Chapter V: Part 5

The next day one of the chief’s slaves died, and when the people were going to bury the body, the goat, observing that they wrapped it up in plaintain leaves, at once said, “In my country, when anyone dies, they are wrapped up in sleeping-mats.” He then went out for a walk. When he returned he found that, as he expected, his sleeping-mat had been taken; so he went to the chief and asked for payment. But the chief replied, “You said that it was the proper custom to bury dead bodies in sleeping-mats, so we took yours to bury the dead slave in. If you have any complaint to make or wish to be paid, you had better settle with the dead body.”

So the goat went to the corpse and asked it to give back his mat or else to pay him for it, but he received no reply.

The next day the goat went again, but again got no answer. On the third day, when the dead body did not reply, the goat became so angry that he charged the dead body as hard as he could, and butted it with his horns again and again. By this time the corpse had become quite putrid, and as the goat’s horns tore the body his head was covered with bad-smelling blood. When he had revenged himself sufficiently he returned to the town, and the people told him that he smelt very badly of dead bodies. The goat replied that in every town he had visited he had always been paid for anything belonging to him which had been taken, but that in this town the chief had referred him to the dead body of the slave, and as the corpse refused to pay he had butted it with his horns, and the smell seemed to stick to him. Ever since that time the man-goat’s head has had a strong smell.

Told by an Okuni woman.--[28.6.10.]

XXII.--A STORY OF THE GREAT FAMINE.

In the days of the great famine, when all men and animals on the land were starving, the alligators and the fish in the river had plenty to eat, and the parrots and bats were also well off for food. The parrot used to fly off very early every morning with his family to an island in the river where there were plenty of palm-trees, and return in the evening carrying his bag of palm nuts with him. All the people were very jealous of the parrot in consequence, and wanted to kill him and all his family. The hare (Nchigga) was very curious to know how it was that the parrot always managed to get food, so he went to him pretending to be a great friend of his, but could never find him at home in the daytime, so he went in the evening and met the parrot returning home carrying his bag, full of palm nuts as usual. The hare asked the parrot where he got all the palm nuts from, and said he would like to go with him. But the parrot said that the hare could not go, and that he was only able to take his own family to the place where the palm nuts grew.

The hare then went home, but made up his mind to go with the parrot, so that very night he hid himself in the parrot’s bag. At daylight the parrot put his bag round his neck and flew off with his family to the island. He then began to gather the palm nuts, and to fill up his bag. Now the palm-tree where the parrot was overhung the river, and the hare, thinking he would pay the parrot out for refusing to bring him, made a hole in the bottom of the bag so that the nuts dropped through into the water as fast as the parrot put them into the bag. When the parrot began to eat some of the nuts, the hare eat some also, and when the parrot dropped the kernel the hare dropped his at the same time through the hole in the bag. The parrot did not notice this, as he thought that some of his family were also eating close at hand, so he continued to put nuts into the bag, but could not understand why it was that the bag did not get full. At last the parrot thought there must be a hole in the bag, so he looked inside and found the hare there.

Then the parrot said, “My friend, what are you doing in my bag? Did I not tell you that I would not take you to the place where I got my food from? You must have hidden yourself in my bag without my knowledge.” He then pulled the hare out of the bag, and having placed him on the top of the palm-tree, flew off to the next tree, where he was joined by the rest of his family, to whom he related the way in which he had punished the hare, and shortly afterwards they all flew home, leaving the hare on the island.

The hare managed with some difficulty to climb down the tree, but when he reached the ground he was afraid to cross over to the land from the island, as he thought the alligators or big fish might catch him. He looked all round the island for a place to make his house in, but it was all wet, as the river was high; so the next day he determined to swim across the river, and risk being eaten. But before the hare started he threw some small bits of dried stick into the river and watched the fish come up and look at them. When he saw that he was bigger than the fish, he said, “They cannot eat me,” and without much fear jumped into the water and began to swim across.

The fish came round the hare and saluted him, saying, “Go on your way in peace.” Just as he got near the land, however, he came across a large female alligator, who asked him where he came from and where he was going. When he said that he was swimming from the island towards the land the alligator caught him, saying, “I want you to do me a service first, and then I will let you go.”

She then took the hare to her house at the bottom of the river, where she introduced him to her husband, and said, “This man can paint our children, and make them look nice to all people.” At this time the alligators were grey-coloured without any markings, and had for some time been wanting to change their colouring.

Then the hare said, “I see you have many young alligators here, and I will paint them all for you, but you must not look at me while I am doing it. I will paint one of your children every day and show it to you, but you must first of all build me a house, into which you must put all your children, with plenty of food and firewood.”

