame, ng’ etule, ngi ya sindwa.” Wa ti, “ XJ twele ni na ? ” Wa ti, “ Ngi twele izinyoni zami, e ngi be ngi ye ’ku zi zingela.” Wa bonga unina, wa ti, “ IJmfana wami u indoda, u /dakanipile. Wena u ya Uthlakanyana went to hunt by the river. He found very many traps: all the traps had caught birds, izindhlazi, by twos and by threes. So he took them all out, and made them into a bundle, and went home with them. On his arrival he went in to his mother, and said, “ Mother, take off my load ; I am weighed down.” She said, “ What are you carrying % ” He said, “ I am carrying my birds, which I went to catch.” His mo- ther returned thanks, saying, “My boy is a man. He is wise. You 15 Luther believed in some such thing as this, which he speaks of not as a possibility merely, but as fact, which had come under his own observation. He says that, under certain circumstances, the offspring of women is “oftentimes an imp of darkness, half mortal, half devil ; ” and adds, “ such cases are pecu- liarly horrible and appalling. ” (Michelet's Life of Luther. Bogue. p. 325.) Such belief was not peculiar to Luther. He held it in common with his countrymen and the rest of Europe. In the Danish Traditions there is the legend of a demon who, under the form of “ Brother Ruus,” succeeded in cor- rupting, and almost in handing over to absolute perdition, the good brethren of Esrom; but having been detected, was “ conjured into the form of a horse ” by the abbot, and on promising to do no more harm, and swearing eternal obedience to him, was allowed to go free. The demon then passes over to England, and “ enters the king's fair daughter." When no wise man could be found sufficiently wise to expel the intruder, at length the demon himself ex- claims, “lam Brother Ruus. No one can expel me from this fair vessel, save the abbot of Esrom, to whom I have sworn obedience. ” ( Thorpe's Northern Mythology. Vol. II. f pp. 2G9.J UHLAKANYANA. 13 d/dula amadoda onke noyiAlo, na- bangane bako.” Wa tukulula ke. Wa ti, “ Zi peke zonke ; u zi name- ke.” Wa zi peka ke unina. Wa ti umfana, “NamAla ngi za ’ku- puma lapa endAlini, ngi ye ’kulala kwabanye ; u ze u nga zibukuli inyoni zami lezi; ku ya ’kufika mina kusasa, kona zi ya 'kuba mnandi kusasa.” surpass all the men, and your father, and your friends.” So she untied the birds. He said, “ Cook them all ; lute them down with cowdung.” So his mother cooked them. The boy said, “I am going out of this house to-day, and shall sleep with the other boys. Do not take the cover off these my birds. I shall come in the morn- ing ; they will be nice then.” The boys object to have Uthlakanyana as a bedfellow. Wa puma ke, wa ya ’kulala kwabanye. Ba ti, “ U ya pi na lapa na ? A si tandi ukulala na- we.” Wa ti, “ Ini na ukuba ngi nga lali kwini, loko nami ngi umfana nje na? ngi intombazana ini na?” Ba ti, “ Kga ! u /daka- nipile kakulu. Wa ko/disa obaba ngenyama yabo, be i piwe inkosi. Wa ti, u ya ’ku ba bekela ezind/dini zabo ; a i bonwanga namunye ku- wo wonke umuzi lo wenkosi. Nati si ya bona ukuba ku si ye owen- kosi.” Wa ti, “Ngi ng’ okabani na ? ” Ba ti, “ A si kw azi ; a ka ko o wenkosi o njengawenje. We- na u ng’ um/dola impela. I kona into o ya ’uze u y enze * a ku ’ku- pela nje. U um/dola impela.” Wa ti, “ Loku ni tsho, ngi za 'kulala ngenkani.” Ba ti, “ Nge- nkani yani, u umfana nje na ? U ti namand/da u nawo okulwa? u namand/da kodwa omlomo nama- zwi ako ; u nga s’ a/dula ngomlo- mo ; amand/da wona ku nawo, ngokuba u s’ and’ ukuzalwa ; manje si ya kw azi ukuba u umntwana impela. Amazwi ubu- /dakani bako ; bu ya s’ a/dula He went out to go to sleep with the other boys. They said, “ Where are you going here ? We do not like to sleep with you.” He said, “ Why may not I sleep with you, since I too am a boy indeed? Am I a little girl?” They said, “ No. You are very wise. You deceived our fathers about their meat, which the king gave them. You said you would put it in their houses for them. There was not even one in the whole village of the king who saw anything more of his meat. And we see you are not the king’s son.” He said, “Whose son am I?” They said, “We don’t know. There is no child of the king like you. You are a prodigy, that’s a fact. You will be up to some mischief. It is not ended yet. You are a prodigy, that’s a fact.” He said, “Since you say this, I shall sleep here for contention’s sake.” They said, “ What contention do you mean, you being a mere boy? Do you say you have strength to fight? you have nothing but mouth- and word-strength ; you may overcome us with the mouth; strength it- self you have none, for you are just born. Now we know that you are a child indeed. Words are your wisdom; that surpasses 14 IZINGANEKWANE. bona kanye na obaba betu.’ tula ke. Wa tula ke naye. lala. Ba Wa us, as well as our fathers.” So they were silent, and he too was silent. He went to sleep. Uthlahanyana eats the birds , and deceives his mother. Ya kala inkuku. Wa vuka, wa ti, “ Se ku sile.” Wa ti, “ Ngi se ngi hamba mina, ngokuba inyoni zami amakwababa nabantu ba nga zi koka.” Wa puma, wa fika kwa- bo. Ka vulanga, wa pakamisa isi- valo send/du yakwabo, wa ngena ke, unina e sa lele. Wa zibukula embizeni, wa d/da ke inyoni zake ; ka zi d/danga in/doko zazo izinyoni zonke ; wa zi d/da izidumbu zazo, wa zi k^eda zonke. Wa puma, wa ola umkguba, wa ngena, wa u tela ngapantsi embizeni, wa beka izin/doko ngapezulu ; wa nameka, Konke loku u sa lele unina. Wa puma ngapantsi kwesivalo. W’ e- muka ingcozana, wa buya futi, wa ti, “ Marne, mame, ngi vulele,” njengokuba e sa fika nje. Wa ngena, wa ka ’manzi, wa geza ; wa ti, “Ngi pe ke izinyoni.” Wa be te e ngena, wa ti, “ Ni lala futi ! ku nga ze inyoni zi gukguke um- kguba zonke, ngokuba ilanga li se li purnile ; ngi y’ azi zi ba njalo inyoni, imra ilanga li se li purnile, njengokuba li se li purnile nje ; si nge zi funyane; si nga funyana ngapantsi.” Wa e se zubukula ke ; wa ti, “ Ku se ku njalo ; ku umk^uba wodwa; ku se ku sele in/doko zodwa.” Wa ti unina, “Kw enziwe ini na?” Wa ti, “ U y’ azi ini na ? ” wa ti, “ I mina ow aziko. Wena u um- ntwana omncinane nje. Wa ngi zala ini ? Angiti kwa tsho mina, nga ti, ‘Ngi zale masinya ; in- komo zikababa zi ya pela esiba- The cock crew. He awoke and said, “It is now day. I am now going, for my part ; for the crows and men may take my birds out of the traps.” He left, and went to his own house. He did not open the door ; he raised it, and so went in, his mother still sleeping. He uncovered the pot, and eat his birds ; he did not eat the heads of them all ; he eat their bodies, every one of them. He went out and scraped up some cowdung, and returned and put it in the bottom of the pot, and placed the heads on the top of it; and luted it down. He did all this, his mother being still asleep. He went out under the door. He departed a little way, and came back again, and said, “Mother, mother, open the door for me,” as though he had only just come. He went in, and took water, and washed. He then said, “Just give me my birds.” He had said on his first going in, “You sleep for ever! The birds may have all turned into dung, for the sun is already up. I know that birds do so turn when the sun has risen, as it has risen now. We may not find them, but something instead of them at the bottom.” He uncovered the pot, and said, “It is even so now ; there is no- thing but dung ; the heads alone are left.” His mother said, “ How has it been done?” He said, “Do you know how ? ” And then, “ It is I who know. You are but a little child. Did you give birth to me ? Did not I myself say, ‘ Give birth to me at once ; the cattle of UHLAKANYANA. 15 my father are ooming to an end in the kraal ? * Did you ever hear a child say thus, ‘ Let me be born,’ he being a child who could be worsted by anything ? I am very old. I am not your child . 16 And that father whom you are with, he is not my father ; he is a mere man, one of our people, and nothing more. As for me, I merely lay down in you, you being his wife. We will not live together. I shall set out on my own account by myself, just travelling about, and leave you, that you may live together here alone. For my part, I am going to travel over the whole world .” 17 The contents of the pot were taken out. His mother said, “ Alas, my child, you have spoken truly ; you said that ‘the birds might turn into dung at the bottom of the pot ! * Truly there is now nothing but dung at the bottom, and the heads alone at the top.” The boy said, “Just let me see them ? ” He looked, and eat up the heads also himself, every one of them : and said, “As you have eaten my birds, I will not now give you even these heads of them ; for it is you who have eaten their flesh.” So he finished the heads. 16 “I ani very old,” says Uthlakanyana. “I am not your child.” So in Campbell's Highland Tales there is an account of a “ child not yet a year old, which had not spoken or attempted to speak, which suddenly addressed hia mother,” as they were passing near Glen Odhar, thus : “ ‘ Many a dun hummel cow, With a calf below her, Have I been milking In that dun glen yonder. Without dog, without man, Without woman, without gillie, But one man, And he hoary.* The good woman threw down her child, and ran home.” Uthlakanyana’s mother was much more cool on the exhibition of her child’s marvellous power. ( Vol. /., p. cvii. — See also Grimm's Home Stories. “ The Fairy Folk. ‘ Third Tale. * " ) 17 Uthlakanyana feigns a reason for quitting the home into which he has intruded himself, and where he is acceptable to no one but to her who considers herself his mother. Other demons are not so accommodating. It is necessary E yem f Wa ka wa mu zwa um- ntwana e tsho njalo, e ti, ka zalwe na, e ng’ umntwana e ko- Aliwe ’zindaba na? Ngi mdala kakulu. A ngi si ye wako : no- baba lo o naye ka si ye ubaba, umuntu nje, umuntu wetu nje ; ngokuba mina ngi lalile nje kuwe, wena u ng* umfazi wake. A si z‘ ukuAlala ndawo nye nani ; ngi za ’kuzihambela nje ngedwa, ngi hamba nje, ngi ni shiye, ni ziAla- lele kona lapa ndawo nye. Mina ngi za 'uhamba um/daba wonke nje.” Z’ opulwa. Wa ti unina, “ Wo! Mntanami, u tshilo ! wa ti, ‘ zi nga ze zi gukyuke umkguba ngapantsi kwembiza ? ’ Nembala se ku umk^uba wodwa ngapantsi ; ku se ku izin/doko zodwa nga- pezulu.” Wa ti umfana, “ Ake ngi zi bone.” Wa bona, wa zi dAla inAloko yena futi, wa zi k^eda : wa ti, “ Loku inyoni zami u zi dAlile, a ngi se zi uku ku nika nen/doko lezi zazo, ngo- kuba wena u dAle inyama yazo.” Wa zi k^eda inAloko ke. 1G IZINGANEKWANE. Uthlakanyana goes to the traps , and gets trapped himself. Wa tata intonga yake, wa pu- ma, e teta, e ti, “ Inyoni zami, hai, ukuba zi dAliwe, ngi /deli ngi ti, ngi za ’kudAla inyoni zami, e be zi pekiwe. Kanti ku za ’kulalwa futi, zi ze zi gukgnke umk^uba zonke.” Wa tula. Wa hamba nj e. Wa fika ke ezitiyweni zezimu ; wa koka ke inyoni. U te e sa koka, la fika izimu. Wa ti, “ Musa uku ngi bulala,” e bajisiwe umfana. Izimu li bonile ukuba inyoni zi ya kokwa umuntu. Loku inomfi la i beka ngezinti pambi kwezitiyo, wa banjwa ke i yo inomfi. Wa ti, “ Musa uku ngi tshaya ; ngi za ’ku ku tshela. Ngi koke, u ngi Alanze inomfi ; u buye nami. Ku nanyoko na?” La ti izimu, “ U kona.” Wa ti