46 44. A Chain of Circumstances

[From Where Animals Talk: West African Folklore Tales by Robert Nassau, 1912. See item #147 in the Bibliography.]

Kudu the Tortoise was a blacksmith, and he allowed other people to use his bellows.

Etanda the Cockroach had a spear that was known of by all people and things. One day, he went to the smithy at the village of Tortoise.

When Cockroach started to work the bellows, as he looked out in the street he saw Kuba the Chicken coming, and he said to Tortoise, “I’m afraid that Kuba will catch me. What shall I do?” So Tortoise told him, “Go and hide yourself off there in the grass.” At once, Cockroach hid himself.

Then arrived Kuba the Chicken, and he, observing a spear lying on the ground, asked Tortoise, “Is not this the spear of Etanda the Cockroach?” Tortoise assented, “Yes, do you want him?” And Chicken said, “Yes, where is he?” So Tortoise said, “He hid himself in the grass on the ground yonder; catch him.” Then Kuba the Chicken went, and caught Etanda the Cockroach, and swallowed him.

When Kuba was about to go away to return to his place, Tortoise said to him, “Come back! Work for me this fine bellows!” As Chicken, willing to return a favor, was about to stand at the bellows, he looked around and saw Uhingi the Wildcat coming in the street. Chicken said to Tortoise, “Alas! I’m afraid that Uhingi the Wildcat will see me; where shall I go?” So, Tortoise says, “Go and hide!” Chicken did so.

When Wildcat came, he, seeing the spear, asked, “Is it not so that this is the spear of Etanda the Cockroach?” Tortoise replied, “Yes.” Wildcat asked him, “Where is Etanda?” He replied, “Kuba the Chicken has swallowed him.” Wildcat inquired, “And where is Chicken?” Tortoise showed him the place where Chicken was hidden. And Uhingi the Wildcat went and caught and ate Chicken.

When Wildcat was about to go, Tortoise called to him, “No! Come work this fine bellows.” Wildcat set to work, but when he looked into the street, he hesitated, for he saw Nje the Leopard coming. Wildcat said to Tortoise, “I must go, lest Nje should see me!” Then Tortoise said, “Go and hide in the grass.” So Wildcat hid himself in the grass.

Leopard, having arrived and wondering about the spear, asked Tortoise, “Is it not so that this is the spear of Etanda the Cockroach?” Tortoise answered, “Yes.” Then Leopard asked, “Where is Etanda?” Tortoise replied, “Kuba the Chicken has swallowed him.” “And where is Kuba?” Tortoise answered, “Uhingi the Wildcat has eaten him.” Then Leopard asked, “Where then is Uhingi?” Tortoise asked, “Do you want him? Go and catch him! He is hidden yonder there.” Then Nje the Leopard caught and killed Wildcat.

Leopard was then going away, but Tortoise told him, “Wait! Come work this fine bellows.” When Leopard was about to comply, he looked around the street, and he saw a Man coming with a gun carried on his shoulder. Leopard exclaimed, “Oh, Kudu, I do not want to see a Man; let me go!” Then Tortoise said to him, “Go and hide!” Leopard did so.

When the Man had come, and he saw the spear of Cockroach, he inquired, “Is it not so that this is Cockroach’s wonderful spear?” Tortoise answered, “Yes.” And the Man asked, “Where then is Cockroach?” Tortoise answered, “Chicken has swallowed him.” Man asked, “And where is Chicken?” Tortoise answered, “Wildcat has eaten him.” Man asked, “And where is Wildcat?” Tortoise answered, “Leopard has killed him.” Man asked, “And where is Leopard?” Tortoise did not at once reply, and Man asked again, “Where is Leopard?” The Tortoise said, “Do you want him? Go and catch him! He has hidden himself over there.”

Then the Man went and shot Leopard,

Who had killed Wildcat,

Who had eaten Chicken,

Who had swallowed Cockroach

Who owned the wonderful spear

At the smithy of Tortoise.