Where Animals Talk; West African Folk Lore Tales/Part 2/Tale 23
The Savior of the Animals
Persons
| Njambo and Wife and Son Utigebodi |
Njâku (Elephant) |
| Nyati (Ox) | |
| Ngwayi (Partridge) | Kudu (Tortoise) |
| The Prophet Njambi | Njâ (Leopard) |
| Yungu (Eagle) | Ngomba (Porcupine) |
| Etoli (Rat) | Inâni (Bird) |
NOTE
This story plays on the meaning of the name U-tige-bode. It is an ancient word, not now used, meaning, "He-Who-Saves-People." In the Son's given name; his saving of the unworthy, in response to their appeals for mercy; his bearing of his father's wrath; his punishment on a tree; the derision of the very passers by, for whom he was to die, I think the legend echoes, even though faintly, the story of the Christ.
Njambo married two women. He begot twenty-three children. And they all died. Also one of the wives died. There were left only himself, and one wife.
The woman was old, and the man also was old. But, the woman was again to become a mother; and, at the proper time, she bore a child. The child was a male. The woman called the husband, saying, "Come! and give your boy a name." The husband said, "The name of the child is Utigebode."
After this, the child grew to be a large man. One day, he said to his father, "Paia! I 'm going to set snares in the forest." The father replied, "Yes! go! and catch me food!" He went. And he returned that morning. In the afternoon, he went back to examine the snares. And he found that two Partridges were caught. He exclaimed, "I'm very glad! My father shall eat one today, and the other shall be kept for tomorrow." Then the Partridges asked him, "What is your name?" He answered, "One-Who-Saves-People. "Then the Partridges said, "If that is so, why are you about to kiil us?"
On another day, in the morning, he went again to examine his snares. And he found two Antelope (Tragelephas). He was glad; and he said, "I feel very good! My father shall eat one; and the other can be cooked for another day." The Antelopes asked him, "What's your name?" He answered, "One-Who-Saves-People." Again, they asked, "Why then are you about to kill us?" He replied, "That's so! Well! go!" And he returned to town.
That afternoon he went out again, and found two Gazelles. And he said, "I'll take these two to town at once; and my father shall eat one today, and the other tomorrow." But the Gazelles said, "No!—you are the One-Who-Saves-People! Why then should you kill us?" So he loosed them, and let them go.
He did the same way to two Elephants. And with two Oxen. At another time he found two Tortoises. And the Tortoises spoke to him as had done the others. And on another day, he found two Leopards. And, he released the Leopards, in the same way. At another time, two Porcupines, in the same way.
One after another, almost all the Beasts were thus trapped and released. There was not one beast brought by Utigebode to his village; he freed them all.
So, his father said to him, "My child! since you have set your snares, I have not seen you bring in a single beast, even an Etoli. What are you doing? I shall change your name. For, now that I am old, it is right for you to save me, and help me with food."
Utigebode replied evasively, "Since I set the snares, I have not caught even a Inâni." The father said, "Well! if it is true that you have not killed any Beast or Bird, I will know tomorrow."
The next day broke; and the father went to the village of Prophet Njambi. The Prophet saluted him, "What have you come for?" Njambo replied, "I come to you for you to tell me about my son, whether in his hunting he kills beasts, or whether he does not." Njambi answered, "He snares them constantly; but, because of the name you gave him, he saves the lives of the people of the tribes of Beasts."
The prophet added, "If there be a doubt, I will show you a way to prove my words. When you go back to town you will meet Ihĕli at the end of the village. When you meet with him, call for the people to set nets to catch him. But, yourself shall stand and watch what the Beast does before your eyes."
Njambo arose to go, and bade goodbye, saying, "This is my return journey to my village."
And it was so that, on nearing the end of the village, he met with Gazelle. Njambo shouted, "Men! spread your nets! Here is a Beast! Let us catch it!" His men brought their nets, and began to surround Gazelle. And the son Utigebode came to assist. The men were shouting, "Hâ-hâ! Hâ-hâ!" to frighten the animal towards the nets. Gazelle looked forward, watching Utigebode closely; and it said to itself, "If I go toward the nets, I shall be caught; but, I will go toward Utigebode and shall be saved."
So, Gazelle ran toward Utigebode, and he caught it as if to kill it. But Gazelle cried out, "Eh! Utigebode! you, the savior, will you be the one to kill me?" So, Utigebode said, "Pass on! for, it is true that I am The-One-Who-Saves." And Gazelle fled to the forest.
Then Njambo was very angry, and said to Utigebode, "Ah! my child! I have found you in your falsehood! Was it not you who said you caught no Beast? So! you have been releasing them!"
Then the company all went back to their village with their nets. They arrived there during the daytime. And the father ordered his son, "Go! climb that coco tree, and bring me a nut." The son began to climb the tree. But, as he climbed, the father, by Magic-Power, caused the tree to grow rapidly upward. When, finally, Utigebode reached the top, he was unable to come down the excessively long tree-trunk. He began to call to his father for help, "My father!" But the father was still very angry, and replied, "Call your friends, the Beasts and Birds, to save you. I will not help you." And Njambo went to sit down in his village, leaving his son in the treetop.
The son saw Eagle passing, and he called to it, "Yungu! Help me!" Eagle replied, "I am not able to carry a Man; you are heavy;" so, Eagle passed on. Utigebode saw many Beasts one after another passing below, and he called to them, "Save me!" But, they said, "We have no wings with which to go up to you. How can we get you down? We are not Birds that could let you down. We Beasts are unable to help you. Do not expect us."
He was left there in the tree-top a period of two weeks, living only on the coconuts; and then he died, and his body fell to the earth. Njambo came out to see the corpse, and he said to it, "You have died through lack of obedience. You disobeyed me; and your beasts did not help you."
The father and the mother lived another year in their village; and then they died, because they had no children to help them with food or clothes. And the people came from other villages to bury them.