Where Animals Talk; West African Folk Lore Tales/Part 2/Tale 22.2
Dog, and His Human Speech (2nd Version)
Persons
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His Three Other Wives,
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NOTE
Some African ant-hills are built in upright pillars, varying in diameter from 3 to 10 inches, and in height from 1 ft. to 3 ft.
The bearing of a monstrosity formerly was punished (and in some tribes still) by driving the mother into seclusion in the forest, and generally with killing of the child. In some tribes, twins were considered monstrosities.
The "Heart-beat" of Nyangwe-Mbwa was the commonly believed premonition of coming evil.
There are many kinds of food, of which women are not allowed to partake.
Though the three sisters were daughters of the same mother, the jealousy of two of them for the other one led them to hatred, and an attempt at murder. Their curse laid on Mbwa caused him to be a speechless beast; for, previous to that, he was talking as a human being. "Heart-life" is an entity distinct from both Body and Soul.
Njambu married a woman named Nyangwa-Mbwa. She bore a creature that looked like no animal that existed at that time. But, because he spoke as a human being, he was not considered a Beast. He was given part of his mother's name, Mbwa.
Njambu added other marriages. Among them he obtained three women, each one of whom had a special office. That of Majanga was to keep things clean. That of Inyanji for planting. Mamĕndi said that her work should be to bear twins. Now, these three women were sisters. The other two were jealous of Mamĕndi, because her work was greater and more honorable than their's.
In the course of time, Mamĕndi conceived; her pregnancy went regularly on. And the time for her confinement came. Majanga and Inyanji went to deliver her. But they tied a napkin over her face, and covered her eyes lest she should see what they would do to her. When the time of the birth was at hand, she bore twins.
Then Inyanji and Majanga threw the twins into the pig-pen. And they took two ant-hills (slender conical structures) . They smeared them with blood. And they went and showed them to Njambu as the things which Mamĕndi had borne. Njambu said, "Go! and throw those things into the forest."
But Mbwa was going about; and as he went, he was scenting, till he came to the pig-pen; and he saw the twins. He took them, and carried them to his mother in their hut, which was isolated from the town. When the two women had left the twins in the pig-pen, their intention was that the pigs might kill them; and the women did not know that Mbwa had removed them. The twins stayed with Nyangwa-Mbwa, and she fed them and nursed them.
But, when Majanga and Inyanji heard that those children were in the hamlet of Mbwa's mother, they said, "We will go there tomorrow."
Early in the morning, Nyangwa-Mbwa had gone to the forest to her garden. When the two women came; they found the twins lying down. So, they struck them a blow; and they died.
The while that Nyangwa-Mbwa was in the forest, her heart beat with anxiety. She at once picked up her basket, and came to her village, and found the corpses of both the twins. Then she began to cry.
Mbwa also came, and found the dead bodies stretched out. Right away, he knew what had happened. So he went to the Prophet Totode, and inquired what he should do. Totode asked him, "Are you able to go to the town of Doctor Nja-ya-melema-mya-bato? (Hunger-for-the-hearts-of-people)." He agreed "Yes, I will go there." Then he went to the town of the Doctor.
A child of the Doctor spoke to Mbwa, and asked, "What have you come to do?" He answered, "I have come to seek heart-life; because my father's wives have killed from me two children."
Already Nja-ya-melema-mya-bato had gone to kill people for himself. In a little while he returned and suddenly, pieces of meat (from the dead bodies) began to fall, kidi! kidi! being thrown out on the ground in the street. Mbwa, awaiting a chance, hid himself under a bed.
Then came the Doctor bringing in the heart-lives of the men he had killed. Mbwa, without permission, seized two of the hearts, and ran out quickly. Nja-ya-melema-mya-bato followed after him, running rapidly, da! da! da! But he did not overtake Mbwa.
Mbwa ran in haste with the hearts, on to his village. There he thrust the new lives into the children. The twins arose again to life and stood, to show themselves, and then they sat down.
Those twins went on growing, and became stout young men.