umfana, “ Kepa u ng’ onela ni na, u nga ngi koki, u ngi Alanze inomfi, u buye nami ? Ngi ya ’kubaba ; a ngi yi ’kuba mnandi ; inaf u ngi tshaya nje, a ngi yi ’kuba mnandi ; ngi ya ’kubaba. Ngi Alanze, u buye nami ; u z’ u He took his walking-stick and went out, chiding thus, “ It was not right that my birds should be eaten whilst I was imagining that I was going to eat my birds, which had been cooked : yet, for- sooth, she was going to sleep for ever, until all the birds became dung.” He was silent. He went on his journey, and came to the traps of a cannibal; so he took out the birds. As he was taking them out, the cannibal arrived. The boy, being caught, said, “ Don’t kill me.” The cannibal had seen that the birds were taken out by someone. There- fore he put birdlime on sticks in front of the traps, and he was caught by the birdlime. He said, “ Don’t beat me, and I will tell you. Take me out, and cleanse me from the birdlime, and take me home with you. Have you not a mother?” The cannibal replied, “ I have a mother.” The boy said, “ Why then do you spoil me, and not take me out, and cleanse me from the birdlime, and take me home with you ? I shall be bitter ; I shall not be nice ; if you beat me in this way, I shall not be nice; I shall be bitter. Cleanse me, and take me home to devise various plans for the purpose of getting rid of them. In the Danish Traditions we find an account of one whom “a shrewd female engaged to drive from the house,” which she did as follows : — “ One day, when he was out in the field, she killed a pig, and made a pudding of it, together with the skin and hair, which, on his return, she placed before him. As was his custom, he began slashing away at it, but as he ate he gradually became thoughtful, and at length sat quite still with the knife in his hand, and eyeing the pudding : he then exclaimed, ‘ Pudding with hide, and pudding with hair, pudding with eyes, and pudding with bones in it. I have now thrice seen a young wood spring up on Tiis lake, but never before did I see such a pudding ! The fiend will stay here no longer!’ Saying these words, he ran off, and never returned.” (Thorpe, Op. ext. Vol. II., p. 114:.) Luther suggested a more summary process; he recommended such a child, which is said to have “ had no human parents,” to be thrown into the Moldau ; regarding it as a creation of the devil — “a mere mass of flesh and blood, without any soul.” ( Michelet , Op. ext., p. 325. See also p. 326.) UHLAKANYANA. 17 ngi beke kwenu, ngi ze ngi pekwe unyoko ; u ngi beke ng’ ome ubu- manzi ; u hambe wena, u ngi shiye nje ekaya ; ngi nga pekwa u kona ; ngi nga mubi ; ngi nge be mnandi.” with you, that you may put me in your house, that I may be cooked by your mother. Set me there, that I may dry; and do you go away, and just leave me at your home. I cannot be cooked if you are there ; I shall be bad ; I cannot be nice.” UtJclakanyana is taken home by the cannibal , and delivered to the cannibal's mother. La m tata ke, la buya naye kanye nazo izinyoni zalo. La fika ekaya kunina, la ti, “ Marne, nantsi inyamazana e b’ i dAla inyoni zami. Nam Ala ngi i funyene, ngi i bambile ngenomfi yami ; i te, a ngi i koke, ngi i Alanze ubu- manzi benomfi. Ya ti, a ngi nga i tshayi ; ya ti, i ya ’kubaba, in#a ngi i tshayile. Nga vuma ke, nga i Alanza ke, nga i twala ke. Ya ti, a ngi namame na ? Nga ti “ U kona” kuyo inyamazana le. Ya ti, i ya ’upekwa u we, ngi nge ko mina. Ya ti, i nge be mnandi, imca i pekiwe ngi kona. Ngi ya vuma ke. U z’ui peke kusasa. A i lale nje. Li nomfana wakwabo ba vumelana, ba ti, “A i lale.” Uthlakanyana avoids being boiler Kwa sa kusasa, la ti, “ Marne, nantso ke inyamazana yami” Wa ti UAlakanyana, “Ngi tabate, u ngi beke pezu kwendAlu, ng* ome, ngi Alatshwe ilanga ; ” e ti u kona e ya ’kubonisa izimu ngalapo li tshona ngakona. Wa bekwa ke pezulu endAlini. La hamba ke nomfana wakwabo ; ba tshona So the cannibal took him, and went home with him ; he took also his birds. On coming home to his mother, he said, “Mother, here is the animal which was eating my birds. I have found him to-day ; I caught him with my birdlime. He told me to take him out, and cleanse him from the birdlime. He told me not to beat him. He said he should be bitter if I beat him. So I assented; I cleansed him, and brought him home. He asked if I had not a mother 1 I told him — I mean this animal here — that I had. He said he would be cooked by you, when I was absent. He said he should not be nice, if cooked in my presence. So I assent. Do you cook him in the morning. Just let him lie down to-night.” The cannibal and a boy, his brother, both assented, saying, “Just let him lie down to-night.” by boiling the cannibal's mother. In the morning, the cannibal said, “Mother, take care of my game.” Uthlakanyana said, “Take me, and put me on the top of the hut, that I may dry in the sun’s rays”; thinking he should then be able to see in which direction the cannibal would disappear. So he was placed on the top of the hut. The cannibal and his brother 18 IZINGANEKWANE. ngokalo. W’ eAla U/dakanyana, wa ti, “ Mame, u sa lele na ? ” Wa ti unina wezinra, “ Yebo.” Wa ti UAlakanyana, “ Yuka, si pekane.” Wa ti, “ Nami u za ’u ngi peka ingcozana; ku za ’ku- pekwa ngenkulu imbiza, ngokuba ngi za ’kukukumala, ngi i gcwale imbiza. Nantsi imbiza enkulu, e nga peka mina.” Wa ti unina wezimu, “ Yebo ke, u kyinisile wena; ngokuba u ya zazi noku- pekwa kwako.” Wa ti, “Tata ke, u i beke eziko.” Wa basa UAlakanyana, wa basa ingcozana ; wa ti, “ Muningi umlilo.” Wa ti, “ Ake si zwe amanzi ukuba a se tshisa ini?” Wa fak’ isandAla; wa ti, “ K^a. Ku fanele u ngi fake; a ku kgulwe ngami.” Wa ti “Yebo ke” unina wezimu. Warn tata, wa m faka, wa zibe- kela; wa tula pakati embizeni. Wa ti, “ Ng’ opule ke.” Wa m opula. Wa ti, “ Yiya ! Ake ku nge ku ya baswa. Wa basa UAlakanyana ; wa ti, “ Ngi w’ e- zwile amanzi ukuba a ka fudumali. Ake ku baswe.” Wa basa kakulu ; wa lunguza, wa funyana e se bila. Wa ti, “ Tukulula ke ingubo zako, ngokuba kaloku amanzi a se fanele ukuba u ngene, ngokuba nami ngi ngene e nje. Kodwa wena ; a se fudumele kaAle manje.” U Ala- departed, and disappeared over the ridge of the hill. Uthlaka- nyana got down, and said, “ Mo- ther, are you still lying down?” The cannibal’s mother said, “Yes.” Uthlakanyana said, “ Get up, and let us play at boiling each other. You will boil me a little, and I you. Let the boiling be done in the great pot ; for I shall swell out very much, and fill the pot. There is the great pot which is fit for boiling me in.” The cannibal’s mother said, “Yes, surely; you say the truth ; for you know your- self, and about your being boiled.” He said, “ Take it, then, and put it on the fire.” Uthlakanyana kindled the fire ; he kindled it a little, and said, “ The fire is abun- dant.” He said, “ Let us just feel the water, if it is already hot.” He put in his hand, and said, “ Just the thing ! You must put me in. Let us begin with me.” “Yes, surely,” said the cannibal’s mother. She took him, and put him in, and put the lid on. He was silent in the pot. At length he said, “Just take me out.” She took him out. He said, “Out upon it ! Let us just kindle the fire a little .” 18 Uthlakanyana made up the fire, and said, “ I have felt the water that it is not warm ; let us make up the fire.” He made a great fire, and looked in, and found it boiling. He said to the cannibal’s mother, “Take off your clothes, for the water is now fit for you to go in ; for I too went in when it was just so : now for you ; it is now pleasantly warm.” Uthlaka- 18 Ake ku nge ku ya baswa. — The conjunctive mood of uhinga after ake, followed by the present tense of the indicative mood, as here, is used to express a wish that something may be done slightly, or for a little time. The following are examples : — Ake u nge u ya vula, “ Do you open the door a little ; ” Ake ngi nge ngi ya lima, “Just let me dig a little ; v Ake a nge u ya li bamba, “Just let him hold the horse for a little while.” UIILAKANYANA. 19 kanyana wa kyala uku m tukulula. Wa ti, “ Ngi yeke, ngi zitukulule mina ; musa uku ngi k^inela. U ngi kginelela ni ? ” Wa ti UAla- kanyana, “ Ku nani na, inara ngi ku tukululile, ngi inyamazana nje e za ’kudAliwa amadodana ako nawe ? Ku nani na, ngi inyama- zana nje, e za ’udAliwa amadodana ako kanye nawe na ? ” Wa m faka, wa zibekela. Wa kala, wa ti, “ Hlakanyana, ng’ opule. Nga tsha ! ” Wa ti, “ Kgubo ! Ku ka tsbi wena ; ukuba u se u tsliile, u nga u nga tsho ukuba so u tsbile. Ngi y’ ezwa, ngi indoda ; imca umuntu e ti, 1 Ngi ya tsha/ ka ka tshi ; incca e se e tsbile, ka tsho u ya tsha njalo, a tshe ku be ukupela.” Wa ti, “ Hlakanyana, ngi ya vutwa.” Wa ti “ K^a ” UAlakanyana; wa ti, “Ku ka vutwa. Nank’ u sa tsho ukuti, u ya vutwa. Ngi y’ azi inxa umuntu e se vutiwe, ka tsho ukuti, ngi se ngi vutiwe ; u ya tula nje ukuba u se vutiwe.” Wa vutwa ke, wa tula. Wa ti UAlakanyana, wa ti, “ Manje ke ngi ya kolwa ukuba u vutiwe, ngokuba ku sa tsho manje ; manje se u tule ; u kona ngi ti u vutiwe ke ; u za ’udAliwa ke ama- dodana ako. Yutwa ke. U kona nyana began to unfasten her clothes. She said, “ Leave me alone, that I may undress myself; don’t urge me. Why do you urge me?” Uthlakanyana said, “ Of what con- sequence is it if I have undone your things, I who am mere game, which is about to be eaten by your sons and you? Of what consequence is it, I being mere game, which is about to be eaten by your sons and you ? ” He put her in, and put on the lid. She cried out, “ Uthla- kanyana ! take me out ! I am scalded to death ! ” 19 He said, “ No, indeed. You are not yet scald- ed to death. If you were scalded to death, you could not say you were scalded to death. I am a man, and so understand that if a man says, he is scalding to death, he is not yet scalded ; if he is scalded, he does not say he is scalding ; he is scalded, and that is all.” She said, “ Uthlakanyana, I am being done.” Uthlakanyana said, “No, you are not yet done. There, you are now saying that you are being done. I know, when a man has been thoroughly done, he does not say constantly, i I am already done.’ He just says no- thing, when he is already done.” So she was boiled, and said no more. Uthlakanyana said, “Now, then, I perceive that you are done, because you no longer say so now. Now you have become silent; that is the reason why I think you are thoroughly done. You will be eaten by your children. Do away, then ! I see now you are 19 One cannot give this idiom, Nga tsha, the full force in an English trans- lation. It is the aorist tense, and is used inter jectionally. Its meaning is either hyperbolical, to arrest the attention and fix it on some imminent danger, as Wa fa! “You are dead ! ” or it expresses a sudden, unexpected act, which has just been completed, as Sa tsha! “The gun fired.” An instance of the use of this tense occurs in the first paragraph of this Tale : InTcomo zikababa za pela. Uthlakanyana exaggerates ; he says, are devoured : the mother, in repeating his words, says, zi ya pda, “are coming to an end,” — are being devoured. 20 IZINGANEKWANE. u vutiwe impela manje, ukuba u I boiled indeed, because you are now se u tule.” 1 silent.” 