Where Animals Talk; West African Folk Lore Tales

by Robert Hamill Nassau

 

WHERE ANIMALS TALK

West African Folk Lore Tales

By

ROBERT H. NASSAU

Author of "Fetichism in West Africa,"
"The Youngest King," etc.

 

 

RICHARD G. BADGER

THE GORHAM PRESS

BOSTON

CONTENTS

Preface ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

3

Pronunciation ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

6

Part First

 

Mpongwe Tribe

TALE

PAGE

1

Do not Trust your Friend ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

13

2

Leopard's Hunting-Camp ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

18

3

Tests of Death: 1st Version ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

25

Tests of Death: 2nd Version ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

27

4

Tasks done for a Wife; and, The Giant Goat ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

30

5

A Tug-of-War ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

37

6

Agĕnda: Rat's Play on a Name ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

41

7

"Nuts are Eaten Because of Angângwe": A Proverb ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

49

8

Who are Crocodile's Relatives? ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

53

9

Who is King of Birds? and, Why Chickens live with Mankind ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

54

10

"Njiwo Died of Sleep:" A Proverb ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

58

11

Which is the Fattest:—Manatus, Hog, or Oyster? ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

60

12

Why Mosquitoes Buzz ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

62

13

Unkind Criticism ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

63

14

The Suitors of Princess Gorilla ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

65

15

Leopard of the Fine Skin ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

68

16

Why the Plantain-Stalk Bears but One Bunch ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

76

Part Second

 

Benga Tribe

1

Swine Talking ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

81

2

Crocodile ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

82

3

Origin of the Elephant ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

82

4

Leopard's Marriage Journey ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

85

5

Tortoise in a Race ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

95

6

Goat's Tournament ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

99

7

Why Goats Became Domestic ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

100

8

Igwana's Forked Tongue ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

103

9

What Caused their Deaths? ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

106

10

A Quarrel about Seniority ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

109

11

The Magic Drum ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

113

12

The Lies of Tortoise ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

121

13

"Death Begins by Some One Person": A Proverb ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

126

14

Tortoise and the Bojabi Tree ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

129

15

The Suitors of Njambo's Daughter ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

134

16

Tortoise, Dog, Leopard, and the Njabi Fruit ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

140

17

A Journey for Salt ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

145

18

A Plea for Mercy ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

149

19

The Deceptions of Tortoise ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

153

20

Leopard's Hunting Companions ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

159

21

Is the Bat a Bird or a Beast? ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

163

22

Dog, and his Human Speech, 1st Version ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

165

Dog, and his Human Speech, 2nd Version ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

168

23

The Savior of the Animals ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

173

24

Origin of the Ivory Trade, 1st Version ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

177

Origin of the Ivory Trade, 2nd Version ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

184

25

Dog and his False Friend Leopard ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

189

26

A Trick for Vengeance ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

192

27

Not My Fault! ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

195

28

Do not Impose on the Weak ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

196

29

Borrowed Clothes ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

198

30

The Story of a Panic ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

200

31

A Family Quarrel ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

201

32

The Giant Goat ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

202

33

The Fights of Mbuma-Tyĕtyĕ; and, An Origin of Leopard ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

208

34

A Snake's Skin Looks like a Snake ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

226

Part Third

 

Fang Tribe

1

Candor ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

233

2

Which is the Better Hunter, an Eagle or a Leopard? ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

234

3

A Lesson in Evolution ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

234

4

Parrot Standing on One Leg ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

235

5

A Question of Right of Inheritance ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

237

6

Tortoise Covers His Ignorance ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

238

7

A Question as to Age ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

239

8

Abundance: A Play on the Meaning of a Word ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

240

9

An Oath: With a Mental Reservation ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

242

10

The Treachery of Tortoise ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

243

11

A Chain of Circumstances ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

245

Index ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

248