TABULATION OF FOLKTALES. 115
[No. 43.]
Title of Story.— The Story of the Bird that made Milk, II.
Dramatis Personae Masilo and his wife.— Their children.— Town children.
— Cannibal.
Abstract of Story. — (l) in town many people, lived on grain. One year great famine, poor man Masilo and wife, who had dug garden all day, went home. Bird came to garden, told Masilo's cultivated ground to mix, which it did. Next morning Masilo and wife doubted it was place they had dug ; people mocked. — (2) They dug again and returned home. At night bird came, bade ground mix. Following morning Masilo and wife believed they were bewitched, but dug again. — (S) Masilo stayed behind to watch; lay down under house on which bird always perched. It came, and while Masilo was admiring beauty it bade ground mix. He caught it, and was going to cut off head, but it asked him not to, for it would give him milk. Masilo would not free it till it had bade ground be cultivated. — (4) Bird then made thick milk, and Masilo put it (bird) in bag, took it home, telling wife to wash largest beer pots in house, which at Masilo's bidding bird filled full of milk for his children. When they had finished eating, Masilo told them to tell no one about milk. People wondered why Masilo and children became so fat (they lived upon bird). — (5) One day Masilo and wife were working in garden (which was away from house), children from town were playing before his house, asked his children why they got so fat and they remained thin. Children answered that they thought they were all thin; on being pressed told of bird, which the others asked to be ' shown. They were brought into house, bird was taken from secret place, made milk, town children drank, bird unloosed, allowed to dance first in house, then outside, when it flew away. — (6) All children followed (for Masilo's children feared father would kill them), whenever they got near bird it flew away. At night people returned from digging, town parents cried for children, Masilo found bird gone, regretted loss of food, knew what had become of children. — (5) At night, children determined to return, great storm came, frightened them. Brave boy, Mosemanyanamatong, said he could command a house to appear, which he did, and wood came for fire, children entered, roasted wild roots. — (7) Cannibal came, asked Mosemany- anamatong for some roots, which were given him, children fled, cannibal pursued them to mountains where were trees. Girls very tired, all climbed tree, which cannibal tried to cut down with his long sharp nail. Brave boy told girls to keep singing " Tree be strong," while he sang how foolish it is to travel with girls.— (8) Great bird came, told children to hold fast to him, took them to their town. — (9) Arrived at midnight, restored children to parents next day.
Vol. 7.— Part 4. 2 h
