[Lyric] Specimens of Bushman Folklore - The Son Of the Mantis (W.H.I. Bleek and L.C. Lloyd)

!gaunu-tsaxau [1] formerly went to fetch for his father sticks, that his father might take aim at the people who sit upon (their) heels. Fetching, he went up to them (the baboons) as they were going along feeding. Therefore, a baboon who feeding went past him,-he who was an older baboon,-he was the one to whom !gaunu-tsaxau came. Then he questioned !gaunu-tsaxau. And !gaunu-tsaxau told him about it, that he must fetch for his father sticks, that his father might take aim at the people who sit upon (their) heels. Therefore, he (the baboon) exclaimed [2] "Hie! Come to listen to this child." And the other one said:

"First going
I listen,
To the child yonder.
First going
I listen,
To the child yonder."

[1 !gaunu-tsaxau was a son of the Mantis.

2. I must (the narrator here explained) speak in my language, because I feel that the speech of the baboons is not easy."]

And he reached them. He said: "What does this child say?" And the child said: "I must fetch for my father sticks (bushes?), that my father may take aim at the people who sit upon (their) heels." Then the baboon said: "Tell the old man yonder that he must come to hear this child." Then the baboon called out: "Hie! Come to hear this child." Then the other one said:

First going
I listen,
To the child yonder."

And he came up (to them); he exclaimed: "What does this child say?" And the other one answered: "This child, he wishes, he says, to fetch sticks for his father, that his father may take aim at the people who sit upon (their) heels." And this baboon said: "Tell the old man yonder that he must come to hear this child." Then this (other) baboon called out: "O person passing across in front! come to listen to this child." Therefore, the other one said:
First going
I listen,
To the child yonder."

And he came up (to them). He said: "What does this child say?" And the other one answered: "This child wants, he says, to fetch sticks [1] for his father, that his father may take aim at the people who sit upon (their) heels." Therefore, this baboon

[1. In a paper entitled "A Glimpse into the Mythology of the Maluti Bushmen," which appeared in the Cape Monthly Magazine for July, 1874, written by Mr. J. M. Orpen. (at that time Chief Magistrate, St. John's Territory), we find, on p. 8, that the Mantis sent one of his sons to cut sticks to make bows, and that he was caught and killed by the baboons.]

exclaimed It is ourselves! Thou shalt tell the old man yonder that he shall come to listen to this child." Therefore, this other baboon called out: "Ho! come to listen to this child." Then the other one said:

First going
I listen,
To the child yonder."

He came up to the other people on account of it. He said: "What does this child say?" And the other one answered: "This child, he wants, he says, to fetch[1] sticks for his father, that his father may take aim at the people who sit upon (their) heels." Therefore, this baboon exclaimed (with a sneering kind of laugh): "O ho! It is ourselves! Thou shalt quietly go to tell the old man yonder, that he may come to listen to this child." And the other one called out: "O person passing across in front! come to listen to this child." And the other said:

First going
I listen,
To the child yonder."

And he went up to the other people; he said: "What does this child say?" And the other one answered: "This child, he wants, he says, to fetch sticks for his father, that his father may take aim at the people who sit upon their heels."

Then that baboon,--he felt that he was an old

[1. Note by the narrator. He had sent his son, that his son should go to construct things for him. I think that they were sticks (bushes?). He wished his son to go (and) make them for him, that he might come (and) work them, in order that he might make war upon the baboons.]
baboon--therefore, he said, when the other one had said, "This child wanted, he said, to fetch sticks for his father," therefore the other one (the old baboon) exclaimed: "What? it is we ourselves; ourselves it is! Ye shall strike the child with your fists."

Therefore, they were striking !gaunu-tsaxau with their fists on account of it; they hit with their fists, breaking (his) head. And another struck with his fist, knocking out !gaunu-tsaxau's eye, the and the child's eye in this manner sprang (or rolled) away. Then this baboon exclaimed: "My ball! my ball! "Therefore, they began to play a game at ball,[2] while the child died; the child lay still. They said (sang):

And I want it,
Whose ball is it?
And I want it,
Whose ball is it?
And I want it."

The other people said:

My companion's ball it is,
And I want it,
My companion's ball it is,
And I want it,"

while they were playing at ball there with the child's eye.

The Mantis was waiting for the child. Therefore, the Mantis lay down at noon. Therefore, the Mantis

[1 (They) were playing at ball.

