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EGBERIO-O-O
EGBERIO- O -O
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EGBERIO- O - O

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Izon Stories from the Niger Delta

'Ani aba bodg w6 wari a mu e.' A o pargrni, 'tmini ba eniyg a mugha fa e.' Wo ani wgni sei qrii mq ba 6 nanagha fa braa mq gba 6 diami. Wo d hesin wari a mu kgn bglgp yerinmg timi fi erein lami.

DGBEnIOIO-O
EGBEnIO- O T O NGBEnIO. O T O

Izen Stories from the Niger Delta

77

'If that is the case let us go to (my) house.' 'I shall not go to your house again' she responded.
He presented to her the enormity of her offence and his intention to divorce her, and leaving her behind, he made for his home, lived on until his death.

Foreword
The Greatest Resources of a Nation is surely that of its People and its Culture. The people of the Niger Delta have been blessed with the greatest of Natural Resources - a Rich and Diverse Cultural F{eritage and Tradition. For thousands of years this has been celebrated and enjoyed by the Indigenous Riverine Communities throughout the Delta. Respect of each other, the aged, the marginalized - the hallmarks of Civilization. Arnong the People with whom I live presently this precious heritage is fast eroding as the aneient wisdom and values of countless generations is giving way to a something new each day.
The discovery of crude oil by far a more marketable and sought after resource than any shared heritage, has transformed our societies, our economies and our self understanding. The resources of a nation, a people, a culture are being exploited in a way that long after the oil has been pumped away something far more valuable has been lost, exploited and gone forever. Those who gained, benefited cheap those who lost, have paid too high a price already. Sold for a song or was it a story

This

highlighting the Izon language in its written form. It is intended for those attending schooi and all who wish to learn Izon language. I hope that you enjoy it and grow in fluency and proficiency in the written word.

Heritage. It is a mere "Drop in the Delta" and a effort at

short collection is a step towards reclaiming our Common

I wish to thank all those who contributed towards the publication and all those who contributed stories, it was not possible to include all in this version. I wish to pay special tribute to the Ayamassa Community for their generosity and creativity in storytelling while I
76

lll

was with them. In particular John Odisi played a monumental role in typing and translating these stories.

aba eye sidg o. Mlsi bra pa a, o kiri ini kgni-yinbo owei olotuu kgn sgg ba wo Ut" ki i mq miggmini yan o?' A ogoun eyeUo s9 kpg tga kgni tu iggnmini'yo. duo sgg,6 yei mu gbein agbq lUbq s9 kin kp9k99 kpgkef wgri wai ama a kgn bouu

fi

I wish to thank particularly IRISH AID vrhose support has enable this publication to see the light of day and for their support in the deveiopment of the Izon Language and in other publication.
Stories by:

mumi. Tu baimi, andaam'ereiin. Amaa sg o mg gbo sinng ni wo olotuu kqdim'dein ki

wgrini

deinbo karaidg'

Chief Asiaseimor Esime Chief Wuruengobo Anderson Mr. Ebiemor Sito

Amami angg kgri wgrimikgrg andaa korumi' Pekei pekeimio ta o bgmi' 'A i yei, i kgn eye tUggm' lg faa duoni kiall bou sUQ mu lq gbein bodg k9 kiri anda'yg a mu e.' Wo 6 parymi,'lmini miereinmi a kgrg anda ki andaa migminii duoni i mugha e.'A o Qghq timi bo ala fa. kiri o kpl9l99 mumi' O mu kgni lq owou mu agqnq la ni kiri o lg gbein dggmini mi lU tlnmi koro kikoromini bra kio mq arimi'Wo angabo a brasin wgri desi mu misi IUU mg nain ye kgri gbeimgmi' o kpq koro koro ki korominl bra ki o mQ arimi.Wo anii duo abgkq dei desi mu kgni lp gbeimq wgri o
duo p9l9i mu kin a tigmi. O mu kiriml a tlgmi, omini niini mu bou kimi wariki a tig ni warli nana bgmi sg ki bo o sggmggm'nq ki tgn wgri pa bo o mqmg andami. Eygmi a timi tuobo s9, tlnbo mg a mg anda ba sinmi. Bo ma kimibo s9 dgin ebidg. Anda ogelemi a mq juun, nJduuogq anda-kirimi a mumi, ani tpbggg fa. A mu o ta bi a, tibiegberi gba d pdgha.A kpg gbasl diri yerin a owou emi nl 6 ani tgmgdiyee di a, ani nlbggmi bou Li a timl anda oya fimini bra d mq arimi. A taara seri a wo arii tinmi kgrg mu wo angg a sggmi. Bou klmimi o m9 sibe kiri gbeinmi. O kiali bain ama a pa, anda ekein dei wgriu kgn anda-tirii wgnimgmi. O mu tirimi a vuaan pami, tirii giomi. Wo owei tin pelei tiri bain ygorqmi' Bo andaa ladg. A bo gbeleimi. A anda osumei timing wo olotuu sibe gbirain gbeinmi. Mamqkaramg serii kpg wo o gbeinmi. o kiri bo olotuu sp9mi. wo erema kgnl-yinbowei eyebo sg a mQ tqlg wo eyq a bomi. Wo erema, o koro bou sp99 kpmgQ s9 ki a mini eye-ama tqlg wgri mlni wari a mumi; o wai bo paamini bra ii mq ororoghaa duoni Ania eyebo s9 bqdg mi' o ta kgn o mig brami o mg gba mini yin diami. Yinma o parymi, 'Boumi a ma anda timimi ye eni arimi' Ye aniki duon ini

Mr. Arekumor KPeYaYe Mr Arerebo Egedegu

Chief Otutukeme Ateteke-oru Mr Ekufe OPeikumor H.R.H. Chief Walter KPeYaYe Mrs. Egbeleba Walter Chief Otutukeme Ateteke-oru By Chief Siloko Lobai Mr. Ekufe OPeikumor Mr. AmamieYe Molokeme Mrs. Egbeleba Walter Mrs. Etule Evinson Mr. Peter Africa Chief Wuruengobo Anderson Mr. David Gbolokumor Mr. Amabenemotei Peter Bomiegha OkoYi Chief S. O. Daubrilagha Mr. Ekufe OPeikumor Miss Bank-ere Otutukeme Mrs. Patricia Suokumor By Chief Otutukeme Ateteke-oru Mrs. AyakPo Walter
Rev. Fr. Kieran FlYnn, January 2000
lv

'

kqrg dgq migm! e. Eye y6 a korogha fa e.' -' O gba mini yin primi: 'A i taa duoni I mu d kggnmini ye'' 'E m19 n1 e mqmg kiqideE braa si fadg e.'6 mg gbaml' O mu mini ta la wgri ani wari otubo k1 a4 dggminl e gbam1, ri o parymi. 'Yd in! kgni-yinbowei gbo wgri olotuu kpg kqn sgqdg ba wo eye bo se kpq tqlq akidg mle ba miwari a ariim'kimifa e''

75

conquers my brother it will not augur well. If that happened, he will be crowned the hero and will even take home all what my brother has gained from wrestling. What shall I do?' She went to the forest with an axe and hewn to almost falling point all palm trees which would be climbed by her husband and returned home. The following day had slated for wrestling. He had conquered everybody in the town save the hero who had been challenged, and the slated day had come. The town was fully prepared to be spectators to this expectedly most exciting contest. Early in the moming, his wife requested him: 'My husband, could you quickly go and collect some bunches of palm fruit for cooking today because there is none to serve that purpose.' He responded: 'l shall not go because I have a very tough challenge to face today.' He reluctantly complied on account of her persistent begging. He went and climbed one palm tree and, on the top, discovered it was about to fall; he tried and got loose from the climbing rope and jumped to another nearby and discovered it was same; and like a monkey he kept jumping from to another and managed his way down. When he gained his feet, it was on the roof of fairy's house who thought a fight was imminent and carne out to face the challenge by wrestling with him. All the grass and trees around that house suffered gravely from their fight. Both had

Contents
E{are and Elephant
,,

become tired. The procession preceding the wrestling contest had begun, proceeded to the arena, but her son was not in the group. She went and inquired from his wife who responded with a great indifference. She also had some talents in magic spell which applied by looking at a mirror and discovered that her son had been engaged in a fight and was at death point. He gained additional power after she had called on his name three times. He threw down the fairy, quickly made for home, dressed for the wrestling contest and reported in the arena. When he appeared to the full sight of the arena, the spectators hailed him. Demonstrating
challenging displays and shouting wrestling cries, he ran round the arena. It was time for the contest. They closed in. At last, after much struggling, he threw down the hero. Again, they met and it was the same. He became the hero. He then packed home what his brother-in-law had possessed. His wife had packed home all her possession as soon as he proceeded to the

Elephant and Tortoise The Animals and The Fishes Tortoise Man Who Possessed F.ifry Knives Poor man and his Son A Husband and Wife (I) An Orphan Fishermen A Man Who Made A Spell To Be Rich A Juju Caught Stealing Two Friends(I) A Hunter A Golden tsird A Girl Who Married A Lion
Princesses

4 6

t2

l4
20 24 26
30)

A Gambler A Town Wherein RefutingAccusation Was Prohibited A Husband and Wife (II) A Husband and Wife (III)
I
{

34 36 40 42 44 50 52 57
64 68 72

forest because she had not the least thought that he would ccme back. After everything, he told his mother what his wife had done to him. His mother
responded:

'While you were wrestling in the forest I saw it hence I did the best I couldl nothing shall ever disaffect you.' 'She is still my wife, so I shall go and take her home' he informed her. 'Do what is in harmony with your desire' she answer"ed. llr wcnt to his wife and informed her of his intention to see her relations. She told him: 'You have conquered my brother, defied his heroship and has taken all his possession, there is no other person in my family whom you could see.'
74

l
I

Wan mg Opu'obori mq Opu-obori mg Ewiri mq Nama-ama mQ Endi'ama mQ

Ewiri
Adgin-a Ma si mg OYi mg Nana Owei Oya-owei mg mini Tqbqg mq Ta mg Yei mq (I) Orinyen TUbgU Endi Dgg-otu Pgrg-diri Ggg Owei Furu Timi A Pri Kgri Oru Ma Eyg Otu (I) Bou tein-owei Oro oro 0foni Adaka nana Eygrg tqbqq Pgrg Eyerg Awgq-ama Owei-tein TqbgU Kimi Bibi Pigha Ama Ta mo Yei mo otu (II) Ta mg Yei mq (UI)

3 5 7 13 15

Wo ani arqU kpq ki p9l9 tginmgmi;o kqn ama ygqmqml' O mu wari ladg mi, o gba mini pilei otubo primi,'Mi deinmi kimi pa bo kqmq
e,

ye akpgmi ikisa wgriemi e.' Erema anda timi andaa pri bo seriidg ni 6 mu ani 'yee wgri 'y99 di a, dirii ba fa. A Uo pgg la a, ani aryU kpq fa. A ba zlni mi99m' bra nemigha ni, dein bo ebi bra kitni sE kps ;i"u"g ml, 6 tgrymi oki bqinmi' A mu d yei warii lami' 6 korodg

"i gboloml"
A

2l
z5 27 31 35 37

tq[q o fini sggml. A ani'yemi ari wqri benii kgn angg saighaa duoni,ani angee s9 gerigeri - mutpq bou angggmq kl timimi' Ayei 6 wgri mu ani wari otu *q *iniyal mQ tin wqrlmlniwqnidUU sp- o ta kqn wo oyam9 pabo s9 gbami' A
kgn tgrybiri a koromg bami.

'E tibQ kQ ya o?"a yei mg bimi. Am(nlangq gbami' 'Emini aba, enl kunouemgbisaa kqn ogigee fini e'

kimi s9"Llil"tin ni yeimi erema bagha, amini mini wgni sei-fi ki fimlni e ' Anii Auoni , a ri kgn lzqn a wgd zinl wqnilm' firi faa duoni a mQ ata kqn d kikai wgri 6

4l
43 45
51

Ta mg Yei mg (III)
Kgni efie ta mg yai mg otu timimi, kpo kgni owei tr,rbgg kl a mp zimi' Tgbqpg zi ataghaiimi daqg pri fimi. Yinma tUbQUU kekere timi o pri bo kimi pa wgriere kpg nanaml. Omini hJ gbein-owei. Ani amami pesikiriyai bgnimq bgnimgtimimi' anla mi tpbqgmi paa si anda-

53 57
65 69

7l

kirilagha.Woanda-kirilabgghaaduonioyinmakpokponanami.Kgnibai6buryprimi''Kqn tu sggini. A mu kgniere la wgrimini wgni-tu gbami' Erema diri mig 6 mq Cbami.A eyee kqn wqrl wai wari a bomi' o *ini bggm'eyg hinms e'ii 'iU'baimi-ba anda-erein. Baisinghami, 6 mu eyee kqn o wqni b99m' eyg pit.i-i o ba mini enga-ama kqn sinmi o bou wgnlmqmi' O mu bginmgmi. iit"i

anda-kirimi a eyemi asitai bqmi, anaa-tgmg bo wo a sggmi- o koro owei tin pelei mumi. a ma andatimi ni mi gbai anda 'yq ki a bo emi?' A wasa finimg o Primi'Tirimi gbeinmi' O bo anda kpq pame o pri'kimi pri timl wo efie kpq kpudugha timi a kqn kgn gbelemg Yerinmi. O timi anda oroupamini mi, o tama gbarni, 'f yei anda 'ye kpQ miegha timi kimimi ti bra ki mig antla klrrq kgrqdg ya o? O m19 timi ini kqni-yinbo owei gbodg

Omuanda-kiriilami,kimiisgogungunfiemi,'OlMloweiikpqbaanda

vt
73

middle of the river. He also loosened, with a cutlass, the rope that was used in tying up her canoe and let it go adrift. Then he commenced on his horneward
journey.
On arrival, he warned members of his street: 'I have done evil to the world, so that nobody should come out of doors this night.' The woman, after the wrestling contest, went to where she kept her spell, but did not find it. Neither did she see her canoe when she came to the waterside. She did not know what to do; and when night had completely fallen and darkness reigned everywhere; she swum across the river. She went to her husband's house, and knocked. 'Who are you?' her husband asked. She introduced herself. 'If it is you, then apply your little-finger in opening the door' he instructed. Indeed she opened it and entered. Because she did not see her spell to sprinkle herself, her body was all reddish-still with her transmuted body. Leaving her in alone in the house, her husband went to her family people and nanated all what she had been doing to him-all what he had suffered from his wife. Every one of them agreed that he is not responsible for her death; she died out of her own wicked act. It was worthless keeping her alive, they resolved, and tied a stone round her neck and drowned her in the river.

Dedicated and Presented to the Children of, the Niger Delta and all Izon

A Husband and Wife (III).

There was once a husband and wife who had only a son. T'he father dicd not long after his birth. The mother brought up this child, he got married when he had grown up - he became a palm fruit collector. The town used to hold wrestling contest, but this child had never once partaken in it which made his mother to be upset. one day, she went to consult an oracle. She consulted a woman and explained the cause of her visit. The woman prepared a concoction for her. 'Apply it to a path he would pass' she instructed.
She took it and retumed.

The following day was again slated for a wrestling contest. At dawn. she applied it to where he would pass. Early in the morning, after taking his climbingrope, he went to the forest; and in the course. passed over the concoction unawares. Almost immediately he was possessed with a wrestling-spirit and began
demonstrating chal lenging displays. Everybody murmured when he appeared in the arena.

x ,|

wrestling, and that he has come to wrestling contest?' They offered him the opportunity. He did not waste time before throwing down anybody who was a man who was not used to wrestling. How is it he has become a hero?
72 elected to wrestle with him. Now, he had wrestling as a secondary occupation. while he was gaining fame in wrestling, his wife said: 'My husband was such

'o!

Has this man been

I
I
I

If

he

Hare and ElePhant

*u, g[pt *i*rlng
wash down what it was and a can of palm rxine ready at its side to to itself: 'I am happy that I have uno ii*u, nery trappy andsaid J"ir'"g, "" "*ii"r, eating and an earthln pot.of palm wine.for drinking.' without niend ;;;y-;# and waited anxiously for the being invited, it went in"to the den, seated itseif but it kept waited forrryhat seemed invitation which would r"ii"u. it from its plight; did not invite it until the like interminable hours onft to be disappointed-Elephant eaten p' A.nd taking hold of the whole lot meant for consu*ption was completely -;;;;J, ii"ff it once and Orant< iiatt, without leaving even a single

good friends. one day, Hare once there lived a Hare and Elephant who were to Elephant's den' Hare saw t unlry and searched for what to eat until it came

patni ' wo eyee kgn eyg dqg koromg, wo benimi o mp sai biriibo o bo bou-kimi Aniibo omini anda-ekein rnq wgni anda-tirimi a mumi' "' tln O mu ti;mi a pa a, kimi ig wo duo bo 'y99 ki kqn zqzq bimi' .Wo owei kgni akpa klgn o mu o kgni kfmi kgrlml, eyq lagha- wo o kgn geinml' Misi bomi' wgri primi. wo ani bra'kgn u guo ti*i bo bein okubo ki nanami. Erema wo beri fan aba, e kpq klali ki serii e" emi"ltimi ru ken kume o - anda-kirii bo tqlgi tqlqide
o kqn wEri 'yqq la, wo wo benii bari sai biriibo. o wai bo lzqn-kimi a pami; aniibo

Aniiduoniobobeinokubobadqmi,woanda-kirim|abrasinbomini'yee

amawgnimgmi.

it poured

element in it. Hare then remarked: days?'

palm wine for five or more 'Elephant, have you not got the idea of storing

,How can palm wine be preserved fcrr five or more days without going sour? It- will then loose all its taste und beco*" useless' said Elephant' :ri is very much possible. Try and you will see the difference. It will even
become sweeter'' 'lt is noted, I shall try.' Then Hare went back still in hunger' pot of palm wine' lt On the following day, Elephant again had an earthen then, left some for the following day; took it on the drank little of it that auy "na It did not mind about day only to discover that its taste had gone sour a bit.

trur"i-o mig ala kpq alagha timi ebi dgin warl-ama k94, ba ebi yerin kpg yerinmi. Wo erema gbami,'[mlni mi braa sq kqn wo oyamq a omlni mukpq kgrg tirni tibi seriimgmini? Ye wo a tu dggpmlnl e.' A'fpg br;nltu sqqmi,6 kpq mu tarikqmq erema ki lami' Erema 6 bgmi,'E kpg ba I klri dgg bo Padg?' A a p*g.i,'Yinye, e tlye ki cluo misi bra kqn I biminl ya o?' 'n yei t<pg ! kirl buru bo eye migml e, ania ye okubo ki dgtJmlnli Oy91i i.mi,e e priimlni e.' Eiema tarlkqmq bra mie, ba kqn 'ye sibeem' braa s9 gba d diami' A o

ili

hgn wgri wai ama mumi. "Tu"akgnbaimi,6yeibamutimizgbgrggmi,6kpqtupaoumQmumi'Yeiimu

kirii larni, mi gbai boumi a olotuu kl a mq pamQ o p4mi' A bo zgzq

anda oyamq

,"r""0

sour' It On the'third day, it drank it and the palm wine gone completely it it "n. patience and waited for another Oay. On the fourth day, it drank it and ,^"i.ir"O Thinking that dir.our."d that the palm wine had completely become undrinkable. Elephant, with such a murderous fury, proceeded to ii l,uA U.rn deceived by Hare, that it came across Hare's den. On the way, Elephant was bull dozing any tree *ni"n ptoau"ed such unusuai noise in the forest amidst sunshine' Thecausenotyetdetected,andtocreategreateropportunityt0escapeany for a good likely danger that might befall it, Hare came out of its den, sought was approaching. It was seeing the trees hideout an-<l positionej itself to see what being fell down'and coming towards its-den'" "When it all' It the falling treei came to where it was, it saw Elephant behind
did not waste time, it called out: 'Elephant! What is wrong?' .I am coming to kill youJfor you deceived me to have wasted a good quantity fi1e or rnore days of palm wine for iothing. you said ttrat palm wine preserved fo1 but it was all a lie. I tried it and it worked is enen sweeter than the-fresh palm wine, you just deceived me, completely contrary to what you said. I am convinced that hence I am coming to kill You''

timi lzgn olotuu prl o sibe kiri gbeinml. Boumi gismi.Bin okubo ki o ba m9 bami. -ototumi o mg gbodg ni o kasi a peretimi emimi, klmi wan duo anda-ekein sai ;;1r:,;;i bcnini. Kini sq timi ralslbSq ki Cidg. O Uqq b9 pa a' izqn olotu-oweii yo'' tu. fiirni*i angq bg'iml. '! ia ba i dpg bo mi 'y99 kpq ladg. A i aqU kqrqmlni -A yqqrsi timi 6 yeii ki parnq 6p4 e 6 mq bimi' A kqkq lo tirii la wgri owei tln 6 yei pamg 6 priml. A bo gbelei a, erema yei sibe wgrl o kgn gbein a, o mu kiri ki a tiemi. a uari guetei kpQ o kiri mukpg sgg seimi. Yeiimi bo tgnr tin, bou tin,'f kiri
e yei

A raarykaramg serii gbeleimi erema mlnl yei sibe kiri gbeinmi- o mu kiri a eygrg-koro korom!. Bouu bo ryduu ryduu giomi, Yeii korodgg duoni o misi ereinml a ba wgrl sillbo sg o mg waimg mlni ta primi. Boumi ?r ma mamgkaramq olotuu pamq 6 pdmi. A o mQmQ andamini ml' yeimlkialibaln 'y99 duo serii mu dirii w94 'yQQ laml- o ta kpq mini yee kqn wo yee me nain koromg wqrimi.O kiali miniyee kqn angq sai, o bo izgn-kimi a padg mi, omini ta yee kpg kgn tga arg bainmgml. O bo pqg ladg mi, wo aniyec ki pUdUpUdU pgi, o kgn tqry-biri a tangbeimi.

ki

tUUn o?

Ti bra ki mig ni

kiri I gboo ma o?'

7l

himself with its water, then he was changed into a fairy. Then with his wrestlingdress, he proceeded to the scene"

Wan mg Opu-obori mg
Kgnl efie Wan mg Opu-obori mg timimi; amini opu eyiotu. Kgni bai, Wan kgri fi eye d99 wgni timi mu Opu-obori wari lami. Opu-obori. eye ki fl timi o pri arimi, ba kgni izgn kana kpg wo tgryy9mi a timimi, eye fi sin a kgn bouum' ye. Wan p9w9i wgrl gba mini angg prfmi: 'inf eyg owei eye fi timi i pri bo pa brami ebi kam! e, ba izgn kana kpg emi mi.' O tin korugha timi wgnl waril duo sUe, eye dgg peretimi ba angg kqri wgd mini mgr; a tgiim' tiin korumi; ania o peretimi timi koru timi dginmi,Opu-obori. o tingha timi eyebo sg fi sinmi. O ba izgn kanaa kgnmi, waimggha timi kgni tibi a o bou sinmi, lzgn timq d9199 kpg kgmggha.
mAU

On arriving there, the one inquired from the other where he carne from. He demonstrated challenging displays and shouted wrestling cries round the scene and challenged someone whom he did not waste time before throwing him down flat" The deieated gave him one bag. In this way, he continued until he won much money. The woman had sounded a note of warning: 'Do not be the last to take leave of the scene. When the crowds get diminished gradually, you too should leave there.' In compliance with this warning, after he had won much money, he left the scene, went to where he had kept the preparation, sprinkled himself with its
water, then he was changed into a human being again-he went home' Not long after this venture did he erect fine buildings and lived a sumptuous iife. His wifJsaid: 'In spite of all the hardships which lhave inflicted on him, he could still overcome them? tr shall investigate the cause.' she too went to consult some oracle, and eventually, consulted same woman. The woman said: 'Your husband too came to me.' The woman prepared it in same way and instructed her the rubrics as to its usage. She took it and went home. on the proceeding market day, after her husband had gone for sometime, she followed. When her husband got to the scene, it was the hero of the fairies that too they elected to face him. They wrestled, the one causing the other to suffer, and at lasi the man threw down the hero of the fairies. There was an uproar in the forest' He was paid heavily. Afier defeating the hero and was seated on a chair, there was somebody approaching the scene on a wrestling-dress. The man examined carefully who he would be. When the person finally arrived on the scene, it was the wife of the hero. The man was greatlytaken aback. 'Has my wife investigated my cause even to this
place? She is

Aniibo Wan argmi: 'Opu-obori. emfni na izgn wuru gbain wgri sggnran dein anla kpg sqonran
dein dginmini braa nemigha?'

ialiciously out for me' he said. When she came to the scene, she demonstrated challenging displays and shouting wrestling cries round the scene and finally elected to wrestle with her husbanJ. The judges honoured her challenge. When they closed-in, the woman carried high her husband and threw him down but he regained his feet' As soon as they closed-in again he still sustained bad effects. The husband invoked spirits in the river, the foist, saying: 'Am I not your husband? How then is it that I should
be defeated by you?'

