Where Animals Talk; West African Folk Lore Tales/Part 2/Tale 3
Origin of the Elephant
Persons
| Uhâdwe, Bokume and Njâku Sons of Njambi the Creator |
Towns-People, Sailors and Others |
NOTE
I have never seen the place; but, intelligent natives, (though they did not believe in the legend itself) told me there was the likeness to a human foot-print in a rock on the beach of the north shore of Corisco Bay. Doubtless a fossil.
Uhâdwe, Bokume, and Njâku were human beings, all three born of one mother. (Afterwards Bokume was called "Njâpĕ.")
As time went on, Uhâdwe called his brethren, Bokume and Njâku, and said, "My brothers! Let us separate; myself, I am going to the Great Sea; you, Bokume go to the Forest; you, Njâku, also go to the Forest."
Bokume went to the forest and grew up there, and became the valuable mahogany tree (Okume).
Njâku departed; but he went in anger, saying, "I will not remain in the forest, I am going to build with the towns-people." He came striding back to the town. As he emerged there from the forest, his feet swelled and swelled, and became elephant feet. His ear extended 'way down. His teeth spreading, this one grew to a tusk, and that one grew to a tusk. The towns-people began to hoot at him. And he turned back to the forest. But, as he went, he said to them, "In my going now to the Forest, I and whatever plants you shall plant in the forest shall journey together," (i. e., that their plantations should be destroyed by him). So Njâku went; and their food went.
When Uhâdwe had gone thence and emerged at the Sea, from the place where he emerged there grew the stem of "bush-rope" (the Calamus palm); and the staff he held became a mangrove forest. The footprints where he and his dog trod are there on the beach of Corisco Bay until this day. He created a sand-bank from where he stood, extending through the ocean, by which he crossed over to the Land of the Great Sea. When he reached that Land, he prepared a ship. He put into it every production by which white people obtain wealth, and he said to the crew, "Go ye and take for me my brother."
The ship came to Africa and put down anchor; but, for four days the crew did not find any person coming from shore to set foot on the ship, or to go from the ship to set foot ashore, the natives being destitute of canoes.
Finally, Uhâdwe came and appeared to the towns-people in a dream, and said, "Go ye to the forest and cut down Njâpĕ, dig out a canoe, and go alongside the ship."
Early next morning they went to the forest, and came to the Okume trees; they cut one down, and hacked it into shape. They launched it on the sea, and said to their young men, "Go!" Four young men went into the canoe to go alongside the ship. When they had nearly reached it, looking hither and thither they feared, and they stopped and ceased paddling. The white men on the ship made repeated signs to them. Then the young men, having come close, spoke to the white men in the native language. A white man answered also in the same language. That white man said, "I have come to buy the tusks of the beast which is here in the forest with big feet and tusks and great ears, that is called Njâku." They said, "Yes! a good thing!" When they were about leaving, the white man advancing to them, deposited with them four bunches of tobacco, four bales of prints, four caps, and other things.
When they reached the shore, they told the others, "The white men want Njâku's tusks; and also they have things by which to kill his tribe."
The next morning, they went to the white men; they were trusted with guns and bullets and powder; they went to the forest, and fought with the elephants. In two days the ship was loaded, and it departed.
This continues to happen so until this day, in the Ivory-Trade.