The next day the alligators built the house, and did everything the hare told them, a small hole being left in the wall of the house so that the hare could show the alligators each child as he painted it. The hare then went into the house and shut the door carefully. That day he painted the alligators’ eldest son with long-dark stripes across his body, and when he had finished he held the young alligator up to the hole for his parents to see, and asked them if they were satisfied. The old alligators told the hare that he had painted their son very well, and they were pleased. So the hare put the young alligator on the ground and closed the hole.

That evening the hare killed one of the young alligators and eat it. The next day he held up the alligator he had already painted to the hole for the old ones to see, and then put it down again, closing the hole as before. When night came he again killed another young alligator and eat it. The same thing happened every night until the hare had eaten all the young alligators except the one he had painted and showed to the parents each morning.

The hare then told the alligators that he had finished painting all their children, and wanted to go home, but he told them that they must not go into the house until after he had gone, as if they did his ju-ju would be broken and all the painting would be spoiled. He also asked them to allow him to be rowed across the river by an iguana, who is deaf and cannot hear anyone shouting.[6]

The alligators agreed to this, and told the iguana to bring his canoe and paddle the hare across the river. They then gave the hare presents of fish and yams, and said good-bye to him. The hare then got into the canoe and pushed off, and the iguana commenced to paddle him over.

When they had gone a little distance the father alligator went to the house where the hare had been, and when he looked in he found only his eldest son who had been painted, so he asked him where the other children were, and his son replied that the hare had eaten one of his brothers or sisters every night until he was the only one left. When the alligator heard this he was wild with rage, and went up the bank and called to the iguana to bring the hare back; but as he was deaf, the iguana took no notice. When the hare heard the alligator shouting and waving from the bank, he attracted the iguana’s attention and made him understand that the alligator was so pleased at the good work he had done that he wished the iguana to row faster, so he paddled harder than before.

Seeing that the canoe did not return, the alligator dived into the river and swam after the canoe, but before he could catch it the hare had jumped to the land and ran up the bank. The alligator then scrambled up the bank to where the hare was sitting, and asked him why he had killed and eaten his children, and told the hare he should kill him. The hare acknowledged that he had done wrong, but asked the alligator not to kill him at once, as his body was so small it would not be worth eating. He then advised the alligator to dig a pit and put sharp stakes, with their points upwards, in the bottom. The hare said, “If you do this, and then throw me up in the air as high as you can, so that my body will fall into the pit on the sharp stakes, then I shall die in great pain, and in three days’ time my body will be much swollen and will then be better worth eating.” The alligator thought this a good plan, and agreed to what the hare said, so he dug a pit and put the sharp sticks in the bottom. The alligator then threw the hare into the air as high as he could, and he fell into the pit, but was careful not to be caught on the sharp sticks. The hare then commenced to scream with pain, pretending to be in great agony. So the alligator said, “Now I have got you, you cunning hare!” and walked away to the river. The alligator then swam home and told his wife, who was mourning her children, of the revenge he had taken upon the hare.

The next morning he went to the pit to see if the hare had grown any larger, but when he looked in he found that the hare had disappeared. He then made enquiries from some other animals about the hare, and they told him that he was alive and they had seen him running home.

When the hare got home, he went to the parrot and told him what had happened to him, and warned the parrot that he should do his best to kill him for leaving him on the palm-tree to the danger of his life, unless for the future the parrot lived by the waterside, as that was where he got his food from. Then the parrot was frightened, and moved his house to the top of a high tree on the island. Ever since that time the parrots have made their nests on high trees on islands, and when they are flying high up in the air you can hear them laughing at the hare, saying, “We are out of your reach, you cannot harm us now.” And even at the present time you can see that the young alligators have stripes across their bodies, but the skin of the old ones, which is very rough, does not show the marks made by the hare, except on the tail part.

Told by Ennenni, an Okuni woman.--[28.6.10.]

XXIII.--WHY EDIDOR KILLED HER HUSBAND AND HER LOVER.

Edidor was a very pretty Okuni girl. She was a good dancer and singer, and won the love of plenty of young men, but although she liked to enjoy herself with them, she would not marry any of them. At last, however, she met a man called Ode, to whom she took a great fancy, and married him. Ode was a fine young man, and many women wanted him, but he would have nothing to do with them, and did not marry any other wives, as Edidor asked him to look upon her alone. Ode had three children by Edidor, the first-born being a boy, and the other two girls.