'Ti ki bra mig izgn wuru gbain timi sggnran dein ania kpg sggnran dein a kgngbggha fa o? Misl bra mig a wo embglgg sg bo sei fa ba o kgn zlni mi99m' fa ki tgn o' Opu-obori. mg gbami. 'Mlsi bra mig a pa emi ye. Ye o dadi a ye ariimini e. Misi bra migmi aba kiri o ba embglg kpg embglg dgiinmini e.' 'i nang e, i gbadaidiiminie.' Aniibo Wan mlni mqp m9 wgnlwaimi. Tu balmi,Opu-obori. ba kgni izgn kana nanami. O misi ereinmi a wo zga bou, kpyq o mg wgri tu ba korumi. Mamgkaramg baimi, o ba wo a zpa bou a, wuruu tgryml d9l9 waidg. O na zini bra miggha. Taan;karami baimi, o ba wo zpa bou a, wummi bo kr,rngbqdg. Wo eti pou timi baimi. Neikaramg baimi, o ba o bou di a, wurumi kgni tibi a sei fadg, ba bou ghgha.Wan wo algimg bra o mg ororo ni, wo opu bra bglgg sei wgni Wan burumi. O muminl owggbirimi,Opu-obori mini andi mq ki4idp tiin s9 egbe koromg ni bourni erein kpg seigha timi k1tmi. Duo kgmlni tu o na mg nemigha ni, Wan mini wari duo pa tiri a bo wgri kgni eye pa a kiali bain tgiim' bra dqUmi, tinbo timi koro wo wadi ki a bomini o mg
arimi.

Tinbo koro bo timi wo wa4i ladg mj,Opu-obori ki o m9 arimi. Wo efie

kpudugha timi o tinmi.

Again they closed-in for the third time, and the woman threw her husband down-ihe had an indisputable defeat. An uncontrollable uproar ensued in the forest. Because he had been defeated, he had to give all what he had earned on that
day to his conqueror-his wife. They preiented her the man next to the hero of the fairies. While she engaged wrestling with him, the husband quickly left the place to where he kept his

'A Opu-obori! Tiye ki paml a o?' iYe e kid ba eyq bgmini e, emini ini algimp wgrt i pri ini izqn wuruu kgn afin a mlg seimg. E gbadg izgn wuru gbain wgri sqgnran dein anla kpg sggnran dein dginng aba kiri ba embglg ayaye kpg dginmlnie, ania ekpe egberi e.I mig dimi ania dglog kpg eni gba braa pagha e" Tamanai kpg fa e, yd ini alglmg ki alglmq
wgriemi ni i mA e ba 'yg bomini e.'

preparatio;-there by his own was also his wife's. He quickly sprinkled himself *itir tris own, changid to human being, and took that of his wife's and ran to the
waterside, destroyel her own with cutlass into pieces and threw it away into the
7A

in

.Ah!Elephant.ThisiswhytheysaybiganimalsdonotpossesssufTicient be preserved ,.nrr.'iirtrn, io you ,till ; mow ttrat palm wine could successfully going soui? This is how I use to preserve my mine. for five or more days without other animals such as the Whenever I have some puf* iin",-l use to invite some etc' They Nit, t"tonito. Lizard, Palm civet, Bee, Monkey' Redless T1ee,-fOulnel day. The wine will finish that and drink my wine with me. My *itt wine-l will "o*. f"ll"*i"t day, any or tirem would invite me to drink its palminvited every honour day by invite me. Thus I shall be it. on the second day, another will
unv of

A mukpg o kgn apele

Ewiri okokai gbami:

tr,ra sibe

wgriemi mi, a mu tgrymi a diypi laminii bo'

*t iJ

r,""o"ri"g of friends go sour; ind it even tastes sweeier as one always drink in the company
and well-wishers. ----

my palm wine and I oniy have to honour their invitations. In this way, *u, completely a-nt on the first day is preserved continually until I finish does not all invitations from my friends. And in this way, the palm wine

in..;

'A pglgdg kq e, kqni endi i m9 dan wqrlemi e'' Anilbo a o dg wgri gbami: 'Ey99 sfn kami. Tl bra ki mig eminl aggnga emi oweii ki endi daanm' brami an o?' AnlfoEwirinkiriimqmi:'Asgboseidgyo,tikibibiniabaainigbaegberii pidg e. Ani! duoni amini ba I baam' kgrq nanagha e' Anl pagha aba, w6 sg kgni tu ySUU*ini e. A i kgn wai pgr99 yaridg ye egberi gba o diaam' e'' A o korom<2 kiri bo wgri ani akgma akgma o kqn kpgdimi' Tumi' a ama a mung wgri tgghggm" bra tgnmi' A wal wgrl k9k9 misl bra gba p9r99 diami' P9r99

No*, Elephant. If you had invited me the other day, I would have also voutooav'andyourpalmwinewouldnothavegonesour.Thisiswhatltoldyou
in a sentence the other daY.' good to eat alone. anr,oyanie to blame but only myself. That it-is not Goodbye.' Then it deParted.

invited

gbami: ;KEni kimi tibiki duoni bin otu bami ebigha duoni w6 keni kimii kpq bagha fa e. Ania mi koromg bglgg a mumi, kimi ba eye kgn bibi pi kiml mig k$mq e ti ki duoni aba w6 sg oloo sei emi brami arldq e.' Mi n*irl kgn a mlg anl oloo dei brami, wo amami a timi ere nana, eyqmi a yerin amaotubo ng gbelei timinq o wal mini ama a mumi.

Elephantthensaid:.Youarequiteright.Ishallgobackhomewithmy I am going'

Ta mo Yei mo otu (II)

Kqni efie kgnlta mo yei mo otu timimi' A timi yerinmimi mi, yeii yerinmi tu tu ki gbeimini. Yeriin bo o dginne o bgrytu sUQmi.O mi 'yq mu 'yQ, wo eremS*i pannini. O mig 'ye mig 'ye, tlbi pagha.Kgni bai laml' o ba bgrytp sttqdg o mritye mig ani bira a tgiim' bra dggml. O wgnl timi kgni eyqrQ ere ki egbeml. 'E ta ki e

Elephant and Tortoise

once there lived an elephant and Tortoise. Elephant owed from Tortoise. Elephant when the credit was due, Tortoise went and demanded for its money. Elephant did not hal a little one styled: 'A-big-person-is-not-liable-to-any-debt.'
.uy unytfting to Tortoise befoie calling on its little one: A-big-person-is-not-liableto-pay-debt . -.o-o.o,

.Come, let us go out.' They the answer echoed. Elephant said:

actually left, leaving Tortoise behind' on tr,. following day, Tortoise tried again, behold it was the same. Thus it go again' continued until it became unbearable that Tortoise resolved not to time inherited.'When it had grown up, Tortoise informed its little one, 'For a long refusing to pay me.' Tortoise informed its little no*, nlephant owed me] btuntly one fully-of the maltreatment it had suffered from Elephant'

migmlniye'd mg gbami.'Ye eye mig e priimlnie' Eminlbibiwarikikgrl i miq e pril migmini eyee tgaamlni e eygrq klmi wo gbologha fa e.' Ani ama bglnmg boumi, bou-otu akqnbaibo sq a anda andamini. E kgnl klrni gbo a, kgni akpa, e ma klmi gbo a, ma akpa. E kirl ba koro kpg' e kirl ba e gbobgq gbggmini. Anla a eken e gbogha fa e - mi e mlg bo pqrggm' brami e. Kqn 'yee

Tortoise had

a little one, called,'Act-andJeave-it-as-a-legacylo-be'

mlgem' braa sg 6 mg gba o diami. Aniibo wo d blra a'yee kqn wgri amaa mumi' O mu ama a laml, dcin dein ki o ma kiall kgni wari kgrlmi. O ta wo tu bi a, o gbami,'Owei-kimi kpo kgn lwali nana a ebigha - ye anlki duo zini kgri gbolomqmi
ye.'

debt

oneday'Tortoiseaddresseditslittleone,.Come,letusgoanddelnandfora ., tne iittle one accompanied it. When they got Elephant's den, Elephant came out, again called on its little one, leaving them behind, and left. Tortoise
siouted on its little one, Act-snd -leqve-it-as-alegacy'to-be'inherited

O warii kgri sinng mi wo eyee kqn mu wo tUarni , Bo akgnbai lami' o kqkg eyee kgn wgrl beinmg-kiri simi. Erema tQnmQ o pri braa di wgnl timinq kgni 'yQ lami,

69

As they were still carrying him shoulder high, and when they got to
midstream, Tortoise shouted from the top: 'Please wait a bit, for I have just stepped on a fish'' on Then they interrupted him, saying: 'Shut up your mouth. How could you who is top march a fish?' Then Tortoise conected: ' You all have become guilry, for you have refuted my saying. Therefore, you have no more right to execute me or else we all shall pay foi thi same penalty. Take me back to the king and let me forward a report.' Then they lo*ered him down to the ground and discussed among themselves about it. At tuit, they came to the conclusion that they should go home and plead. Accordingly, they returned home and reported it to the king. The king said: .Sinie it is unwise to kill all these men because of one man, we shall not kill anybody. And henceforth, everybody should be allowed to refute any accusation without any penalty as we have seen the insanity in the law.' Thus Tbrtoise succeeded in making them to change their law, got married in that town and tived like any other indigence before retuming home with farnily'

'Ahl Opu-obori an! Aniki duoni klmi mq gba ni dgba namabo angq mq klri lkiygg tgagha e. Wgr! i pei e. e mukpg na izgn wuru gbain wgri sggnran dein ania kpg sggnran dein dgin a kgngbg gha bra nemigha? Mi braa ki i mq kqn iniye gbainmini e. imini tzqn wuru nanng aba, lmin! zini nama-ama---Abedi' Otomi' Akamai,bi;kq, Gbooru etc i rng tlinmini e. A bo i mQmg iniyee boudg aba misi ereinmi ini wuruu fadg e. Tu balmi, rni namabo kqni b9 kpg ba { tiinmini--i kpq muuminie. Mamgkaramg baimi zini ba i tiinmini e. Mi braa ki a mq kgn ereinbo s9 a i tiinmini, i kpq a buru rnuuminl e. Mi brami, ini izqn wurumi ni b$lgg balmi a bou yee kigbain timi ini eygotubo s9 pri i tln siinmini e. Mi brami lzgn wurumiba kqrngbggha e, ye eseribo sg inl eygotu mg ba ebi kgn i tgn otu ekpudu \l a timi
bouminli duoni o ba embglg kf embglg dgindq e. Wgri di a, Opu-obori. Ovi baiml e ma I tln wpri a, i kpp mi ereinmi a e tinng ki tgn, aniibo eni izqn wurumi ba kgngbggha kl tgn. Mii ki i mq kqn ovi baimi a kpo kgni arq bibi a gba e diami e.' Opu-obori gbami: 'K9k9 ye e,yd a bira a kiriiemi ye. Ye ini bttlqq sei m9 wai wari muumlni e, I zini klmi seimggha fa, ye angg ki seimggmini e. Kimi bgtibi eye fi a ebigha brami. I mung e. Bai ye.' Aniibo azgzq a brasinmi.

A Husband and Wife (II)

Once there lived a man who had a wife and was experiencing decline in life with the passage of time. A time came when he could not endure it, so he went to consult sbme oracle. That his wife was behind his unsuccessfulness as was always revealed by the oracles anyone which he consulted. He was never successful with any venture he undertook. One day he thought ofconsulting some oracle to redeem him from her hounds; and so he did. He consulted a woman in the course. 'Your wife is behind it all' she declared. 'l shall prepare you a spell' You should keep it in a separate room provided for that purpose-not to be touched by a woman.' There is usuaily a wrestling contest at the forest at the opposite side of your town every other market day. Ifyou defeated your opponent, the defeated will pay you one hundred pounds; if yoi O"fruted two opponents, two hundred pounds. bontrariwise, if you are defeated, you will pay your conqueror same. But they will

Opu-obori rng Ewiri rng

Kgni efie Opu-obori mE Ewiri mg timimi. Opu-obori Ewiri bira a sa fiml. Tiini bo sa biim'bai la niEwiri Opu-obori wari a mumi. Opu-obori kgni tltbgg zi wg4mi-'Dgba-kimi-sa-g@gha'kl wo ari. Opu-obori bib! kpg fini Ewiri a tgagha
timi mlni tgb99 tinmi.'Dpba-kimi-sa-gbggha 'O-o-o' tqbgqmi biberinml. Opu-obori gbaml,'Bodg w6 wgni pa e.'

A kgkg

Ewiri wgriwgnlpami. Ewiri tu bai kl a mu kpg tarikgmg bra. Mlsi bra mig timi bo Ewiri dginng ni o
ba mugha.

not be able to defeat you-by this means, you will become prosperous. She instructed him as in detail in respect of the said preparation. After taking it from

her, he went home. on his return, he erected a hut in the night. when his wife inquired fiom him, he said: ,lt is not good that a man should own only a house, that is why I have erected another one in addition.'

Ewiri tu a kgni tgbgg zimi. 'Mf9-wg4-a-pri'ki o m9 kgn o tlnml. Tgbgqmi bo dgbadg ml, Ewiri gba o dlamf , 'Opu-obori ye a blra a sa fi ala fadg e, gbg bggha e. O kgn o mig braa sQ o mq gbami tUbgg primi, Kgni bai Ewiri minitgbgg bgmi,'Bodg w6 mu Opu-obori saa bi e.'Tgbggmi o mgmg mumi. A mu Opu-obori warii la a,Opu-obori ba mfn! tgbgg tin wgri a wgri warii duo wgnipami. O warii duo pa wgri mini tUbQU tin okokaiml,'Miq-wgri-a-p4'

He kept the preparation in it when he finished it. on the proceeding market day, he went to the forest at the opposite side with it. Following the directives proffered by the woman, he anived at a certain place, kept the spell there, sprinkled
68

see that go out' Did y:-l 'O-o-o' the response echoed' 'Come' let us -"* gone out? Whut are you doing in that Elephant and its little one have left us and father' a.t.? Co.", please.' The little one came to its and caltea its little one. He invited its little one Elephantt"uro*r,uiiortoise
came to Tortoise, and inquired: 'Tonoise, what is your little one called?'
'

'A

s9

kgrq emi? EYe Pami a o?".'

amami ae mQmQ ma dein tei dqgmlni e''

Wo 6 parymi'

"K;;;

ru

Kl*p e' Ksni

eyee kpq pagha

e' I pa kl bo mi

duoni aba kimi 'Mi amaml u oqrq-;rittgn titniegberii kpq opu bibi yo'ti ki

hibi pigha e.'

er it ed'' Act- and'l e av e- it-as - a- I egacy- t o-b e- i nh what Tortoise calls its little adoresseJ its tiite one: 'Did you hear Elephant ai a legacy to be inherited by you' I do left one? That the debt t rrave owed will be inheriied by you.' Then Elephant went wish leaving u r"gu.y or inarut.an.ss to not debt. Then Tortoise and its little one into its den, took ro."iio"n"v'una puio offthe departed home'

kamaye fa k-umq e'' 'I kpg mlsi braa sq nemi wgridg k9 i bomini ye' anii duoni bra tqnmi' O na wgni gwiJ mini yuUi"g"a"e duo wgni paam' Buboru korodg mi,

*u ,o*uu kpgpagha
'A bei,
e

'Yinye'Ewirimqparymi' . .^L-: ^r-:j.. la wgrlo biml: 'Abei' e kiri mimisi m1 a O kgn buigg wgnlminimi,tgni kimlbo o ki tgn o?' lni owei anggg furu oweii ,: ^ ,-^- ..,^; ,,,--i.
iltl,iti p"tu.i: 'Yinye, iminiy!'' Ml
'Abei, niini e bo

kiri i pu-*

mi, kqni ere mi bra kgn o bqmi: u,i.l UeniUiCmini mi a i di timi oweii kl tgn o?'

The 'A.nimals and The Fishes

oncetheanimalkingdonrconvergerl'-andresolvedtochallengethefish n i-aingly dispatched the challenge' Thev kingdom for a wrestling^;;"";; unJ day ";;;;d.'d was slated for it' one who will be their honoured it' The p.o..'ling market again to elect The anirnal #;ffi will be at home, requtted lion who excused itself that it champion. They not accept it. while they were still ir would, encouraging them to;;;.{.f"le saying: 'Is there with who *ill.il lt"i, crranlpion, Elepirant-vol'nteered,us-animals to a battling ,iu., ihat they'should challenge anv wrestling "fou,npionlrr-itr" whoever that will come' ;;it;il;ffiest' I ;hall face of the fish

mamr,rbo bqde mi' o kqn IilJ.Ygnimq mi' bari wgni'pami' fimi kqniegberii kpq kqn o bggha Tu baiml, wo ebi;ffigri klmi o bgmi: timi opri -u p9.9 egedee lami' Aniibo kqni s9 miyg'ladp'-e klri oyi a pqn furu wgri w6 tarikUmqa

dgr;mini kl tgn. Ye e kqn p9r99 yarilminie''

ki eye kgn i gbainmgmini e; iminigha e'' 'ominlblbi pide e' A uoae w6 o ken peree .A.nl!bo kimi zin! ;il yarimi"A wo egberii gbami'Pgrgmi Ewiri bi yari e.' Zinlotu bo o bari o tqt pgtgi a o kpg pigha. Anlibo P9r99 gbaml: t'J99m' oggla ba fa e' A kgn padg a o ba e'' 'O kpq, biberinng'ml, 'ini pidEE duoni imini bo sei kimi a Aniibo n*iri o.oro'tq; u ptl,,'i' 'pitE f i bibi e. Anil duonl a i kqn ani ama yo; bo sei timi a pJe mi,'ini asinUo kpg seidg

o ken perg y*il;i;;uuu duoni'Ewiri

eye esin wqri pimi' o gbami: 'E pa

ilt;fu!:

padg

anirnal kingdom and that When they slated day came' both th.e converged' *urrn"Jto the sandbank alreed upon by 1lt-jhev As soon as they closed in' Hare Hare' It was mudfith;h;;?;;i;"'tt"a with buried' It was with difficulty that mudfish flung mudfisf', into tft" latal""tt it lay of the two il;t'kept'wrestling until it came to tum the came out tn"tiiSl,t;nat marched round the sceneit was time for the two heroes, elephant place it treaded usually came up cries. _wheievei challenging display somewhat from the scene' ""i'*r.rtri"g The .r"il.t unirnu'rr and fishes retreited with its hoofs.

wgri ba a, amaa rpq

dgin emi Ye.'

tJ;;i"i "'enii duoni iign ut"uu bgmq zini 'yq a baa ki ebi

of

gt;;;'

ThefishesdispatchedTalapiatogoanJinviteElectricfish.Talapiasaid: has been .Hero, it is now *irnJ"rli rrr" champions' wrestling; and that elephant runningroundthe,".n",una'*iningthesmallerflihesandanimalsandshouting wrestlingcries'' . ,-^-)^a. rr Lo.,a heer it' Go' I am comlng ;' Talapia left' Electric fish responded: 'I have heard fishes, saying: round the s".n. und challenging the Elephant was still ff;il march on it to .where is your hero-o-o-o--o? present your hero-o-o-"-o. I shall I am'' pieces Ufor" you will know who
6

n
'1

primi' Kimi pgrgmi wo gbaa kQn wgri o kgn mu amaa b9m9 zini 'y9 ba k9r9 a pri ni omini ama ogboo dan wo ororo tqn baam, otubo f.iq o r.qn ;u dgpmini'mi, dgin emi brami' amini ti ki abarniti Ut* kpg amaa se.imggminl e' Ebi wgni ebigha, e' A ba misi bra migmi' A mu duo sgg o kgn apele u ,iu" u*ui*gni bg mu bou prl ni amili o k9n n tOry seriimq nain emi bouu lami, Ewiri ba ororo tQn a amaa mQ a wai bomini mi' aminl tgry benimi a ari wgricmi kala tgry G*"u lu o ba e, aniki wo sei asinbo a mq kgn bo amaa mini anggbo ,u.UOq,-u'-i Uia -iEgtta aba seimggmini e. A ba o biberinmi'

6'I

'Are you all well? Has something gone wrong? "'.' He responded: 'Do not worry. There is nothing wrong. i just felt like coming to spend some time with you in this town.' .It is overly difficult to spend even a few moment in this town, because
nobody is allowed to refute any accusation.' 'i am well aware of all that before I even came, so do not worry''

'O-o-o' tUbqUmi biberinmi. padg mi yd 'Bodg wE wgni pa e. Opu-obori m9 mini tVbqU mq w6 wgri wgni arigha o?'E warimi a peretimi timi tiye ki miemini yan o? Bo e.'Tpbggmi pa o burumi. Opu-obori Ewiri kqn mini qbgg tin braa nami. Omini t1pbA1; tin wgri wai mu

Towards evening, Tortoise resolved to take a stroll outside his aunt's compound. He had traraty got to the main street when a woman accused him as follows: .Man, where you not the one who was watching my stark nakedness when I
was taking by bath?' 'Yes, I was' rePlied Tortoise' Going a little furthei, a m.m came up to him and asked: 'Man, were you not the one who has just stolen my private part?' .yis, I t"as' repliid Tortoise. After these two, he diverted hil way to house' On the following day, he dressed well and went out again. He did not encounter any of such until he got near the king's palace. Then a man accused him: .Man, so you are here at last. You were the one who stole the king's ten pounds which we have been searching for ever since. I shall now take you to the

Ewiri lami. 'A Ewiri, ti bra ki e mq kgn eni tgbpgg tin wgriemi yan o?'Opu-obori mq
bimi. 'Mi9-w9ri-a-pri' Ewiri mq par$mi' ewiri gUa mlnitgbgg primini brami e mg nang? 'l mifi wgdemi sami' imini fi weri e ki{ pd gbSgmini ye. I sa fi wEri e pri Cbf dqpghaa duoni, bodg w6 saa gbg Opu-oUoti waris$Q wgri okubo kqn bo saa gbpmi. Ewiri mq minitpb913 mQ wai

"i a mumi. wari

Nama-ama mQ Endi'ama mq
Kgni efie nama-ama otu gbelei wgri endi-ama otu kgri andaam' ororo tgn ni a tinmg endi-ama otu yarimi. A kpq biberinmi. Tu akgnbairni a mq kimi' Nama-ma otu wai kpidabqg gbeleimi- a andami a olotu sqggmbg dqgmi' A Adaka bg a, ornlni wariki a timi ani ogugumggmini o sgggha e.A ororo timi opuobori pri angQ pamQmi. o gbarni,'Beni kpg olotu emi ni bo w6 nama ebee ki kgrl
anda dggrnini. Ye o bqg mQ dia

king.'

Tortoise out of fear of being taken to the king, denied it, saying: You are accusing me falsely; I was not the one" Then the man raised ilarm, saying: 'He has refuted an accusation' Let us take him to th" king.' Assisted by others, ihey took him to the king. They presented their Then the cause. fnJ king inquired from Tortoise who confirmed their statement.

diiminie.'

king said:

,Since he has confirmed it, there is no need for futher judgement. Take him

out and kill him.'

