Collectanea. 457
Fifty Hausa Folk-Tales {concluded).
46. Hoiv the Hunter was Hunted. (B. G.)
This is about a certain learned man. He had a son. They used to kill Buffaloes. They killed a number of Buffaloes. So a Buffalo changed herself and became a fine woman, and said she would revenge (herself); she would kill the learned man's son. When she had come to the town, each of the youths came to court her, (but) she refused him. Then she said it was the young hunter she wanted. When the young hunter came, she said, — " Thank God. See the youth whom I am going to sleep ^ with." So he took her, and they were lying in his hut and talking, and talking, and talking, when she said, — " You, but (in) the whole town there are no hunters like you and your father." She said, — " Have you (any) magic?" Then he said, — "Yes, certainly we have magic. Does one go to shoot a Buffalo without magic .? She would kill the man." Then she said, — " What kind of magic have you got to make to (give) her ? " He said, — " We can change into an ant- hill." He said,^" We can change also into a stump in the road." She said, — "Are they all, (those) two?" Then he said, — "We
can change into Zop " . " Hi," called out the boy's father,
" be silent." So they left off talking.^ So she slept with him, (and, when) day broke, she said, — " Well, come and escort me." So he said, — "Very well." So he took up his quiver^ and slung (it) on. Then she said, — " What, do you accompany me armed ? " (my escorting only with a quiver). He said, — " Ah, perhaps (when) I am returning I may see a Buffalo, and I can shoot (her)." Then she said, — " No, no, you will not take me far." So they went and travelled on, and on, and on, and talked until he said, — " Well, I have accompanied you far enough (the escorting suffices), I shall return home." Then she said, — "Ah no, take me as far as the stream ; (then) you can go home." When they had gone to the stream, she said, — "Very well, leave me here and go home. I also
^ With the Hausas, who indulge in free and easy love, the lady comes to the man's house.
^Or, perhaps, " they left that topic of conversation."
^The Hausas say "sling on the quiver" where we say "take bow and arrows."