After a time Edidor got tired of Ode and ran away to one of the Inde towns, leaving her children with her husband. She went about from one man to another as she had done before she was married, and attended all the dances and plays until at last Ode heard where she was. He then took his three little children to his father-in-law, asking him to look after them for him, as he was going to Inde to try and get Edidor to return to him. The old man did not want Ode to get his daughter back, as he preferred her to walk about and go with different young men, as in that case he would receive numerous presents from them, whereas Ode, having paid his dowry, never gave him anything. He therefore sent a message secretly to Edidor informing her that her husband was going to look for her, and advising her to try and kill him, so that the children would become his property, as he knew his daughter would not want to look after them.

When Ode was ready he got into a small canoe and started down river for Inkum, but he had only gone a little distance when the canoe sank, and Ode swam to the shore. He looked upon the sinking of the canoe as a bad omen and a warning to him not to go that day.

When he returned home his friends encouraged him to make another attempt to get his wife back, and advised him to take a larger canoe, which would not be so likely to upset. Ode started off in a big canoe the following morning; but when he got to the other side of the river he heard a kingfisher making a noise on his right-hand side, in a bush overhanging the river. Not knowing what this omen might mean, he stopped at Okanja, which is only a little way lower down the river on the same side as Okuni, and went to see a friend of his who was known to be clever at reading signs, and told him that the kingfisher had made a noise on his right-hand as he was going down the river. The man then said to Ode, “What kind of a child did you first get when you were married?” And Ode told him that his first-born child was a boy. Ode’s friend then said, “Your good fortune depends on your left.[7] You will meet with much opposition where you are going, and you will not bring back what you are going to seek.” So Ode returned to his canoe and paddled on with much suspicion in his heart. He landed at Inkum, and went to see a friendly chief called Aigonga, to whom he told his story and asked him for help. The chief gave Ode one of his boys to show him the way overland to Inde and they started off together.

Unfortunately for Ode, his wife Edidor had consulted a ju-ju man called Ekum at Inde, who had a very powerful medicine which enabled him to see what was going to happen, and this man told Edidor that her husband was on his way to catch her and take her home, and that if she wanted to stay at Inde she should hide herself at once.

When Ode arrived at Inde he searched all over the towns, but could not find his wife. He then asked some of the people what had become of her, and they told him that the previous day she had been seen talking to a very powerful ju-ju man, and that if he were wise he would leave his wife alone and go home at once, as his life was probably in danger. But Ode would not go home, and got an Inde boy to show him the place where the ju-ju man lived. Ode then asked Ekum what had become of his wife Edidor. Ekum did not at first reply, but gave Ode one sharp stick and one blunt stick, and after a time said, “Touch your body with the sharp stick and also with the blunted one; if you feel any pain with the sharp stick, go home at once and do not bother me any more; if you do not feel any pain, come to me to-morrow morning and ask me any questions you like concerning your wife.”

The Inde boy who had gone with Ode, directly they had gone a little distance from the house, strongly urged Ode to go home, as the sticks the ju-ju man had given to him were known to be very dangerous, and if he went there again Ekum would probably either poison him or call upon the lightning to kill him, which he was quite capable of doing. The boy also said that by far the best thing Ode could do was to ask his father-in-law to help him to recover his wife, and not to come to Inde himself again. Ode thought the advice good, and returned to Okuni with the two sticks Ekum had given him; these he gave to his father-in-law, telling him what had happened, and at the same time asking him to try to get Edidor back for him. When he saw that Ode’s life had been in danger and that he had escaped, the old man repented, and told Ode to stay at Okuni and he would try to make Edidor return to him. He therefore sent a messenger to Inde to tell Edidor to return at once to Okuni. But Edidor was enjoying herself too much, and had no desire to return to her husband. The ju-ju man also had taken a fancy to her, and when he found that Edidor’s father had been trying to persuade his daughter to return to her husband, he put some ju-ju into her food which made her take an intense dislike to her husband. When Edidor’s heart had turned and she found that she hated Ode, Ekum made some strong poison, which he gave to Edidor and told her to put it in her husband’s food, and that when he was dead she should return and marry him.

The next day Edidor started off for Okuni, taking the poison with her, and intending to kill her husband on the first opportunity, but when she reached the house Ode produced their three children and talked to her very kindly until her heart was cold. Edidor then lived with Ode for a month, until the ju-ju man, finding she did not return to him, made another strong ju-ju, which at once made Edidor want to go back to him at Inde. She therefore packed up her things, and was starting off for Inde when Ode seized her and said she was not to go. That very night Edidor put half the poison Ekum had given her into Ode’s food. He then became very ill, and died after two days.