Then Tortoise suggested to the king: 'His highness, you know that I have too has been defiled myself by denying an accusation which implies th,at my .blood (itting me within the premises of the town will certainly desecrate your Jefiled. town. So it is most advisable that I should be killed outside the town.' outside The king took to his suggestion and ordered that he should be killed to them it the town. When the soldiers wire about to march him out; he suggested

Bo ki wgri ereiin ladg ni nama ebee kpg endi yee kpq kgn gba wgri bgmqpgn wgnimgmi-a mu bqnimi. - 'Eieni ki bqlgq wan kgrimi' Klrl a pa sUqA ki diibo wan Eseni kqn bgmqqmi a gbein dibi famgmi.Eseni gbadai ki gbadai timing k9 o la bo pami. A anda yggrpi timi bo ma olotubo lami. Ma olorubo andaa ladg ni opu-obori tirii duo owei tin-zike zike bain

ysgrgimi.odanng'yggsgkqnitibikiasqimi.Kalanamabomgendibomgtirii iuo aqfq ru gbeinmi. Endi-ama otu tabala firimg mu Oma tinmi. Tabala gba o Aiami,;Oiotu, mi-emi ani olotu otu andaa ladg niOpu-obori tirii duo timi owei tin'
kalaikpg nemigha bra kikgn wan timi peleiminie' Wgri bo e '' -Omagbaml,'!nange'Mue,ibqminie.'Tabalawoabrasinmi'Opu-obori
mukpg rimi peleimini. Endi-ama otu o mg bimi,Ti ki ani olotuml an o-o-o-o-o--? A o pamg bo e--e-e-e-e- Ye o kgn dan pisimg famgng kq 6 ini emi braa nemiimini e.'

will also desecrate the is not wise he should be allowed to touch the ground as that through the town to the forest' town. Rather, he should be carried shoulder high complied with this. After getting to the forest immediately adjoining it"v if they should take him "g"i. the io*-n, Tortoise suggested to them that it was worthwhile which-had been sighted and be killed so that when they shall be across a'stream water from the stream ,"t-ing, they should wash themielves clean with the with his blood.' Again, U"io.. ciming into the town lest they desecrate the town
they took to this suggestion. 66

ground without any carlse detected' animals and fishes had already fallen to the for ail' It was electric fish that was Later, the scene becarne unbearable etectric current to the scene. Finally approaching uno *u, trunlr]ning ir, inborn in the scene' The animals and fishes when it appeared, tfttt. *"t u p"""demonium were helplessly falling to ground' they .-.^-^ somewhat able was then ^L -. were -^* They pleaded wittr iito stacken it a bit' It When elephant saw all this' it to control themselves until it arrived at the scene'
became Petrified'

Whileitwasstillchallenging,allofasudden'theearthshook-somesmall

s9

" X tpq ^

electric fish -in' It was time for the wrestling' As soon as they closed the ground. They on found writhing electrocuted elephant ao*n-tt" lalr was first. defeat was a to meet uguln' e' soon as the closed in again' the were asked before
elephant up onto the sky better one--clectric fish had already electrocuted discharged

kr'tmq e'' mung aba, e"mq e ta mQ ba zqzq na yerin Wo d bgmi,'Wqr1 wai bibli gba bar! e'' gbagha timi bain n *u"-i, ;n r.in ot oruu oJoni uuio.u gba e' o gba4i amini fa ni pa ki waimi' zini mi99m'bra A aa,tmg'yi;mg mu amami a padg k9 mumlni owggbirlrni o ta o bgmi" A algimg beni tainmg''" 'Emini pa ia Ua kpq bagha nima duonl ini ari ki-ttJn o!-Ye ikisa tga miggha o' o gba timi Wo 6 tgghgmi,'e fpqiu brami ki bazqzqnugtta iimi mu wari la-azgzg nagha bulou dgfn kpg kirilgha - u tori

zi dar'rmie' ikqn e pride bibii Misi ovurumi daqmi bibi kqn d priml"fminl kie i.griiminl. Emlni zitaaraawgg dgin kqmq e''

gbt;i,'E *ai

d;;;i.

fallingdownflatlytotheground,unabletogetup'Electricfishwasnotsatisfied'it revived up. Fishes

won

th;in Whentheanimalst..ua,"tu*.oandlionaskedfortheresult,itwasRedless place' While it was narrating' Tree-squinel that narrated how the event took
it wanted applying its trunk in wrapping round
After they h"d

"t ".g.rthe contest. They dispersed'

*or"

il Jlp|*,

causin*g it to faint and was

:.-- : L.-r mu waq bUISU fUtqU*igUu tniniere prim!,'Emlni mf.kunounml a timinq i o korumi' ladg k9 | *ui Uo koqminie'' A biberin wgri timi " Ouo ,Uq, *qni mu mini wari la a kimi ba o nemigha' O dar'r mqyin O mu amaa kgri aki' bou gba wgri u ?4 9 me otu wo esunwein ,i*iUo owa fad'.'Omini angq a wgrl emi bra brami' beriyai teiml. Beriyalmi kqrq bq nl o k!m! kqn kunou 'Tgbgqma k9 o koru timi'deinng'd o'mig fgmgmAmi'A *9 ofgU.. timing

timi kgn bglgg

,i Yennmqmi'

elephant was annoyed il il they i"ii"g It down, but the fear of lion' Lion greeted them''So if all dispersed' is horv I had gone, this g";;;li; in itr ,i"n ililoquised; was I' I would have been humiliated? How wise

and

ba o wo ofqg seriimi- o mukpq seriimi. Timi z9b9r99mi 6 ba o mig fUmUmqmi' A nl o mu 6 kgn wari a muml' A 6 kpg tga na ekiegha. Taargkaramg yee ki o'maekie beriye akimi.

their resolved to challenge the bird kingdom owing uc""pt.d it. They-fixed.a rnarket da;r. oereaiuy the fishes. The birds kingdorn too very bad about its previous When the tfutuo iuy lu*e, ttey gathered' Feeling ttttit ihampion which they granted' Whereas owl defeat, elephant ,.qurr,.t io Ut *ur .il"t"il to be the champion of the birds kingdom' wrestled, thrusting and It was Hare that first challenged Weaveibird' They leg and then separated. They lifting each other's resisting each other;

The animal

tingJo.

Kimi Ribi Pigha Ama

kimi asin' dqin yem'i Kgni efie kimi bibi pigha ama timimi' Misi ama pqrgmi .l mi olomi u Uq otu yaibo, ki kqn minj y-ih lqg lgUmini' ' gwlri yin kgni yinbo arag mlsi amami a timimi ania ominl zini ama ki a timimi. Kgnibai, o gba mlni yin primi: 'Ve uni amami a mu dqgminie-pa kimu tei dggminie' O yin parymi: 'E qi; ki duo ani amami a mu dgpmini ya o? Y6 eken
gbololoo wai bogha fa e.' kgmg' 'Kgni eyee kpq ye korogha timi i pri wai boominle; kamaye fa yin kgni-yinbo araq 'yQ Wo angg tgii sinnq mi, o ySU pami. O tu bi timi mu mini lami; anla ii kamaye ki fa o kqrl akimi' A o bimi:

closedinagain,andw"uu..ui.aflew-ontopHare"andinattempttocatchit,Hare weaverbird moved a bit to the ;;;;"pngi, on it, hiniteg. uno wrestled with it.to catch weaverbird, it tumbled round rear of Hare, and u, uui" ufr"rnpted turning fell' There was an impossible to maintain i bulanc" and down it tu.f.*urO, greatly, Weaverbird flew round shamefully' uproar in the scene. U'ut" *"nt out of the ring' sky' in victorious displays-it was everywhere in the ili" ,."nr, and Bulbul. As soon s they closed in, The second set closed in-Antelope uproar in the scene'. nntetofe flung down Bulbul-there was another the turn of theiwo heroes-Elephant and Owl' After some other pairi-it.u,n.,o usually came up

";;;pi"J

;;;l;

which round the scene, marching hard on the earth (whoever that challenges with its hoofs, shouti;g, "rhir time I Jhall throw down a bone ;;t; iil time I shalltlhrow down (whoever that challenges me). Not even

,".

willbeleft'Wives'l'oularestraintheirhusbands.Idonoteverwishcause
somebodY to become a

widow""'

65

During that time, the father offered a curse: .l amlour father, and you will suffer from any curse should be deprived of giving birth to more than three children''
She also said:

I uttered.

That you

,As you are going back, let there be misunderstanding between you and your wife for life.'
He said to her: 'Please repeal your curse.' She said: 'You are the elder, repeal yours first.' Then he did, but they did not before embarking on running until they got to the town. There was nothing her parents could do, so they returned. As they were retreating, his wife said: - .Why was I ever instructed to boil water in vain, because of 'animal' which you could not even kill' He said: 'You saw how it all happened. It was not my intention at all.' But he did not register any success despite his trial to convince her - they started quarrelling and misunderstanding ensued until they arrived home - they continued living amidst misunderstanding. The young man told his wife: 'While you keep waiting here in this outskirts, let me first go home before coming back to take home.' She consented. He came to the town, walked to his house but no one recognised him any more. His parents, being in grief for a long time on account of his absence, had grown old. He introduced himself to them and they welcomed him, they celebrated his homecorning. Due to the intensive celebration, he forgot that he had left
somebody at the outskirts. The lady caused him to faint because she had waited for a long time. He regained conscientiousness after much resuscitation. She caused him to faint again after some time. They again resuscitated him - yet he had not remembered. It was the third time that he remembered, went and took her home. They also celebrated her arrival. They had only three issue after they had settled down.

O timi misi bra gba owei tinmini mlyuruduminiibo ogbomi koro yandnmlzga kala nama-ama mg endi-ama mA pglgi kpq plpi korodg-mig timi koromini tu kpg nemigha. Timi bo kgniefie la a, eygmlkimi ba timiim'bra fa. Niini, Oma ki beni duo pa bomini ni mgmg timi tirii tein tr;amlni. O bo vuaan pami, tirimi bUQ fieml. Namabo mg endibo mQ pa pa ki a pglgi koromlni. A o bg dglg ziirngmi, kiri a la dglg gpdg timi o prl bo anda-tirii lami. Opuobori misi hra arimi o kamaye fami. Andaa ladg e. Kirl ladg e gbaabo, Oma Opu-obori tein koromg timi dginngOpu-obori kiri duo timi ekpiriimini. Baq e. Ki4 a ba kpitakii gbeleie ki diibo, bglgg ye nlini ebi ki ebimi. Oma Opu-obori tein aggng a mu timing ki wai p9l9i kiri a bo gbaii-koro gbgigsigbglgsl- eken ba serii kpg seriigha. Oma mukpg bggha ni o kgn bplgp teimme timi Opu-obori pri bo fgmg timi a prl of99 ki ofqg seriimi.Endi-ama otu ki andami a olotu sqQmi.Tirii wasaimi. Namabo waidg ni Adaka wari a timi tu biml, Ogbq pgsipgsi pa-tuu sq gba o p4mi.O gbamini m! Opu-obori bglgg sei rninl lqk99 kgn o lapa wgri o kgn kiri gbein dgqml, ania Adaka o mg esiin duonl o zini bra kgn o miggha. Wo a kile sinng mi. a waisaimi. A mung miAdaka bgtibiminl wari a timi argmi:'Mi-emi, ikiri mu wgrikpg mi ikpq mu sUe seiim'timi bram! an? | tga iklygq i mQmQ kirii kamie. Nama ebemi oya dgn ni a ofoni ebee tinmi. Ofoni ebee kpg biberinmi. A
kgni akgn kim1. Bo ki bai ladg ni a ba mu bgniml. Opu-obori koro oya dgn bg nl o klri mukpg olotu sggm'ni a o bgmg sqemi.Ofoni ebee ba Okpudukpudu. Wan ki bgtog Akabofoni kgrimi. A anda, zgzg dlnamg ,zgzq p9l9 kiri ba anda wasami. Barl gbelei e. A bari gbeleimi" Akabofoni efin dqlq wan tibi aggngmi a muml, wan kpg o kgrf dglt timi godoba ma bltg kgn tig o memg andami. Akabofoni dqlg vlki wo abebebirii bqrni, Wan angg wai o kgri dgttmini mi, toun pou braml kurg bg ni kgni tibi a p9l9i koromi. Tiriml nJdUttdVU giqmi.Wan boze wgni sggmf . Akabofoni owei mig efin tirii sq ygqrq-agengg sg omlnf ominl. Maamgkaramg andami, -I/tqbira m9 Akpglgkpelg mq. Kirl a pa sqg ki diibo, UtUbira Akp9l9kp9l9 sibe gbeinml- tirimi giSmi. A anda timi bo ma olotubo ladg-Opu-obori m9 Okpudukpudu mE. Opu-obori tirii duo ba owei mig bain yAarqi, kirii dan sou, timi okokai gbamini ,'Mi gbai gbeiinminie, mi gbai gbeiinmlni e. Emgbou kpg kgmggha fa e. Yei nanbg yei kgri
e. !

A Town Wherein Refuting Accusation Was Prohibited

Once there was a town wherein nobody was allowed to refute any accusation. Its king used human blood in scrubbing his houses, especially victims of this law. Tortoise had an aunt in this town but he was living in a different town. One he told his mother: day, 'I wish travelling to that town-for a pleasure trip.' His mother retorted: 'Why do you want to go there? You will not be able to come back alive.' 'I shall certainly come back whole; do not worry.' After getting prepared, he set out. Through inquiry, he directed his course to his aunt's residence; she welcomed him but with anxiety. She questioned:

kimi m!9 bo du-ere

pa dgggha

e.

Owl too responded on its side, challenging and shouting: 'Wrestling is not won by being big-they are just big for nothing-let us {irst wrestle-they wish to
be

Dagmi mu asi warii di a, wgni dgin yemi emi, wo o kgn- o mg mini ta mq desi wo a lei wgri a pinmgmi. A ) pinmg timi kgni efie lami a alabiri a ma ani
arimi" Dirimg-ere ki ani bomini braml arim!, a bo maamgkaramg pii kpq ladg ni' 6 6 yei rnp asii mg vgrg bou duo sgg fa, minl angg kgn lg gbein-owei waimi. A dap mq yin mg bo eygg lami, a maamq piii duo sq99m'akq nemigha nidaqmi6 bimi. 'A mi owei, mlmlsgml ma klmi-ama, owei mq ey9r9 m9, asi a lei bo bggha o? A a parymi,'Mian akgg ki a mq duo bain bqmi e; ye ani arimi e' A ani tgnmg braa di spgmi.Yinma Cbami, 'Anii Dirimo-ere o.' A yei 6 pargmi,'Eyeg siin kami e. Dirimg-ere owei kimi an? Eminl lp gbein kimimi ari a nemigha? 'A kqn bglgg bainmg mu timi dprqimi. A wal tu gbeinmini rni o ta o bgmi,'i gbagha? Anl Dirimg-ere ki w6 alglmqmini e - yd i peigha.'A wai bo maamg pii lami, Dirimg-ere mlni yei mq bain mu fadg. A ba a pinmqmi. A A pinmg timing a ba anl arlmi. Dirimg-ere owgqg mig maamg pii pa, yei mg asii mg ba vgrg bouu duo sqg, minl angg mig owadg ere pa, si ekein mg ba apla kqn blra kgri wqri a korumi. A d la, owggg mg ba kiml-ama asi a bain bq bra bimi. A ba kiriigha owqpp tqnmq a pdmi.A owgqq duo sr;gmini mi, yinma ba gbami' 'Ani ba Dirimg-ere, w6 tgbggma o' O gbami,'Eygg slin kami. Emlni ba embagma nemigha? A mi okosu-erema mg kl lei emi yan?' A kqn br;lgg yqqmqmi. A bo maamp pii la a, Dirimg-ere ba mini yei mg ba asii mQ mig pamq wgrikgn br,rlgg bain mu fadg' A ba a pinmqml' A a pinmg timi bo a mqmq nainng mi d mu amaa laam' n9. Dagmi a @mi' 'Dirimg-ere, ani asi bggbo kiri pali e' A kpg gbami,'Aniyee kpq kiri pall e.' Ma asibo bpqbo kiri palimi' kimi s9 bo kirein tigmi. Daumi 6 bgmi,'Gba bari e' A o bgmi,'E kiri okosu, ba bulou kpq kqrl gbaa duoni e kiri b\ilgp gba bari e '' 'En1 asi-br;gbo ba kiri pall kr;mq e' o mg gbami. Asii kgn brllgqr bainmqmi. A t<|at| gbagha, o kpq timi 'E gba barigha'kpn 6 tin okokai gbamini,6 gba barlml. a ba a pinmgmi. A ba a mqmg nainng mi tgbggma
gbami,'

insulted-l deS championship-a hero but unknown'.." They now took their positions in the scene. trt was time. As soon as they closed in, Owt only occupied itself with pecking at the eyes of Elephant, beating it, flew round it, causing it to have imbalance; and it was too tough that elephant only tried to defend itsetf. tt endured for a while but it was too unbearable, so
Elephant ran away from the ring. The crowds shouted at it: 'Go out again, go out again''

also, while challenging it, shouted: 'come out to me, do not nm away, your day of death has come.' There was nothing it could do other than coming out io the ring again, reluctantly. It was time again; and as soon as they closed in, Owl and pecked at them, beat it and scratched it also. Elephant flew up io itr "y.r became blind and ran awly from the ring-Owl was declared the hero' The birds kingdom, while rejoicing, flew away from the scene. - Haie, being ashamid of being defeated by Weaverbird, went and challenged

owl

snail for u

challenging me to a running contest? Do not ever rnake the attempt at all.' They fixed two market daYs. After the procieding market day, snail gathered its snail kingdom and passed the information to them. ihey resolved on what to do. That they will station a snail at strategic points along the agreed track, from beginning to the end. Then they began stationing themselves along the track while waiting for the day. The day his come; and Hare went to Snail and said: 'It is time'' Snail too responded: 'I have been waiting for you since'' After gefiing set, they started themselves-they began the race. After they had begun for sometime, Hare called on snail: 'Snail, are You coming?' .Yes, I um. I am even ahead of you. They continued running, Hare exerting After conquered for -or. "n.igy than before, afraid of beingyou coming?' the second time. called on Snail again: 'Are sometime, *are .yes, I am. Do you not seJthat I am even ahead of you? Hare continued at run greater speed and, inihe course, had one of its hind legs broken' It could not 'Snail, are you coming?' ilst any more. Yet it called on snail to know its position. ,ies, I am. I shall get to the end before you.' Hare continued.with its broken leg, and at a point, could not continue. It was again defeated' Unknown to Hare' ,rriil *u, taking its rest ever since they started. It was the one at the strategic point Hare went where it has come to that was responding always to its question. Thus, home through back door.

r*ning

contest. Snail said: 'Hare, who are you

to ever think of

Dadi, eni asi-bUgbo kin Pali e.' O kpg gbami,'Dirimg-ere , aniyee kpg kiri palle'A ba timi zqzQ dimi'

10

63

Then the father went to the stable and discovered that the horse which runs faster than the rest was still there. Boarding it with his wife, they pursued them. After sometime, they sighted them from a distance. Dirimo-ere saw them approaching when they had come to the second crossroad, she made her husband and the horse into the bush by beating them with a spell, and then changed herself to a man who collects palm fruits. When hel parents came to the place, they did not know which way to follow, and they inquired from her: 'Man, didn't you see two persons, a male and female, travel past you on a
horse?' saw them, but they followed this way' she responded. They followed her directives. Then the mother said: 'That was Dirimo-ere.'

Okpudukpudu kpg mini akp a timi owei tin okokai gbamlnl,'Anda dpba a fa e- a pa ki dgba emi e - anda di kg e- anda e- weri ki a mg bimini e- imini olotu
seirng e - ar{ nagha olotu e...' A bo tirimi a tigmi" I-adg.

bgtibi

ki di

Kld a pa sggmi, Okpudukpudu Opu-obori tgrybo gbglq, efin mu wo tgrybo YUrQ, wo efin yggrg, wo algimg tig-kiri
kl zgg andami. Ene di a ene bra pagha nl Opu-obori
pa e.'

nanagha ni Opu-obori bo tibi bain aka sqerni"

Tirii ziii gigmi,'Wai pa e, wal

'I

'Don't be so noisy. Is Dirimo-ere a man? Didn't you know someone who collects palm fruits?' then they proceeded further until they came to the end of the road. AJthey were returning, his wife questioned: 'Did I say it? That was Dirimoere in disguise but you would not listen.' They came to the cross-road' and Dirimoere and her husband had ran away. They pursued them. They saw them from a distance after sometime again. Dirimo-ere caused the road to become A cross-road, made her husband and the horse into the bush again, changed herselfto an old woman, on a labour dress, with a cutlass in hand and waited for them. They came up to her, inquired about the path and two persons rode past her on a horse. Again she misdirected them. As they commenced following her directive, the wife said again: 'That was Dirimo-ere again, our daughter.' 'Don't be noisy. Could you not recognise your daughter any more? Does she resemble this old woman?' They continued on their journey. When they came to the cross-road, Dirimoere had brought back her husband and the horse and had continued their joumey for a long distance. They pursued them again. They had almost reached the town when they came close to them. The father
said:

Okpudukpudu kpg owei mig o tinm!,'Wai pa bo e, bain kgmg e, eni fi-dein karaidg . O zini miggm'bra fa ni o k9l9k9lg9 waipa mumi. Ba ladg a b9 ni kiri a ba gbeleimi, Okpudukpudu ba efin mu wo tgrybo gb9l9, a vgrg ba a wala kpg a walaml. Opu-obori ba eyg arlgha ni bain tirii duo serii ni a Okpudukpudu ki kgn olotu tinmi. Ofoni ebemi beriyaieygg duo efin wasaimi. Wan Akabofoni pri gbo brami wo a mig sei bg ni kpain t\ra mu Osi la wgri o mgmq bain epi owei pimi. Osi gbami,'Wan, e kpg tlbq kg ni bo i mqmq ki bain epiim'ororo tgnmini? Eku a tgn kpg tgn kpmg e.'A ma akgn kimi. Kgni akgn b9d9m!, osi mini ebee tin b9n!m9 wp4 mi braa gbami. A ororo tgn pglgmi.Amini k9n!b9 kgnibg kgn baiinrn' owggmi a eyq ey9 koromg timi mu du laamini e.A koro b9d9b9d9 angg tigmg wgri ereiin korumi. Bo eriin ladg ni Wan Osi lami.'Ladg e'o mg gbaml. Osi kpg gbami,'Mi-emi tarlkqmg i timi e kirikoruminie.' A angg kgrldg ni ladg e gbarni, a koro bainmi. A baln timi kgni efie la ni Wan Osi tinmi. 'A Ori, mi-emi e bomlni? 0 pargmi. 'Yinye, ibomlnie. Ye eni bttlgtr k! a emi ye.' A kgn bglgU balnmg mi- Wan embali dglnmi, mampkaramg seri a koroominii duonl. Timi z9b9r99ml, Wan ba Osi

tinmi,
e bominl?' 'Yinye, I bomlnle. Ye y6 a bglgg a emi bra e mo arlgha?' Wan ba embali bain kgrgmg dginmini ml, kgni bgg bain yalnmg mi. O ba eken bain saramggha, ania o mukpg tinng o mu ladg 'yg nemi dqUmi. 'A Osi, ml-emi e bomini?' 'Yinye. Ye y6 a br;lgg mu wan laamini e.' Wan mini sei bgg kgn bain timi kgnl efie la a, o ba ekengha. O ba koromi. Wan nemigha, a koro tibi tpa kgmgg s9 Osi emba ki fou emi. Biri biri a tieme wgri Osibo ki timi o biberinmini. Mi Wan boze mu mini ebe duo sgg brami.