20 U thlahanyana puts on the clothes of the cannibal's mother , and becomes a witness of the cannibal's feast. Wa tata ke izingubo, w’ ambata zonke, wa mkulu ngezingubo lezo. Wa lala lapa ku be ku lele isalu- kazi, unina wezimu. Ba fika, ba ti, “ Marne." Wa ti, “ We,” nge- lincane ilizwi njengonina. Wa ti, “ Ni ngi bizela ni na?” Wa ti, “ Nantsi inyamazana yenu ; i se i kukumele, i se inkulu, imnandi, njengoba i be i tsbo. D/da nini 21 ke ; a ngi zi ’kuvuka mina'. Kade ngi i dAla.” B’ opula ke umkono ; ba se be dAla. Wa ti umfana wezimu, “ Lezi ’zand/da kungati ezikama.” La ti izimu elikulu, “U kuluma njani na? u ya m Alolela uma.” Wa ti, “ Aike ! a ngi sa tsho.” Ba dAla njalo, ba k^eda umkono. B’ opula umlenze, ba dAla. Wa pinda umfana we- zimu, wa ti, “ Lolu ’nyawo kungati olukama. Noko u te ezandAleni, ngi nge tsbo ukuti kungati ezika- ma, ngi ya tsbo. Futi ukuti lolu ’nyawo lungati olwake.” La m tshaya. Wa pendula UAlakanya- na, e lele; wa ti, “ Mntanami, Jo Utblakanyana then took tbe garments of tbe cannibal’s motlier, and put them all on, and was big by means of tbe garments : be then lay down where tbe old woman, the cannibal’s mother, bad lain. The cannibals came at length, and said, “ Mother.” Uthlakanyana an- swered, “ Yes,” with a little voice like tbe mother. “ Why do you call me ? There is your game : it is now swollen to a great size, and is nice, just as he said. Do you eat. I shall not get up. I have already eaten of it.” They drew out an arm. They eat. The cannibal’s boy said, “ These hands are just like mother’s.” The elder cannibal said, “ How are you speaking? You are prognosticating evil to mother.” He replied, “No; I withdraw the saying.” So they eat, and finished the arm. They drew out a leg, and eat. The cannibal’s boy again said, “This foot is just like mother’s. Although you said as regards the hands, I might not say they were just like mother’s, I say it. I say again that this foot is just like hers.” The cannibal beat him. Uthlakanyana spoke, still lying down, and said, “ My child, that 20 A somewhat similar trick is played with equal success by Maol a Chlio- bain, on the Giant’s mother. She persuades her to open the sack in which she was suspended, to be killed on the Giant’s return ; she escapes, and transfers the old woman to her place in the sack, and she is killed by her own son. (Campbell, Op. cit. Vol. /., p. 255.) So Peggy succeeds in baking the cannibal-witch in her own oven, which she had heated for the purpose of baking Peggy. ( Grimm's Home Stories. “ Hans and Peggy.” — See also “ The Tale of the Shifty Lad,” a Highland Uthlakanyana, how he managed to hang his master in roguery. ( Campbell, Op. cit. Vol. /., p. 328.) 21 DAla nini=yidAla ni. UHLAKANYAtfA. 21 umtakati a nga ngi d/d a yena, ngokuba u ti, e d/da inyamazana, e be i biza ngami, e i fanisa nami. Tula nje, mntanami, d/dana 22 nje wena.” wizard would eat me, for his part ; for when he is eating game, he calls it by my name, and thinks he sees a resemblance to me. Just be silent, my child, and go on eating.” Uthlakanyana thinks it is time to be off, and sets off accordingly. Wa ti, “ Ake ni lunge, ngi ke ngi pume, ngi ye ’kutunda ; ngi za ’kubuya. Ni /dale, ni d/de njalo nina.” La ti izimu, lapa e semnyango U/dakanyana, la ti, “ Yebo, lesi ’sitende kungati esake umame.” Wa finyela U/dakanya- na ; w’ esaba kaloku ; wa puma ngamand/da emnyango ; wa hamba ngamandAla ukushiya ind/du ye- zimu. Wa k^ala uku zi tukulula izingubo ; wa zi vutulula zonke ; wa gijima, wa kginisa kakulu. Wa bona ukuti, se ngi kude manje ; a ba sa yi ’ku ngi funyana. Wa memeza, wa ti, “Ni d/da unyoko njalo, mazimu ! ” ’Ezwa amazimu a puma. Wa ti umfana wezimu, “ Ngi te, kungati izand/da lezi ezikama, nonyawo lwake.” Ba m kajotsha ; wa funyana umfula u gcwele. U/dakanyana wa pen- duka u/dakulo 23 pezu kwamanzi, A fika amazimu ; a funyana unya- wo em/dabatini ; a lu bona u/da- kulo ; la lu tata, la ti, “ U wele.” La ponsa u/dakulo, la ti, “ U te,” la tsho li ponsa u/dakulo. Kanti Uthlakanyana said, “Just get out of the way of the door ; I am going out ; I shall be back again presently. Do you go on eating.” When Uthlakanyana reached the doorway, the elder cannibal said, “ Surely this heel is like mother’s.” Uthlakanyana drew out his legs ; he was afraid now ; he went out as fast as he could, and hastened to get away from the cannibal’s house. He began to undo the garments ; he slipped them all off, and ran ’with all his might. He saw at length that he was far enough off that they could not catch him ; so he shouted, “ You are eating your mother, all along, ye cannibals ! ” The cannibals heard, and went out. The can- nibal’s boy said, “ I said, these are like mother’s hands and her foot.” They ran after him. U thlakanyana came to a swollen river, and changed himself into a weeding- stick on its banks. The cannibals came, and found his footprints on the ground ; and saw too the weed- ing-stick. The cannibal took it up, and said, “ He has got across.” He threw the weeding-stick, say- ing “ He did thus,” throwing the stick as he spoke. However, it 22 D/dana =yidAla. 23 Uhlakulo . — An old fashioned wooden pick, which is gradually giving place to iron. It is made of hard wood, carved to somewhat the shape of a hand, and hardened by placing the edge in hot ashes. It is now used by old people, or by those who are too weak to use the heavier iron tool. The natives use it stooping. It is about a foot and a half long. It is sometimes carved into the shape of a hand at each end. 22 IZINGANEKWANE. u ye; u fike, wa penduka uAla- kulo. Wa tokoza ukuba ’eme ngapetsheya ; wa ti, “ Na ngi weza ! ” A ti, “ Ah ! kanti u ye uAlakulo, loku si ti luAlakulo nje.” A buya ke. was Uthlakanyana ; on coming to the river, he had turned into a stick. He was happy when he stood on the other side, and said, “You put me across ! ” They said, “Oh, it was he, forsooth, who was the stick, when we thought it was a mere stick.” So they turned back. Uthlakanyana circumvents a hare , and gets a dinner and a whistle. Wa wela ke ; wa hamba : wa fumana umvundAla ; wa ti, “ Mvu- ndAla, woza lapa, ngi ku tshele indaba.” Wa t’ umvundAla, “ K Basutos, p. 354:.) 30 TZINGANEKWANE. ngokuba se ngi ngedwa enkomeni yami.” Wa ti, “ U b’ nza ’uti ni, loku eyako i zakcile, a i nonile nje. Y e/da ngamandAla ako o kwele ngawo. A ngi nako ukuza ’ku- sombulula.” Wa sika enyameni emAlope. Wa ti, “ Mina ke.” La ti, “ Wo lete 33 ke. Kwela ke, u lete lapa, mfana kadade. Ngi size ; u ngi tukulule, ngi ze lapo kuwe. A ngi yi ’ku w enza um- sindo. Ngi za ’kupiwa nguwe; ngokuba inkomo eyami ngi i bonile ukuba y ondile ; inkomo e nonile eyako. Ubani na o wa ka wa nomsindo entweni yomuntu, ku nge yake ? ” La fika izulu nama- tshe, nemibane. Wa tuta UAla- kanyana, wa tutela end/ilini konke oku inyam a, wa Alala endAlini. Wa basa. La fika izulu namatshe nemvula. La kala izimu pezu kwendAlu ; la tshay wa ngamatshe ; la fela kona pezulu. La sa izulu. Wa puma UAlakanyana, wa ti, “ Malume, ye/da ke, u ze lapa. Li se li sile izulu. A li sa ni ; nesikgoto a si se ko, nokubaneka a ku se ko. U tulele ni na ? ” Wa i d/da ke inkomo yedwa, wa ze wa i kgeda. Wa hamba ke. with anybody, for I am How alone with my cow.” He continued, “ What would you have said, since yours is thin, and has no fat at all? Come down by your own strength with which you went up. I cannot come and undo you.” And he cut into the fat meat, and said, “ Take this.” The cannibal said, “ Bring it at once then. Mount, and bring it to me, child of my sister. Help me; undo me, that I may come to you. I am not going to make a noise. You shall give me ; for I have seen that my cow is lean ; the fat one is yours. Whoever made a dispute about the property of another man, to which he had no right?” The sky came with hailstones and lightning. 'Uthlakanyana took all the meat into the house ; he staid in the house, and lit a fire. It hailed and rained. The cannibal cried on the top of the house ; he was struck with the hailstones, and died there on the house. It cleared. XJthlakanyana went out, and said, “ Uncle, just come down, and come to me. It has become clear. It no longer rains, and there is no more hail, neither is there any more lightning. Why are you silent ? ” So Uthlakanyana eat his cow alone, until he had finished it. He then went on his way. Uthlakanyana meets a cannibal , who will not trust him. Wa Alangana nelinye izimu, li pete isigubu esikulu. Wa ti, “ Malume.” La ti, “ Ngi uma- lume wako ngani na?” Wa ti, “ Ku ng’ azi na ? ” La ti, “ A ngi kw azi mina.” Wa ti, “K^abo! He met another cannibal, carry- ing a large musical calabash. ITe said, “ Uncle ! ” The cannibal said, “ How am I your uncle ! ” He said, “ Don’t you know ? ” The cannibal replied, “ I don’t know, for my part. ’ ’ U thlakanyan a 83 Wo lete is a paulo-post future imperative. It implies that a thing is required to be done at once. Wo leta is indefinite, applying to any future time. UHLAKANYANA. 31 U umalume impela.” La ti izimu, “ A ngi bu tancli lobo ’buker after. The old man was killed because he was guilty of such practices. At length she returned to her father’s with the cattle by which the bridegroom’s people declared her his chosen bride. They arrived at her father’s ; they said, “ Um- k&akaza-wakoginggwayo is come.” The bridegroom’s people had many cattle killed for them ; they paid her dowry immediately. She was married. The king loved her very much ; she became his wife. She reigned prosperously with her husband. IZELAMANI. (the TWO BROTHERS.) Two brothers go out to hunt , and fall in with an old woman. Kwa ti ukusuka, abanta bamntu munye ba ya ’uzingela ; b’ elamana. Ba fukanisa impanda, iminingi, y’ enz’ ulu/da olude. Wa fika w’ esaba omkulu impanda ; wa i zibukula omneinane. Wa i zibu- kula yonke ; kwa ti kwowokugeina kwa puma isalukazana. It happened in times long ago, that the children of a certain man went out to hunt ; one was older than the other. They fell in with a large number of pots, forming a long row. When the elder brother came to them, he was afraid of the pots ; the younger turned them up. He turned all of them up, and a little old woman came out of the last. 57 57 Compare the Basuto legend, “The Murder of Maciloniane.” ( Casalis , p. 339 . ) The differences and similarities are remarkable. In the Basuto legend the brothers had separated, and the younger finds the pots alone ; “ a monstrous 218 IZINGANEKWANE. The old woman shows them something to their advantage. Sa ti komkulu, “ Ngi peleke- zele.” W’ ala. Sa ti komncane, “Ngi pelekezele.” Wa vuma omncane. Wa landela omkulu. Ba kamba, ba kamba, ba ya ba fika ezweni eli nomuti o nezinko- mo ; be pet’ imbazo. Sa ti isalu- kazi kumncane, “ Gaula lo ’muti.” Wa gaula, kwa puma inkomo ; wa gaula, kwa puma- inkomo, zaningi ; kwa ti ngemva kwa pum’ imvu ; kwa ti ngemva kwa pum’ imbuzi ; kwa ti ngemva kwa puma inkabi em/dope. She said to the elder, “ Come with me.” He refused. She said to the younger, “ Come with me.” The younger one went with her, and the elder followed. They went on and on. At length they came to a country where there was a tree which had cattle. They carried axes in their hands. The old woman said to the younger boy, “ Hew the tree.” He hewed it ; there came out a bullock ; he hewed it, there came out a large number of cattle ; and after that there came out a sheep, and after that a goat, and after that a white ox. 38 As they return home , the elder forsakes the younger. The little old woman remained there. They departed, both of them driving the cattle, with their dogs, with which they hunted. So they went on their way ; the country was scorched 59 up, there being no water. At length they came to the top of a precipice; the elder said, “ Tie a rope round me, that I may go and drink at the bottom of the precipice ; for there is no way of going down.” So he tied a rope round him, and let him down ; at length he let him down to the bottom ; he drank man,” with a very big leg, and one of the ordinary size, comes out of the pot ; the man is killed by Maciloniane’ s dogs ; and on cutting up the large leg an im- mense herd of beautiful cattle come out. Maciloniane is killed by his brother for the sake of a white cow ; and a bird follows the murderer, and upbraids him, and proclaims the murder among the people of his village. The bird was the heart of Maciloniane. 