Ode was buried by his relations, but Edidor only mourned a very short time and then ran off to Inde, where she joined her lover. Ekum was very glad to get her back again, and called all his friends together. He then killed a goat, and they had a big feast, and he told all the people that Edidor was going to be his wife.

During the night Ekum asked Edidor to marry him properly, but she asked him to wait for a time until she knew all his ways and habits, and she promised she would then marry him. For some little time after this Edidor went about with different men, but Ekum always found her out, and when she returned to him he would tell her what she had been doing and the name of the man she had been with. This made Edidor afraid, but she dare not leave Ekum altogether, as he might get the lightning to kill her or cause his ju-ju to catch her. Then Ekum again asked Edidor to marry him, and she agreed to do so, but said that before the ceremony took place she wanted to join his ju-ju, so that she might know everything and not be afraid. Ekum was pleased at this, and showed Edidor all the ju-ju he had, and explained them to her. When he had finished, Edidor was so frightened that she ran away and left Ekum. Ekum, however, looked into his ju-ju pot and saw at once where she was, so he sent a messenger, who seized her and brought her back. Then Edidor made up her mind to kill Ekum, so she went to his ju-ju pot which he always looked into when he wanted to know where she had gone or what she was doing, and broke it. She then cooked the food and put the half of the poison Ekum had given her for Ode into the food and gave it to Ekum to eat; he died the next day. Before Ekum was dead, Edidor ran back to her father’s house at Okuni.

When the Inde people found that Ekum was dead, they at once knew that Edidor must have killed him, as she had run away. They therefore went to Okuni to have the palaver judged. When all the chiefs and people had met together, Edidor was accused of having poisoned Ekum, her lover. Edidor then stood up and told the chiefs that Ekum had made her poison her husband, and that when she found his ju-jus were so powerful; she broke them, and gave half the poison Ekum had given her for her husband to him in his food, and that he had then died at once.

After considering some time, the chiefs decided that they would not punish Edidor, and said that “The stone Ekum had thrown had returned and hit him.”[8]

The chiefs then said that for the future, whenever a man had a poison ju-ju or other powerful medicine, he should not tell any of his wives or any other women, because if they wished to run away from their husbands they would first of all break their ju-jus and then poison them.

Told by Ennanni, an Okuni woman.--[1.7.10.]

XXIV.--HOW ’NYAMBI PUNISHED CHIEF OGA FOR TRYING TO COMMIT ADULTERY WITH HIS WIFE OBIM.

There was once a fine strong man living at Okuni, whose name was ’Nyambi. He was a good dancer, drum-beater and singer, and these qualities, combined with his good looks and fine manly beauty, won him the admiration of many of the young Okuni girls. He knew many of them, but never asked them to marry him.

At last, when ’Nyambi was about twenty-five years of age, he met a girl at a big dance, to whom he took a great fancy, and whom he wished to marry. So he went to her parents, and, having given them the usual presents, told them that he wished to marry their daughter Obim. The parents, however, were unwilling, and told ’Nyambi that they had already promised Obim as a wife to Chief Oga.

When Obim heard this, she told her parents that she would never marry Chief Oga, as he was too old, and she intended to marry ’Nyambi, who was such a fine young man, and she was very fond of him. The parents did their best to persuade Obim to marry Chief Oga, as they would receive far more presents and a bigger dowry from him than if they allowed her to marry ’Nyambi, who was not a rich man. Obim, however, was obstinate, and absolutely declined to have anything to do with the chief, so at last her parents consented to her marriage with ’Nyambi.

Then Obim and ’Nyambi took an oath that, when they were married, they would never part from one another, and they would both try to help each other and upset any ju-ju that Chief Oga might make against them, as they knew him to be a most revengeful man.

’Nyambi then bought the usual presents for the parents and collected the dowry, which he handed to Obim’s father and mother, and rubbed the girl with camwood. She was then circumcised and kept in one room until the wound had healed.

When the gun was fired off and Obim was declared to be ’Nyambi’s wife, Chief Oga was very vexed, and, although he wanted to speak to Obim, he dared not do so openly, as he thought the people might laugh at him if they saw him going after a woman who had only just been married, seeing that he had so many wives already himself. So, when it was dark, he went to Obim and told her that if she came to him he would make her very happy, as he had plenty of slaves who would do all the hard work and she would not have to toil in the sun. Obim, however, would not listen to him, so in the end the chief went away more vexed than before and more determined than ever to get hold of Obim, somehow or other.