'Mi-emi

'Dirimo-ere, let your horse get stuck.' She too replied, 'Let yours also suffer from same.'
The father then said,

'Nulliff your

cursd'

on her: 'Will you not repeal the curse?', and she did. They pursued them again. When they came up close to them, the daughter said: oFather, let your horse get stuck.' He also said, 'Dirimo-ere, let your horse get stuck also.' Then they kept looking at each other. 62

She replied, 'You are the elder, nullifo your curse first before I shall do the same.' 'Let your horse be released' he said. The horse continued the journey. She did not nulli$ on time, and he was calling

ll

Tortoise
once there was a town. Its neighbouring town waged war against it, killed almost all its men-it was then mostly populated with women. It had a market
which was jointly attended to by others.
went Tortoise, on hearing that, sought for a way to plunder them. At last, he to carve a canoe and cast seven men and to Woodpecker and instiucted the latter women-all canoeists' in the act of paddling, onto the canoe' The canoe was carved according to plan, on the proceeding market day' he but went to the market. On arrival, *o-itl from other communities had departed

o bgmi' oni tibimi paa kgmg sg kimi san kaigha erni ye' anii dunq wai tibi'lni dumoubo tgiq tibimi a tarikpmq braa wqrie.'
o fei kpg koro tibl kaimi. O kai sinng mi, o fei kpq okaa wgrg sinng. O fei

theindigenouswomenonly.AsSoonastheysawthecanoe,everybodytookt.o
departed.

war was their heJls leaving behind all their possessions. They thought that another that was left to his canoe and then imminent. TortoLe alightcd, packed all
to The next market day was not attended to by non-indigenous women due the previous market day. Again, Tortoise went to that market what occurred on again. Market early in the morning. As soon as he was sighted, they began running packed them and made awav. g;oi, *"r, ptenty,-this time. Again, he went and ilt it" f," *ai gutir.ring them, an old woman who could not run and was hiding in one of the stalls saw him.

seftled when war had come to the town unnoiiced to see the situation, and had

Afterthesecondmarketday,sorneofthemenwhohadescapedduringthe

the woman invited discovering that there was no war. when those men had settled, ,uy town's people, he is a man of small stature who used to come them and *id, paints, ,"uring us to plunder us. iherefore, let us carve a big man, daub it with his hand to trap him. It would be pi"r" ["irro pieces of yam and smoked .fi.l i" from the way he was seen.' The town !"oa f* us should we io like that as ljudged and did accordingly' ionsented to her suggestion ran away fiom the market again. Tortoise. while "u.ryuoay it p""[r"l it comrlodities uguin, "u*" across rhe carved man. He approachedfor and the " but it would "not answer. He came closer to it and requested uadr"sirA it When it was extracting the fish f|om the R,t,, tt'. man would not Still respond" paints- Tortoise addressed it,'will you not -un, on" of its hands got stuck in the soon as he was sighted,

0 kpg rninifei bgmi,'{niokami paa k9m99 sp kimi san wprqgha emi ye: anii duoni e kpg wa! oka emgboubo tglg okami a tqa e.' O fei oka emgboubo tglg kqn oka emgbouu bibibo a tgamini mi o kpg wo kai koromgng dumoubo tglg tiblml a gbanami. o fei emgboubo kgn opoolobo pidimg sin n! kir; o mlsi akug wal kiri diami, a sg koro sinng; o kpq dumoubo tqlg tiblmi a benimomini rni lni a kpg rimi koro ki koromini. A z9z9 a brasinmi . Dar;mi kgn o ba dgq zlni owggbo sg, o tama o tolumgg duoni, o m9 dg tigmq sinml. Tumi kgn o gbalnmggm' eye k! fa kpg wo o baam'bra tgnmi. Mlsi buboumi omini ta b9 klmi tgg tggmlni bglgmi a beni tainmgmi. Buboru tumi' tpbqpg tama o bgmi, a bgng migmln! mi"'Obine tibi akgmi a fila gbein koromq e.' '{ ti bra mig wd ma kimi bqnggmini obinemi a fila gbeiinm'brami an o?'o mq bimi' A o bgmi,'Gbein koromg e,ikirigbamie' O bggha timing kg o tu a kgl9l99 gbein koromqmi. A bqng timi kgni efie lami ii o bqmi,'l dag asibo emi warimi a munq bglgg e gbelemini yee kgn bo e' O mu a, ominl bgf gg o gbele yee kqngha timi maamgkaramg a o gbele yee ki kgnmi' O bo 6 laml 6 o bgml,'Br;lgg e gbele yee k! c mg k99nm' timi ki tgn o' Mii kpg seigha' A kpg obinemi a fila gbein koromq sinng mi, amini angq mq kirii eye tqlg' rnu asimi a lei wed bain tgimi. Daumi a mung bra nemigha. Deiin dqlg dgbadq mi, o 199 mu anl bqng timi okpoo pei, a mukpg kiri na emi bra dimi. obinemi kimi-ama timi argmini, o waimi. D9l9 z9b9r99mi o wai mu pei dimi, taqkgmq bra- o ba waiml' Wo ani 'bra kgn wgni timi maamqtkaramg ofoni pri fiedg. O ta bimi.
'Na tglgha ye; a mukpq obinemi a timi argmini e i mg gbami e nagha?' o mg kgn bqlgg ser ai darlmgmi. Deiin balim'kamaye wo fa ni o kgni tibi a sgg obinemi a mumi; kgni embiowei o mg kgn bUrg a tga wgri o pri bo yeenyeen kprlidq ye mQ' O mu obinee la a

'Mi-emi

a na tglgha?'

onthethirdmarketday,againTortoisewenttoitearlyinthemoming.As

letmefree?Doyou*unt'"toapplymyfather'slefthandonyou?'Themandid It got stuck in it' not i.rponO. Tortoise applied iii ieft hand on it, behold it
got stuck in the pa.ints' continued in this way untii att his hands and legs
gathered arouncl, Tortoise him to the public ,quur. of th. to*n. when the town had

mukpg timi argmini. wo obinemi adada di a kimi fa, ania kimi-ama timi arg teimini. 'O! oll ol!! Nlinl namaa t9id9 e. lni tr;bqgma ki mi braa s9 kqn ini oyamq wgr[cnii ye'o mg okokaimi. O bo misi braa gba mini ta primi' 'l gba e diagha? Y6 i peigha ki tun. A mu fadg e'6 mq gbami'

Thetown,smenappeared,releasedTortoisefromhisentanglenlentandtook

suid..euenifyoushootatme,lwouldnotdie;neithershalllbekilledifyou if do to kill me' But water and poured it on me-there is nothing you could
boiled
12

6l

in-law too had grains, while he too commenced barbing. when he finished, his finished. Then his in-law said: .Noonehaseverbarbedmyhead,thereforeyoushouldkeepbackthehairs
as

Ewirf,
Kgn! efie kgni ama timimi. O momq naln timi ama o mgmq sU, wo owei otubo sg ba sin- arnam! bo eyqrg otu bgtibi kgml. Nfini akgn balbo s9 sP anl amami fgni fqg timi ni zinioru kpg bo a m9m9 gbelei otubo otubotimimi.

they were"'

Hereplied,.Noonehaseverrubbedthegrainsoffthiscorncob,therefore
youtooshouldpickupthegrainsandplacethemintheirproperorder.' "picking
While his in-law was
up the grains and placing them back in the cob, in the head. A-fter his in-law he too was busy picking up the ha-irs and piacing them side' they all fell had finished plaiing ,o"*. gruinr on a sidL and ittempted another

they constantly kept uwuv; una he too,'i<ept plicing the hairs on his head while able to abort, through his wife's iufii"! down. They left'eachlther. He was instruitions, all the means the father applied in trying to kill him' him of' That At lasi, he resolved to kill him even if there is nothing to accuse to boil water on the pot which was. used in cooking euenin! he instructed his wife him, as they were t u,,,uriU.ings. In the evening, the wife of the man instructed
about to sleeP: 'Spit on the head side of the bed'

braa na ni o kqn a gbeiinm' pa dggmi' Tumi o mu arqgbqli-owei la wgri o bg keni dplq dgba ary kara, sqnqrna owei otu mQ sqnQma eyqrq otu m9' y9w9ikgrl wgr! yggmin! yaiaka tga o primi" Aryg kara sinng ml a lamini akgnbalml o ma yQU fqirmi a tgami' O mu fqgg la

e*i.i *|ti

efiemi, ,in1 t iti erebo yqgdg, amakubu yaibo bqtlbi k! kqdg' Kirl a anlmi arimi' lclm! i9 rnin! eye-ama gbeinmq koromq wgri bainmi' Zinl sir ki padg ki a m9 tgnmi."Ewui *u fqqlt ia wqri kiri kq eyebo tan bo minl argml a saiwgri yqg waimi' "ruri'ifgtlmiapaeyeeduonitufgqm|zinikirierebobamugha.Ewirihamisi balmi
a pekei pet

and come with the sleeping, when she ,equerted him: 'Go.t9 *y father's stable in contact with you'' He went and returned with the horse that will first come first. when he returned to her second one that came in contact with him but not the

.Whyshouldlspitonthebedonwhichwesleep?,hequestioned. 'tt is I who requested for it' please do' she said' Hedidnotagree,butlaterhereluctantlycomplied.Theyhadspentsometime

"y"Uo mi, kgni eken baingha okosu-ere fgrqr waribo a kgn! a timi wo ariml' tanmini 'N,iamr;karams fguu bgdg mi, sgmi a bain tgl wgri owei otubo zga 199 bo ama

eitqn ySq fgqmi a tUami. Kirl a ba wo arimi, a ba kro bainmi' Fqp tpq, migba! bein. O ba rnu a tan bo min! ary a sai wqri yQq waimi' O timi

di,sgbafabraariwgrikqnitibiatimimi.Misloweiotubowaltroamaaladgmi'

wgri w6 erema amaa tln weri gbami,'{n! ama otu, kgni kala owei kl bo w6 esisimq d bodg w6 kgni opu kimi kara' ada kEn o poo' fggg gbein gbeinmlni e'Anliduon[ brarni tainmq burumo ba ya-endi mg kpn wo birabo a tga wgri o pidg e' Ye wo ari aba ebi w6 p4imini e.' Amami 6 biberin wgri ani gba braa w6 mg rnigmi misl Ura
nifqm!.

sl'esaia,.Youwouldhuu.oo*"withthefirstonethattoucheciyou;neverihciess then they packed this one is not all that out of place.' She too spat on the bed,
negligible items, boarded the horse and escaped' went to their The father dia noi know they have escaped. He stealthily bit, and eavesdropped to see ifthey were bedroom, after the night had advancld a

stillawake.rnere*ereSomepersonsdiscussingonthebed,soheretumed.Not he returned' He kept quite long after, he ..p"ut"O same- action' it wai the same'

doing thai until the second crow' Then his wife asked: 'Have theY not escaPed?' .They have not. Diin't you hear me say that they were still discussing on the bed?' he rebuked. went to. the bed with a Incited by the thought of being overtaken by day' he had become u"ry,hol-u11^reddish' When ,p"u, *ni.n ne naa put iito un ontn- that still discussing; and discoverbd, on closer inspection, fr! g", to the bed, bed, but some persons were discussing on it' tnatinere was nobody on the

iaargkaramq fqrgmi. Ewiri ba pikei pikei tqn mumi' Klri o ba mu fqrlg lami klmi s9 ba bain fami. Ewiri ba eye tan timi kara tigmq wgri klmlmi arimi' O wgni kimimi wo a tqa, o mqmq arg, kimlmi o pan;gha' O mu o la wgrl wo bira a endii bi' wo kqni bira mukpg bibi fiegha. O mu wo bira a wo endii kqnminl ml' adabo kpaln pddi. pwiri o UEmi,'Yd ye a brasingha? Ye i daq kgng-biraa kqn e vgrq ki e mg igrl*ini yan?' Klmlml o parggha. Ewiri minl kgng-bira kgn kpoun o polomi' bit;i vidabu pali fami. MJsi bra o mq kqn mig timi wo ma blrabo mq ma bgqbo m9 p4 kpaln Pali faml' s9 Amaml a timi owei-otubo pa bo Ewiri la, a o pqkq pamq *!I1.o kgn ama ml, Ewiri gba a prlmi; 'A i tein ki I tein' bgni-kiri a mumi. Amaa bo bqni o ygprqdg fa- a mlg i baam' kgni paa kpg fa e' i [i h i ki,beni ki talnmg i dgsimq kpq i figha

"

ti; ;;;r

.o!o!!o!llsothe.animal'hasescaped'Itwasmydaughterwhohascaused

reported' me this disappointment' he said' He came to his wife and

.Didlnottettyourautyouwouldnotpayheed.Nowtheyaregone'shesaid'
l3
60

you keep feeding me for the next two markets days, I shall have then lived up to end of my life's span, it is only then you could kill me.' The town's people indeed kept feeding Tortoise until two market days. When they had gathered again, Tortoise said: 'trf you rnake available ten men and fifteen women to board a canoe together with me, with a big canon gun set ready for firing at the bow after placing me in its front, get it fired after having travelled to the middle of the river, then I shall die.' The town complied with his instruction and travelled to the middle of the river. When they were about to fire the canon gun, Tortoise said: 'Do not fire yet, do not fire yet. My personal god had just informed me that I am yet to complete my life span. Therefore I shall not die even ifyou get the canon gun fired. That I still have
a market to go. Reverse the canoe.'

TUbSqU gbami,'Ainye, i muumini e. Kimii mig ebimi dgba bgq duoni mu pa bibi doo kpg kgn okilegha aba ebigha e.'O kgn bglgg wgnimgmi.

Z9b9r99mi o zini okosu-ere mQ gbeleimi.

A wo mumlnl eyq bimi. O gba

diam!.Agbaoprimi,
'Emung aba y6 eken walbogha fa e. Aani oweimi kimi kimi ki fimini o. Yd ye tgry dgn b9 ni I m9 gbamini o, mu kqrmg e.' a 'Kimii mig ebiml kgrg b99 duoni mu o kilegha aba dqlg dqlg kpg ebigha e; aniiduoni i muumini e.' 'Ani aba bodg ye egberi gba e dia e. E mung aba mi bqlggmi a emi maamp piimi a amabira akgg duo sgg wgnl mu tgryml a pa, eyg dqp sqwgi timi e. Okosuoweii sgngma ey9r9 awg1r bo beni biriimlni ye. A eye sin koromq wgq mu benibirimini mi mu kiali tu pglg yema tgayebo kgnng wal mu sqwqi ye. A kimi sq mini eye tgaminl ml 6 anaibo dgpgmlni e.A gba bra gba braa sg bibi fie kgmg timi 'fni eyebo kgn wgriemi bgmi a pamg i yarl e; e dggdg eyee sq i mig e priiminl ye ' gbadg aba ki4 pa ii buru mu e. 'Tiye kl e mq dqgmini yan o?' 6 mq bidg aba,'Ye e nana ki dggmini e'gba e. A e nanang aba kiri e la wai mu eni wari laamlni e.' Wo 5 kile wgri ani gba braa migmi.O s9w9i emi mi a bo benibirimi, o kiall mu tu yema eyebo kgn wgd wai mu sgwqiml. A benibiri sin ni klml sg mini tgayeama tqamlni m!, 6 anaibo arigha. Anl blnaotubo kilai mini yai tga wgri 6 wqri muml. A mumini rn! 6 gbami, 'A timi I koru a; ye ini tr;ayebo arigha o.' A 6 parymi,'\dikimi timi kimikoruminieyq a o? E kialimiggha aba w6mini e wgrj muuminie'A mukpg timi kqn bglgqr dqgmqmlni mi, a 6 wgri wari a mumi. A koro bouu tin youmi. A tgnl egberi gba mu zini la, eyebo kqn bqmi a pamq bo e -sjli-ama ii mg tan o bgg pdimini e. Kimi pamqgha' A kqn bplgg youmq timi 6 pri 'Kgn bgmi a pamgng aba o bq dgqdg braa s9 | miggmini e' gbami omini s9w9i timiyg duo pa wgri eyebo pamg i{ primi. A o bimi' ''I i eye kie mo dgqmini yan o]'O gbami, 'fmini e kiri nana dgtrmini e' A biberin wgri o mgmg wari a mu misi bra gba 6 dag clja ,o kpg biberin, a zgz7 nana pamg: ania wo ey99 ki timi yerinmi. Kgnl bai la a o fei o bgmi,'Bo tibii kal e.'O misi bra gba mini ta primi. A o tolunrr,lmi,

They reversed the canoe and continued feeding him for eight rnore days after

which they again went aboard the canoe. When they had got to the middle of the river, Tortoise said: 'I have lived up to the number of my days, now apply the canon gun.' They set Tortoise at the bow directly in front of the canon gun. Immediately they set the canon on fire, Tortoise jumped into the river and submerged" The canon gun fired, the entire canoe was torn to pieces and all the people died. Those that were watching from the shore began crying; there was
nothing they could do.

Man Who Possessed Fifty Knives

There was a husband and wife who had two children - one male and the other female. When they had become of age, the male told his parents:

,I

would like to go and settle in some place, seeking for means of

livelihood.' They agreed, and after getting prepared, he set out. When he got to a certain town, through inquiries he made his way to the King's palace and was hosted by him. The King had five girls. After having him entertained, he instructed the first daughter to prepare food for the visitor. The girl, in compliance, invited him after sefting the table. He asked her, 'fuould there be another set of food after I shall have eaten this?' 'No, there would not be another' she replied.
is the case, I shall not eat.' eat it. If you finish this, there would another' she begged' 'Please, By no means! He did not agree. The girl returned the set of food: she went the and reported it to her father. Her remarked' 'It might be he was displeased with manner the food was Presented.'

'O! If that

'Yri wo tibibl kalmini mi oka e kpq mq kqn o pri wgrg e' na wgrlemi ye'o mg kgn ii Pargmi. 1-u balrn! o fei o tlnml,'Wgri bo kai e'Wo angq kgri ni o mu o lami o kpg oka kgn o primi, 'f kalmini mi e kpq mi okaa wgrq e, ti ki bibi ni aba ye o kiri w9r99 mig timi e pr1 tin bo enl tibii kaimini e.'O kpg biberin nio kpg okaa wgrgmi:

'l

t4

59

.No, I shall certainly go. The man has done so much that it would be unwise if I did not show appreciation even with ordinary words.' Then he continued on his journey. tiot quite long after, he came across an old woman who inquired where he was going to. He told her' She told him: .tnaJeO y:ou will not return if you go. That man eats human beings. n have much concern for you hence I am informing you, don't go'' ,The man's act was so great thit it would not be wise should his deed be left
unappreciated; therefore I shall go" he responded' ,If that is the case let me tell you something. As you are going, keep to the

Anla ri i gball timi ml bqlqg

a ma fqr,t

Ini fi deinbo karaidgg duonl kirl i

baam'kpo

kgni paml i m9 gba d dlaamini e.' Amaotubo kgkg o gbali timi bo ma f99bo karaidg. A bari bo bgnimi' Ewiri gba a primi. Amini oyi oweitou mq diq a'eygrq otu mQ kgn kgni arg a sai' I kpq kgn sa!, kgni opu okirizi kal wgri kgn okgiggmi a sai, aryp yQU pamQ mu tgrqbtri a diygi la, i kgn okglggmi a wgri okirizii kqn i dia wgri o teinnq aba kiri irninl fiimini
e.t

right of the cross-road and moving until you

get. to a river, find somewhere and of the old min will be coming tb have their bath. After they hiie. Seven daughters the had stripped thJmselves of their clothes while bathing, quickly go and take

clothes

youngest of them and then hide again. When they will.all be dressing sheup again, she will iearch for hers. Don't respond to any of her sayings unless .l shall comply with any demand of the person who is in possession of pioro'it.d, "l my d."rrings', then go out to her. If she asked "what do you want?" then reply, to return home only if she manied you'' would like to marry you". You will able hideout, He greeted hir-and complied with her instruction. while he was in a FIe quickly made for the dressings of the,youngest and they cam-e to bathe. taken their retumed. When everybody was p.rtting on their dressings after they had were leaving her bath, she did not nna ners. Her relaiions quickly finished and

oittr.

Amam! s9nlsgni o gba braa mig wE4 o kgn ygg tqry pami.Kirl a okirizii teiin migminl mi, Ewiri okokai gbami,'Na tein kgmq e. Na tein kqmq e' lni orumi mimislmi a gba ! dla brami inl fi-dein na karaigha e. Anil duoni , 6 okirizii kl tein kpg i na figha fa e. Kqni fgp mukpq kq emi. A a.gU ygg wai e'' A arUU ygg waimi,a ba o kgn bulgg gbalimq timi kgnl fqr; baiml' A wai arUtt saimi. A yeg mu tqrybiri ladq mi Ewiri gbami,'Ml gbai ini fi-dein karaidg e' Wqri 6 okirizii tein e.' A Ewiri kgn mu okirizi bulqumi a dlali tigmgmi.Kt{ a okirizimi a fgni tgami, Ewiri desi rgngbglu beni a koro bile fami. okiriziml fie pa, aryg s9 tein pgi, kimibo s9 fi fami. Ogbo a timi di timi otubo koro yggmi. A ba zini mi99m'bra fa'

Adgin-a Ma si mg OYi mq Nana Owei

Kgni ta mg yei mq kgni seri a timimi' ma awgg ki a rnq ziml - kgni owei kqni primi"! zini-kiri a ba eygrg . RwgqUo dgbadg mi oweii gba mini dar; mq yin mq otu *u dou-fiy" dgpUm'e'A o biberinmi. Wo angq kgriwqri yAU pami' O VSU timi mu kgni ama la, pqr99 bi mu o la wqrl orspgmi' Pgrgmi sQqran u*9,1 zi wgrim!. Wo o kamai sinng ml, bglgg yerna o mq b9 fiyal tgq egeni "ygtq Wo 6 bimi: V*i*l.Tgbgpma fiyalbo koromg sinng nl o tinmi' ' 'UiriyaiUo i mq fi sinng aba zinl yal mukpg timi iprifiimini ?' A o pargml,' E rni yaibo fi sinng aba zini yaiba fa e'' 'O! Ani aba ye a figha fa e' o mq gbami' A o tgghgml,'Fie. E fl sin a zlni fiyai mukpq paamini ye' primi' A Kpgg, o bqgha e. Tgbqgma fiyaibo waimqmi; 6 mu ml bra gbaminf dap ;Zga seri a e fiyaibo koromg braa ki o dlsggha wgri emi ye'' OuU gUu.ni,

behind. As theY were going she said, 'Ptease wait for me, for I could not find my dressings' .This is not a place whereat one should wait for another. If you don't do quickly we shall leave behind' they responded. As was she was still busy looking for it, they departed, leaving her behind' after other, that She then called on thi bush while crying. She said one thing to the person wiro has taken it. Nobody presented it. She she will give much money the person who has cried fuJher until she saii,'I shail comply with any demand of him: i;f.L" it' then he came out form where he was and presented it. She asked 'What do You want?' .l would like to marry you' he said. She consented and went with him to her lived in that house' father, informed him and hL ioo agreed, they married but he a request before-him' 'Come and barb 6ne day, his father-in-law f,resented him: my hairs'. He relayed the request to his wife who instructed

.Whileyouu,"barbinghisheadaskhimtoberubbingthegrainsoffthiscorn

cob' come and barb my head The following Juy t i' in-law invited him, presented the head of corn and now, After he had goi pr"pu."a, he came to him and corncob, for l was ,uid, .whil. l am barbing, please be rubbing the grains off this "you F. agieed and began rubbing off the invitea aUout Aoing that wh;;

'It

is noted'he rePlied her.

,please

,'.'

l5

The fatirer requestecl the second daughter to prepare food which she presented to him. It was same with hers. The third and even the fourth daughters
registered the same result.

Owei-tein TqbqU
Kgni ta mg yei mq otu timiml- kpo kgni trtbQUU ki a m9 zimi' Mi tgbqgg bo dgbami wo owei-iein firi kl wgnimi. Wo owei-tein timi mlnl nana wgri eyebo s9 kqn tein tangbei sinmi. o ba eye nana wgri teingha ni omini dar,r kgn teinmi-a o fimi. o daq waf! ki a timi kimi pri bo o lami,'Mi-emi eni tqbgq e kgn owei-tein ni

At last he instructed the last

whom he loved most to do same. The girl

prepared food and presented it to him. He asked, 'Would there be another set of food if I finish eating this?' ,what a nonsense question is it you are asking? Even if you request for another after finishing this, I shall certainly bring it to you' she responded. .You are a gooJgirl. You are even beautifully created by God. I would like to marry you' he said. -'is that so! Ifthat is the case present it before my father, and ifhe agrees then

y6 fldg ye.'DaqmimiE kUrq di kpq klrligha' A o sibe akimi' inibai o ba ma mini yin kgn teinmi- a d kpq fimi. Tumi warlboki o mp kqn teinmi- a a kpg fi akimi. O bo kpata mq tu mQ ki kqdg, sg98m' eyg ba fa ni tomu ki

'

it will be ok.' she rePlied.

After

she had cleared the table, she reported it to her father: 'Daddyl The man ate the food.'

.Did he eat the food you prepared? You are a good Her father asked,
daughter.'

'He said he would like to marry me' she further reported' .I shall readily agree if he comes and presents this issue because the young man is overly atffactive' her father said'

duo wgn! ereigheimi. dEni Uuio ma etele kirikonu a bgng emi mikimi bo o kgn kiri tigmqmi. O kiri na ni o di a.ligni okosu kimi. Kimiml gba o primi:'fni tgbqgBmini ti ki duo oweitein sei kqrrgmg emi bra nemigha timi m"i opu oyaa pglg angg Pd ma o? E6 e dag rng yin mSkpS m!9 omoni bidg e- e dag mg yin mg zi warimi fadq e- yd Ini iklsa f.t;'mq f<amie.pni owei-tein firil duoni opu oya bglgg a timi e koruminie; ania i bo mi awggbo ki paryyq a bomi e. Ml bid99 k9n mu owei-tein ye. Y6 owei-tin kl

his requesiwhich tf,e latter also granted. Then they were engaged_in-matrimony. ,iuhen they were about to huu. their marriage consummated,"the man prayed' .God, I marriei while being a sojourner in another land. Please, bless my marriage wise' with an issue on time.' GoJ', from where He was, said, 'O! The young man is marriage' I shall provide him a He requested for a child as soon he was engaged in

Not qu'ite long after this, the young man approached the father and presented

child quickly.'

they The woman conceived not long after their marriage was consummated; again as soon as his wife delivered. They soon had had a baby boy. He prayed God he told her his another uft"r. ih" first. No ,oon.i than his wife delivered when proposal:

kgn edag, yin ba waribo sQ yg{iduoni owei-ein ki sara deiln owqg ni kqn luwee a paru ukiir"; ve. Anii duoni wai mu eni bira a h fi otubo la, a mgmg owei-rein e. A pary akiimlnle' Ye okubo mig e pri mu ifiyp,,r kps a tgngtri bra ki e mq kgn la a s9 p*Utit; o*qq*i ala ba kgrq bqgmini e' Y6 e daq, yin ba waribo sP pary akidq " Uuti owei-ieiinm'kpq naln kgmq e- e bari a e fiim' oyami kgrq dgiinminl e' uUu, Imini amakunuoun o*9gg duo wqnl timi bglgg maamq pii la, amablra akgg duo r;',,g,'*u maamgkaramg maamg pii la-mukpq amabira akgg duo spg' mu ,u"ryk-u*g yeeia-kgngbira akgmi a emi akg-tuu kl a emi ye' I mung e -bal ye'' 'fUbqttmi wo bira a bid99 kqnml. Pikeimi o mu daq fi b99 la-bidgmi o mq d tqami. A i"ln*i o la mini daq fiml. O mu o yin fib99 kpq la, o mQmQ tein wqri mu waribo fl otubo la, a mqmq tein wgrl a sq kpq f! aki sinmi' wai kpg fi akimi. O

.Iwouldliketogoandsojourninsomedistantlandformeansofsurvival.' could 'lf your fatherin-law, Ln being informed, grants it yougranted. go' she about it. It was responded. He went and informed his father-in-law Hepreparedandthentravelledout.Hewenttoadistantcountryandstopped atacertaintown.HewenttotheKing'throughinquiries,andwasemployedthere. who haileri ffom his In the course of living in that town, he came across somebody of discussion' wife's town - they iiroducecl themselves to each other in the course he was ready to go one day, thi man from his wife's town informed him that would have sent n1y home because it has been long he had never visited home. 'I greetings to her' he said. Then they wife sornething if I could, buijust relay my
bade each other goodbye, and the man made for his home' On anival, they celebrated his home-coming because

A yerin timi wa! siii dglg nanang mi tqbqUmi mu kimii kileem' ni wqni pam!' gbeleimi' Wo u tqrnn-,.., owg1rmi o mg duo sgg mu timing kgni okosu-owei o mQmq
rl birni.

sg mu

min! warii duo

Peree spgmi.

