Where Animals Talk; West African Folk Lore Tales/Part 2/Tale 26
A Trick for Vengeance
Persons
| Kudu (Tortoise) | Ko (Wild-Rat) |
| Njâ (Leopard) | |
NOTE
Because of deaths and sicknesses, African natives are constantly changing the location of their villages, believing the old sites infested by malevolent Spirits.
The whole mass of Beasts were living in one place. They built houses; they cleared the forest for plantations.
After this, Tortoise said, "I'm going to find my own place." So, he went and built in a place which he called Malĕndĕ-ma-Kudu. The fame of it was spread abroad, people talking about "Malĕndĕ-ma-Kudu." Leopard arose, came to the town of Tortoise, and said, "I have come to build here." Tortoise consented, "You may build." Leopard said, "I'm going to build at the end of the path, and by the spring." And he built there.
One day, a child of Tortoise was passing by near the spring; and Leopard seized him, ku!
Another day, another one was passing; Leopard seized him, also, ku!
Then Tortoise said, "This is an evil place, I'm going to move from here." So he went and built another town called Jamba. Leopard came also, saying, "Kudu! I'm coming to build!" Then Tortoise said, "Really! what have your affairs to do with me? Nevertheless, come and build." And Leopard built at the end, by the spring.
When the children of Tortoise were passing by the spring. Leopard constantly killed them.
Tortoise wondered, "This thing which is destroying my children, what is it?"
Thus day by day. Leopard was killing the children of Tortoise.
Tortoise prepared again to remove, saying that he would go away and build another town to be called Dang. He went there. And the fame of it was spread around, people saying, "Dang, the town of Kudu!" Everybody was saying, "We are going to the town of Kudu; Dang, the town of Kudu!"
Leopard comes again, and says, "I also have come to build here." Tortoise said to him, "Wait! really; why did you leave the other people?" However, Tortoise said to him, "Build." And Leopard built as usual. Also, when the children of Tortoise were passing to the spring, they were missing. And Tortoise felt sure that Leopard had seized them.
Thereupon Tortoise made a plan for himself. He called Wild-Rat privately, saying, "I have heard that you know how to dig holes." Wild-Rat replied, "It is my work." Tortoise said, "But, I want you to dig me a tunnel from this room here, out to, and up towards the street, by measure." So, Wild-Rat dug a big hole, in size sufficient for Tortoise and his traveling-bag and his spears.
Then Tortoise went and gathered together his spears and his traveling-bag. He went out the next day, early in the morning, and stood and announced in the street, "All the Tribes must come! I want to tell them the news of what I have seen."
Then all the Beasts came to meet in the town of Tortoise. It was full of every kind of beast. Tortoise spoke, and said, "I have called you to say, that really we are not worth anything at all. Actually, the only dwelling we have is in the grave. All those my children who have died here, is it possible that it is my Father (of Spirits) who takes them? I met them sitting down in the Reception-House of that father, playing." The people said to him, "This is a Dream." He replied, "No! it is open to sight." Some said, "It is a lie." But Tortoise said, "You have doubted me? Well, tomorrow you must dig me a grave; and you shall see how I am going." They said, "Yes! let us see!"
On the next day, in the morning, they were called together. He said, "Dig me a pit here." (He pointed to the privately measured spot over the tunnel which Wild-Rat had already made for him.) They dug it wide and deeply. Then, this Tortoise took his spears and his bag; and with these under his arm, he descended into the pit, and bade the people fill in the earth. He went to one side, until he reached and entered that tunnel of his which Wild-Rat had dug for him. And unseen he passed up to his room in his house, and lay down. Before that, he had promised the people, saying, "I shall lie there (in the pit) for six days."
Before Tortoise had disappeared, the people (following his orders) began to throw back the earth into the pit, filling it solidly.
After Tortoise had laid in his house for six days, he suddenly appeared in the street; and he called all the mass of the Beasts, and he told them the news. He said, "Over there is so beautiful! I will not stay in this town any more for as long as ten days. But, as I am here, I shall lie here only for three days, and two days over there." At once Tortoise was regarded as a person of great importance, and his fame was spread abroad.
Thereupon, Leopard, (feeling jealous of the wonderful experience of Tortoise) said to his children, "Even Kudu! How much rather that I should get to that beautiful place! Dig me mine own pit. I also am going to see my forefathers. I and they, we have not seen each other for a long time." So, they dug a big pit. He announced, "I will lie there for seven days; on the eighth, then I shall come."
Then he descended into the pit. And they rapidly filled it up with earth. Leopard, below, sought a cavity by which to pass on (as he thought) to the Land of Spirits; but, there was none. And he died.
His children waited eight days; but they saw not their father. Then they asked Tortoise, "As to our father, up to this day, what has happened to him?" Tortoise answered them, "Why are you asking me this? When I went, what did my family ask of you? Maybe, your father remained to follow the pleasures of over there!"
The women of Leopard had kept him some food, making it ready for him for the eighth day. But (giving up hope of him) they ate it. While they were still waiting, actually Leopard had begun to rot there (in the pit).
Tortoise, fearing possible difficulty, gathered together his wives and remaining children, and fled with them into the forest afar off.