58 The enchanted princess gave Strong Frank a sword, saying, “When thou strikest on. a tree, soldiers shall march out in multitudes, as many as thou re- quirest.” (Thorpe's Yule-tide Stories, p. 429.) 59 Izwe V omisile. — Lit., the country scorched, or dried up, viz., grass, trees, and rivers ; that is, there being no rain, the earth became hot, and dried up herbage, &c. 60 Wa wa m beka for Wa ya wa m beka. ba sala lapo lsalukazaiia# xJa kamba be k^ub’ inkomo bobabili, be kamba nenja zabo a ba zingela ngazo. Ba kamba ke, izwe 1’ omi- sile, li nge namanzi. Ba ya ba vela pezu kwewa ; wa t’ omkulu, “ Ngi kunge ngomkcilo, ngi yo’u- puza amanzi lapa eweni, ku nge ko ’ndawo yokweAla.” Wa m kunga ke. Warn eAlisa ke. Wa wa m beka ; 60 wa puza, wa puza ; THE TWO BROTHERS. 21D wa kolwa ke ; wa m kupula. Wa t’ omncane, “ Kami ke ngi kunge, ngi yo’puza.” Wa in kunga ke. Wa wa m beka, wa m yeka. Wa zi k^uba inkomo omkuln. Wa ya wa fika ekaya kuyise nonina. Kwa tiw’ omunye, “ U m shiye pi na?” Wa ti, “Wa buya kuk^ala, mina ng’ emuka nesalukazi, sa ya ’u ngi pa inkomo.” Kwa lalwa ke. and was satisfied ; and he drew him up again. The younger said, “ Tie a rope round me too, that I may go and drink.” He tied a rope round him, and let him down to the bottom and left him. The elder one drove off the cattle. At length he came home to his father and mother. One asked, “ Where have you left your brother ?” He replied, “ He returned before me ; for my part, I went with an old woman ; she gave me these cattle.” They retired to rest. The bird-messenger. Kwa ti ku sa kusasa ya fik’ in- yoni, ya ti, “ Tshiyo, tshiyo, tslii- yo ; umntanako u pakw’ emanzini.” Ba t’ abantu, “ Ni y’ ezwa nje le ’nyoni i ti ni na ? ” Ba t’ aba- ntu, “A i landelwe, lo i kalisa kwen/damvu nje, e bizela abantu inyosi.” Wa i landela unina no- yise. Ya kamba njalo, i ti, “ Tshiyo, tshiyo, tshiyo ; umnta- nako u pakw’ emanzini.” Ya fika, ya tshona kona la be b’ eAla kona, be puz’ amanzi. Ya kal’ i nga- pansi. Wa lunguz’ uyise kon’ e- weni, wa ti, “ O, u bekwe ini lapo na?” Wa ti, “ Ngi shiywe umfo wetu, be si puz’ amanzi ; ngi k^ale ngaye, nga m e/disa, nga m kupu- la. Wa ng’ e/disa ke, wa ngi yeka ke. Ngob’ able ukuzibukula umpanda : kwa puma isalukazana ke. Sa nasusa yena, sa ti, ka si pelekezele, a si yise ezweni. W’ a- la. Wa t’ ub’ ale ke, sa t’ a ku kambe mina. Nga vuma ke mina. Early in the morning a bird came, saying, “ Tshiyo, tshiyo, tshiyo; your child has been put into the water.” The men said, “ Do you hear what this bird says?” The people said, “Let us follow it, since it cries like the honey-bird, when it is calling men to where there is honey.” The father and mother followed it. It went on constantly saying, “ Tshi- yo, tshiyo, tshiyo ; your child is put into the water.” At length it descended to the place where they had gone down to drink. It still cried when it was at the bottom. The father looked over the pre- cipice, and asked, “ O, what placed you there ?” He replied, “ I have been left here by my brother when we were drinking water; I first let him down, and drew him up again. Then he let me down, and left me. For he refused to turn up the pots ; and a little old woman came out. She besought him to accompany her, and take her to a certain country. He re- fused. When he refused she asked I me to go. So I went . 61 She did 61 How common is this kind of tale among other people, where a younger brother, or sister, or step-sister, gains great advantages by performing readily some act of kindness ; whilst the elder suffers for his churlishness. 220 IZING.A NEK WANE. A sa bi sa tsho kuye ukuti, ka gaul’ umuti ; sa t’ a ngi u gaule mina. Nga u gaula ke umuti ; kwa puma inkomo nezimvu nein- buzi, nenkabi em/dope. Sa ti ke inkomo ezami ke, mina ngi mnca- ne. Kwa ku pela ke. Sa zi kguba ke inkomo. U ngi yek’ e- manzini nje, w’ esab’ uku ngi gwaza.” The younger is rescued, < Wa e se ti uyise, “ 0 ! Kepa si za ’u kw enza njani, lo nanku u lapo nje pansi eweni h ” Wa ti, “ Landa ni umkcilo ekaya, ni u ponse lapa, ngi zikunge, ngi u tekelezele kulo omunye a ngi yeke nawo.” A buye ke uyise, ku Ala- 1’ unina. U m ponsel’ umpako, a be be u dAla. Uyise a kamb’ a kambe, a fik’ ekaya, lapa a nga za i zeka kuyo indodana indaba le. A tshe- 1’ omunye ’rnuntu ukuya ’u m ku- pulisa. Ba ye ba fike ke, ba u ponse umkcilo kuye, a u tekelezele, a ti, “Ngi kupule ni ke.” Ba m kupula ke. Unina ke a be se kala ke. La e se m zekele indaba yabo yokukamba, ba buva, se be y’ ekaya. Ba te be fika ya se i balekile ke indodana enkulu ; a y aziwa la i ye ngakona. Ukofana Dhladhla . 62 152 There are peculiarities in the sty] will at once note. ■ The man is of the A not tell him after that to hew the tree ; but she told me to hew it. So I hewed the tree, and there came out cattle, and sheep and goats, and a white ox. She said the cattle were mine, who am the younger. That was the end of it. So we drove the cattle. He left me in the water, for he was afraid to stab me.” nd the elder disappears. The father said, “ 0 ! What shall we do, since there you are at the foot of the precipice 1 ” He said, “Fetch another rope from home, and throw it down to me here, that I may tie it round me, and fasten it to the one which he left with me.” The father returned home, and the mother staid with him. She threw him down the food they had taken for the journey. The father went, and reached his home ; he did not tell the elder son. He told another person to go and draw him up. They went and threw him a rope ; he fastened it, and told them to draw him up. So they drew him up. And his mother wept. When he had given them the account of their journey, they returned home. When they arrived the elder son had already fled, and it was not known whither he had gone. e of this tale which the Zulu student .makuza tribe. UBONGOPA-KAMAGADHLELA. 221 UBONGOPA-KAMAGADHLELA. The kings child and l Kw’ esukela, inkosi ya tata abafazi abaningi. Wa mita omunye. Kwa zalwa inkomo. Ya ti, “Um- zolwana ku zala Unobani, um- ntwana u ya ’kubekwa kule ’nko- mo.” Ibizo layo Ubongopa-kama- gadAlela. Kwa zalwa umntwana, wa bekwa pezu kwenkomo; wa Alala pezu kwayo, wa lala kona ; ka y embata ingubo ; ukudAla kwa yiswa kona kumntwana. Kwa Aiwa kwa valwa esangweni, abantu ba lala ezindAlini ; um- ntwana wa lala pezu kwenkabi. Kwa sa kusasa wa ti umntwana, “ Bongopa-kamagadAlela, Bongopa-kamagadAlela, U bo vuka ; 64 ku ya vukwa ; U bo vuka ; ku ya vukwa.” ’Eme ke Ubongopa. Wa ti, “ Bongopa-kamagadAlela, Bongopa-kamagadAlela, U bo hamba ; ku ya banjwa ; U bo hamba ; ku ya hanjwa.” Wa hamba wa ya ’kudAia ; za fika edAlelweni lazo, za dAla. Wa ti, “ Bongopa-kamagadAlela, Bongopa-kamagadAlela, U bo buya ; ku ya buy wa ; U bo buya ; ku ya buywa.” 63 The meaning of Ubongopa is not Ubongopa’s father. It is compounded ( with the head, as rams in fighting. Th it is a name implying, When he strikes 64 U bo vuka is a mode of speech c &c. It is equivalent to the Zulu, Sa u r bongopa-kamagadhlela. In the times of long ago, a king took many wives. When one was with child, an ox was born. The king said, “ When So-and-So gives birth, the child shall be placed on this ox.” The name of the ox was Ubongopa-kamagadhle- la . 63 The child was born and put on the ox ; he remained on it, and slept on it ; he did not put on any blanket ; food was taken there to him. When it was dark the gate of the village was closed, and the people went to sleep in the houses ; the child slept on the ox. In the morning the child said, “ Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Awake now ; it is time to awake ; Awake now ; it is time to awake.” Ubongopa stood up. He said, “ Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Set out now ; it is time to set out ; Set out now; it is time to set out.” He went to graze ; the cattle ar- rived at their pasture, and grazed. He said, “ Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Return now ; it is time to re- turn ; Return now; it is time to re- turn.” known. Uma-gadhlela is the name of f Uma and gaahlela , to strike against 3 full form would be Uma-e-gadhlela ; with the head, he conquers. ommon to the Amangwane, Ama/dubi, 222 IZINGANEKWANE. A buye ke ; za buya, za fika ekaya. Wa ti, “ Bongopa-kamagaclAlela, Bongopa-kamagadAlela, IJ bo ngena ; ku ya ngenwa ; U bo ngena ; ku ya ngenwa.” A ngene ke ; za ngena zonke. Kwa fika ukudAla kwake ; wa dAla kona pezulu enkabeni yake. Wa za wa kula, umlilo e nga w azi, ingubo e nga y embati ; e lala kona pezulu, a nga u nyateli um/dabati ; wa za wa ba insizwana. Thieves come to stt Kwa fika amasela ezizwe, a ze ’kuba izinkomo. A vula esangwe- ni, a ngena, e pete izinduku. Be lele abantu, a b’ ezwa. A zi tsbaya izinkomo, a za vuka pansi. Z’ a- puka izinduku zawo a wa zi pete- yo ; ’emuka ebusuku. .» Kwa sa kusasa wa ti, “ V uka, bongopa-kamagad/dela.” Wa vu- ka. Wa ti, “ Hamba u ye ’ku- d/da.” Wa liamba ; za liamba zonke izinkomo. Wa ti, a zi d/de ; za d/da zonke. Za buya emini. Kwa fika ukud/da, wa d/da kona pezulu enkabeni. Wa ti, a zi kambe; za hamba. Wa ti, a zi d/de ; za d/da. Wa ti, a zi buye ; za buya. Kwa Aiwa, kwa valwa esangwe- ni ; ba vala abantu ezind/dini, ba lala ubutongo. A fika amasela, a vela esangweni, e gone izinduku ; a zi tshaya izinkomo ; a za vuka ; z’ apuka izinduku. ’Ernuka ebu- So l\e returned; the cattle went home again. He said, “ Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Enter the pen; it is time to enter ; Enter the pen; it is time to enter.” So he entered, and all the cattle entered. His food was brought ; he ate it on the top of his ox. He lived thus until he grew up, being unacquainted with fire, not having worn any garment, and not having trodden on the ground. At length he was a young man. %l the king's cattle. There came some thieves from another tribe to steal the cattle. They opened the gate and went in, carrying sticks in their hands. The people, being asleep, heard nothing. They beat the cattle; they did not arise ; the sticks which they carried were broken ; and they went away again