'Tiyg kie ma muminiyan o?'Ornini mumini 'yq gbami Kimii primi' Ani kimlmi ebigha o Kimf kim! ki fimini o. E mu a e wai bo pagha fa o; anil duoni
mu kgmg

e'kimlimq gbam!'

uiritJ

t-,on-,"

turt. an.,

it has taken long hc days of celebration, as it was traditional with thosc two

57

A Garnhler
There was once a husband and wife who had only a son that became a gambler when he grew up. F{e lost all his possessions in gambling. As there was nothing he could put in, he offered his father - he lost him to his opponent. His father was in house when someone came to him and said, 'Now, your son offered you in gambling and I won.' The father agitated but it was abortive. They canied him away. He offered his mother another day, he lost her to his opponent. He offered their houses, at last, he lost them also. He was left with his pants only, -tlo house to live in therefqre fe kept wandering. One daf ryfien he was passing the night under a rest house, somebody came and stood befqre him. When he woke up and looked, there was an old man. The

Daymi mini mamgkaramg tgbqgma firlmq fiyai tttq wgri kgn o yarimi. Aniyee kpg tarikgmg bra. Taargkaramg tgb?Uma mg ba neinkaramg yema kpq
tarikgmg bra. Tumi o tupglg yema firimgmi, wo ri kirl tari kpq tari dgin timimi. Tgbggma flyai tgg wgri kgn o yarimi. 'Mi eni fiyai, bo fi e'6 mg gbami.

Wo 6 bimi,'Mi fiyaibo i mq fi sin a zini yaimukpg timi i pri filminl?' A o panJml, 'Tl eye kpg a sgggha egberi ki e mg bimini yan o? | dag warii bein emi fiyalbo! E mi yaibo fi sin nl e zini yai ki bi kpq i mukpg tpq e yaiimini ki
tun'

man said, .My child, why was it that you were unaware of the enormity of gambling b6fore engaging yourself in it until you have entangled yourself in iufferingl You have sold your parents into slavery - your parents' family is now lost - you have,, been so malicious to me. You will certainly be redressed accordinely in future; but I have come to redeem my children. Take this piece of cloth ani use it for gambling. You lost your parents and other possessions by gambling, therefore gambling is the quickest means of redeeming them without much difficulty. Therefore go back to those who won them from you and gamble with them again. You shall win them back quite contrary to their expectation. It will be u rnu.h longer and difficult means if I provide money for you to effect it ' After you have succeeded in redeeming your parents and houses, you should not gambll again atalh if you do, you will certainly be greatly punished- Followrng the and proceed fath at th1 outskirts of the town until the first cross-road, fork right the second cross-road. follow the right, move onto the third cross-road, then until fork left until you get to the iron tree - there is my residence. I am going, good
hye.'
The young man took the piece of cloth from him. In the morning he contacted the person who won his father and he offered the cloth. He won his father back' He coniacted he who won his mother, gambled and won her back. He also contacted

'Emlniebi tgbgg. Tgmgarag kpg e tgmg dimio-o. Mi arag, iminie nanaamini o'o mg gbami. 'A-a-a-n! Ani aba e mu misi bra gba i dag dia ni o bgdq aba fadg e ' 6 mg kqn
o deimgmi. A fi eyebo kgn sinng mi d mu gba 6 dap diami,

'Dad!! Kimimi flayaibo fimio.'

A dag gbaml,'Wo eni tqg fiyaibo fimi? Emini ebi tgbgp e' 'Wo i nanaaminiki gbami o'6 mq gba gbelemqmi. 'Tgbggmi ebi kaa duoni o bo misi bra gba i dia a i bggmini o'o mq gbami. Misi eyg bg alagha timi tgbggg pri mu dagg la wgri tpbqqma nanaam' bra
Cbami, o kpg biberinmi. O mg tgbgpma mE zQZQ nanami. Kiri a bo sgg bgngr; migminlmi, tr;bqgmi tgghgml, Tgmgarar.r , ye egenikiri ki a bo ere nana yeriin miggmini ye. Sisei ye, klali tgb99 kpn i pri zi ye.' Tgmgarap

mln! aggng a timi gbami. 'O! Mi t9b9$ ikivgq tga

emi o. Kiri omini ere

those who won the houses, gambled with them and won them back' They all
returned home freelY. After they had had little money, the young man departed home in an attempt to express his gratitude to the man who assisted him. He followed the directive given until he came across an old man who asked him:

'Where are you going to?'

He told him where he was going to. ,That is an evil man who eats human beings. safely; therefore proceed no fufther.'
56

If you go, you would not return

nanaminiibo koro tgbgg ki bidg. ! kiall kgn o pri ziimini ye.' A na bgng ala kpg alagha mi erema ofuromi - a owei tltbqp ki zimi. A na zi alagaha mi o ba Tgmgarag tgghgmi. Alagha timi tqbqgp pri andg sinmi, eygrg tqbgU. TUbqUma zi alagha timi o pri gba mini ta primi, 'l zini-kiri a dgU-fiye dqUyq a muum'e.' A o parymi,'E gba e fei prl ni o bgdq aba mu e' O mu misi bra gba mini primi- o biberinml. fei Wo angg kqri wgri yQq pami.O yqg timi mu ala ebe a kgni ama egbemi. Wo amaa pqr99 bi mu pa wgri misiyg firi a sr.rgmi' O misiyg firi wgni timi o ta ama kimi mg gbeleimi* a kpgdi timi mlni angg gba zqzq prlmi. Kgn! bai o ta ama kimimi ama a mugha ml ala bgdg ni ama a muum'bra gba o prlmi. 'Eyc k! ye a timi wg{ a si sggnran akpa feni i mq sai i ta yariim'timimi o. Mung pa ii kile wgri e.'A bai kgn zgzg primi; kimimi ama a mumi. O mu ama lami, a o beriye aki wuru bou teimi; ti ki duoni aba wo ama lagha kpg aladg. A bou tei timi ma dein baidg ni eyg duo bo kimi wgnl ama otu kile

l7

who visited home from

journey, he went round the town greeting people' ln the

course,hecameacrossthewifeoftheman,andherememberedthemessage.
money, he wouid have sent you one thousand pounds' he said'

,woman,yourhusbandsentgreetingstoyou.lfnot.becauseofscarcityof
iHow is he? Is he well?' she asked'

.Heisfine.Andheiswell'heanswered.Whenhewasabouttotakeleaveof

her, she seized him and said,

.Man,whatabadacthaveyouperformed?Myhusbandsaidthatonyour d"eliver to me the arrival, greet me and that all is well with him. That you should posted through you. why is it that you did ,unl oi frve thousand pounds which he
not give me the moneY?' The man became petrified, deficient
summoned courage and said,

tqbgr,lmi ye ezgU bq timi tu aragma bgg-touun danmi' Tgbggma gbami,'TlYe kl I dan ma o?' bglgu Oui VuiU.? pargmi,;fye e gbologha' TibS kS ki e gboloo ma o?' A kqn ye dgngminl ye' A' uoag w6 wai e'' A ani w9n1m9 mi. Aiagha no i ua-guami,'S;di gba na wgr{ waimi.ltUbqUU kpq a tuduo waimi. Dein haidg rri u Uu"*ui*o*l.TUbqUU kpq a ie timi a mgmq wai muml' 'A rnu bouu na a, sg{ teimi kprq ye. A sei timi dgwg!-ama owei awqgbo pri an! kedi agbgkabo dan kurimgmi. A mumini mi, owei tUbQPmi gbasi odede-ama kpp ungg u tgami, ba a sgi kurimgng agbpkabo kpq tqlgmi' A iglminlml, sanghain o kqrl ni o bgnqml' Sgii seriiidg ni eyqrq awqgbo m9 mini dgwgi-ama tei otubo mg wgni pqr,r koro w94 ary a lei kgnl abadil bginmi' A pgg bgin timi 6iA kpg ladg kg o bo kiri nam!. Wo a dqp a, arigha'Wo a dgg timi mig ofoni pa a bginmini bra o mg arimi. Erema kgn o pri 'yemi o UUigU toro

of words to express himself' but he

.Donotbeoffended.Waitformeforashortwhile.'Thenhewenttohouse

with the sum of five thousand and told one of his uterine brothers,'Please assist me money to his wife which.l have spent p"""4, q"i.Lly. The in-law of the King sent he quickly delivered to the on drinks., His brother provided him the money which
woman.

to death"' He prohibited in this town. If one is caught in the act, he is condemned

onarrival,hewasexplicitlywarned',Covetinganotherperson'swifeis

wgri efin mu arymi a leimi; wo a mqmq bgin mu koromi' A mu b9lnm99 kpg a tei timi tei sinnq mi a wai bgln wgri kqn ama wgnlmgmi' A amaa mumlni m! amini gba mini dgwg!-ama bou tei otubo primi,'M!buborumi' kgn! tqbgq kl w6 a tu d99qm'gba wqri emi ni omlni wgni-tu gbaamini! duonl a kpg bo tirni pei e. Wo w6 a tu arighaa duonl a o ba kl o baamlni e'' A wai bo ama lami, tgbggg kpq mlni wari a mu wqri bgngmi, deiin sq o
bqnggha duoni.

-u-1,

'og...a befcre he lvas ernployed in the King's palace' Ai sgon as he ccmrnenceC reiationship liorking, a married young lady was busy seeking to establish afflorous human nature, he consented. O_ne day, they with hiii. At last, due to'the irailty of the King and his were caught red-handed in the act in a bedroom. He was taken to King said, 'As he did not deny there is no need for hearing"' act was rfported. The

'Please, I In the process of being tafen out to be killed, he prayed them _seriously, the King of the country I hie fifty knives left in the custody of

t;ty;r__p.opte.
you kill me.'

*fr"ri I immigiated

from. Please grant me the favour to set my eyes on them before

'

On, of the policemen asked,'What are you saying?.In there a human being have never heard on earth who possesses fifty knives? People, since I was bom I for any one who possessed fifty knives but they did not see such., They searched

O r"ii; *1r,i o,^ge, kgridq kg efiee larni. Pgrqml esqmq firimq tgbqr,rg tlnmi' Wo efie kpudugha timi mumi. Pgrqmio bgmi' 'Eni wgnl-tu gba e.' Tr,rbgqrr,ri kgd! wgri odedebo mg ba a sgi kurimg agbgkabo mq pamgm!' O mum! o ma a4 braa sg gbami. Mi yb 'yqm! a kedi odede-ama, m! a sgl kurimmg agbgkabo e. Ani 'ygmi a peretimi emi otubo anli ani dr;wg!-ama tei otubo e.' A awggbo bi a, a kpq pigha. A owei awgqbo ki bi kpq' a kpg pigha' Mi egbcrim! amaa duo ku sggmi. Pgrgm! mlni ogeen kgn ma bira dlgmq wgri kgni kqn o primi' Wo eygrg awggbo o ma kgni die o primi - o disq ye. Tu pglg yema kl o mq sqlgmi' Tpbgpmi mini erema mq ba pgrq ogeenml a dig o la biraa kqn yerin timi o pri

because it was his uny. Eu.n tire King himself too did not. They granted his request . Due to the nature of the knives I would highly wish you make last bequest. Then he available fifty persons to carry one each" he advised. The King agreed. a boat' despatched moie than fifty persons to the said King on asked The King was in house when the said boat appeared in sight. The King .Whit a boat that is coming? It does not appear to be an ordinary boat'' himself, It arrived, and on inquiry, they came to him. There were many policemen" He was told' After he had entertained them, he inquired the object of their mission' King then invited his first daughter and asked, 'Your sister's husband had The 'Neither was it given sent such u *Jrrug". I could not remember anything of such"'

fimi.

to me' she

answered

lg

55

point in iime, the young boy, out of hastiness, stepped on the heels of the girl at the
rear" The girl inquired: 'What is it that has stePPed on me?' The rest responded: 'Nothing ever touched you.

kilemlnibraaduoniamaaduokimiotukilem!.ok|miotukiletimibokimiitama
mg gbeleimi e. sili m9 mini yerin mggha sggnran akpa feni bra tgry sal e yariim' timimi e 'o mg gba 6 diami' timigha o si '{ yei emi? Wo angg kgrg emi?'6 mq bimi' ,yinye. Angg wo akgrgemi e'o mg parymi.Kirl o wgnl muu migmini mi, r{ guosii o kEri wqri gbami' ,Abei, ii sei firi ni e wgnl ye o? ! yei gbadg,'Bodg i kile e, angg wo a kgrg ye'' E ti ki duo emi e. Si sggnran akpa feni o mg kqn e duo sai i yari wqriemi okubobo kgn i Prlgha ni?' gbami' uo'uuufu"liqmi, arggm'egberi nemigha' Tumi' wo angg kprqmg e. Timi dglg i di ye'' Anilbo o wqni wai wari a mumi' 'BqigrJ sei kgmg feni mig omini kgni_yinuo owet oiubo a kgni la wgri gbami,'Kiati si sQgnran akpa pE.qq fei okubo sai mini ta wqri ni ye a kqn tgamq bou wgriemi ye'' Wo pamg i p4. 'L"ni-yinUo owei okubo mig pamg o pri ni wo a kqn kiali mu erema primi' kimi Kimimi mu ama a laa iqrmqq sq a gba o pri wgrimi' 'Mi amami kimi zini yo'' O kpq biberinng ere dgggha ye o. E dqg timi ni a e kqrldq aba e ba ki e baamlni kgni ere-esgq timi o fcg a'fiii kgn o pri wgnimi. O koro flri wgnii kqmqq sq a ma okpo a firi wqni timi a Ogqmini. Tumi, kimieyee duoni wo 6 teimi' Kgni bai kpq pii'gooril kgnmi. Ao kgn mu pqr99 la wqri gba o diami' P9r99 gbam!" O fa e'' A o k'gn mu ba dqqmini mi wo a pigfiu tpq pigttuap mi zini sqggm' ogr,rla ebee ieirlq*i,"'t'ti-orut e' sisei"ye. Adgin-a ma si mg oyi m9 imq kqn lduo bo ya i bari igru kQn m1 adqinbo aridg kq a i ba e'' p*Ui ptt L9i1 wgq emr ye. Febide ^ " " "Alqgbaotubo kpq a kg;ibq bimi,'Ti eye ki e mg gbamini yan o? Kiml tqbqu mig egberi paa si i na m19 adgin-a rn'a si mq oyi mq nana nanamini? Mi otul I mi a ma sggnran adgln nana kimi dqq a kpni kimii kpq fa' P9r99 kpq nagha o' Amaml gbami' 'Adginbo emi braa nuiughu. Wo tu pglg bi eyee duonl a o biberinmi' Kimli bo e' Pgrqmi biberinmi' auonl timi a ma-si *9 oyi mq ki kqn mu a kqni kgni sibe
6 yari biblmio '"'Mi ere,etinmqgbadg-lmlni bodg e kile kgr9m9 yei

mq ekiemi'

who is to touch you?' They of proceeded furthe; on their journey. Not -iong after, she said: 'I have a sense The young boy too I-et us retreat.; Th"y heeded to her and returned.
premonition.
reversed his course.

They followed them again. When tirey got there, it was a great feast of dancing' by sevln boys(fairies), and had their pairs of shoe f."pi Oun"ing uniil loined J"rt oy.O uy"ttrem in the couise of dancing. While they were going,.the young boy pairs of ptu"t .o a negligible quantity of flowers along with him together with the
shoe destroyed.

Afterafewdays,theyrepeated.Theyoungboyalso,everwatching,stealthily

"

ii*i*i -

As they were dancing, he felt sleepy and he satisfied this natural demand. waterside, When the dancing had enIed, the girls and their fairy-lovers went to to the other side of a sea. They had gone half way boarded a vessel ind crossed

whenhewokeup.Helookedforthembutdidnotseethem'Hecontinuedhis

crossing. What he search until he diiected his course to the waterside and saw them

the vessel; he had from the woman changed him into a bird, and he flew unto crossed to the other side with them.
their fairy-lovers: and went home. on theii homeward journey, they informed

whenanotherpartyattheothersidehadcometoanend,theycrossedagain

"fhis

our dealing will evening, a certain young boy who had undertaken to investigate

be part of the declare the outcome oi frir venture; therefore we wish you to audience. He will be killed on the ground that he did not succeed.' slept on They returned home, the young boy too went to his home and
night' account ofthe sleeplessness he encountered in the previous

He got up and had prepared himself before the fixed time' The king it. The king despatchei ro*ion. to invite him. He did not waste time in honouring
requested: 'Now, present your discovery'' --'H. presented the flowers he pluci<ed and the

misi Wo atglfaotu, ma si mq oyi mg dgin kiml-ama mig pamq arg sai

burumumi.

P9r99

pairs of shoe destroyed in the during the process of his course oi dancing. He narrated in detail what he saw
are their fairy-lovers''

scene, and these are the investigation. ThJse are flowers which I plucked from the that are sitting over there pairs oTshoe destroyed while they were dancing. Those

mlnl angg Pgrgmi warl ki a iimi arqu pri bo kusubglgr; a pami' Pgrgmi ki tgn?' bimi,'Aniti ary ki bomini yan o? Arumi pa arugha ' mi wo ani yggbo egbe, o bi bo pami' Alggbaotubo bein' Wo a kamaing
ArUU

into the town' fairies contraOicl his discovery when asked' The news spread

Neither did the when ihe girls were asked, they responded in the affirmative.

araqt tu bimi.'A gba o aiami. Pqr99 minib9lg9 tUbQUma tin bimi''Enikgni-yinbo ye' O kqn i prighaa duoni i mq e bi dimln! 1,ei mie mle'egbei ki tlnmg'bo'wqrlemi ye. Tubggma gbam!''Kqn i Pdgha e''

offered on" oi his daughters

Thekingsharedhiskingdomintotwoandgavehimahalf.Andhealso He ii maniage to him-anyone of them he wished. and the share he received of the eiected the youngest. Tie young boy, with his wife
kingdom, continued living until his death'

t9
54

She said: wife of the man had just returned from taking a stroll'

Fromallthoseheasked,noonecouldgiveanyclue'Heinquiredfromthe .Daddy!Isitbecauseyouhavebecornesooldthatyoucouldnotreasonit?

Myhusbandhassentvouu'"''ugethathewascaughtcommittingadulteryina despatched to you fifty iri.ig" l"ta and is about to be tflted hence he too has If you attempted killing men. ;;rfi; to be killed. rt ut t, would die with these
them, he would be released home"

kedi d tga wqrl an1 Tgbguma kamaye faa duoni fgmpmi' O mu 6 la' tuo-pomu-ama ofgr,l seriimi" Wo 6 kqn wgr! ama a mumi' . O bqgha ni A mu ama lami, klmli"sg zii 'Mi owei ba wgni gbggha firl wgning' wqnl-tu ki gba kpq kim! o pei kpmg o' o m9 mu tr;bggma fqn bo*inj ya o?i Omini gbami' kiri a biberinmi' Bou a mq gbami.'itrbqgma kpq ba sqnisqni pa-tuu s9 eye a aki e, ay9b9 kEribq ki egberi gba mi eyee kgn tolumg

tein-oieii gUu-i,'A

kpE, pebidg 6 beri tqa egberii Pei e'

.you

are

her and had a hand-shake with ;uai"iour' ine-iather congratulated

her.

you intend.ki]]ttg is my bonaThe King went out and declared, 'The person you that have come will noi return" Let them kill him' I shall kill fide son in-law. war alarm with a drum. within a ,"" ;l;.; Then he inrtru.i.a someone to raise anindigenous soldiers. Because they ili"[ii"g of an eye, tr,"v *"r" ,"rrounded bythe The King then sent two of thern the King' Lrad become afraid, th; be;an begging news to the other King' to deliver the They quickly boarded him The King gattrered his *tn uni relayed the news' Then his in-law too released the hostages' on a boat and sent trim orrto his in-law. they made for their home.

Pgrg EyqrQ Awgg-ama

Mi eygrq Kgnl efie kgnl pgrg timiml. Sqnqma eyqrq awQu o m9 zimi.' pritimimi' f9 a pri a -'Mi awggbo igba bo li*ipuie mi, pgrgmi erein bo s9 agbqka awqgbo ti bra kl mig timi ereiin s9 mini la a, a Outt eb;i, Kgni bai gbeleemini ye' Mi "yemi a tu dqg agbgkabo tga seimq seimqriini ya o? Ye ama. gbele owei tin wqri mi bra pimg kimi a ye rni og""n kgo*a bira dlggminl'Wo ama pamq ni tu dqg arigha b9 a gl" Al"titl, o f.pp *iti Ura tqn u'uu gb"l"*i' Angq " wgriemi' Bin -otu angq pamg wqri tu dQu isrgg fpS o Uq Uuurninie gba gbelemq
arlgha werl o Pri badg.

Theyoungmuntlueawithhisin.lawforsometimeandtheninformedhim,.I wouldliketogobackho,n.,fo,ithastakenalongtime.thatl.lefthome.'Hisin-he and made for his home. when law agreed. Then he ,""r. iri, *ir" and children life of prosperousness and crowned anived, he was *ur*fy *.rcotta' Ht I,ived a
as

kala owei o buru muml' O mumini owqr;birimi' kgnl okosu-ere kqn i pri e ba benii kpq a zqa o ttnmi. Wo a Uu-.i. A o bqmi,'Eni brgdlmi a zga

-"

feni Uoifbni

the eldest man of the town before he died'

tqa

Poor man and his Son

Therewasonceabigtownwhichhadsevenotherbigtownssurroundingit;
they
had only a king ruling them-respectively' had only a son' They were hard There was u pooirnun in tht fi"t town w"ho and in this deplorable condition, the hit by difficult living *i,tlr" purrage of time; father of the son invited him and discussed son got married to u *if.' One day,Tn"

bou e'' zpa tga 6 grimi Erema brgdii TtrbgLrmi mini brqdii s9 kqn 6 prl ba benii kpq a zini otubo ni mi eygro fi sinngml 6 o mqmq fpgAimi,llni iubqq' emini ebi kami e' miggh4 e' fminl a bira a fi 'ye bi awgqbo a tu dgg 'yq u;ornini yutuo-" tni ^1e braa gba e dia' Ml 'yee kqn tq'A auoni e'tqn mu timi wai boom' bra i mg

ipri

u Uggt u.

ungiu

all

Wo anlLira a'yee kqnmi' Aniibo o kqn bglgg wgnimqmi' bra gbami' Pgr99 O mu Pgr99 la wgrl eygrq awqgbo a tu d99 dqqmlni
tgu

emini

*gri *o

e.

gbam!' - 'Eni kala tgbggr,r Li orzeenmini ki ekeenmini

badg yo.

ve o? okc otu kpg mu wqrl arlg ha ni ye a sq ya o?' Okosu

with him:

'What shall we do to get money?' the father asked'

Tqlbggg gbami,'fmini ekeenmini e''

P9r9m1 fomu kgn

.I You should cut off my little finger, The father said, tu* r.no*n i-hat to do. *t"tfting. to tie it to your n":!t. Td go outside and smoke it properly, me. and when he

The son did not offer any suggestion'

.anybody "ppfy g*r*a rilht what. is inside should kill i,"n.i announce, so we p"y;;;;;;;d-, N"o one will be able to guess it right. agreed,shall failed he should and tell anybody.' The son not make a living out orit. viur." sure you do cut it off' smoked it properly' applied the father put forth his hand and tire son something io tie it' and tied it round hi neck'
20

p.l.i. Wo awggbo-misi.bra nami' a gbami''Oya bqmi' O kiri " u tuOqUUrnini' O fl ki dqUmini kl tgn o'' Niini amini dein ki a lzen kimi ni eken wO sgi seimq seimqtimimi' mu duwei-ama otu mq tqi tiiiitni miniagbgkabo ;y9'u A mumini mi tUbaUU kpq lqq a tu duomini' Tu baim! a ba sei ^u*i'
la a ' ania amini wo arigha' A mu timing kgni efie

53

it down. The girl fainted out of fearfulness. He went to her. applied leaves on ner
and resuscitated her. He took her and then went home' When he anived home, everybody, simultaneously and harmoniously said: 'This man has done something evil. Is he bringing the girl back because he did not agree? Nobody should pay heed to him even if he says why he did so.' People gave ciedence to him only when the girl had narrated it in detail. Then the hunter said: .Now, take this as a lesson henceforth, that you should give ear to the saying of even an imbecile.