That night Obim told her husband of the advances made to her by the chief, and they agreed not to take any notice, but to be very careful for the future.

The next day Chief Oga consulted a ju-ju man as to the best way to turn Obim’s heart, so that she would hate ’Nyambi and come to him. The ju-ju man, after casting lots, told the chief that it would be quite easy to make Obim leave ’Nyambi and go to him, and that all the chief would have to do would be to give Obim some tombo to drink, which he would prepare with a strong medicine in it. The ju-ju man then made the tombo and put a ju-ju into it, and the chief, having given him a big present, took the tombo to his house, and sent word to Obim that he wished to speak to her.

When Obim arrived, the chief offered her some of the tombo to drink, but she refused to touch it. Chief Oga tried his best to make her drink, but Obim would not do so, and said she had merely come to hear what he might have to say. Oga then tried again to persuade Obim to leave her husband and go to him, but Obim refused as before.

Finding this plot had failed, the chief went again to the ju-ju man and told him that Obim had refused to drink the tombo. He then asked the ju-ju man to poison ’Nyambi so that he might get hold of his wife, and when he had given him another big present, he went home.

The next day, the ju-ju man joined the society to which ’Nyambi belonged, and went to all the dances, looking for an opportunity to put the poison he had prepared into ’Nyambi’s drink, but he could never succeed in making ’Nyambi drink anything, as, whenever he went to a dance or a play, Obim made him promise not to drink anything at the dancing place and she would have drink ready for him when he returned home. This probably saved his life, as the ju-ju man was unable to poison him, so after a time he went to Chief Oga, and told him that the year of ’Nyambi’s death had not yet arrived, and he could do nothing with the young man.

Chief Oga then for twelve months did not try to do anything more to kill ’Nyambi, but sat down and waited until the proper time should arrive when he would be able to revenge himself upon ’Nyambi and take Obim away.

However, he frequently sent messengers to Obim, asking her to sleep with him, but she always refused. At last Obim became so annoyed at these repeated messages, that she told her husband what was going on between herself and Chief Oga, and advised him to revenge himself in his turn. She advised ’Nyambi to pretend to go down river to sell some camwood and she would then allow the chief to come to her at night when ’Nyambi should come in and surprise them together. Obim also told her husband that she hoped he would cut a certain part off the chief’s body, which would punish him properly and prevent his troubling her for the future.

’Nyambi thought the plan a good one, so he put some camwood into his canoe and told the people that he was going down river to trade, and did not expect to return for some few days. He then started off but did not go very far.

Directly the chief heard that ’Nyambi had gone, he sent a messenger to Obim, asking her to sleep with him that night. But Obim told the messenger to tell his master that she could not come to him, but that he might come to her alone at night, and he was to be careful not to let anyone know what was going on between them.

Chief Oga was so glad when he got Obim’s message that he at once went down to the river and washed himself. He then went home and put on a fine cloth and had food before it was dark. After that he sat down and waited as patiently as he could until all the people in the town had gone to sleep.

When he thought it was quite safe and no one would see him, he went very quietly to Obim’s house and knocked softly on the door. Obim let the chief in, and then fastened the door, telling him to lie down and that she would join him later on. Oga asked Obim to come to him at once, but she told him to wait a little, as all the people had not then gone to bed.

Very soon Chief Oga dropped off to sleep, so Obim went to the door very quietly and undid the fastening.

Not long afterwards, ’Nyambi opened the door and found Chief Oga asleep in his wife’s bed; so he fastened the door securely, and, having got his knife ready, made the fire blaze and woke the chief up.

When Oga awoke he saw ’Nyambi standing over him with his knife pointing at his breast. ’Nyambi told him to be quiet and not to make a noise or he would kill him at once.

He then said, “I find you as a thief and one who would commit adultery with my wife. I will not receive any present from you; I do not want to kill you, but I intend to take one of two things from your body, and, if you refuse, I shall kill you at once.” On hearing this, Chief Oga was very much frightened, as he was no match for ’Nyambi in strength; so he lay there for some time, thinking of his life, his wealth, and his wives, until at last he asked ’Nyambi what it was he wished to take from his body so that he might go.

’Nyambi said, “I intend either to take your eyes out, which will prevent your looking at pretty girls any more, or else I will cut a certain part of your body off, which will stop your doing them any harm in the future.”

Oga said he could not part with his eyes, so at last he consented to ’Nyambi’s cutting the part off his body, provided he promised not to kill him and to let him go.