by night. In the morning he said, “ A- wake, Ubongopa-kamagadhlela. ” He awoke. He said, “Go to graze.” He went ; and all the cattle went. He told them to graze ; and all grazed ; they went home again at noon. His food was brought, and he ate it on the ox. He told them to go, and they went ; he told them to eat, and they ate ; he told them to return, and they returned. In the evening the gateway was closed ; the people shut themselves up in their houses, and slept. The thieves came and opened the gate- way, carrying sticks in their arms ; they beat the cattle *; they did not get up; the sticks broke. They TJBON GOPA-K AMAGADHLEL A. 223 suku. A kuluma e hamba, a ti, “ Lezi ’zinkomo zi nani, uba zi nga viiki ? ” A ti, “ A si gaule izin- duku kakulu.” Kwa sa ngolwesitatu, (a va m boni umuntu o pezulu enkabeni,) wa ti, a zi vuke, zi hambe, zi ye ’kud/da. Wa hamba Ubongopa- kamagad/dela. Za d/d a. Wa ti, a zi buye ; za buya ngolwesitatu. Kw’ eza ukud/da kwake, wa d/da kona pezulu enkabini, kubongopa. Wa ti, a zi hambe, zi ye ’kud/da ; za ya. Wa ti, a zi buye ; za buya, Kwa /dwa, a fika amasela ebusuku, a zi tshaya izinkomo ; a za vuka ; z’ apuka izinduku ; a za vuka izin- komo. A z’ apula imisila, a za vuka. ’Emuka ebusuku. A teta, a ti, “ A si gaule izinyanda ngam- bili, kona ku ya ’kuba kw apuka lezo, si tate ezinye.” A ti, “A ’bonanga si ku bona loku.” Kwa /dwa ngolwesine, a peleke- zela, a beka ekcaleni komuzi. Kwa valwa esangweni, ba lala abantu. A fika ebusuku, a vula, a ngena, a zi tshaya izinkomo, z’ apuka izin- duku, za pela izinyanda ; a puma, a tata ezinye izinyanda, a ngena nazo esibayeni, a zi tshaya izin- komo, z’ apuka izinduku ; ’emuka. Kwa sa kusasa wa ti, a zi ha- mbe zi ye ’kud/da ngolwesiAlanu. Abantu ka ba tsheli ukuba ku fika went away again by night. They conversed as they were going, say- ing, “ What is the matter with these cattle, that they do not get up 1 ?” They said, “Let us cut a great many sticks.” On the morning of the third day, (they did not see a person on the ox,) he told them to get up and go to graze. Ubongopa-ka- magadhlela went; the cattle grazed. He told them to return on the third day. His food was brought ; he ate it on the top of the ox, on Ubongopa. He told them to go and graze ; they went : he told them to return home ; they re- turned. It was dark ; the thieves came by night ; they beat the cattle ; they did not awake ; the sticks broke ; the cattle did not get up. They wrenched their tails ; they did not get up. They went away in the night. They spoke passionately, saying, “ Let us each cut two bundles of sticks, that when one bundle is broken, we may take the other.” They said, “We never saw such a thing as this.” On the night of the fourth day, they brought the bundles by going and returning twice, and placed them outside the village. The gateway was shut, and the people slept. The thieves came by night ; they opened the gate and went in ; they beat the cattle ; their sticks broke ; the first bundles were used ; they went and took the others, and went with them into the kraal ; they beat the cattle ; the sticks broke ; and the tliieves went away. In the morning he told the cattle to go and graze on the fifth day. He did not tell the people E E 224 IZIXGANEKWANE. amasela ebusuku, a ze ’kuba izin- komo, ku be indaba yake a zazele. Za hamba; wa ti, a zi d/de, za dAla. Wa ti, a zi buye, za buya, za fika ekaya. Kw’ eza ukud/da, wa d/da. Ba kuluma, uyise wa ti, “ Mntanami, u tukutele, izin- komo u ya zi tshaya kakulu imi- vinibo.” Ba bona nkuba zi vuvu- kile, zi tsbaywe ngamasela ebu- suku ; ba ti zi tsliaywe u yena. that thieves came by night to steal the cattle ; it was a matter known only to himself. They went ; he told them to graze, and they grazed ; he told them to re turn, and they returned home. His food was brought, and he ate. The people talked ; his father said, “ My child, you are passionate ; you have beaten the cattle with many stripes.” They saw that they were swollen, having been beaten by the thieves by night ; and thought he had beaten them. They detect the king's son. Kwa Aiwa a fika ebusuku, a vula esangweni, a ngena, a zi tshaya izinkomo, a za vuka ; z’ a- puka izinduku, za sala ngazinye. Wa m bona omunye emaseleni, wa ti, “ Nang’ umuntu ow’ engaba nezinkomo.” Ba ti, “ Kuluma.” Wa kuluma, wa ti, “ Bongopa-kamagad/dela, Bongopa-kamagad/dela, U bo vuka ; ku ya vukwa ; U bo vuka ; ku ya vukwa ; Ku boni uba si ya bulawa Amasela awezizwe 'l ” Wa vuka Ubongopa-kamagadAlela, w’ ema. Wa ti, M Bongopa-kamagad/dela, Bongopa-kamagad/dela, TJ bo hamba ; ku ya hanj wa ; U bo hamba ; ku ya hanj wa ; Ku boni uba si ya bulawa Amasela awezizwe ? ” Wa hamba, za hamba. Kwa pu- ma amankonyana eziud/dini, a zikulula ezisingeni ; a vula em- The next night the thieves came again; they opened the gateway and went in ; they beat the cattle, they did not awake ; their sticks broke, each man had but one left. One of the thieves saw him, and said, “ There is the fellow who re- fuses to allow the cattle to move.” They said to him, “ Speak.” He spoke and said, “ XJbongopa-kamagadhlela, Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Awake now ; it is time to awake ; Awake now ; it is time to awake ; Do you not see we are killed By thieves of another tribe ? ” Ubongopa - kamagadhlela awoke and stood up. He said, “ Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Go now ; it is time to go ; Go now ; it is time to go ; Do you not see we are killed By thieves of another tribe ? ” Ubongopa went, and all the cattle. The calves came out of the house ; they freed themselves from the cords by which they were tied ; they opened the door, and followed UBONCOPA-KAMAGADIILELA. 225 nyango, a landela aonina. Ba lele abantu. Z’ ema esangweni. Ba ti, “ Kuluma, mfana. Sa ku gwaza.” Wa ti, “ Ni nge ngi gwaze.” Wa ti, “ Bongopa-kamagad/dela, Bongopa-kam agadAlela, U bo hamba ; ku ya banjwa ; U bo hamba ; ku ya hanjwa ; Ku boni uba si ya bulawa Amasela awezizwe 1 ” Wa hamba TJ bongopa-kamaga- d/dela. their mothers. The people were asleep. They stood still at the gateway. The thieves said, “ Speak, boy. You are stabbed.” 65 He replied, “You cannot stab me,” and said, “ TJbongopa-kamagadhlela, Ubongopa-kamagadklela, Go now ; it is time to go ; Go now ; it is time to go ; Do you not see we are killed By thieves of another tribe 1 ” TJbongopa-kamagadhlela went. The king and people are alarmed at his absence. Wa puma umuntu kulowo 'mu- zi lapa izinkomo zi puma kuwo, wa ti, “ Inkosi i tombile, izinkomo i zi vuse ebusuku.” Wa memeza uyise, wa ti, “A ku pekwe uku- d/da, inkosi i tombile, uyise kabo- ngopa.” Kwa pekwa ukud/da isizwe sonke sikayise. L’ emuka ilanga, la tshona, kwa Aiwa. Kwa funwa, kwa kalwa, kwa tiwa, “ TJmntwana u d/diwe ini ebusuku na? Wa hamba nezinkomo na- mankonyana ezincl/dini.” A man of the village from which the cattle had been driven went out of the house ; he said, “ The king is of age, 66 for he has aroused the cattle by night.” He called his father ; he said, “ Let food be cooked ; the king, the father of TJbongopa, 67 is of age.” The whole tribe of his father made beer. The sun declined, it set, it became dark. The people looked for him, and cried, saying, “ What has devoured the child during the night 1 He set out with the cattle and the calves from the houses.” The boy tries the thieved patience. Ekuhambeni kwabo wa ti um- fana, “ Bongopa-kamagad/dela, Bongopa-kamagad/dela, U bo ma ; kn y’ emiwa ; U bo ma ; ku y’ emiwa ; As they went the boy said, “ TJbongopa-kamagadhlela, TJbongopa-kamagadhlela, Stand’ still now ; it is time to stand still ; Stand still now; it is time to stand still ; 65 Sa ku gwaza . — Aorist used inter jectionally. “We stabbed you ! ” that is, you are as good as stabbed ; you are a dead man. G3 “ The king is of age.” — When a youth comes to maturity, he drives the cattle out of the pen to a distance from his home, and does not return till noon. Here, as in some other tales, the prince royal is called king. But it is not now the custom to do so among the Zulus. He is called the father of Ubongopa, probably because he was in an especial manner his owner. 226 IZINGANEKWANE. Ku boni uba si ya bulawa Amasela awezizwe ? ” Z' ema. A ti, “ Kuluma. Sa ku gwaza.” Wa ti, “ Ni nge ngi gwaze.” A ti, “ U ini?” Wa ti, “ A ngi si Tuto.” A ti, “ U gabe ngani ? U tsho ngokuba w’ engaba nezinkomo zenkosi, sa za sa felwa inyanga ngawe?” Wa ti, “ Bongopa-kamagadAlela, Bongopa-kamagad/dela, TJ bo hamba ; ku ya hanjwa ; TJ bo hamba ; ku ya lianjwa ; Ku boni uba si ya bulawa Amasela awezizwe ? ” Za hamba ke. They reach the king , who Kwa tunywa elinye isela ; la fika enkosini, la ti, “Si zi dAlile izinkomo, zi nomlingo, zi lala umuntu 69 pezulu kweukabi, kubo- ngopa-kamagad/dela.” Kwa tiwa, “ Buyela, u ti, A zi tshetshe, zi tike kimina.” Za hamba ngamand/da, za vela okalweni. La ti, “ Nanzo ; zi nomfana pezulu enkabeni em /do- pe ; u nomlingo, u ti, a zi me, zi me.” Ya ti inkosi, “ U ya ’kufika nazo, i Alatshwe inkomo leyo, a gabe ngayo. Loku ka lali pansi, u ya ’ulala.” Za fika engud/deni, z’ ema. Ya ti inkosi, “ A zi ha- mbe.” Ba ti, “ Z’ ala nomfana, zi 63 “What are you ? ” — An enquiry to learn what his power really is. TI reply, “ I am nothing,” is striking. 69 This idiom is worth noting ; it The country was destroyed by famine. 1 The house is light by the stars, that is, Do you not see we are killed By thieves of another tribe ? ” They stood still. They said, “ Speak. You are stabbed.” He said, “ You cannot stab me.” They said, “ What are you ? ” 68 He re- plied, “ I am nothing.” They said, “ What do you boast of? Do you so speak because you would not let us take the chief’s cattle, until we lost a whole month through you?” He said, “ Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Ubo ngopa-kamagad hlela, Go now ; it is time to go ; Go now ; it is time to go ; Do you not see we are killed By thieves of another tribe ? ” So they went. boasts of what he will do. One thief was sent forward. When he came to the chief, he said, “We have lifted some cattle, they are under magical power ; there is a man that lies on an ox, on Ubongopa-kamagadhlela.” The chief told him to return and tell them to hasten with the cattle to him. They travelled rapidly ; they appeared on a ridge ; the thief said, “ There they are ; there is a boy on a white ox ; he has magical power ; he tells them to halt, and they halt.” The chief said, “When he comes, the ox, by which he practises his magic, shall be killed. And although he does not rest on the ground, he shall be made to rest on it.” They came to the open space in front of the village, and halted. The chief told them to go on. The men replied, “ The boy will not permit them; they expressive of contempt. They have yet Le dry irony of conscious power in the s the same as, “ Izwe la fa indftlala,” )r below, ‘ ‘ IndMu i kanya izinkanyezi, ” starlight enters by holes in the roof. UBONGOPA-KAMAGADHLELA. 