Fnincesses
once there lived a king who had seven daughtors. FIe used to buy shoe for them daily when they had grown uP. At a point in time, the father said: 'why is it that the pairs of shoe of these children ul*uyt go bad everyday? I shall cry round the town. If anybody could detect rightly thJcause, lshall share my kingdom into two' he will have a part.' Thus he insiructed a torvn-crier who indeed cried round the town to that effect' That, after volunteerir4g to investigate the cause and no success is registered, the king too will kill him. Many who were unsuccessful have been killed. One day, a young boy resolved to go to him. On the way, he came across an old woman who invited hlm. He honoured the invitation. She requested: 'Could you give me some of your bread and water?' The young boy gave her the whole loaf and some water to drink. After she had finished eating the bread, she fell into a discussion with him: 'My child, you are very generous. Others who have come to investigate these girls did not act in the way you did. They refused to grant my request-of providing me anything edible. Consequent upon your having granted my
request,
investigation. Keep th.is objeit with you.' He took it from her. Then he proceeded further. He approached the king and registered his intention to investigate the girls. The king replied: ,could you, a young boy do it? There were some old people who did and were unsuccessful and I have killed them all'' 'l could do it' replied the young boy. The king then oifered the opportunity. The princesses heard about it and they :What u great loss. Is he someone who could ever investigate our commented: dealing? He intends committing suicide.' They used to go out for a dance with fairies and have always had their pairs of shoe destroyed'

O mian kim! bi kpg kimi tibi nemigha. O tama wgnipa timi bodg ni o mg ii bim!. Tqbgqrna o pargmi, 'Dadi an! Emini owadgg duoni ba eken eye ororogha? | yei tlnmq bo ni omini zini-kiri a zini klmiere anga tirni a pri kqri wgdemi ni a o ba dgqmlnil duoni o kpg mq kimi a ma si mg oyi m9 sai e yari wgri emi ni e kpq a ba e. O ml kimlbo mq kgnl-tu k! yqgqmini ye" Yd a ba dggdg aba a kpq wg a brasin boomlnl ye'' Pgrgmi mfn! tqrbgqma hrlra akimi,'Yd eye ororodi kam! e - do e.' Fgrgg pa mu a la wgr! gbaml,'A ba dggmini bqml inf fei-owei yo. A mi bodg otubo sg ba walgha fa e. Pebidg a o ba e - I kpS a baaminl e.' Anlibo o klmi firlmq sg ozi gbelemi. TS.U gban tgrg finimi ama sg dggotubo bo a tqa yQQrQdg. Kamaye I fadg ni )r koro Pgrgg tgghqmi. Pgrpmi an! klrnibo a mamU firimg mu misl bra gba
wan Fgrgg prirni. P9r9m! mini kimibo tin bgnimq wqri mi bra gba a diaml. A wo a brasin wgr.i o kqn kiali argm! a salo fei yarimi.O fei kpq kgr! weri otubo bgmgmi - a kqn min!

ebe yggmgmi. Tgbggml minl fei mg yerin timi kgn! efie lami o gba o dlami,'Ye ama a brasinmi aladgg duonl ye ama a muum'ng ye.' O fei o bgmgmi. Omlni ta m9 awggbo mg kgn wgri mini ama a mum!. O mu ama lami a o beriye akiml' O mlsiyq a eye bgdgngha yerin yerin timi bo ama okusu sgpmi. Tum! o fi kpS ! nemigha..'.

Oya-owei mg mini Tqhgq mg

Kgn! efie kgni opu ama timimi. M!s! ama a bq a lamini yaibo kpq dgba yai-senqma mlsl bra kgn koro timimi. M1 amabo s9 kqni kimi kpni klmi ki pgrg sqq

iimi

shall reveal to you the requisite for you

to

make

successful

di rimimi. Kgni owei bglgg amami a timimi - omini oya-owei; kpo kqni tgbgg k! o mg zim!. A yerinmlni mi oyami kqrp kqrro k! kr;rq dgin timimi. Wo tUbqUU kpq mini oya buloumi a timi kgni ere nanami. TUbStlU daqm! kqni ba! a o tln weri o mqnlg
a n<pgdgml:

'Ti bra kl wo mlg timi okubo nanaamlni yan o?' Tgbgqm! zini ebi ororo tQn tgagha. Dagqr gbami: 'l miggm'bra neminq ye. Emlni ini kqng-bira kunou bira esangbalaa
pglg, o kgn ya ekparimgng eye kqn o lapa yggrgdg kqn eni kggnmi a tpadg tomu pa e. Mieye buloumi a emi eyee gba kiriimq bqm! i ba e, ba gba kiri kimi a kgni akpa e gba e. Kimi eken o gba klrirlmggha faa duon! w6 misi bra kgn mig yeriinmlni ye' Anla gba kgn! bog kpq pri kgmg e' Tqbqqm! biberinmi. Dagmi min! bira pamq wgr! o pri kunou blra esangbalaa pqlg, oya ekparimg' eye kqn o maala ba di kqn o

onthefollowingday,againtheywentforadance'Astheyweregoing,the young boy was also iteatitrity following their heels quite unknown to them. At
<1

kikaimi.

2t

.These seven kings have been parading themselves as being wise, so I would start with them first.' the ruler in The father said 'it is right.' Then the son went out. He first visited said' his town. After greeting him, he ,His highniss, my object of visiting you is nothing other than this -- if you gu.r, ,igfti ifrat is on my neck yo,u gould kill me, but if you failed you should by ifr"r. Vo"ur kingdom into two and i shall have a part. I should be-killed instantly agreed and he nt" g"a of our"clan if you guessed rightbut_l condemnedit.'They pig.' The man inviied his officials together and guessed. 'It is a tooth of a bush .ft is wrong.' fhJking actually shared his kingdom into two and gave him a

The son said"

Nama nana Eyqrq tqbgU

Kgni efie kgni ama timimi. Kgni ower rnlni ta mq taara awgg zlmi - mamg owei tenieygrg. Oweibo a bgl99 yeml yerin ebigha, omini wuru bqq-owei ni kimi
o kgn eye dimggha, ania omlnf bou tein-owei. -

,"ia,
part.

a when he returned home, the father said, ' Did I not say that we shall make day following living out of it? we have now got sornething to sustain us'' on the and the second king and-repeated theiame thing' That king too agreed he visited The man said, 'It is invited his officials. He Jaid, 'It ls a tooth of an antelope'

wrong.,Againhewenthomewithsomething.Theotherkingsweregettingthe turn of the fifth report as he was progressing with this business. when it was the it was not yet time, he invited the wife of rhe man tiig, they fixed a aav. wrren
through

;wo_un, don,t you want to get rich? If you want to, tell me what is on your and you shall have one husband,s neck and ishall sharehy kingdom into two,
part.

i *.tt.ng".. He asked her when she arrived:

a mu timi kgni Adaka mq gbeleimi - wo wo ba wgri a agbobuu ieinmi, gbolo bra ebigha ni o la bain rgimi. o zini nama ki tein ama a muml. Abqkq ki boumi a aglll dqng ba tein 'yq zggmini ni Adaka Abpkq buru mu *o ungg.i a sr;g timi agilibo dgng ba enqgbo zgqmi' Wo angg ebidq mi o mu odumaganlanga la wgri dei mu kimi a paam'diri gqqmi' g1t9d9 tsor.r tein-oweii kgni-yinbo arauma fiebg fiebg bggha. Adaka misi dirii ki i tgeiin duoni i mu 6 nana wgri d kan fiiminie'' rni" o gbami, 'Anf kgni-yinbowei O wgni rnu amaa mg nainng mi o kimi dei w9r1 tu bi mu tqbggma warii lami' Kir! d wo ariibo d koro pqwgi gbaml,'Mii ki i nanaam'yeimie'' C wuru koromg a pri boumini ml bou tein-oweimi bpng ki blrnq timi ni a o tin wo o seriimi. O bo warii duo sqrgm!, omini bou tein timi aridq eyebo binngg duoni' kimi wo gba egberii kqn lilei nemimi. O mis! bra gba a diami, o wuru bou-owei ni

kgni bal o ma bou tein

'yp

eye miggha. -

Thewomanreplied,'Idowanttogetrichbutldonotknowwhatisonmy
husband's neck.' He let her go. and said, He also invited tris off:rcials together on the appointed day

'lt

is

mi bou teinsgnlsgni eyebo sg gbg sin wqri d kqn wqni bou sgqmi' Wo 6 gbgmini eye nemigha' Kiri wo kgni-yinbo ;uagma o*.irn1'Uu bUnU kibgnq timi ni pamini gba o v!k! mini yei mg wgni bouu duo sqqmi o kiri naml' O tu bi wqri a pri pa braa wgri bqin-p919 owqr,r duomi' A wgni bo o bpgni' dei, alagba kgn Oiami.'Ot<iatieiein
o kpg lee a tuduomi.

o tiein ki wgr! wairni. Bo ki deiin

ladg ml, mi namami b a kimldei bo warii la'

toothofabushpig.'Themansaid,-'oneotherkinghadearlier-give.nthisanswer' when it was time for please. you did noi get it right.' He again succeeded that day. her huge amount of money, ihe seventh king, he sent 6r the man's wife, offered if she should tell him what is on and offered to slhare his kingdom equally with her the money and went home. when she neck. The w-oman accepted
her husband,s

did nor agree she comically inquired from.her husband; but he husband utrtlt tt. told her. She relayed her discovery to the king' io telt her. She persisted and in" auy fixed hid come. He went to the king, and the latter invited his officialshave it properly and *ia, .ri was your father's little finger that you cut ofl smoked

;;l il;.,

right ' he said' The king' tied it round your neck.'.The man was surprised. 'It is have him put in guardroom *anting not kill him on time' instructed to fell down and As soon u, t. *u, putin guard room, the king,s firstdaughte.r in the course pftrying to bring.her back to life, the faintJttrey r"rur"itut"i her.
iather of tne'man visited his son in'guard room and said.

A wgni timi kgni efie lami, tqbgqma yeimi gba ii diami:'lmini nama e- Adaka bo e nanami e' e. Eni kgni-yinbowei ki i tein ni i kpS suwei biim' ni m9 kimi dei efin tqi e' mi erein eni fi-dein karaidg e' W6 bo ini opooloo ladg e' Wgri oloni iei ye ini Ye e di timi wai nama dei' mu inl opooloo duo s99' wal pa bo o la' braa m99' ba sgq toungbouun kon e via, barl spg' wa! pa bo tarikumo taarr,rkaramg senml i kqni tlbi a e kan fiiminl ye'' sqwgi Tgbcluma mlsi braa nam!' ii koro youmi' An1 kgni-yinboweii kpqmini kgri wgri timi korumi' A yeikqkp d emi 'yo a timi nam!n!. Omini sibeyee kal angq a pa bo di timi dei mu Adaka a pa, mlni gba braa miqmi' Kiri o taargkaramq serimi kpq o di ebimq wqri o tein koromqmi' weri ii kan fi dqr;mlni ml, ani keni-yinboweii

'I told you not to tell your wifeaboutitbutyoudidnotug,."'Huu"youSeenthatshehasbetrayedyou?The send somebody to the auugir,", is fainting on u."orniof a magical spell I appliedback to her. When he has released you [i"i""a tell him t[at you can bring_her life heart of a betraver' If he agreed, tell him ,-;;fi ;i; that the antildJ iequired"is the
22

5l

A Girl Who Married A Lion

In a certain town, there was a man who had a wife with three children; two were'male while the other female. The heir was a drunkard, who had lost
reputation on this account, and he was as well an hunter. One day, he went hunting and encountered a lion; he shot at its chest, but it escaped because it did not hit at it well. He succeeded in shooting at another animal and went home with it. Lion consulted Monkey who was the specialist in extracting bullets and administering unto wounds sustained from being shot in the forest; and the latter dispensed services accordingly. When Lion recovered properly, it went to Chameleon who prepared a charm that would change it into a human being. The hunter's sister had refused anybody who came to court hen. After it had got that charm, it said: 'I shall go and marry her and then tear her to pieces and eat because it was her brother who shot at me.' He then went to the town, and on getting near it, changed into a human being, and , through inquiry, got to the girl's house. As soon as she saw him, she rejoiced and declared: 'This is he whom I shall marry'' He presented drinks, and as they were drinking, the hunter was sleeping and later woken up. He came to the house, being an experienced hunter, quickly recognised the suitor. He revealed it to ttrem, but being a drunkard, thc;' naCe light of it and dismissed it. He fixed a day and retumed. When the day had come, it changed into a human being and came to the house, satisfied demand in respect of marrying a her, took her and went to the forest. While he was paying her, the hunter was again sleeping and was unaware of what was happening. Almost immediately when his sister had left with her husband and gone into the forest, he woke up. He inquired and was told what had happened. He quickly changed into his hunting-dress, took his gun and took a shortcut through the forest. They walked past him, and he secretly followed them. As they continued their joumey, at a point, the bridegroom told his bride: 'l am an animal-a lion. It was your brother who shot at me hence I have applied this

epideiminii duoni ye

primi, ' Mi sgnpma pgrgbo ki ikiySU kqn timi kiriburuumini ye.' Daqrlr gbami"'Kirii eye ye.' Anilbo tUbQUmi wgni paml. O bglgq mu mini ama pgrqp ki lami. Wo o kile sinng ml, o gbami,'Pgrg, i zini
T$bqUU gba min! dag
a

'ye duo bogha,Ini m! kggnmi a emi eyemi e mg gba ki4imS mi aba emlni i ba e, e ba gba kiriimggha aba enl ogeen kgn kiri ma bira dl9d9 imini kgni bira e. E gba ki4imq ni i ki4igha gbaml aba pebidg w6 ebe orumf efie kpg kpudu kgmg timi i
vgrg ba e.' Pgrgg biberin wgr! mln! firi wgnl otub o tin bgnlmg wgri gbam!. O gbaml,'Ombi aka e'Tgbggg gbarni,'Kirligha e.'Pgrgmi k9k9 mlni ogeen kgn ma
bira dig wgr! kgni bira kgn o primi. O mu wari lami, daqrg gbami,'Mi bra w6 mg kgn eye filminl ye i me gbagha? W6 flim'eye nanang ye.'Tu baimi o mamgkaramg amami a mumi. O mu pgrgg la wgri tarikr;mg bra gbam!. Misl p9r99 kpg biberin wgrl minl firi wgni otu tinmi. O gbade,'\itgbira aka e.'TUbgUU gbami,'Kiriigha e.' O ba si mu wari sggmgmi. O mlsi bra kgn migrnini rn! k9 pgrgbo namini. O mig timi sggrankaramg yee lami, a dein kiml. Na ki deiin lagham!, o kimifirimg mu kimiierema tlnmi. Wo 6 biml, 'Ama, emlni p9r9 dgggha. E pgrg dggmln! aba e yei kggnm! a emi eyee gbadg ye in! ogeen kgn e rngrng kirii dieilmi e.' Erema gbami, 'l pgrg dgg emi ye, ania I yei kggnmi a emi eyem! ! mg nemigha e.'Wo:i brasin mumi. Bo ki ereiin ladg ni o kpg mini kim!-ama tln bgnimg wgr! gbaml,'Omb! aka' TUbqUU gbami,'Ml zini pgrg kpe gba wgri kiri bra ki tgn o. e gba kiriimggha e.' O ba misi ereiin kpg a si mu sgqmi. Bo sondiekaramg p9r99 laml, a dein ki sinng m!, omlni k;mi firimg erema tfn, bin okubo-ama kgn 6 pri ba mini ogeen kgn ri mgmg klrli diggminl gbami. Erema okubobo kgn wgrf wari a mumi. A mu wari ladg mi, d r{ yei kpgkpg bimi. Yeimigba bggha. A kpg bggha kgn bglgg bimg timi o pri eyeml a tu gba r{ diami. A mu misl bra gba pgr99 dfami. Ki deinbo karaidg. O mu pgrgg lamf. Pgrgmi mini flrl wgni otu t.in bgnimg wgri gbaml, ' E dag kunou bira esangbala ki e mg ki pglg, o ya ekparimqwgri o kgn enl kggnmi a tga wgri emi ye .' Tpbqgml angg bggmi.'Kiriiemi ye'o mg gbami. Anllbo pgrgmina o kgn klali ba dgggha ni o kgn mu egolu wari gbanmgm!. Kiriwo o kgn egolu warimi a tqami, p9r99 bglgp tqbqgma gbirain koro wgri fgmgmi. A anf ofgqrmi. A timi ani ofggmlni ml tgbqqg dag bo egolu warlmi a o la wgri gbam!,'fmin! 'gba e ta dia i<gmg e' gba a e bggha, d e ygridg bra e mg aridg ki tltn? fni mig eye k! tpbgpma algimg fgmgminl ye. Kiml tlnng pgr99 tin e ye, gba o dia e, emlnl eken ani ofgqr seriiimini ye. Wo e pamenp aba, ekpe kimi adgdg kon tgbgpma gboloo bo 6 owggqmlni ye gba e.

retaliatory measure. Now

fly away from my trap

as a bird; your day

to die

has

come. We have now come to my den. I shall, while you are watching, change into an animal, go into my den, return to you, wave my tail round you, go back again, come out and do as I did the first time, go into it again, and on the third time, tear you into pieces and eat out ofit.' When the girl heard that she began to cry. Her brother, from his hideout' was hqaring it. He set his gun and prepared for it. Her husband, while she watching, truly changed into a lion, and did as it had said. As it came out for the third time and was about to tear her into pieces, her brother too had aimed at it well and fired
50

23

she will that if the heart of the person who informed him of the secret is applied, will release you. After the father had t"t U"tt.r; he will give brder to kill her and he and his wife was killed, her heart returned, the son complied with his instruction *u, uppti"a and the girt got better. Then he ordered to release him. He made straighifor home after being pardoned. He too did not continue his business.

Nama kgn oruu priim' efiee ladq n! a namaa kqn wgd pSq bUl99 koron{' O kpg a mgmg mumi. Orumi beni ki duo bo namaa kggnmini, anll duoni a o kqn p99 UUiSUU ki a koromo mi. Kimi eyqmi timigha fa. A akr;a timi kgni efie la a' tgrymi adanaghain pami. Orumibominibra a m9 nemim!, a sg klali owoumi, ania kimim! r*"ugh*. A o mgmg arg timi dgin kpq o bqgha" A dginng ni a wo a brasin wgri owoum{"

A Husband and Wife (I)

once there was a husband and wife, they were poor. ln spite of the husband's trial, he could not make a successful living. One day, on account of the persistent path' hariship, he went into the forest to consult some oracle. He missed the right and came to a path never used by anyone unawares - he proceeded in the c^ourse, further until he came to a river.

Oruu ho pami, kimi namaa m9 emi bra o mq arimi.'Tibg kq ki aniyqml a namaa mg emi ya o? Ye e kan fi ki e m9 dqqmini ya?' O mq bimi' Kimimi bibi finigha. Orumi wgnl wo a tgami. O mu o laml, klmimikqng-owei dei wgrl o nrqmq andami. A anda osumei timing klmlmi oruu ba wgri wo brii pu ang99 kqnmi'

from the Wtrile standing by the borders of the river - watching, three men emerged and they inquired from him; to hi*. They greeted each other, river and .How did you come to t[is place? What is disturbing you?' The man narrated "u-" how he has been suffering and his intention to consult some oracle. ,Would you like, afier preparing you something which will make rich for five years and be killed thereafter?' they asked him'

shilling, and instructeg..llt to hide it henceforth. On ttre promised day, at noon, they will corne and kill him. He took The people handed him a coin

'l

would like it' he resPonded.

Kimimi angee sQ asin asin. Wo angg efimg wgni kimibo buru' a pri beni tainmg o birimg, wo enggbo ggg ba eye kgn o pri fim!. O dqlg embafou wgri wai a buru boominie gba w94 a brasinmi. Wo ofoni dei wgrl ang99 kqn tuamq efin oru tgbqgg buru mumi' O mu 'ygg laml, o ba emgnrgnmgnrQn dei opooloo duo sgg, mu tgbggma la, oruu ba mlni tibii kgn ri gbana w94 5 prioku dimini mi. O gba 6 diarni,'l wai bodg e.'O misi bra gbamlnimi, oruu ba nang. Wo 6 bim!' 'Tibq k9 ki e mgmg argmlni Ya o?' 'Kimi i memg arggha e' 6 mg kgn o pan;mi' Oruu ba wgnigaan a mu dudouminimikimi emgffgnmqnrgn duo dei wai bo klmi a pami. Orumi wo arlimi, o gbaml,' E ki4 niini bo i tama mq arg tei arg
teiminloweimin! ya o? Ye eye timi bra kgn e diaamini e.' Orumi sqg o buru mumlnimlkimimi klati kqng-owei dei wgr! o mgmq sgmi. A sp, zgzg mfg sei timi klm! sg pd bo dginmi. Kld klmimi ang99 pamQ oruu diaabo orumi pglef gbidigbidi koro fimi. Kimimi mi mu tgbgqma mg ba ziniotubo mq la wgrimibraa gba a diam!' A timi i koru e, ! mu arg kgnng ibomlnie.' Anlfbo wo a brasin efin mu pgrgmi emi amaa la, mi braa gba a dia, p9r99 p4 wo dggmpni oyi a abadl arybo miE pamq o pri wgri mu ma eygbo a timi kimlbo sai amaa wai bomi. A bo egbemi, amami opu bra beriyai tei timi sqnQma dein baimi. Pgrqmi gba wgri braa duoni mini oeggen kgn ma blra diemg, kgni kgn o prl ba tgbQqma kpQ kgn o pri nanami, Kimimi mfni erema m9 ba mini enggbq mq kqn yerin timi wai ygg bo mfnf ama a spgmi. A misl 'yg yerin timi tumi o fikpg i nemigha'.

his wlre' leave of them and went horne, but he did not tell anybody anything - even with any venture he took, and soon became prosperous. He He registered success promised was o-vertaken with joy, together with his wife until they lived on to the And it was only u auy t.t, he invited his wife and told her how he fared. The time.

wife said, ' Do not be afraid, I know what to do.' After: they had passed the night, the wife departed the house at such a time It she considered right io spend only a little moment bef,ore noon on getting there'
was not yet

little moment'more. She removed completely prone. with legs apart in the direction that would be taken what was on her, lying by the men from the river. It was time, and the three persons agreed to send only one of them to transact the business. When the person came up to the road, stood and looked' he going discovered a woman has dlsecrated the road. He did not waste time before his departure, the woman too returned. back into the river and submerged. After On the following day she repeated same while waiting for the person to come -second perion of the three persons was asked to do the from the river. The He too suffered sami fate and returned. After his retum, she also retired business.

noon;hen

she arrived, a

home. 24

49

Itwastimetoofferthejuiuananimal,sotheyallwenttolhewaterside.He toofollowedthem.Thejujuu*"atocomeandtaketheofferedanimalfromthe ak4a3 drum for

remain there. After playing sea, so they left it there. t touoay was to

the juju was coming, and they all sometime, the sea U"gun io rise. They knew pleading' he the tt'oit, uut the man aia no1 nespite their fervent behind' ;;tu;;e. They could not continue, so they left him with the inO tu* *ttu man a"nd the animal' 'Who is there The juju "pp.ur"O, you into pieces and feed on you?' he asked. The animal? Do you *irn rnJo t"u, man did not say anYthing. ju.iu uppiou"hIa him' He came up to him' and the man changed into a -itt"V wrestled irercely, and at last, the man killed the leopard dnd a fight "n.u.a. his stomach' The man was bloody' r"iri ""ai""f. the"egg from people who boiled water and bathed him' He tried t uro unJ- *.n1 to food to eat. After taking some rest, he administered to his woirnor-unJguu" iim then he took leave of them. He told them he will u, .o*ing uaJt to them and back to the son of the juju. He arrived, changed into a bird, uno *irri*,, egg, flew girl;-and thejuju had again into an ant, entered the hoG-and went up to the

;;kt;;t;rted "*

gbolo e; aniibo-o kgrg pri w9r1 biberinng aba, egberii gba e diabg adudu ki kqn 6 kgkq wo gba braa mu ii kgn bo ba wgri pimqq*ini-e'' Dagg waidq mi' tUbQUU " Uo ba'wqrl ani aaUaUU kgn-*u tttbqgmu gboloobd' 6 miS a pri wo erema fqn a ,"rii*i. Anlibo pqrgmi tUtq pti wgri o pamqmi'Wo o b9m99 duoni o kqni tibl ki O icpq ba misi tuboo kgn bglgp tgamggha' wgniwari

"-u-i.