’Nyambi promised, and having told Oga not to make a noise, he cut the thing off, and turned the chief out of his house. Chief Oga then went home, but did not tell anyone what had happened to him. He was in such pain all the night that he was unable to sleep, and when the morning came, he asked one of his wives to boil some water and bring it to him. She did as she was told, and the chief went into the back-yard and bathed and dressed the wound.

He then sent one of his boys to call ’Nyambi to him. When ’Nyambi arrived he did not go inside the house, but stood a few paces from the door, as he thought that Oga might try to do him some injury; but the chief said he did not intend to hurt him and that he might safely come inside. Chief Oga then implored ’Nyambi not to tell any of the young men of the town what he had done to him, and begged him to keep it secret until the day of his death. ’Nyambi promised, and went home and told his wife.

The chief’s wound took many days to heal, and at night, when his wives came to him, he had to send them away, saying he was not well. This went on for some time, until at last his wives got tired of being alone and began to desert him and go to other men, and very soon he was left with only boys in the house.

The chief then sent for all his wives to hear his last words. When they arrived, he said, “My dear wives, I am not angry with you for leaving me, for love of women has caused me to lose the dearest part of my body. But I will ask one favour of you, and that is, when I die you will all come and cry and mourn for me, as is usual. Then you will know why I did not sleep with you.”

The women then asked the chief what was the matter with him, so he pointed to his waist, and said he had great pain there, and was unable to move that part of his body. He then told them all to go away.

Chief Oga lived for a few more years and then died. His wives, who had by that time all married other men, got permission from their husbands to go and mourn for Chief Oga.

When the people took the chief’s body into the back-yard to wash it, they found that a certain part of his body had been cut off. His wives were very much surprised when they saw what had been done to their late husband, as, during his lifetime, he had been quite all right. They therefore went and told the chiefs of the town. The chiefs then came and inspected the body, and afterwards met in the palaver house to try and find out who had mutilated Chief Oga. The drum was beaten and the young men of the town were told to attend the meeting.

Directly ’Nyambi heard the drum, he called all his company to his house, and told them what he had done to Chief Oga. He also told them that what he had done was for the good of all people, and asked them to support him at the meeting, and if it came to a fight, that they should all be on the same side.

When they had heard the whole story, the members of ’Nyambi’s company agreed to back him up, and as they were the principal fighting-men of the town they went to the palaver house without much fear.

When all the people had arrived, the oldest chief of the town stood up, and said, “I have seen to-day what I have never seen before since I was born. Chief Oga, whom you all know, died this morning, and I went to look at his body. I then saw that a certain part of his body was missing. Now I want to know who did this thing, and what became of the missing part of the late chief. I shall be glad if any young man of the town who knows anything about this palaver will inform me.”

Then ’Nyambi stood up and questioned the chief, as follows: “What will be done to the man who did this? Will he be killed or will he be allowed to go free?” The chief replied that the man would certainly be killed, if he had mutilated Chief Oga by force without a very good reason, but that if they considered he was justified in his action, he would be allowed to go free.

Then ’Nyambi told the people that he had done this thing, and addressed them as follows: “When I married my wife Obim, while she was still in the circumcision house, Chief Oga went to her and tried to persuade her to go to him. After that he frequently sent messages to her, asking her to sleep with him, but she always refused. Again, when I was absent, Chief Oga went to my house to sleep with my wife, but I returned and caught him lying asleep on her bed.” ’Nyambi then asked the question, “What do you do when you catch a thief in your stack of yams?” And the head chief replied, “He is tied up to a tree, and left there to die.” ’Nyambi then said that he treated Chief Oga as a thief, but he took pity on him, and instead of killing him, he gave him his choice whether he would have his eyes put out or have a certain part of his body cut off. The late chief chose the latter alternative, so he performed the operation. He then called his wife Obim, who brought on a calabash the part of the dead chief’s body, which had been cut off and dried in the sun, as proof of what he had said.

’Nyambi then asked the chiefs whether he was justified in the course he had taken or not; and the chiefs, after consultation, agreed that he had done right.

A law was then passed that, if a husband caught another man in his house having connection with his wife, he could do whatever he liked with him in the house, but once the man was outside the house, he should not be molested, and the case should be decided before the chiefs.

But the chiefs also added, that the man who was caught committing adultery might defend himself as well as he could, and would not be punished for so doing.

Told by Ennenni, an Okuni woman.--[22.7.10.]

XXV.--HOW TWO BENDEGA YOUNG MEN CHANGED THEIR SKINS.

Bendega is a town on the right bank of the Afi River, which runs into the Cross River opposite to Abaragha.