227 vnma okwake.” Ya ti, “ Ka ku- lume.” Wa ti, “ Bongopa-kamagadAlela, Bongopa- kamagad Alela, U bo liamba ; ku ya hanjwa ; U bo liamba ; ku ya hanjwa ; Ku boni uba si ya bulawa Amasela awezizwe 1 ” "VYa hamba ke, za liamba. Wa ti, “ Bongopa-kamagadAlela, Bongopa-kamagaclAlela, U bo ngena ; ku ya ngenwa ; U bo ngena ; ku ya ngenwa \ Ku boni uba si ya bulawa Amasela awezizwe ? ” Wa ngena ke esibayeni. The boy descends , Ba ti, “Ye/dika, mfana.” Wa ti, “ Ka ng’ eAli, a ngi nyateli pansi, ngi lala enkonieni. Lo nga zalwa a ngi w azi umAlabati.” Ya ti inkosi, “ Ye Alika.” Wa ti, “A ng’ azi.” Ya ti, “Kuluma, mfa- na.” Wa ti, “ Bongopa-kamagadAlela, Bongopa-kamagadAlela, A ng’ eAle ; ku y’ eAlwa ; A ng’ eAle ; ku y’ eAlwa ; Ku boni uba si ya bulawa Amasela awezizwe ? ” W’ eAla pansi. Ba ti, “ Hamba, u ye endAlini.” Wa ti, “A ng’ a- zi endAlini.” Ba ti, “ Hamba, u ye endAlini.” Wati, “A ngi yi.” Ba ti, “ U nani ? ” Ba mu sa endAlini yomuntu ofileyo, e se ya move at his word.” He com- manded him to speak. He said, “ Ubongopa-kamagadlilela, Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Go now ; it is time to go ; Go now ; it is time to go ; Do you not see we are killed By thieves of another tribe ? ” Ubongopa went on, and the cattle too went on. He said, “ Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Go into the pen now; it is time for going in ; Go into the pen now ; it is time for going in ; Do you not see we are killed By thieves of another tribe?” So he went into the pen. and enters a liut. They said, “ Come down, boy.” He replied, “I do not get off ; I do not walk on the ground ; I remain on the ox ; from the time of my birth I have never felt the ground.” The chief said, “ Come down.” He said, “ I cannot.” He said, “ Speak, boy.” He said, “ Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Let me get down ; it is time for getting down ; Let me get down ; it is time for getting down ; Do you not see we are killed By thieves of another tribe % ” He got down. They told him to go into the house. He said, “ I cannot live in a house.” They said, “ Go into the house.” He said, “I do not go.” They said, “ What is the matter with you % ” They took him to the house of a man who was dead, which was 228 IZINGANEKWANE. gid/dika, e s’ i kanya izinkanyezi. Ba ti, “ Ngena.” Wa ngena end/dini. Wa piwa ukud/da. Yv 7 a ti, “A ngi kw azi ukud/da kwapansi.” Ba ti, “ U ini ? ” Kw’ ernuka ukud/da. already falling into ruins, and the stars could be seen through its roof. They told him to go in. He went into the house. They gave him food. He said, “I do not understand food which is eaten on the ground.” They said, “ What are you? ” The food was taken away. He raises a storm , which affects every one but himself. Wa pimisa amate ; a bila, a ti, “ Nkosi, wena wapakati, wen’ um- nyama, o ngangezintaba.” A gcwala ind/du. La duma izuiu, la na kakulu ; kwa neta izind/du zonke nezi nga neti. Ba memeza abantu, ba ti, “ Inkosi i ya neta.” Ya ti inkosi, “Umfana u se file, loku ku nje kimina, lo ngi nga w azi amatonsi.” Ya ti, “ Umfana, loku e /dezi pand/de, ka se ko ; u se file.” La sa izuiu. Kwa tu- nywa abantu, kwa tiwa, “ A ba ye ’kubheka kuye.” Ba fika, kw o- mile. Ba ti, “ Ku ngani ukuba kw ome kumfana % Ng’ umfana o nemilingo. Sa vela, sa bona.. In- komo a i /datshwe yake, si bone ukuba ku ya ’kwenzeka lena imi- kuba e si i bonayo namu/da.” He spat ; the spittle boiled up and said, “ Chief, thou child of the greatest , 70 thou mysterious 71 one who art as big as the mountains.” It filled the house. It thundered and rained exceedingly ; all the houses leaked, even those which had never leaked before. The people shouted, saying, “ The chief is wet.” The chief said, “The boy is already dead, since I am in this state, for I never saw a drop enter my house before.” He said, “ Since the boy was sitting outside, he no longer lives; he is dead.” The heaven cleared. Some men were sent to go and see after him. When they arrived at his house, it was dry. They said, “ How is it that it is dry in the boy’s house % He is a boy possessed of magical powers. We saw that at the first. Let his ox be killed, that we may see if these tricks will then be done which we now witness .” 72 They hill Ubongopa , but injure themselves. Kwa bizwa abantu bonke, kwa tatwa umkonto, kwa ngena 11a wo esibayeni ; kwa bizwa umfana, ba ti, “Inkoino a i /datshwe.” Wa ti, “ Ngi ya ’kufa na?a ku file lena All the people were summoned. A man took an assagai and entered the cattle-pen. The boy was call- ed ; they said to him, “ Let the ox be killed.” He replied, “I shall die if that ox dies.” They said, 70 Wena wapakati , lit. , child or man of the centre or innermost circle. 71 Umnyama, Dark one, that is, one on whom we cannot look, fearful one, mysterious one. 72 Compare this Ox with the Dun Bull in “ Katie Woodencloak.” ( Dasent . Popular Tales from the Norse , p. 41 1.) And with the Horse Dapplegrim ( Dasent , p. 313 ), or the Horse Grimsbork. (Thorpe's Yule-tide Stories, p. 253 .) UBONGOPA-KAMAGADHLELA. 229 inkomo.” Ba ti, “TJ ini?” La nikwa elinye isela umkonto, la i /daba ngomkonto, wa ngena ese- leni. Ba ti, “ Kuluma, mfana, inkomo i fe.” Wa ti, “ Bongopa-kamagad/dela, Bongopa-kamagad/dela, U bo fana ; ku ya fiwa ; TJ bo fana ; ku ya fiwa ; Ku boni uba si ya bulawa Amasela awezizwe h ” Wa ngena umkonto kubongopa. Wa wa pansi. Kwa tatwa izi- ngindi zoku m /dinza. Way ata umuntu ; wa zi/daba yena. Ba ti, “ Kuluma, mfana, Sa ku gwaza.” Wa kuluma, wa ti, “ Bongopa-kamagad/dela, Bongopa-kamagad/dela, U bo /dinzwa ; ku ya /dinzwa ; U bo /dinzwa ; ku ya /dinzwa ; Ku boni uba si ya bulawa Amasela awezizwe ? ” Ba i /dinza ; ya pela. They go to bathe , to wash away A ti amadoda, “ Basa ni umlilo kakulu.” A ti amasela, “ Ak’ i yekwe ukwosiwa. Ke ku gezwe imizimba, ku kutshwe um/dola. Lena inkomo i nemilingo ; zonke izenzo ezi kuyona ezinye.” Kwa pela, ba i li^uma itshoba ; wa zi- n q uma umuntu. Ba ti, “ Kuluma, mfana. Sa ku gwaza.” Wa ti, “ Bongopa-kamagad/dela, Bongopa-kamagad/dela, U bo n^unywa ; ku ya ngu- nywa ; TJ bo ngunywa ; ku ya ngu- ny wa ; “ What are you V They gave one of the thieves the assagai ; he stabbed at the ox with the assagai ; but it pierced the thief. They said, “ Speak, boy, that the ox may die.” He said, “ TJbongopa-kamagadhlela, TJbongopa-kamagadhlela, Die now ; it is time to die ; Die now ; it is time to die ; Do you not see we are killed By thieves of another tribe 1 ” The assagai pierced TJbongopa ; he fell down. They took knives to skin him. A man divided the skin ; he cut himself. They said, “ Speak, boy. You are as good as stabbed.” He said, “ TJbongopa-kamagadhlela, TJbongopa-kamagadhlela, Be skinned now ; it is time to be skinned ; Be skinned now ; it is time to be skinned ; Do you not see we are killed By thieves of another tribe h ” They accomplished the skinning.. the evil influence of TJbongopa . The men said, “Light a large fire.” The thieves said, “ Let us just omit for a time to roast the ox ; let us first wash our bodies tO' get rid of the bad omen. This bullock had magical properties ; all matters connected with it differ from those of other cattle. At last they cut off the end of the tail ; a man cut himself. They said, “Speak, boy. You are as good as stabbed.” He said, “ TJbongopa-kamagadhlela, TJbongopa-kamagadhlela, Let your tail be cut off ; it is time to have it cut off ; Let your tail be cut off; it is time to have it cut off ; 230 IZIKGANEKWANE. Ku boni uba si ya bulawa Amasela awezizwe 1 ” Ba tabata izimbiza zobtlbende, ba kelela, ba tela ezimbizeni ; ya Alakazwa izito ; ya panyekwa esi- bayeni ; ba sika abafana, ba zibe- kela eyabo, Inkosi ya biz’ abantu, ya ti, “ Hamba ni, ni ye ’kugeza, ancle ni buye, ni i d/de. ” Ba bamba abantu bonke. Do you not see we are killed By thieves of another tribe 1 ” They took the vessels for the blood, they dipped out from the carcase, and poured it into the vessels ; they cut off the limbs, and hung up the bullock in the cattle kraal ; the boys cut off slices, and went and set them aside for themselves. The chief called the people, and said, “ Go and bathe, and eat it after you come back.” All the people went. The boy brings Ubongopa to life again , and leaves the village. Wa sala umfana, wa tabata isi- kumba, wa s’ end/dala, wa beka in/doko ; wa tabata izimbambo, wa zi beka; wa tabata olunye u/da- ngoti, wa lu beka ; wa tabata um- kono, wa u beka endaweni yawo ; wa tabata umlenze, wa u beka endaweni yawo ; wa tabata ama- tumbu, wa wa beka endaweni yawo ; wa tabata isibindi, wa si beka endaweni yaso ; wa tabata ipapu, wa li beka endaweni yalo ; wa beka ulusu, wa wola umswani, wa u tela eluswini ; wa tabata itshoba, wa li beka endaweni yalo ; wa tabata ububende, wa bu tela endaweni yabo ; w’ embesa ngesi- kumba, wa ti, “ Bongopa-kamagadAlela, Bongopa-kamagad/dela, U bo vuka ; ku ya vukwa ; U bo vuka ; ku ya vukwa ; Ku boni uba si ya bulawa Amasela awezizwe % ” Wa buya umpefumulo wayo, wa ngena kuyona, ya bheka. Wa ti, “ Bongopa-kamagad/dela, Bongopa-kamagad/dela, U bo ma ; ku f emiwa ; When they were gone, the boy took the skin, and spread it on the ground ; he placed the head on it, he took the ribs and put them in their place ; he took one side, and placed it in its place ; he took a shoulder, and put it in its place ; he took a leg, and put it in its place ; he Took the intestines, and put them in their place ; he took the liver, and put it in its place ; he took the lungs, and put them in their place ; he placed the paunch in its place ; he took the contents of the paunch, and returned them to their place ; he took the tail, and put it in its place ; he took the blood, and poured it into its place ; he wrapped all up with the skin, and said, “ Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Arise now ; it is time to arise ; Arise now ; it is time- to arise ; Do you not see we are killed By thieves of another tribe 'l ” His breath came back again and entered into him ; he looked up. The boy said, “ Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Stand up now ; it is time to stand ; UBONGOPA-KAMAGADHLELA. 231 U bo ma j ku y’ emiwa ; Ku boni uba si ya bulawa Amasela awezizwe 1 ” W’ ema ke. Wa ti, “ Bongopa-kamagad/dela, Boiigopa-kamagadAlela, A ngi kwele ; ku ya kwelwa ; A ngi kwele ; ku ya kwelwa ; Ku boni uba si ya bulawa Amasela awezizwe 1 ” Wa kwela pezu kwayo. Wa ti, “ Bongopa-kamagad/dela, Bon gopa-kamagad/ilela, U bo hamba ; ku ya hanjwa ; U bo hamba : ku ya hanjwa ; Ku boni uba si ya bulawa Amasela awezizwe h ” Wa hamba Ubongopa. Za hamba izind/du, namasimu, nesibaya, zo- nke izinto zalowo ’muzi ! Stand up now ; it is time to stand ; Do you not see we are killed By thieves of another tribe ? ” So he stood up. 73 The boy said, “ Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Let me mount; it is time to mount ; Let me mount; it is time to mount ; Do you not see we are killed By thieves of another tribe 1 ” He mounted the ox, and said, “ Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Go now ; it is time to go ; Go now ; it is time to go ; Do you not see we are killed By thieves of another tribe 1 ” Ubongopa set out. And the houses and gardens, and cattle pen, and all the things of that village, followed him ! They 'pursue him. Ba kupuka abantu emfuleni, wa ti omunye, “ Bantu, bona ni um- /ilola. Izwe li ya hamba lonke.” The men went up from the river. One exclaimed, “ See, ye men, a prodigy ! The whole country is going ! ” The chief 73 Thor in one of his journeys, accompanied by Loki, rode in a car drawn by two he-goats. At night they put up at a peasant’s cottage ; Thor killed his goats, flayed them, and boiled the flesh for the evening repast of himself and the peasant’s family. The bones were all placed in the spread-out skins. At dawn of day Thor ‘‘took his mallet Mjolnir, and, lifting it up, consecrated the goats’ skins, which he had no sooner done, than the two goats re-assumed their wonted form.” (Mallet. Op. cit., p. 436.