Ta mg Yei mq (I)
wgni bouu duo sBQ eye dein kpe ye bira sgqgha. Kqni bai, yerinmj o dqinng ni, o bq ereighi mu kimi lagha lagha owgg ki a pami' o mie eyq ;rrumi. O wgni timi bou n"-igttu - o kqn bglgg wgnimg timi kgni tgry a pami' b ,qrg akami a tie emi'mi, taara owiotu o di timi benii duo pa o buru bomi' A
gbadai timi Kgni efie kgni ta m9 yei mQ otu timimi, aminl oya otu' Yeiml

irt.

tt,

changed

zgzgkilemi.Aobirni, y6 bgdqnmini ya o?' 'E ti bra kl mig timi bo mi 'yQA la emi ya o? Tiye ki braa Kimimi mimi oya fi yerinmini dUU sp gba a diami' o ba eye ki mip dqgmini
kpq.
ae A o bim!,'W6 eye mig e p4 ni e pgrq timi sggnran kgrai bai a w6 e kqn

hisheadonherttrigrrs'while,h,*u,searchingforlicaHe.saidtoher:,Ihave juJu heard it again. He asked her: come back., While he *ur i.ffing her this, the
'Who is talking with You?' 'Nobody is talking with me' she replied' and started challenging' he While the luiu *Znt to the entrance of the hole t!9 jujl and the latter He *:ry changed from being an ant to a human being' -to.

disggmini Ya o?'
a parymi,'l disg emi e.' yenn e' Kimlbo kgn! si.li ogu kgn o pdmi, a gba o pri n! omini o kqn sqwg! ao kggnminl e.' Kimlml a brasin wgri Bo misi eieiin ladg aba,-erein tibi; tigmi a bo 'yee s9 sili wgni wari a mumi, wo egberi gba klml priCha, o ta kpg' O kqd mi9n9 bo pqrgmi' O mu minita mg bo wq kl siiiti puiq. Ala kpq alag-na timi mi kimiip4 omlni ta tin wqri *UOU O yerin timi kUrai-ibo pri bo karairni' Bo kgni dein kqdg mi' fa kgmq e' i ml99m'bra nemi wgrf emi gbarni.erema gUaml,'Kamaye

Wo

said:.Soyouaretrreone*t",ousedtotalkwithmywife?lshallteachyoulesson', quickly changed.into a leopard While rhe juju *u, ufpiou"tring him, the min

on each other horrors until both became and U.gan to ngni *itfr t iti,. They in-flicted the egg and as soon as it was demonstrated tired. It was then ,r," *un brougit out to thejuju, thejuju had a great fall, and died' told them the outcome of his The man went to in? iirr una the others and Then ,wait for ,r,uriu" coming back to take you holelhe told them. venture. flew back hom.e' narrated the bird andhe took leave of tr,"m anJlnanged in; a vessels with orr,i, u*iu.., unoih" king made available ten sea-going consequence conveyed home the captives' *f,i"fti. travelled to both places and feasted for seven days' The When they u*iu"O, tit" to*n wildly went agog' pioti", shared his kingdom into two' he had a half

^ini*gni-tu e.t
A
m9 di wgri

*.,i

br,rng

anCemi a ii*i

**i

timi baimi,

na tibi a tigeha - dqlq k9' A ani u urori'n-i.'X;" *y99iu u, "'iin duo s9 sinsin,6 pa angg brimg bpng, bgqbo fini kimibo benii eyeUo

wgni mu eyQQ la alagha timi erein pri tlbi.a ti99m' bra 6

king, in compliance *t,h;i; anJas well qs marrying the daughter' there before returning The man, wittr tris wife aid other possessions, lived the day of their death. home with them. They made their living tirere until

boom'eyqq diami. 'yq a bom!' Kimimi Efiee iadg ni taara kimibo gbelei kgnlbg firimq kimii bu wqriemi bra o owou bo ogbo tinqgml a tig nl o bglgg dl a, eyqrq kimi owggtr seimg bile fami. o mung kpg kpudugha rimi bain wai beni a mu koro mg arimi.wo "il" mi' erema kpg wai wari a mumi. fu Uaii kpA 6 tarik$mq bra mig wqri beni duo b99m' bqg korumi' Taara kimibo *utngL-u*q baiml a zlni kimi fi4mqmi' O kpq bo tarikgmq bra kikqn stlq sei wgrl waiml' O munq mi, erema kpq ba wai wari a muml'

music played during worshipping or ' ukrlct aspecial tone of rraditional rites.
48

25

on the third day, she repeated same. The third person out of the three - the heafr appeared. When he came to the land and stood, he saw the woman open herself, iegs astride the road. There was nothing he too could do' 1nd he said 'trt is now your; have it for your living. It was God who provided it for you.' Then he too returned to the rivei, but he could not submergd on time on account of having spent too much time in watching and talking. He kept floating, while being

ba wai bq izgn

ofonii kpg mu tuo-pomu kedi bo w6 kimi a pami.

a tr,rami.

o bo kgrg

nana wgri ofon! dei"

watched by the woman, for a long time before he submerged. Then the woman also went back to house. When she arrived home she invited her husband and told him all that happened. They drank, rejoiced and lived on until the day oftheir death'

An Onphan
once there lived a husband and wife who had only a child. The father died five years proceeding the birth of this child; and four years later the mother also

died-he became a complete

orPhan.

He got married when he was twenty five. Three days later he married another wife; and two days later, another one making three" In that town, there was a law which prohibited anybody from marrying more three wives. With the passage of time, his standard of living kept declining. His poveny had become to such an extent that he hardly had any venture to sustain his stomach. One day his first wife went to her father and complained: 'Father, I have come because my husband's standard of living has become too bad. Please make available some money for me to take to him to do trading.' The father greeted, 'O!o!! olll Ever since you got married, you have never come to me for such an issue. It is too good of you to have come to me for this problem. Exercise patience for a while.' Then he went into his bedroom and gave her fifty bags. She took it, greeted him and returned to her husband. She relayed her venture and handed him
the money.

Em$iqnmq.qan kpQ eye kedi bo w6 a tga wgri o mig emqnrqnmgnrgn pa ba .l. wai bo kinii a pami. A sg gba o p4mi, E mu oya kl a sgq kpq mi kgrgbo e m9 kqn angg zgg eni akpg yerin c, a sg wo a brasinml. O kpq wgni ama a mum!. Tu bai rhi o Ua bou tein 'yg a muml, kgnl namaa, kpp o mg arigha.O nama d99 wgni ereighei timi bou bq mu kgni ama a pami'Omini alagbaa kqn eyg dqg s9w9i wgripa-biraa wgnimu amami a sgqmi. O tu bi mu Pgrg 'y99 la' misi 'yp a timi agbgka gbein firi wgnimi. Amaa pqrqmi kgni eyqrg tqbqg betibi kg zi wgrlml' A kpg zpa seri a bo o mgmg tei teitimimi wo agbqka gbeinmini mi" Amami kgni oru kgraibo sg a bo klmi kqn kgntimiml, a kpn mig wo a tgglrn' bra nemigha. Wo amami a emi mi, pgrgg tgbqr,rma fami; kimi fa 'yQ mQ ba fa bra mg nemigha. Tum! oruu ki bo kqn wgdemi bra kl a m9 aklmi. Pgrgml bo kgri a seiml. Wo tgbggma dqg pamqng bgg sg 6 nana ba wo ogeen kgn ma bira a die a o bgg kpq kqni ye o mg gbarni. Kimirni ororomi,'! miwgnlmini firlmi eye a sgggha ye o, ye angg pamq mu ml t1rbggma dgg gbggha?'Ororomio mq biberinmi. Anii duoni wo amami a oruu bo bomlnl brami a tu bimi. A gba o diami. Tu baiml wo ofoni dei efin timi kgniabadibglnml. O misi 'yq a tu dglt a wo eye arigha. O mis! bra kgn sondie abadi bglnmi. Sqnqma karamg abadi akami a timi ogbomi o mg di a, kgni opoolo emi. Wo emQnrqnmQrqn dei opooloo duo
su9mq.

When she handed him the money, he began to exclaim, 'O o o! What a marvellous deed by in-law! He kept exclaiming it from the house to outside and

people inquired the cause from him. 'That my poverty has become so oveiwhelnring that my in-law has despatched the sum of fifty bags to me to do
trading' he responded. At dawn. the second wife also went to her father unnoticed: her father's occupation was wood-work--carving of canoe. She relayed how her co-wife did, and the degree of poverty of her husband. She concluded by saying: ' I did not know what to do hence I have come to you.' The father exclaimed, 'O, o, o! My child, you did very well. what a good deed! Go to the waterside and paddle any canoe of your choice to your husband and tell him to use it for trading.' She
greeted him, and then went to the waterside and paddled to her husband the biggest canoe in the watersidel When she told him the result of her venture, he did not 26

O mu bulou la a, amami a fadg otubo o ma zUa arimi. O kqn bulou wgnimg mi, o mu oruu m9 tgbggma mq arimi.Orum! tlbi kgn ani atgnpbo kf a gbana wqrl wo tibimi a oku di timimi. O mu 6la, aniowou, wgni mu ani berii la wqri gba ri primi" f ba kgmg e, ye e zgq 'yq k! a bo emi ye.'O misibra gbaminl ml oruml nami. Wo r{ biml' 'Tibq ki e mqmg argmini ya o?'A o parUmi,'Ki-i i mgmg arggha e.' Oruml 6 peigha. O serii tig, mu opoolo bibii la, o koro dudoumi. 'Tibg kq ki Kimiml eye kpg esingha timi i buru sU dQU 'yq a bomini ya? Misikiml fa

e.

nami:'
'Ye a kgn eyg ki abo emi ye .'o mg gba erema prl mi. 'E fi ki dggmini ya? E ti bra kimig timi w6 kggnmlniya o?'a mg bimi. 'Klml kamaye fa kgmg e'

47

changed into a bird, and the back to a human being" man which changed The ant too broughi one and put it into the eyes of the

T.hebirdalsobroughtaleafandputitintotheeyesoftheman.Hewas

him into an ant and back to a hurnan being' --ilt all said to nim: 'tf you are cotifronted with any danger, you will be able

torescueyourselfby,n.untoftn"se'Thentheyalllefthim;andhetooreturned
home. wandered and burst went in search for animal'and missed his way in the forest, gun and appeared with empty to another town. He tootea for a place to hide his and occup"ied with himself a hand. He went to the r.in!;s palace through inquiry; who sometirnes kept him company ;;iJ, job. The king fao bnly a daughter any time he worked. t' person once every Th.r" was a juju that used to come and drown at least one While he was in the year; they did noi tno* tto* to escape from this menace'

bqmiTaarykararng baii kpq 6 tarikqmq bra rnigmi' Benirni a taarqkaramq Wo owou bo ogbo-tinqrqrn! a tig a' erema ba 11n! angg fini' tibi oweim!--pa boml. gbami' 'E ladq flyai e' ugud* fini ouiqgU dia wgri emi. 0 kpqzlni rniggm' bra fa' O Ominl I{Er *u fi e . Tgmgaraqr kie primi "'' eniibo o kpq wai mu belia koromi' -ba bile a pagha. Wo egberi kpq aoEp duoni omlni kiali Li*ii **ici,u; oqrq tlq timi di wgni oi*in rgii"rirni,'eiema kpg timi o dimlni" ala fadg k9 o bile fam!. Erema kpg
wari a mumi.

onthefollowingday,hewenthuntingagain;hedidnotSeeanyanimal.He out

A rnu *u.l larni, 6 yei tin w?ri pa braa sq gba o diami' A wuru bou gbelei' pEwgi pAwgi mini yerin kqn bglgg yerinmq timi anl fi bai lami'

-'

Orinyen TqbgU
a Kgni efie kgnl ta rng yei mq timiml- kpo kqni fiIbqU ki a mg zimi' Tgbqgml klpaibalibo o dag o wgri fimi; timi zini nei-a kgrai baimi o mg zi wgritimi sqqnran yin kpq o wgrifimi'- o bo beinmg beinmq orinyen tgbqg a pami' " Wo yerin tim-i si sggran kgrai feni balmiwo ere nanami. Taara dein bqmi o ba klml zinl nanarni; tirni ba z!n!-ma dein o ba zini nanami- gtrelei a taaras' Amami ,runu taary eiqin kprng olo tr,ia wgrl n! o ba zini nanagha' "i" A timi ycrinmini mi, yerinmi.kiri kiri kf a mumini' Yeiml bo oya bqdg ni mig ygU dar; buru wgri eye film' l-rra kpp o rnq nernigha. KPni bai wo bglgqt ererna lqq g'bu*i,'nuAi, ! yeri yerinrnl bo cli a sei bqdp ni !mS e buru bornie ' Okubo dqlg rnig emlni o!!! Mi iu*p'i pqdp ikpn o yar! tubo tpaarn'e.'Da1tm! r4 kile,'O! o! kgrqmq tgbqg e'e mi kami erni l:" E mig y*i nunuu'ti na rnlg mig egberi kgn bc I lagha a rna si egberir tEnl Uo i l;br;i. Timi dglg i rii e' Anlibo wo okpo t!9 *g4.ukpa wgrj wal mu m!n! yei lami' A ani wgn!-tu niq oyi mg kgn 6 yarimi.A a kqn, o kile gba wgri okubobo kqn o Primi. '"

town'theprincessgotlostandnobodycoulddetecthowandwhereshegotlost. her' Later it *"i tuk.n for granted that the juju might have drowned that should anybody discover his The king became wild. He piotis"a will divided into daughter, stre i'itt given in maniage to him and that his kingdom two and he will be given a half' ,This is not a sustainable job, is it not wise if I The man thoGht for himself: to it. Therefore' he should volunteer to search for the daughter?' He consented inquired how the juju used to come' He was told' sea; pierced on the followinj Jay, he changed into a bird and flew across a

In same.way, he tried there and investigatediut he did noigather any information. sea, by the shore, on closer examination, he saw a six other seas. on the seventh hole. He changed into an ant and entered into the hole' He on gettii'g inside, he saw some of those who had got lost frorn the town. juju had his head on her the juju and the girl. The proceedei furtier, unJ

,u*

ihighs wtrile she was searching for lice from his head'

to her, the juju heard it me, for I have come to rescue you.'' while he was talking
and asked her:

Hewenttoher,climbedherup,wenttoherearandwhispered:.Donotkill

'Who is talking to You?' 'Nobody talked to me' she responded' of-the hole and The juju discredited her. He got up, went to the opening .who is he that ias the effrontery in coming to fight with me? started ctrattenging:
Such does not exit The man heard it. 'l have come to rescue you' he said to the woman' ,Do you intend committing suicide? How will you be able to rescue us?' they
asked.

dtouoto6mgkgn opriml,okorokerrr!-,ooo!Mieye n!!fei rnlg ye. o ke tirni warli cluo wgn! pu *u totttu la nl klrniotu o bimi' 'Mi-emi,lmini oya bqdg n! | fei mg ttpu t ma si mE oyi mq sai bo iminl kgn tubo tqa e'o mp gunmi' baisinghami,rnaamqrkaramp arar.l ma kpg lgp y9$ dar.r bunt mumi- 6 dag arg gba o kara firi ki wqnimini. A 6 yanfanran mlg braa mg ba yeii bo ladg braa mg zini rnlggm; bra nemigha ni i kps mq e buru bqmi e' 6 mg gba o dlaml' diarni. 'i Daumi,6 gba sinng mi, kemi,'Op,o! lni tgbEq, e mlgmi o. Mi fid ni e wqni y"J yu o pSU UUfpU-i a e dispdq arqu sQ yqg e yei yaridq ominl kql {qU yqg e gba e'' A

lil;*i.

A mu pqpmi dgba dgin arup kqn ygrl mini yei yarlmi' A ani yqp+u gba mini yei primi, wo efie kpq kpudugha timi mu pqg a argg dimi'

'Do not

be afraid' he

said.
46

27

waste time before going to the waterside to have a look at the said canoe. Again' he

exclaimed while walking into the street and out again and informed tbose who inquired the cause. At dawn the next day, the third wife too travelled unnoti-ced to her father; her father was an herbalist. She relayed how her co-wives did, and the degree of poverty of her husband. She conch.lded by saying: 'We are three that are rnarnied to a husband, and they have each consulted their respective f,athers who have each provided a means to alleviate the poverty of our husband; I alone, am left hence ll i,uu" .o*" to you. Be informed that he wishes to ply a market which no one usually returned safe.' Her father greeted her very well; then kept quiet for some time. 'Wait for me a while' he addressed her, and then left. He went and collected some leaves and prepared them into different concoctions and gave them to her after giving her the birectives. She took them, greeted him, and travelled back to her husband. When she arrived, she told him of her venture. Again' he exclairned as usual and told people asked why? He responded and thereafter he got prepared'' " He construited u with mats on the canoe following the arrival of the "unopy FIe hired canoeists and went to that market-the market which no one concoctions. usually returned: but in case one succeeded in coming back he was sure to be rich.

A yerinmini, a zi awggbo sg fi sin, kpq kgnl owei ki kqmi. Datlmi ereinbo sg mi trtrbgpg tin wgri arg o primini,'l fidg ni a ini duu digmini mi emini kpo kgnl 'ye
ki kgn e.' Dagmi kgni bai fi ni a o tgmg timi sgnqma dein bai; a bo wo duu digm' nl a bgnimi. A dlg dggminl mi, tgbgqmi dag gba braa gba a dlami, anii duonl a o bimi,
'Ti eye kle m9 kgn dggmlni ya o?_' O kpirein timing o gbami,'A efie dglg kgn i prie.'A klml sg wasaimi. Wo amaa duo sgg, bglgg ama okosu oweii la, o bi,'erema ki kgn e, o mQ gba o dla, o kgn bglgr,r wgnimg, zinl otu bi-zga'siliklkgn e', zga ba'Erema klkqn e' gbaml. Omln! disg 'y9 kgreldg ni o klmiotu tinmi. A bo bgni ni bi a,'Erema'ki o mg gba a diami. A ererna dig o p4dg mi o mu erema mQ mlnidag waribo mg ba sibe-eyebo
m9 di wgri kgn bqlgg yerinmg timi awgg-ama zi.

Oro oro Ofoni

(gniefie kgnibou tein owei timimi. Ominibou tein timi orou kipadg. Kgni
ba! o ma bou teinyg a mumi. O wgnl bouu duo sUg mu ala fa, kgni namaa kpg o mg

After the necessary preparations, he set out.

arigha.Vuruduubo o kgni kgng-owei arlmi. Kgng-oweimi o tlnmi,'Abei, wa! bo e.

Eku a baln
dgr,r

piates and, out of forgetfulness, washed earthen plates on the rivei-he has contravened a rule . The sea began rising; waves had already broken into the canoe before they remembered the anti-dot for using an earthen plate on tlie river- it was inrmediateiy applied on the river. Immediately, the river became normal. They
proceeded on their journeY.

Some time aiter they had travelled out, someone, after eating was washing the

kgmo e. Bo w6 bari e.'

Klmimi walmi. O mu o lami o gbaml,'Di ye, mi kgni nama e, i ki4 o baml e. Ania anl ofonii mg ba emgnrgnmqrggn m9 gbadg, amlni wo a4 wE{ i tlin duoni w6 kirlg xi namaa diggminl e, i kpq biberinmi. Ania w6 o di99m' bra nemigha n! w6 mq
e tinmi e.'

They were atticked by catarrh later on. F{e quickly squeezed the anti-dot for catdnh on the canoe; and almost immediately it vanished' , They proceeded further; and not long after were they attacked by cough. He quickly sprinkled the anti-dot for cough on the canoe, and they were released. ' rney again proceeded further and were caught by nightfall when_they came to a certain ptui., ttt"y stopped, it was not yet the town-it was by a forest. By the beach, they stopped, and they were sleeping, when he heard a noise issuing from the land. He stiained his ears to catch properly and came to the conclusion that people were jubilating. He got up and looked into the land, it was all f,orest-no itoui.r. WhilL listening, he detected that the orgy was progressively increasing. He took few money and alighted. He used liit l.gr in making bush-path to the arena, following the direction of the noise. As he was going, at a point, he raised his head and looked forward and he saw that there were lights which had brightened up the night. He kept walking until he got to the place, it was full of people--drinking, singing and dancing' He

Kimimi kpirein timing wo o pgimi. Emgboubo o mg kgn kgni akq a wgrl, mgnibo kpg kgni akg ba tlbii kpg kgnl. O gba kgng-oweii prim! 'Emin! kprg nama e. Yd eken emgbou kpg flminii duoni emfniemgboubo kgn e. O gba ofonii prim!, 'Emini kqro aka nanagha, e ba eken kgrg eye kpg fighaa duoni eminl mgnibo kgn e .' O ba gba Emgrgnmorggn prlml, 'Emini eken m! nama t!bl! duo sgg mu buloumi a ebi eygbo fiiminli duon! e ba nama t!bl! kqn e.' Wo o dig brami a ange a sgg ni a o serim!. Kid o mu dggmini m!, kgngowcirnl o tinmi,'Wai bodg kg e.'O wai o buru mumi. 'E kgn w6 mig ebimi i mg kgn e gbggmin! e. Anllbo kgng-oweimi kgni tuopomu kedi w6 tgrybo a tpam!. Kimli kpg bo kgng-owei paml. Bou kgng-oweimi kimi kgng-oweii bgmi,'Bodg w6 anda tei ye.'A koro andami. Bou yemi kgrg k!m! kgng-oweii dglnmi. O mukpg wai zini tuo-pomuama kedi kgn bo w6 tgrgbo a tgami. A ba andml. Ma kgng-oweibo sg bo kgrg klriimi. Anlibo bou yee gbami, 'Wcrj mi kqrgg kgn yerin e.'

joined them.
28

45

tell this They lost all the children they had, save only a son. The father used to to you'' ,when I am dead, be ready toaccept only one thing to be bequeathed son,
and they gathered to

0 ha ke, wgni
a

mu bulou ia, wai

Lro

gba tomu a pa' kimiotu pri ba o bi' o ba pa braa

tttutl i'it legacy' When they were about to.eomrnence' said which eaused them to inquire: only survivo. ,"lay.O *t'ut his iatfier had

Theyspentsevendaystorfuneral-ritesconsequentu.ponthefather'sdeath; the

Tu ba{ baisinghami" taargkaramg aragma kpg lgE m!9 braa mq ba dag diri ffa"ki.wqnimini. A yanfanran-otubo

'Wfiat do you wish to have?' .Give me time to think over it.' He kept quiet forl'o-metime and then said: the town' first he contacted an old They consented and did;;t; H" went through ,choose the woman'; then he went further and sought woman who advised him: advised him; 'Choose money" while for the opinion of *uny ottttrs some who.m .Choose *o'un,. After making his own decision, he invited them. When others: They bequeathed to him the they had gathered, he declared his choice-woman' services over the possessions and woman with whom h. ;i;;i,;;g;d care-taking
even had childrbn later.

pa mln! dag burumi-d d yei bo ladg braa mg nunu wqriemi yei o' klmi s9 mini gba o diami. e arg runumf4,'fu*u klmiw6 "'u ki4 kS emi ni i mg bain e i"U .itii dar; buru w94 eye kqn bo w6'yei oyaa furodg' i wai bogha bogha fgq ki o ma mu dqgmini mu a buru bomi e. Mii kpq ,Vu nu
e,t

diarni.

ysl

"ikimi

i di ye'o mp kile kgrqmq faa; anilbo o dqlg kpirein timim!''Timi dqlg tuo-pomuama kedi wqri wal bo' a kqn bibl dirikgn 6 bgmi, wo 6 brasinmi. O mu wal gba d dia weri.a kgn d p4mi' A 1 fon' o.kile weri ;" *ii, i r.qn
A daq
6

i, 6 ani *Eni-ru gba yei primi ' O ygU yei burumi . e .u "gUJt pri we{ angE kgrlmi' . gU"t", tu gba klmlotu gtein anlmi a tgami' O kimi-ama kqn wgri Diribo bodg ml, oiloro "eUit-*^A la wai bo kimi fqu*i u mumi- iqu*i ni*u ii*i *u'[i*i wai bogha yemi; ania
pEiedC Wo angg.kgri sinnq mi, o yqu
^ sUry trmr keleku A yglr timikqni efie la a, kgnibq anJmi fiyal f! eye-ama koro seriimi' Adanwalnbo fgrg kgn tgrymi a sgrgm!- o tqn eye m-!ene'Tqrgml yari diribo' fgrg benii gbele a koro famg aryu kpq iuo sgqdg k9, o fei sa! o mp ba aryU mQ sanamqml' Tqrymi seimggm'dirimi ekiemi- o f.iuii o kgn tgry.g *iti ili.i-qf.irimqmf a bo kpireinmi' A kqn bqlgg : niniyai-dqn seimqg A ba ygg timinq niniyai-dgn bo arUU sUqmqmi' O klali vian fami' kgn argml izabalakoromqmi- niniyai-dggn kpg a buloq yQqrnq alagha timi algg-dgn pri bo a A ba kgn bqlgp yq$mqmi: sanamqm!' Algg-dgQn kpq vlan sqgmgmi. O ba kiali uiqg Oqn seimgg kgn arUU

-i99*';;

ba tarikgmq bra kgn

A Golden Bird
in the ar1' One day' he went Once there lived an hunter who was ponular ttt uny animal' Allof a sudden' he hunting; and for a consiJetable time, did not .Man, come back. Do not attempt encountered a leoparJ which invited him: running awaY' Come and helP us.' got there, it said:.'Look, this is an The man r,onour.o tt inuitution. when he " protesting, slying.lhat the,v were the anirnal which I killed. But that bird and ant are equaily me to kill it, so that the game should be. shared ones who saw it and

''

pami'

wgri

yggmqmi'

;it.;

towhichlagreed.Butwedonotknowhowtoshareithenceweinvitedyou.'packed butchering it. He The man kept sile;;e io; a gooa spell of time before and yet the head and its entrails a ,ttJnesh another all the bones to one p"n, ,You are strong a inimal. You.are. used to eating "il third. He then said to the leopard, i-Ie said to the bird,'You do not bones, therefor. f,uu" tf,. U6n.r'* your share. He p"rr*t t"o"g teeth foi uny 't'ong obl"tt' therefore you should take the flesh' its entrails, therefore .you go iigrliinrii" thls head-piece and enjoy to ant,
said "un have the head as Your share''

fami.