In this town many years ago there lived two young men called Abang and Oga ’Ngigor. Abang was famous for his personal beauty, and was recognized as the best wrestler, dancer, singer, and drum-beater in the country. Abang was never allowed to leave the town by his parents, as they thought he might be killed or get into trouble with other young men of his company, but in spite of this his fame as a singer and dancer, and stories of his manly beauty, had spread through all the neighbouring towns, and many people wanted to see him, but as he was a dutiful son he stayed at home and did not accept any of the numerous invitations he received from the various countries to attend their plays and dances, although he was frequently offered quite large numbers of rods and other presents to go. Needless to say, all the young girls of the country wanted to marry him, but he looked after himself very well and kept away from the women in general, having his own particular friend to whom he was on the whole fairly faithful. Oga ’Ngigor had also been a good wrestler, singer and dancer, until he caught a bad sickness which covered his whole body with sores. These sores were so bad that Oga could not walk about, and his body smelt so disgustingly that the people would not let him come near them. He was very poor, and consequently was often starving, as he was unable to go about and beg for food. While Oga was sitting down in his house feeling sad and miserable, he sometimes thought of Abang, who belonged to his company, and envied him his good looks and his popularity. So one day Oga went to Abang and asked him to change skins with him for a short while, as he would like to know what it felt like to be as strong and handsome as Abang was. He did this as he had made up his mind to run away in Abang’s skin and go round the country, where he knew the people would be certain to give him many presents. After he had flattered Abang for some time, he took off his skin and placed it on the ground and asked Abang to do the same so that they could change skins for a short time.

At first Abang refused, as he did not like the idea of putting on the dirty skin, so he asked Oga if the sores hurt. Oga at once replied that the sores never hurt him, and he only sat down so that the people should not look at him. Then Abang took his skin off and put on Oga’s, and Oga got into Abang’s skin as soon as he was able.

Now when Abang got into Oga’s skin he was unable to walk, and was obliged to sit down. Oga knowing this, directly he had got into Abang’s skin, ran down to the beach, and, jumping into a canoe, paddled himself across the Afi River, and ran off along the road to Akparabong as fast as he could go, leaving Abang sitting on the floor of the house calling to him to return at once and change skins. But Oga ran on without heeding his cries, until at last he arrived at the Akparabong farms. When he got near the town one of the natives of the country, through whose farm the path passed, told him that Chief Ojong Egussa was dead, and that his funeral was being kept at ’Nkanassa compound, where a big play was going on and much drinking and feasting.

This was good news for Oga, as he felt certain of a good reception, so when he came to the small stream just outside the town, where the people always wash on their return from their farms in the evening, he took off his cloth and had a good wash. He then washed the cloth he had been wearing, and put on his best one, which belonged to Abang, so as to make a good impression on the people. As soon as he was ready he went to the house where the funeral was going on, and told the people that he was the celebrated Abang from Bendega, whom they had wanted to see for such a long time. The people and chiefs were very glad to see him, and asked him to play and sing for them, which he did. The people were so pleased at having Abang to play for them, and admired him so much that when the funeral was over the chief presented him with some cases of gin, cloth and rods, and gave him some boys to carry his loads on the road to Ikom.

Oga then started off, and arrived at Adaginkpor early in the afternoon. He went to the head chief, who was an old man, and told him that he was Abang from Bendega, and that he was going round the country to visit the people. The chief welcomed him, and said he had often wished to see him, as many people spoke of his personal appearance and his good qualities. Oga stayed at Adaginkpor for a few days, during which time dances were held every night, as the moon was full, and all the people came in from their farms to see Abang and hear him play and sing.

When Oga left the town he received many more presents from the people, and the young men’s company carried his loads into Ikom, which is not far from Adaginkpor, and is a large town on the right-hand of the Cross River. The people of Ikom had heard from Adaginkpor that Abang was going to visit them, so they were ready for him, and gave him a big feast, and held a play which lasted several days, Oga taking his part in the playing, dancing and singing, as before. When he left Ikom, Oga was given more presents, and the chief lent him a large canoe and some paddles to take him to Okuni, a town a little lower down the river on the other side. Oga did the same at this town, and then went on to Okanga, and after a few days walked along the river bank to Enfitop. At each of these towns he received presents, and when he got to the next town, which is called ’Nporo Osilla, he crossed the big river again, and went through the Inde country, where all the people turned out to meet him, and when he left they gave Oga many yams and other presents, so that when he started off for the next town, which is called Inkum, he had a large number of carriers carrying his loads, which by this time had become very numerous.