My ball,
My ball it is,
And I want it.
My companion's ball it is,
And I want it,
My companion's ball,
And I want it."
]

was dreaming about the child, that the baboons were those who had killed the child; that they had made a ball of the child's eye; that he went to the baboons, while the baboons played at ball there with the child's eye.

Therefore, he arose; he took up the quiver, he slung on the quiver; be said, "Rattling along,[1] rattling along," while he felt that he used formerly to do so, he used to say, Rattling along." Then, when he came into sight. he perceived the baboons' dust, while the baboons were playing at ball there with the child's eye. Then the Mantis cried on account of it, because the baboons appeared really to have killed the child. Therefore, they were playing at ball there with the child's eye. Therefore, when he came into sight, he perceived the baboons' dust, while the baboons were playing at ball there with the child's eye. Therefore he cried about it. And he quickly shut his mouth; he thoroughly dried the tears from his eyes, while he desired that the baboons should not perceive tears in his eyes; that he appeared to have come crying, hence tears were in his eyes; so that he might go to play at ball with the baboons, while his eyes had no tears in them.

Then he, running, came up to the baboons, while the baboons stared at him, because they were startled at him.[2] Then, while the baboons were still staring at him, he came running to a place where he

[1 The arrows they were, the arrows which were in the quiver; they made a rattling noise, because they stirred inside (it). Therefore, he said, "Rattling along, rattling along."

2. They were not in the habit of seeing him; therefore they stared at him.]

laid down the quiver; he took off (his) kaross (i.e. skin cloak), he put down the kaross, he, grasping, drew out the feather brush which he had put into the bag, he shook out the brush, he played with (?) the ball. He called out to the baboons, why was it that the baboons were staring at him, while the baboons did not play with (?) the ball, that the baboons might throw it to him.

Then the baboons looked at one another, because they suspected why he spoke thus. Then he caught hold of the ball, when the ball had merely flown to another baboon, when this (the first) baboon had thrown the ball to the other. Then the child's eye, because the child's eye felt that it was startled (?), on account of his father's scent, it went playing about; the baboons trying to get it, missed it. Then one baboon, he was the one who caught hold of it, he threw it towards another. Then the Mantis merely sprang out from this place, the Mantis caught hold of the child's eye, the Mantis, snatching, took the child's eye. Then the Mantis whirled around the child's eye; he anointed the child's eye with (the perspiration of) his armpits. Then he threw the child's eye towards the baboons, the child's eye ascended, the child's eye went about in the sky; the baboons beheld it above, as it played about above in the sky. And the child's eye went to stand yonder opposite to the quiver; it appeared as if it sprang over the quiver, while it stood inside the quiver's bag.[1]

[1. He tied, placing a little bag at the side of the quiver; therefore it is the quiver's bag; while it feels that it is a little bag which is tied at the side of the quiver; he had laid the bow upon it; it was the one that he tied, placing it by the side of the quiver. That bag, it was the one that the child's eye was in. That bag, it was the one that he laid the bow upon.]

Then the baboons went to seek for it. The Mantis also sought for it, while the baboons sought for it. Then all the baboons were altogether seeking for the child's eye. They said: "Give my companion the ball."[1] The baboon whose ball it was, he said: "Give me the ball."[2] The Mantis said: "Behold ye! I have not got the ball." The baboons said: "Give my companion the ball." The baboon whose ball it was, he said: "Give me the ball." Then the baboons[3] said that the Mantis must shake the bag, for the ball seemed to be inside the bag. And the Mantis exclaimed: "Behold ye! Behold ye! the ball is not inside the bag. Behold ye!" while he grasped the child's eye, he shook, turning the bag inside out. He said: "Behold ye! Behold ye! the ball cannot be inside the bag."

Then this baboon exclaimed: "Hit the old man with (your) fists." Then the other one exclaimed: "Give my companion the ball! "while he struck the head of the Mantis. Then the Mantis exclaimed: "I have not got the ball," while he struck the baboon's head. Therefore, they were all striking the Mantis with their fists; the Mantis was striking them with his fist. Then the Mantis got the worst of it; the Mantis exclaimed: "Ow! Hartebeest's Children![4] ye must go! !kau

[1. "Give my companion the ball."

2. "Give me the ball."

3. It is uncertain whether this should be singular or plural here.

4. "Hartebeest's Children," here, may refer to a bag made from the skin of young hartebeests, which the Mantis had with him.]