^ “In the palace of Odin” the heroes feed on the flesh of the boar Saihrimnir, “ which is served up every day at table, and every day it is renewed again entire.” (Id., p. 105 . ) See also “ The Sharp Grey Sheep,” which, when it was about to be killed for its kind- ness to the princess, said to her, “ They are going to kill me, but steal thou my skin, and gather my bones and roll them in my skin, and I will come alive again, and I will come to you again.” ( Campbell. Op. cit. Vol. II., p. 287 .J — Comp, also “ Katie Woodencloak.” (Dasent. Op. cit., p. 420 . ) We may also compare the story of Ananzi, who having eaten a baboon, “ the bits joined themselves together in his stomach, and began to pull him about so much that he had no rest, and was obliged to go to a doctor.” The doctor tempted the baboon to quit his victim by holding a banana to Ananzi’s mouth. ( Dasent. Popular Tales from the Norse, p. 502 . ) Compare the howling of the dog in the belly of Toi. (Grey. Op. cit., p. 124.,) F F 232 IZINGANEKWANE. Ya mema inkosi isizwe sonke, ya ti, “ Mu landele ni umfana, a bu- lawe.” Wa hamba kakulu ; wa b’ ezwa ukuba se be seduze, wa ti, “ Bongopa-kamagadZdela, Bongopa-kamagadAlela, A u me ; ku y’ emiwa ; A u me ; ku y’ emiwa ; Ku boni uba si ya bulawa Amasela awezizwe ? ” Z’ ema inkomo. Ba m memeza, ba ti, “ Mana kona lapo, si ku bulale. Kade w r enza imikuba.” Ba ti, “ Ye/da, si ku bulale.” W’ eAlela pansi. Ba ti, “ Suka enkomeni, imikonto i nga zi 7dabi.” Ba i ponsa imikonto, a ya ze ya ya kuye, ya Alaba pansi. Wa ba Tdeka, e ti, “ Ini, ni ’madoda, ni baningi, imikonto i nga ze ya fika kumi, i Zdabe pansi na 1 ” La ba 7deka elinye ibuto, la ti, “ Ini ukuba n’ a7dulwe umfana, ni lo ni 7dabe pansi, imikonto i nga ze ya fika kuyena na 1 ” Ba tela abanye. Wa ti, “Ngi pe nini narni um- konto, ngi gwaze kini.” B’ ala, ba ti, “A si k’ a7duleki.” Ba m ponsa ngemikonto ; ya 7daba pa- nsi. Ba i kcotsha, ba i ponsa kuye ; a ya 7daba kuye. Ba ti, “ S’ a7dulekile : a kw enze nawe.” summoned the whole tribe, and said, “ Follow the boy, and let him be killed.” He went rapidly ; but when he heard that they were near him, he said, “ TTbongopa-kamagadhlela, Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Stand still now ; it is the time for standing still ; Stand still now ; it is the time for standing still ; Do you not see we are killed By thieves of another tribe ? ” The cattle stood still. They shouted to him, saying, “ Stand still in that very place, that we may kill you. For a long time you have practised magic.” They said, “ Come down, that we may kill you.” He descended to the ground. They told him to stand apart from the cattle, that the assagais might not pierce them. They hurled their assagais ; they did not reach him, but struck the ground. 74 He jeered them, saying, “ Why what is this, you being men and so many too, the assagais do not reach me, but strike the ground 1 ” One of the sol- diers, laughing at them, said, “ Why are you worsted by a boy, for the assagais strike the ground, and do not reach him ? ” Some gave in. He said, “ Give me too an assagai, that I may make a stab at you.” They refused, and said, “We are not yet worsted.” They hurled their assagais at him ; they struck the ground. They picked them up, and hurled them at him ; they did not strike him. They said, “We are worsted : do you try also.” 74 Compare this with the contest of Ulysses with the suitors of Penelope : ‘ ‘ Then all at once their mingled lances threw And thirsty all of one man’s blood they flew ; In vain ! Minerva turned them with her breath, And scatter’d short, or wide, the points of death ! With deaden’d sound one on the threshold falls, One strikes the gate, one rings against the walls : The storm pass’d innocent.” (Pope’s Odyssey , b. xxii. 1. 280 . ) UBOXGOPA-KAMAGADHLELA. 233 The boy hills the chief, Ba m nika imikonto eminingi ; wa y ala, wa kcela omunye. Ba m nika wa ba mimye. Wa ti, “ Ngi kcibe kiiiina ? ” Ba Aleka. Wa pimisela amate pansi, a bila, a ti, “ Nkosi, bayeti, wena o ngange- zintaba.” Wa ti, “ Ngi Alabe mina kinina ? ” Ba /deka, ba ti, “ Yenza, si bone.” Wa u ponsa enkosini yakona. Ba fa bonke. lie restores the Wa tabata uti lwomkonto, wa tshaya enkosini yakona ; ya vnka, ba vnka bonke. Ba m memeza, ba ti, “ Mana kona lapo, si ku gwaze.” Wa ba Aleka, wa ti, “ Kade ni pi ? ” Ba ti, “Si ya fika.” Wa ti, “Beni file.” Ba pika, ba ti, “ Li gcine ilanga.” Ba i ponsa imikonto eminingi kuye ; ya Alaba pansi. Ba ponsa abanye imikonto eminingi ; ya Alaba pa- nsi. Ba i kcotsha, ba i ponsa emi- ningi ; ya Alaba pansi. A ba Aleka amadoda, a ti, “ Nika ni tina, si m bulale.” A i ponsa imikonto emi- ningi ; ya Alaba pansi. A i kco- tsha amadoda. The chief tries in Ya ti inkosi, “ Gwed/dela ni mina, ngi m gwaze.” Ya u ponsa inkosi umkonto ; w’ ema pansi. Ya ti, “ Ng’ aAlulekile, mfana. Ake w enze, si bone.” Wa ti, “ Ngi pe ni umkonto, ngi Alabe nami.” Ba m nika imikonto emi- 75 Lit., End the sun, — that is, take day you have to live. and all his people die. They offered him many assagais ; he refused them, and asked for one only. They gave him one. He said, “ May I fling at you ? ” They laughed. He spat on the ground ; the spittle fizzed, it said, “ Chief, all hail, thou who art as big as the mountains.” He said, “ May I stab you?” They laughed and said, “ Do so, that we may see.” He hurled the assagai at their chief. They all fell down dead. n to life again. He took the haft of the assagai and smote their chief ; he arose, and they all arose with him. They shouted to him, saying, “Stand where you are, that we may stab you.” He laughed at them, and said, “Where have you already been ? ” They said, “We are just come.” He said, “ You were all dead.” They said, “ Bid the sun farewell .” 76 Others hurled many assagais at him; they struck the ground. They picked them up, and again hurled many of them at him ; they struck the ground. The men laughed at them, and said, “ Give us the assagais, that we may kill him.” They hurled many assagais ; they struck the ground. The men picked them up. min to kill the boy. The chief said, “ Get out of the way for me, that I may stab him.” The chief hurled an assagai ; it stuck in the ground. He said, “ I am conquered, boy. Do you just tiy, that we may see.” He said, “ Give me an assagai, that I too may hurl it.” They offered him a last view of the sun, — this is the last 234 IZINGANEKWANE. ningi. Wa y ala, wa ti, “Ngi tanda munye.” Ba m nika. Wa pimisela am ate pansi ; a ti, “ Nko- si, bayeti, wen’ umnyama, wena wapakati.” Wa ti, “ Ngi Alabe kinina ? ” Ba m Aleka, ba ti, “ Yenza, si bone.” Wa u ponsa nmkonto, wa Alaba enkosini ya- kona. Ya fa, nabo bonke abantu. many assagais. He refused them, and said, “ I wish for one.” They gave him one. He spat on the ground ; the spittle said, “ Chief, all hail ! thou mysterious one, thou child of the greatest.” He said, “ May I stab you V They laugh- ed and said, “ Do it, that we may see.” He hurled the assagai ; he struck their chief. He died, to- gether with all his people. He brings the people to life again , and leaves the chief dead. Wa tabata umkonto, wa tshaya kubantu. Ba vuka abantu, ya sala inkosi. Ba ti, “ Se si ng’ aba- ko. Se si za ’uhamba nawe.” He took an assagai and smote the people. The people arose, the chief remained still dead. They said, “We are now your people. We will now go with you .” 76 They are attached on their journey by a/nother tribe. Ba dAlula kwesiny’ isizwe. Ba Alaba umkosi, ba ti, “ Bulala ni. Natiku ’muntu ’emuka nabantu.” Ya ba biza inkosi, ya ti, “A ba bulawe.” Ba ya kubo, ba ti, “YeAlika.” Wa ti, “Anginya- teli pansi.” A ba tshela amasela, They passed through another tribe. The people gave an alarm, and shouted, “ Go and kill. There is a man going away with people.” The chief called them, and ordered them to be killed. They went to them. They told him to come down from the ox. He replied, “ I do not walk on the ground.” The thieves told them, saying, 76 We would refer the reader to the following similar instances : — In Campbell’s Highland Tales we read the account of the Bed Knight, who meets his foster brethren, who were “holding battle against MacDorcha Mac- Doilleir, and a hundred of his people ; and every one they killed on one day was alive again on the morrow.” This was effected by a “great toothy carlin,” who had “ a tooth that was larger than a staff on her fist.” “ She put her fin- ger in their mouths, and brought them to life.” (Vol. II., p. 446 — 448 . ) In the tale of “The Widow and her Daughters,” when the two eldest had been beheaded, the youngest “ drew over them the magic club,” and they “ became lively and whole as they were before.” (Id. Vol. II., p. 269 . ) See Grimm’s Home Stories, “The Three Magical Leaves,” p. 73. — “ The Widow’s Son ” Jain is killed three times and brought to life again. ( Campbell. Op. cit. Vol. II., p. 295.,) Bata by repeating a * ‘ potent incantation ” restores sixty of his warriors which had been slain to life again. ( Grey. Op. cit., p. 116.,) A spirit in the form of a flag found the place where Hatupatu was buried, and raised him to life again by enchantments. ( Id., p. 185.,) When the prince who had been transformed into a cat was disenchanted by having his head cut off, a large heap of bones also received life, and became a large body of courtiers, knights, and pages. ( Thorpe's Yule-tide Stories, p. 75.) The youth raises the father of the princess and her other relations by touching each of them with the hilt of the magical sword. (Id., p. 167.,) UBONGOPA-KAMAGADHLELA. 