Unfortunately for Oga, the chief of Inkum had heard from Abang’s parents that Oga had changed skins with their son and that he was travelling about the country collecting dashes in Abang’s name. When the chief heard that Oga had come, he at once sent a message to Abang’s parents requesting them to come to Inkum as soon as possible and to bring their son with them. The chief then greeted Oga and persuaded him to stay on from day to day, and told him that a play was being brought from Bendega.

When the people from Bendega came near the town of Inkum, Abang, who was disguised in the dress of an Egbo and covered from head to foot in a very fantastic costume, sent some boys to Oga with a message telling him to come out and meet them. Oga was so proud at hearing that a play had come all the way from Bendega to escort him to the town that he willingly went out to meet them, not knowing that the real Abang had come with them.

When Oga arrived at the place where the people who had brought the play were resting in the shade of some large trees which grew by the side of the path, Abang stood up, and having thrown the Egbo dress on one side, he took off Oga’s skin and placed it on the ground, at the same time telling Oga to do the like. At first Oga refused, and begged Abang not to shame him before all the people, but Abang insisted upon having his own skin back again, so Oga was forced to exchange. The people then knew that they had been deceived by Oga and that he had taken their presents wrongly. They told the real Abang that they were sorry they could not give him any more presents, and that the best thing he could do was to help himself from the things which had been given to Oga in his name. Abang however, was kind-hearted, and allowed Oga to keep all the presents he had received, as he was very poor and he was sorry for him having such a wretched body and being all covered with sores. And now whenever people are asked to change their skins they always refuse, but sometimes they will lend their best cloth to a friend.

Told by Abbassi of Inkum.--[22.7.10.]

XXVI.--CONCERNING THE JU-JU AGAINST ELEPHANTIASIS, OR HOW THE HARES LOST THEIR LONG TAILS.

Okpa was a ju-ju man living at Okuni many years ago, and the name of his ju-ju was ’Nda.[9] The old man continually made sacrifices to his ju-ju of goats and fowls and all the young men of the town brought him presents as sacrifices so that they should not get the disease, which is very common throughout the country. Whenever a sacrifice was about to be made, all the people who belonged to the society used to meet together and sit down all round the ju-ju, but as the law of the ju-ju was that no man should open his legs, the people always tied their knees and ankles together with tie-tie, because if anyone opened his legs he would at once get elephantiasis.

Once while the people were feasting and playing round the ju-ju, the hare came along with his fine tail, and seeing them all eating goat’s-flesh, fowls, foo-foo and yams, he asked Okpa if he might join in the feast, as the hare was very greedy and could never resist eating anything he saw. Okpa told the hare that he might join in the feast, but that when he had finished eating he must make the usual present to the ju-ju, and that if he went way without paying something very bad would happen to him. The hare agreed to this, and sat down amongst the people and took his share of all the food; but as he was enjoying himself so much he did not notice that the people were sitting in rather a peculiar fashion, so he sat down in the ordinary way with his legs open. When the food was finished the ju-ju man tied one of the young green shoots from the palm-tree round each of the members of the society. He then dipped his hand into the ju-ju pot, and having touched them one after the other on the forehead and breast, he told them to depart. But he did nothing to the hare, and when he came to where he was sitting he called upon the newcomer to go and bring the usual present of a goat or a fowl to sacrifice to the ’Nda ju-ju. The hare said he had nothing to give just then, and got up to go away, but found that a certain portion of his body had swollen to such a size that it touched the ground when he stood up. He then saw that he had caught the Elephantiasis, and asked Okpa to cure him of the disease, but the ju-ju man said he could not help him until he had made his proper sacrifice to the ’Nda ju-ju.

As the hare was very poor he was in a great state of mind as to how he should pay, and although he begged hard Okpa would not listen to him; so at last he made up his mind to consult his wife, and started off, dragging the Elephantiasis with him. On the road he planned how he should get rid of the disease and at last asked the Elephantiasis to leave him for a little time, as he wanted to relieve himself. The Elephantiasis replied that the hare could relieve himself quite well without his going away, so the hare was compelled to do so; he then returned to the path again.

After he had gone a short distance further the hare thought he would try another trick to get rid of the disease, so, seeing some rubber vines growing near with ripe fruit, he said to the Elephantiasis, “I am still very hungry, are you not hungry also? I want to climb up and get that ripe rubber fruit, but cannot do so as you are so heavy. If you will stop on the ground I will climb the vine and throw the rubber fruit down to you, and you can gather it and put it in the bag, and then we shall have plenty to eat on the road.”