!Yerriggu![1] ye must go!" while the baboons watched him ascend; as he flew up, as he flew to the water. Then he popped into the water on account of it; while he exclaimed: "I |ke, tten !khwaiten!khwaiten, !kui ha i |ka!"[2] "Then he walked out of the water; he sat down; he felt inside (his) bag; he took out the child's eye; he walked on as he held it; he walked, coming up to the grass at the top of the water's bank[3]; he sat down. He exclaimed: "Oh wwi ho!"[4] as he put the child's eye into the water.

"Thou must grow out, that thou mayest become like that which thou hast been."[5] "Then he walked on; he went to take up (his) kaross, he threw it over his shoulder; be took up the quiver, he slung on the quiver; and, in this manner, he returning went, while he returning arrived at home.

Then the young Ichneumon exclaimed: "Who can have done thus to my grandfather, the Mantis, that the Mantis is covered with wounds? "Then the Mantis replied: "The baboons were those who killed grandson, !gaunu-tsaxau; I went [the Mantis speaks very sadly and slowly here], as they were

[1. The meaning of !kau !Yerri-ggu is at present unknown to the translator, but the Mantis is still addressing some of his possessions, and ordering them to leave the scene of his defeat.

2. Of these words of the Mantis (which frequently appear in stories concerning him) the narrators were not able to furnish a sufficiently clear explanation, so the original text is given.

3. It is grass; the grass which stands upon the top of the water's bank; it is that which the Bushmen call |kannung-a-sse.

4. At the same time, putting the first finger of his right hand into his mouth, against his left cheek, and drawing it forcibly out; the eye being meanwhile in the palm of his right hand, shut down by his other fingers.

5 He desired that the child should live; that it should living return.]

playing at ball there with grandson's eye; I went to play at ball with them. Then grandson's eye vanished. Therefore, the baboons said (that) I was the one who had it; the baboons were fighting me; therefore, I was fighting them; and I thus did, I flying came."

Then |kuammang-a said: "I desire thee to say to grandfather, Why is it that grandfather continues to go among strangers [literally, people who are different]?" Then the Mantis answered: "Thou dost appear to think that yearning was not that on account of which I went among the baboons; "while he did not tell |kuammang-a and the others that he came (and) put the child's eye into the water.

Then he remained there (i.e. at home), while he did not go to the water. Then he went there, while he went to look at the place where he had put in the child's eye. And he approached gently, while he wished that he might not make a rustling noise. Therefore, he gently came. And the child heard him, because he had not come gently when afar off; and the child jumped up, it splashed into the water. Then the Mantis was laughing about it, while his heart yearned (for the child). And he returned; altogether returned.

Then the child grew; it became like that which it had (formerly) been. Then the Mantis came; while he came to look; and be in this manner walking came. While he came walking and looking, he espied the child, as the child was sitting in the sun. Then the child heard him, as be came rustling (along); the child sprang up, the child entered the water. And he looking stood, he went back. he went; he went to make for the child a front kaross (or apron), that and a ||koroko.[1] He put the things aside; then he put the front kaross (into a bag), that and the ||koroko; he in this manner went; he in this manner came he approached gently. And, as he approached gently, he espied the child lying in the sun, as the child lay yonder, in the sun, opposite the water. Therefore, he gently came up to the child. And the child heard him, as his father gently came. And the Mantis, when the child intended to get up, the Mantis sprang forward, he caught hold of the child. And he anointed the child with his scent; he anointed the child; be said: "Why art thou afraid of me? I am thy father; I who am the Mantis, I am here; thou art my son, thou art !gaunu-tsaxau; I am the Mantis, I whose son thou art; the father is myself." And the child sat down, on account of it; and he took out the front kaross, he took out the ||koroko. He put the front kaross on to the child; he put the ||koroko on to the child; he put the front kaross on to the child. Then he took the child with him; they, in this manner, returning went; they returning arrived at home.

Then the young Ichneumon exclaimed: "What person can it be who comes with the Mantis?" And |kuammang-a replied: "Hast thou not just(?) heard that grandfather said he had gone to the baboons, while they were playing at ball there with the child's eye? while grandfather must have been playing before us; his son comes yonder with him! "And they returned, reaching the house. Then the young Ichneumon spoke; he said: "Why did my grandfather, the Mantis, first say that the

[1. Another article for the child to wear.]

baboons were those who killed the child, while the child is here Then the Mantis said: Hast thou not seen (that) he is not strong? while he feels that I came to put his eye into the water; while I wished that I might see whether the thing would not accomplish itself for me; therefore, I came to put his eye into the water. He came out of the water; therefore, thou seest (that) he is not strong. Therefore, I wished that I might wait, taking care of him; that I may see whether he will not become strong."