235 a ti, “ Wa si bulala nati.” Ba ti, “ Tina, ka z’ ’u s’ aAlula.” Ba m ponsa imikonto ; ya Alaba pansi. Ba i wola, ba i ponsa ; ya Alaba pansi. La ba Aleka elinye ibuto, la ti, “ GwedAlela ni tina, si Alabe.” Ba i ponsa imikonto ; ya Alaba pansi. Ba i wola. Ya ti inkosi, “ Ngi nike ni miiia, ngi m bulale.” Ba ti abantu, “ Si ya ’u ku babaza u m bulele.” Ya ti, “ Mina ngi namandAla kakulu.” Ya ponsa, y’ aAluleka. “ He killed us.” They said, “ But us he will not conquer.” They hurled assagais at him ; they struck the ground. One of the soldiers laughed at them, and said, “ Make way for us, that we may stab him.” They hurled their assagais ; they struck the ground. They collected them. The chief said, “ Hand them to me, that I may kill him.” The people said, “We will praise you when you have killed him.” He said, “ I am very strong.” He hurled the assagais ; he was unable to kill him. They try in vain to kill the hoy ; he kills the chief, and leads off the people. Ya ti, “ Yenza, mfana, ngi bo- ne.” Wa ti, “Ngi pe ni um- konto.” Wa pimisa amate ; a Alala pansi, a bila, a ti, “ Bayeti, nkosi, wena wapakati.” Ba m nika imikonto ; wa y ala ; wa tata wa ba munye ; wa ti, “ Ngi Alabe kinina h ” Wa u ponsa enkosini yakona. Ba fa bonke. Wa u tata umkonto, wa tshaya enkosini yakona ; ya vuka ; ba vuka bonke. Wa ti, “ Ni sa buyela ini ki- mina V Ba ti, “ Tina, si sa pinda kuwe.” Ba i ponsa imikonto, ya Alaba pansi. Ba i wola, ba i ponsa, imikonto ya Alaba pansi. Wa kcela umkonto, wa ti, “ N’ a- /dulekile 1 ?” Bati, “Yebo.” Bam nika umkonto wa ba munye. Wa Alaba enkosini, ba fa bonke. Wa tabata umkonto, wa tshaya ku- muntu munye ; ba vuka bonke ; ya sala inkosi i file. Ba ti, “ Se si ng’ abako.” He said, “ Do you try, boy, that I may see.” He said, “ Give me an assagai.” He spat ; the spittle remained on the ground and fizzed, and said, “ Hail, chief, thou child of the greatest.” They gave him assagais ; he refused them, and took but one ; he said, “ May I hurl at you % ” He threw the assagai at their chief. They all died. He took the assagai, and smote their chief; he arose, and all rose with him. He said, “ Will you yet again attack me % ” They said, “ For our part, we will still make another trial on you.” They hurled the assagais ; they struck the ground. They collected them, and threw 1 them ; they struck the ground. He asked for an assagai, and said, “ Are you conquered ? ” They said, “We are.” They gave him an assagai : he stabbed the chief ; they all died. He took the assagai and struck one man ; they all arose ; the chief remained dead. They said, “We are now your people.” 236 IZINGANEKWANE. He sends messengers to his father. Wa tuma abantu, wa ti, A ba ye kuyise, ba ti, “ Ku y’ eza XJbo- ngopa-kamagad/dela.” Wa kala nyise, wa ti, “ Ni m bone pi na? ” Ba ti, “ U ba kgedile abantu.” Ba ti, “ U kguba izinkomo ezi- ningi.” Wa tuma uyise abantu, wa ti, a ba buyele einuva. Ba fika, ba m tsbela, ba ti, “ Uyi/do u pikile.” Kwa kcatshunywa izin- komo, za bekwa inkomo e nom- bala ; wa ti, kona uyise e ya ’ku m bona ngayo yakona lapo ekaya. He sent some men to bis father to tell him that Ubongopa-kama- gadhlela was coming. His father cried, saying, “ Where did you see him % ” They said, “ He has killed many people' and is coming with many cattle.” His father told the men to go back again. On their arrival they told him his father refused to believe them. A few cattle were selected, and one bul- lock of a peculiar colour was placed among them. For he said his father would see that he was still living by that bullock which be- longed to his village. The nation prepares to receive him with joy. Uyise wa memezela isizwe, wa ti, “ A ku gay we ukud/da.” Wa ti, “ Inkosi i ya buya.” Ba fika abantu, ba ti, “ Kg’ amanga.” Wa ti, “ Hamba ni, ni ze ’ku i bona inkomo yalapa ekaya.” Ba i bona abantu, ba ti, “ Amak^iniso.” Ba ti, “ A ku funwe intombi, a fike se i Alezi.” Kwa funwa intombi kabungani 77 kamakulukulu. His father summoned the nation, and commanded them to make beer. He said, “ The chief is coming back.” The people said it could not be true. He said, “ Go and look at the bullock belonging to our village, which has come back.” The people saw it, and said, “ It is the truth.” They said, “ Let a damsel be found, that on his arrival he may find her already here.” They sought for a daughter of Ubungani, the son of Umakulukulu. lie returns to his home, and refuses to change his mode of life. Ba hamba, ba vela okalweni, ba ti, “ UyiAlo u ti, ‘ Tshetsha.’ ” Ba hamba abantu nezinkomo kakulu. Ba vela okalweni ngasekaya. Ba m beka pambili Ubongopa- kamagadAlela. Za hamba kakulu, za fika esangweni. Ba puma aba- ntu, ba buka. Wa jabula uyise nonina. Wa ti, Those who were sent by his father reached the top of a hill, and said, “ Your father tells you to make haste.” The men and the cattle went rapidly. They ap- peared on a hill near their home. They placed Ubongopa-kamaga- dhlela in front : the cattle went rapidly, and reached the gateway. The people went out to see. His father and mother rejoiced. He said, 77 Ubungi , the grandfather of Ulangalibalele. / UMDHLUBU “ Bongopa-kamagad/dela, Bongopa-kamagad/dela, U bo ngena ; kn ya ngenwa ; XJ bo ngena ; ku ya ngenwa.” Za ngena esibayeni. Kwa gaulwa omunye nmuzi. Wa ti, “ Intombi a ngi i tandi, ngoknba i hamba pansi.” Y’ e- muka intombi. Wa ti, “ Ngo za ngi fe ngi /dezi pezulu.” Kwa tiwa ke, “ Hlala kona lapo pezulu.” W’ alusa izinkomo zakubo. W’ enza leyo ’mikuba a e y enza ekukgaleni. Umatshotsha, (Umkamafuta.) NESELESELE. 237 “ Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Ubongopa-kamagadhlela, Go in now ; it is time to go in ; Go in now ; it is time to go in.” The cattle entered the enclosure. Another village was built. He said, “I do not love the damsel, because she goes on the ground.” The damsel departed. He said, “ I will live on the back of Ubo- ngopa-kamagadhlela till my death.” So they said, “ Stay then there on his back.” He herded the cattle of his people. And continued to practise the enchantments which he prac- tised from his childhood. UMDHLUBU 78 NESELESELE. (UMDHLUBU AND THE FROG.) The queen is hated by the other wives of the king. Kw’ esukela, inkosi ya zeka in- tombi yenye inkosi ; ya i tanda kakulu ; abafazi bayo ba dabuka ngoku i tanda kwayo. Y’ ernita, ya zala umntwana wentombi ; uyise wa m tanda kakulu. Wa kula ; wa ti uma e isibakasa, aba- fazi b’ enza ikcebo, ba ti, “ Lok’ u- yise e nge ko, a si hambe si yoku- sika imizi.” Ba tshela abantwana Once on a time, a king married the daughter of another king ; he loved her very much ; his wives were troubled on account of his love for her. She became preg- nant, and gave birth to a girl : the father loved her exceedingly. The child grew, and when she was a fine handsome child, the other wives formed a plot against her ; they said, “ Since her father is not at home, let us go and cut fibre .” 79 They told the children not to agree 78 Umdhlubu, Garden-of -ground-nuts. 79 The fibre which is called imizi is derived from a kind of rush ( umhlahle ). It is used for binding up bundles, and for making the eating-mat. The natives obtain fibre ( itzi ) of a longer kind from the bark of several trees ; uscmdo and umtombe, the barks of which are red ; ubazi and umsasane, the barks of which are white. These barks are moistened and beaten, and so used ; or they are twisted into cord. 238 IZINGANEKWANE. ukuti, “ Ni nga vumi uku m ta- bata umntwana.” Unina wa biza intombazana e sala naye. Y’ ala' uku m tabata umntwana. Wa m beleta unina, wa liamba naye. to carry the child. The mother called the little girl which nursed her child. She refused to carry her. The mother put her on her back, and went with her. The queen forgets her child. Ba sika imizi, ba hamba njalo. Kwa ti kwesinye isi/dambo ba Zdala pansi, ba bema ugwai. Unina wa bopa isitungu semizi, wa nika umntwana, wa dAlala ngaso. B’ e- suka, ba sika imizi. Ba hamba njalo. Wa ko/dwa umntanake unina. Ba hamba njalo be sika ; ba bopa, ba twala, ba goduka. They cut fibre, and went on continually. It came to pass in one of the valleys 80 they sat down and took snuff. The mother made a bundle of fibre, and gave it to the child : the child played with it. They set out again and cut fibre. They went on continually. The mother forgot the child. They went on continually cutting fibre ; they tied it up into bundles, and carried it home. She seeks in vain for the lost child. Ba fika ekaya, ba biza abaza- nyana babantwana ; ba fika bonke. Kodwa owake wa fika-ze. Wa buza, wa ti, “U pi owami um- ntwana ? ” Ba ti, “ U hambe naye.” Wa dabuka ; wa kala, wa gijima, wa ya ’kufuna. Ka m tola ; wa buya. When they came home, they called the children’s nurses : they all came. But her’s came without the child. She asked, “ Where is my child ] ” They said, “ You took her with you.” She was troubled, and cried, and ran to find her. She did not find her, and came back. The 'polygamic wives rejoice. Kwa kalwa kakulu. Sa tsho isitembu, sa ti, “ Ku njani ke manje na? Si 1’ apulile igugu likayise. Intandokazi i jambisi- siwe.” There was a great lamentation. The polygamic wives said, “How is it now then 1 We have destroy- ed the father’s darling. The pet wife is utterly confounded.” A message is despatched to the king. Kwa ya ’kubikelwa uyise ; kwa tiwa, “ Nkosi, umntanako u la/de- kile, si yokusika imizi.” Wa Alu- peka kakulu uyise. A messenger was sent to tell the father ; it was said, “ King, your child has been lost, whilst we were cutting fibre.” The father was greatly troubled. 80 Isihlambo, here translated valley, is a depression between two hills, where water runs in wet weather, or during storms. UMDHLUBU NESELESELE. 239 The child is fount Kwa ti kusasa isalukazi sasen- dAlu-nkulu sesiny’ isizwe sa ya ’kuka amanzi ; s’ ezwa umntwana e dAlala ; s’ ezwa ku ti, “ Ta, ta, ta.” Sa mangala, sa ti, “ Han ! ku ini loku na ? ” Sa nyonyoba, sa m funyanisa umntwana e Alezi e dAlala. Sa goduka, sa m shiya kanye nembiza yamanzi, kokubili. Sa biza inkosikazi yenkosi, sa ti, “Wozalapa.” Ya puma inkosi- kazi endAlini. Sa ti, “ Hamba, si hambe. I kona into emfuleni ; u ya ’ku i bona.” Ya liamba naso. Ba tika. Sa ti, “ Nanku umntwa- na.” Ya ti inkosikazi, “ M taba- te.” Ya tsho ngokujabula. Sam tabata. Ba fika emfuleni. Ya ti, “ M geze.” Sa m geza. Ya m tabata inkosikazi, ya m beleta, ya goduka. She is brought up i Ya m ncelisa ; ngokuba yona ya i zele umntwana woinfana; ya m kulisa. Wa kula. Ba hamba bobabili no wake. Wa kula, wa intombi enkulu. Wa bekwa in- kosi yezintombi ; kw’ enziwa uku- d/ila okukulu. Kwa /datshwa izinkomo eziningi. Ba jabula abantu bonke. The officers tell the queen’ s i Ngemva kwaloko za ti izinduna knmfana, za ti, “ I zeke le ’nto- mbi.” Umfana wa mangala, wa ti, “ Hau ! ku njani loku na ? Ant’ udade wetu na? Sa ncela 81 Lit., She caused her to grow, tha 82 See Appendix (A). by another queen. In the morning an old woman of the royal household of an- other nation, went to fetch water : she heard the child playing ; she heard something saying, “ Ta, ta, ta.” She woudered, and said, “ Ah ! what is this ? ” She went stealthily along, and found the child, sitting and playing. She went home, and left both her and the water - pot. She called the king’s chief wife, and said, “ Come here.” The queen went out of the house. She said, “ Let us go ; there is something by the river which you will see.” She went with the old woman. They arrived. She said, “Behold a child.” The queen said, “ Take her.” She said so with joy. The old woman took her. They came to the river. The queen said, “Wash her.” She washed her. The queen took her, and placed her on her back, and went home. ith the queevts son. She suckled her, for she had given birth to a boy ; she brought her up. 81 She grew. Both she and the queen’s own child walked. She grew and became a great girl. She was appointed chief of the girls, 82 when a great feast was made. Many cattle were slaugh- tered, and all the people rejoiced. on to marry the foundling. After that the chief men said to the boy, “ Marry this girl.” The boy wondered, and said, “ 0 ! what is the meaning of this 1 Is she not my sister? Did we not suck together at my mother’s ; is, the queen nourished her. 240 IZINGANEKWANE. kanye kumame na ? ” Za ti, “ K