One day they said to Mbwa, "We want guns." He went to his father, in the town, and said, "I want two guns." His father produced two guns for him. He took them, went to his home, and handed them to the twins. Then they tried the guns, and loaded them.
Next day, in the morning, they went out early to hunt; they killed two gazelles; and they took them to their village. Mbwa cut up one of the beasts; and he said to his mother, "Cook it." Then he took the other one to his father. His father cut it up; and he called Majanga and Inyanji; and, dividing the meat, he said to them, "Go ye, and cook these in the pot, and those in a jomba." (Mbwa himself was still in the house watching them.) They boiled, and cooked; they put in the salt and pepper; and were about to taste the soup when Mbwa said, "Not so! This meat is not to be eaten by women."
They took the food to the Reception-house, where their husband Njambu ate; and he laid aside some for them. But, what he laid aside for those women, Mbwa drew away and ate. Then he returned to his home. His mother made food; and they ate, all four of them.
Next morning, the twins returned to their hunting. They killed also three antelopes, and they carried them to take them to their home, and left them in the path on the way outside of the village. In the village, they said to Mbwa, "Go, and bring the beasts from the forest."
Mbwa started, and brought them to the village. He carried two to his father. His brothers exclaimed, "Where does Mbwa kill all those animals?" His father cut up the animals, and divided one with his children. He cut up the other, saying, "This belongs to myself." Then he prepared some to be cooked in momba (bundles tied in plantain leaves), and some to be dried, and some to be boiled.
The women boiled the food (Mbwa still watching them). When it was cooked, they lifted up the pot from the fire, and they were about to taste it, when Mbwa said, "No! you must not taste it!" They put it in bowls, and set the food before their husband; and he ate. When he was about to give some to his wives, Mbwa said, "Not so!"
The twins continued with their hunting just the same as at the first. Almost every day they were killing some animal. And Mbwa continued also with carrying meat to the town of his father.
Finally, the twins became full-grown men. Then Mbwa said to himself, "Now, I'm ready to bring this matter to the ears of the people." When another day came, he said to his father, "Tomorrow, call all the people of the town together, in the afternoon."
On the next day, his father did so. Mbwa dressed the twins very finely; and brought out three chairs, two for the twins, and one for his mother. All the people collected together. Thereupon, he brought forward his mother, and the twins. The people fixed their eyes on them; for they had not seen them in their little hamlet in the forest. The people exclaimed, "What fine-looking persons!"
Then Mbwa stood up. He said, "Ye people! I have called you all that ye may recognize these two young men." The people said that they did not know them. He continued, "These are my father's children. For, my father had married these three women. Also, they had three duties; Majanga, her duty of keeping the house clean; Inyanji, her duty of planting; and Mamĕndi's was the bearing of twins. Mamĕndi became a mother. On the day of her confinement, her two sisters went to deliver her. They took a napkin and covered her eyes. And she bore these two twins. They threw them inside the pig-pen. And they took two small earthen pillars instead, and they went and showed them to their husband. Then, I entered the pig-pen; and I took these children out; and brought them to my mother. So, these children grew up. And they began hunting. You, my father, you remember when I brought you the wild meat, and you were about to give to these women; but, I went and took away the food. The reason is, because they are the ones who tried to kill the children. I brought them up from childhood to be men as now. So, this caused me to bring this case before the presence of all people; for, I say that those two women were murderesses. So, then, my father, these are your children; but, if you retain those women, these two twins shall not be your sons."
Upon this, the father of Mbwa said, "Catch ye both of the women!" And they were bound in that self-same hour. (They had supposed that the twins had died when they had struck them in the hamlet of Mbwa's mother.) They could not deny. In their anger, as they were led away, they called out to Mbwa, "Mbwa-O!" He assented, "Eh? What is it?" They replied in anger, for having informed on them. And they laid a curse on him, saying, "You will never speak again with the voice of a human being. You shall be a dumb beast."
But, the people took them, to be thrown into the depth of the sea.