was about to move' the They were content with how he shared it' As he He returned' leopard invited him. 'Come back first''

am-a alagha' A ygg timi bo kgnlyq la a, dein korodg n! a egbemi-na pd nami' o emi mi, ogbom!.Tduyguu A psq uuiqur.i 9' "g6"L,Jns -ge'^ weri r1 ti,nt ogeieiminl bra ki o mo ororom!. O serii t"frii*a Lh p;il" a, gigml kurg peimq timi kgn! efie la ogboo di a, bou bulou -'wari fa. O kqn bulgtl Wo okubo dqlaikgn wgrlkoromi' kfirg kikUrq dginmi. bra di' wgni muml' O mu O bUq bgq kqn 6ouml a owqq tga' gig fiemgmlni yaii kerii erni-deiin.sg tgni plnamg riming o tiui s".iimq di a, bulqumiiutpu-u*u ki la a' eyqg sp kimi kimi-timi wgrlemi bra kio *q J.*i' d *Eni'tUu timi mu ey99

f]1j

ania bou'

{i;l-;u

bou. numou tun ba sgi teimini' O kpq sgqml'

.Yourgoodacttouswassogreatthatlwishtorepayyou.Thentheleopard of the man' The man was ptucteA sonie leaf, squeezea i! -"li put it into the eyes its counterpart: 'come, let us changed to a leopari. The wild leopard requested wrestle.'Thentheybeganwrestling'Thewildleopardwasstill.morepowerful another leaf and applied it too' than the man transmut-Jin,o a leopa-rd. It brought Then the wild one said: 'Now, when it ,"r"rtt.o aguin, ;nJ in.y u"""rn. equals. need arose apply this for your sustenance'' the"y
44

29

FIe kept honouring those that were dancing with money and they in turn did the same to him. As they continued, and at a point. he finished all the money he had on him. He returned to the canoe and tonk some other money and returned again because the occasion delighted him much. When he returned to the arena, he began honouring those dancing with money again. Again he finisl-red all the rnoney he had on him. He went to the canoe for the second tirne for money-he finished it all. He went again the third time, he was left oniy with one and half pence; he took it all and finished it too. He was left with no money. Then he reluctantly neturned to his canoe because there was nothing left. It was after he trad got to the canoe that he remernbered he had spent all the rnoney his in-Naw gave hirn to trade in honouring those that danced. F{e besan regretting it; seized with sorrow, he sat down. While sitting down, not quiet long before noise was heard coming fiom the forest. It was fairies that were dancing. It was stipulated down, quite unknown to hirn: 'He who excels in honouring the dance wouid be awarded with seven girls and one sea-going (canoe) vessel fully loaded with assorted items.' At the conclusion of the occasion, judges declared that a fairy and a human being each spent fifty bags; but the human being exceeded the fairy with one and half pence. Therefore he was the winner.' That was why they were coming to hand him those items. He became afraid: 'What? Have I committed any evil? Are tliey lorrrirrg tu kill me?' he guestioned himself. The noise kept approaching. He sprang on his feet. \,vhile watching. the lantern lit up the place; and those in the canoe had been awakenec! on accounl

Ti bai t! bai nama-gtgbira kpq daye

a kgri kgr!

timi ma o?' Ani ma kim! koro sgmi

- kgrq su. K9r!b9 kgrlbg bpq emebele . Ani ma kimi ki eyg o, amini s9 agbggha. A dide a brasin e' gba kpg , okosu oweii gbadg,'{ f! sgpgha s! i bqgha fa e.'Tu oweiin! o bimi, 'Ovi balmi. wan opu kinarni rnu ogbo a en! pidqyebo a kgri ni yd c kgn bo miyq a ppi, ba ! la bira kpo tksn i prl rri { kpq }<9n eye mig ti ki tr,rn? Ti bai ki kina ba mu ogbo a nama pldgye a
kqrl kqri tlml ma o?'

r\ icari a trqrgha n.i a trmi sqrrrrjn! ni1, ligng liala riibgql- kim! duo bo 'yq kp"g nemigha ye - bo an! ovurumj a tig wen a bim!: 'A hro, ii mukpg an! avggmi ekie wgrlemi? Amini Imini Tgmgarag kpg tgagha [imi agbobu titi avug fi ni mi yereyere akppg sp eken ani ma kiml ey?g selmggm'eye fa e. Tu a ! tinne ke il ani mlggm'eyee sF rnig e.' Anilbo tgbggml a sg di trmi desi aggng a rnu wgrj via sqqr iami. Anl rna kim! sqp kpp pa kl kpirimg pqlgm!.

Borl tein-owei
Kgni efie kgni bou tein-owei timimi. Mi kimimi bou tein timi bou-bira, asa ba eyqbo sg k! o nang. Zqa baiama pa-bira kpg o mg kgn nama kgr! bamlni. Kgni bai o ba bou tein 'yg a mu a, o kgni opu-obori mg k! gbeieim!. Kiri wo o tein dgqmlniml, opu-oborim! o bgmi,'Abei, e tiye ki mig dggmlni ya o? Y6 | kiri tein dgirminl? | tein kgmg e. E ba timi mi bra ladg namabo sq e me kon keni 'yee kpg miq pamggha kl tgn o? Wgni ye a tuduo bo e.' Klmimiwgniwo a tuduomi. A wgnimu opu-oborii timi yerinmfnl 'y99lami, Opu-oborimi gba o pdmi. 'f klri m! boumi a pgrq e. Yd oya emi bra I mg nemi wqrlemi, ania ye ebi kgn e mig dggminie"Wg4 ere mQ sill m9 e d!s9 ye seri ye.' Kimimi kpirein timi ala fa, o seriim' ye nemigha. Tumi, wo ere k! serim!. Opu-Obori wo a beri fanmi; 'Ere nana bulouml bin eye-ama ki emi yo, y6 eni angg kgri kgrgmg e.'Wo ani bra gba sinng mi, o kgni eygrg tgbgg kgn o primi. Klmlmi 5 memg ama a mumi. O mu ama laml a o bimi, 'Anii tibg ka o'Wo a parymi,'fni ayoro e.'

ofthe ever increasing noise.

They came up to him, told him the cause of their visit. handed him the items and returned. The man became inebriated with joy. They pulled aboard their canoe onto the sea-going vessel and made for home. They arrived home, discharged the
loads, and rejoiced. The man destroyed his house and quickly built another. After the jubilation, he filled a basket with money, handed it to his first wife and said: 'Take it to your father.' The woman took it to her father, but he would not accept it. He said: 'Take it back to him. It is an act of kindness that loffered him.' It was the same with the father of the second and third wives respectively. My audience, which of these three in-laws' deed was the greatest?

Fishermen
Once there lived a husband and wife who were fishermen-they were using okq7l for their traps. l'hey had become popular with this occupation that customers used to waiting for them at their house to buy their game even before they returned
I

'Migbalyd ayoro kikgn t9!bo ma?' 'Yinye'o mg parymi. A 6 beriye akl sinng mi, a kgn bglgg yerinmgmi. O mu ml erema mg bgng timi baimini s9 ani wadi s9 sili sili ki timimini. A d bgnimg akimi. A misi bra kgn yerin timi kimi ip4 bin wari-ama kgr! ba zin! 'ye-ama miqmi.

A special basket woven and set as a trap for shrimps

30

43

trawi_line?, They were engaged in a quelling it.

fight-a

serious fight. No one succeeded in

it

.Youarefriends'itisunwiseforyoutobeengagedinafrght.-Pleaseconsider on. said: 'Unless I am dead and be separated' tft.V-uJ"ioa. Not at all the

you brought home' cut J.V U'ig Nile-perch was caught in your traps which " and I was given a shaie which I used for food. Has a Nile-perch ever been shared
caught in a traP in the land?'

inthecourse,lshalln*puyheed''Thentheyoungeroneasked.him:'Theother up and

"ld.i

fighting' a child of While they ,"fur"d ,u""umbing to all pleading and still fiom came and stcod in their midst and asked whom no one knew where he "a.e them:'People,doyoustillrememberyourvow?YoudidnotevenincludeMe-God ever

this vast world could in u.uting your chest and taking a vow that_nothing in you embark on anlrhing.'Then in friendship. Next, c;n on me before il;;tt;, out of sight. That tr," pi"r"n". of every'body, tire child jumped up and vanished ended their fight.

kpg sinmi' A'ti timinq o kqn angg a wgd okubobo o mg arg a mu zini okubo-ama t qn ,gi rin sinng. Sgim! wo a-biia a embqlg bq ni o bain tirii la, o ba koro sgi otubo sinmi. O sin timi lqn *i4'*ui t ikin*i a mumi. O mu seri a ary a mu okubon Uu mini angg timi okubobo sin famqmi' O maamgkaramq Taarykaramq serimi' kpo kqni kqpq mq epeni u t pq kqn sin famqmi' kgnmia kqnri' Eye ba fa ni.o m9 Litgag: *o i t pq wgri mu a sin famqmi' O bo pa-bira lkglglqg wgni anJ a rnunnl' "" d *u aru ladg kg o fei kgn o pri tubo trla 'yg a mu okubobo o -rng lcgn sgi sln peretimimi' O peretimi emi famgng bra ekiemi. 0 koro an1 et<piO"; eneni I<9r! zoo rni, aiaghami ogbomigig pqg koro bomi' 'Sgii sin drpwgi-arna li"tqi ti*i*i. A gba w94 brami" omlni nemigha' pa-pa sal beimg wpri kqn g b99 deinbqmi sqnqma eyqrg awqg, kgni abadi-arg a eye

Sgiotubo o mq sin,

*t

{lni

prilm!nie.'

di tirni otubo gbami; kgni dgwgl-ama kgn teimi a klml owei mg ba kgni izqn owei mg uipu u ma si mg oyi mq oyi mq m9 kqn dgwgi-ama oweii dpinmi e' sinml e; anla izgn oweimi kEn! kqpq mg epenl o pri 'yq Anil duoni o t i4 Uitu seriimiel A aniki duo gba wgri eyebo kgn pqU koro

A sgi timi bo seriidg mi,

sCi sin otubo

A Hunter
and beyond' He once there lived a hunter who become popular both within hand' sometimes made game with ordinary As he was One day, wf,en he went hunting, he encountered a big elephant' do? ttre elephant addiessed him: 'Man' what are you trying to about to shoot at it,

What have you made out Are you attempting to shooi at me? Do not shoot at me' me'' of ali the gutn.t you have ever been making? Come after I would like to do you a favour addressed the visitor, 'l am the king in this forest. choose any out of these: woman or money'' for I know that you are poor. Now, last, he elected The man oUserveisilence for quite a long time, undecided' At then wamed him: 'Beware that electing woman entails many woman. The elephant After issuing him this hazards; you should be extra-ordinarily conscientious. returned home with her. on *arning, it trren provided him a girl to wife; the man
arrival he was asked:

timi mala famini: 'Ti bra o?'Ye eye m!9 seimq ma? A I ba'yq ki a O gurii bomlni'yan?;o mg kgn mini angq bimi' Giqmi o kir! o kiri buru bomlni' ni arUm! seriimi.b timi dimlnimi, tgkpabo eygq sg tqni pinamg, giS kpS kgrq bqdg na seriim!.. a timi otubo s9 kpq kiri pqwqi A bo o la, mlni duo bo-tu g'ba ba eyebo kgn o pr! wgr! waim!' Kimimi a kqn ama a p4 baam' eyq iami. Amlni an;r; kqn abad! arymi a saldq ml yqUrnS-i.A ySU mu egbwye zu, beriyal teimi' Kimimi minl warli gbpngbolg'

bomini.

ii*i-i

Thehunterfollowedit'whentheygottotheelephant'sden'thehost

klali" aya ye kgrimi. '

Vfiri naitlal bqdq m! wo okubo kqn kqni ukpqrp a tga beinmg wgr! kgn daU yari a 6 dag bUlgp er;a primi, o gbami,'Kgn e dag yari e'' Erema kqn minl -gbami,'A yari e. Ebi n! | kgn o mig ye'' waimg o ot uUoUo rqngiru. O k! mlgmi' Maamgkaramg -ug -g1u*ltkaramg arag dapbo kpg tarikgmg bra wgni firi ki dqba dqin emi yan? fnl binaoiu, mi taara feibo tibg kq

'Who is that?'
'She is mY bride' he answered' 'You came along with a bride this time?' they further asked'

Endi Dgg-otu
Kgni efie kgni ma ta mg yi mQ otu timimi- amlni endi dOl-ot1 ania slpgg aminl na si okgg ki ting timimi. A ani bra kqn si timi bo orot' kpg padg; anil duoni
uoiftu

'Yes'

he resPonded.

replete with money; they spent witir this lady was productive of having the house In this way' the man was enabled to erect in the morning'

Theycontinuednormallife,aftertheyhadmadeherwelcome.Anynight hout.t and satisfled many other demands'

ii-i

opuru fgpm'otu pri mu ani warimi a tirni

koru a korutimim!'

usually packed it att

nrony

42

3l

ffom their shrimp-hunting expedition. A time came when they

became unsuccessful with their enterprise. They became so bored with the circumstance that they resolved, one day, to keep watch over their traps to catch the suspect that was tampering with their traps. While keep their watch, they eventually heard someone squelching' Not long after, they heard a child of that person cry while the mother too was coniforting it. saying: 'Please, stop crying, I shall soon be coming.' As they heard that, they quietly went and kidnapped the child, and returned home. It was child by a female fairy. When they anived home, they narrated thc outcome of their venture, everybody was taken aback. After the fairy had finished, she did not find her child when she went to take it. She became afraid, 'Some human being has taken my child. \aV husband will kill me.' There was nothing she could do; she only backed her luu' and went home' When she got home, her husband inquired from her: 'Where is the child?' She became hot with her husband instead. Her husband said: 'After all, you have gone stealing with my child which has been kidnapped by human beings. That your act is unwholesome and should be abandoned but you would not agree. Ltrave you seen the repercussion ofyour act?' The woman replied: 'Please exercise patience for a while so that both of us should go and take it from a masseur to whom I gave it for custody when I rvas

Niini mi orubo

amaa ki sg dqg oruama. Ani wqni fi{mi izqn otu mQ nang bra a mq nemii Ouoni a brplgg sei amaa primi. A amaa serimg sU dQU sgmi a sgg seimi' Amaa otu iy" ui u, oruuo ti bglgg sei a pri emi bra ki bo pami. Zga otu sgmi a bq brasin dgpmi, zqa Uqgha. A sgg kgn bqlgp dqgmq timi amaa pri sei sgq kqrqmq

ni

amahi'a 6imi. Kimii mukpg mini bira a k9 timi okubo-ama kgn ebi yerin yerin timi o fi bai lami.

Ma Eyg Otu (I)

Kgni efie ma eygotu timimi. Mi ma kimibo a okosu yemi nama pidg flri ki wgni timimi; tu yee ba endi dgp \4. Azqzq ki arlgha kpg eye flgha. Kgnibq wari ki f!-eye fa kpg wan bgmi misi 'y99 beinmgmini. Eygmi bo egin tgadg ni, beni kpg toligha,ereinbo sga agbobu titi gbamini,'Mi akpS a timi w6 ma kimi ey99 seimggm' eye fa e.O bo numou ki a pa timi a pri tunng. Tgmgarag mini 'yq a timi a nam!. O gbami,'O! lminl kqn singha! I kpS
tgagha timi kekereem'avgg.! nami e'

coming returning.' The husband went to the said masseur, and he was told: 'Your wife did not bring me a child for massaging.' He returned home and ordered his wife to go and bring his child. The wife changed into a human being, got well dressed and went to the town. She came to the town and was commented upon by people: 'What a woman is this?' She found her way to where some persons were discussing and joined them. In the course ofdiscussion, she presented: 'ln the olden days, sometimes some persons did find some children from
elsewhere'

'lt was just of recent that something similar occurred in this town. It is there a woman found a child by fairy and brought it home' a woman responded. 'lf that is the case let me go and have a glance at the child'then she departed. Through inquiry, she got to where the child was. She greeted the 'mother' and requested: 'Let me have a glance at the child, and then, taking the child, she vanished with it. This news caused a great surprise to the town. When the fairy anived home, they rejoiced with her for three days in this
respect.

Kgnibai, endidgq-oweimi mu min! saradaye serii a, dayee p9l9f ba kgni p9l9l b!b!! kon mu wd eyq-owei egbe si simini pggmi a beni a klkai wgrl wo pri arimi. Daye ogubo kpg kgni opu endii kq4 wg4 wo anda sggn wgriemi. O bibi fiegha timi p9i9i ma akgbg sg serii, a kgn wari amu kgn kgni kikalmg ba andai timi daye oguu kpg tqaml. Mis! tarikqmg ereinmi nama pldg-oweiml mu mini pidg eye-ama di eyq a mum!. O mu kgni la a, kgn! opu kina ki kpd emi. Wo o kgn bo ama la wgrl o pgimi. A mig migtimi braa duonl wo o endii kgn taara blra die, kgni bira kgn, kgnl kgn wo eyg-owei - endi dgg-oweii yari, o ba k9 yee ygrimi. A yerin timi dein-ama b9d9 mi, nama pldg-oweimi minlpidgye-ama di 'yg a muml. O.mu kgni la a, omgbg nama kgri wgr! eygg sg anda ba sin wgqemi, ania namami fa. Wo ebi bra di a, klmi misi namaa fgun wgrlemi owggmi o mg arlmi: wo owggml a tuduo timi bo wo eyg-owei si a egbe embafou fouminipgg bqlggmi a mu beni duo sgq emi bra arimi.O wal ama a mu misi bra gba bin-otu primi. Mlsi tarikgmg ereinmi, nama pidg-owei bgdg mi, endi dgg-oweii kpg mini saradaye serii timi keni efie la a, dayee kirein. Wo o kpgn timi o pri wiriiwirii pa bomi. Wo serii timi kgni omgbg qtqbira ki kgri bo paml. Wo o kgn argmi a sai a paghaa duoni wo o okpomg ki o okpomg mu ama egbeml. Wo o okpomg mu ama egbe ni a egberii nami, amami kpipuu baln pgg koro namaa di 'yg a mumi. A zii o bari nama zu owoumi. Wo eyg-owei misibrami arlml wo o bgmi,'Eminiki inipidgyemi a kgri timi namaa furu wgriemi e.

A special basket woven for killir.tg shrimps or fishes when going fishing.

4t

They incited the town to what they did, they became annoyed( fol th"e community)' go into war hy which they sustained the bad ef,fects" "- it community ctnsulted some oracle and discovered that the jujtl were others opposed it. They continued the "y annoyed. while some ,"rlru"o surrendering, loss sustained was so enormous that they war until such an extent whereat the

migratedfrorntheirtown.Themanstillenjoyedwhathehaduntilthedayofdeatlr.

bai a mu eyg dqq Tirni kgni efie la a ai okqgbo ba eye sgqgha' Bo a dginng ni a kgni sgwgitimi aniokqgbo serii seriiminibgg lemi' ' natnl' A le timinq kimi kqkq beni duo zqkgbg zqkqbr,r wqni liemq bra a m<7 yinma kpg mq narni Alagha mi, misibqq bira aemi tgbgg you fiemg bra kpg a o, ye alagha timi bomini o'' arq IUUqqU tabalmini-'pqlg A misi braa nang mi amini 199 mu tUbgUU kqn wgr! kiali waiama a mum!' sq angq Nlini tqbgqm! trou-ere t\tbqq. A bo ama lam!, amlni wgnl-tu gba - kimli bqumi. ba fa' A Bou-ererna okqgbo serii sin ni mlni tgbqqr kgn 'yQ a rnu a ' trlbgqU yei i baamini'' A ba zin! mi99m' kamaye fami -'fzgn-otu Inl tilbqtlq kqn akldg ' I mu warli lam!' d yci bra fa ni a ni iuu-kgn abebirl agbala wer! mini wari a mumi" A
6

Two Friends(I)
with setting traps for Once there were two friends. The elder occupied himself The bne would not eat without seeing animals while the younger was a fisherman.

of the other" Their the other, and readily"supplied the deficiency in foodstuffs
fiiendshipbecamestrong'watertightso-muchsothattheyusedboast.beating couldlver destroy their ftiendship-'il never ceased chest. that nothing on
ftom their liPs.

"i,th

o?' Erema kqn sg ki a tgam!' A yei gbami''E-ill niin! ba in! firimi ebighaa tUbAU\r'kgn mu tga furu timi lzgn-otu pri kgn akidg' E wgnimlni gba a e bqgha' Y6 eni wgni firlmi a pa dg aridq ki tgn?' Utu.in Ou*j'8."*u e imini mP gbam!,'! si bomin! efiee ki i ma o kqn eyg lg-owei pri wgriemii duon!

bimi,

't|

i<1

tgUqqrmi a

I have heard it'' Could any vow be kept untarnished without my support? to inspect his trawl-line and discovered that it one day, the fiiherman went an object at where his friend was cut into two and the end of one half was tied to going to bush. And one of the hooks had been straightened, used to branch wtren ""uugt t and had released itself after much struggling. He po.t.uying that a big iuu, and 'aio sly anything before tiking the two ends home, joined them together ""t straightened the bent hook' "on inspect his traps that very day, the one who set traps for animal went to

Godheardthemfromwherehewas'andhesaid:.o!Thatlamnotexcluded!

dglg timing w6 mu o kgn e' yeimi mu kimii la a, o gbam!,'E ta tUbgq kSn i pd lqyq a bqgha e' O wai mu wari' la wgrl mini ta b9 mini tgbgp kgn 'y9 amumi' a, kiml-otu Erema {zgn ere oei,'ebi dqu wq4 pa amami a mumf . A bo ama a la 'yq a mqmq gbelei kppdgmi' A 6 di fiemi:'Mi ti pa ere a o?' A mu zpaotu bgni timi kpgd! timinq ii otuo tgami ari 'Oru serii efiemi klmlotu zga seri a tUbqq kqn zini eyg-ama kpq duo ar!

tilrimi

also.Whenhegottoone,therewasabigNile-perchthatwas.caughtinit.Hetook

into three parts, one it home and had it cut up. As it was the tradition, it was shared fisherman and the other for sale' for him, one for his friend-the

Aftersomedays,theonewhosettrapswenttoinspecthistraps.Hecameto oneanddiscoveredthataverybiganimalwascaughtinit,butitwasnotfound.on that an animal was closer examination. rre discover*ed a path which portrayed it ended in the river where his friendJrogg.o along, and he followed it up until He returned home the fisherman used to take rest in the course of doing fishing.
one

dein kpq a mi amami a pa ki tgn o' Anlyg kgnf ere bou ki a tqbqu ari bo wgrl emi e'kgni ere mQ gbami. ;An| ubu kpg mu tUbqUU diim'e'; anllbo r{ wgnlmumi' f A tu fi mu-tgbqgg p".i. A yinma kile,'TUb9$U kgn bodg i diim' d mq gh;' wgri o kgn tpa dei wai mini bouml a mumi' M! egberimi ama a m!9 anggm!' dci: Erema mu bou lam!, ani bou otubo 6 mqmqr pqwg! gbelei tei timi taara

o.'

'iuli

tu

baimi.

day' after the arrival of the and relayed his discovery to many people On that very trawling his who hunts for animal, the fisherrnan too, rvhile in the course of

line,hadhishookedupintheriver.Heappliedforceindraggingitanditcameup it onto the canoe graiuatty; beholcl it caught a very big antelope. He could not lift home and the news was spread, the rvhole so he tugged it home. tihen he irriuea
Lrnity, they assisted hirrt town ran to the watersirlt to have a look at the antelope. In

totakeitup,Whenhisiiiendhearclit.headdressedhim:.Yourveretheonervho been caught in a stolc the aninral that was caught in rn;- trap I la: arrte lope el'er
JJ

A Man \Mho Made A Spell To Be Rich.

Once there was a poor man in a certain town who was unsuccessful with any venture he undertook, though he had a wife and children. He went to consult some oracle when he could not endure his hardship, a spdll to him rich. He consulted and

told him,the objective of his visit, 'After I have prepared you a spell, you wili
become ri6h gradually' the man said.

He answered: 'I do not wish having a spell which will make me rich gradually; but that which will make me rich quickly even at the cost of killing my father, mother or a relative.' The rnan responded: 'If that is the case you will have to proceed further.'As he was about to move further, the man asked him: 'Could you kill somebody?'
'Yes, lcould'he said. 'Then mention the names of three men of high rank in your community.' He forwarded the names. After preparing the spell, the instructed him to apply a needle to it; it dripped blood profusely. Then the man said: 'When you get home, these people will die. When they are dead and buried, you should go and unearth their corpses and shave their hairs and bring them to me; I shall have to use them in

'Ye izgn kimi ki dei rnu a fg boomini ye, anii duon! 6 okubo mig pamg i p4 e.' A okubo mig pamg o pdmt. Wo izgn klmi dei bo ama tra a" amami emi erebo ebi wo a tgry kgdrng ka ni wo okbubobo icpn eygrg otu tibiki a kporlu famgmi. Wo a kpodu famgng kg o bo angg nemiml; o ba zini rniggm'bra nemigha ni ofuru ororo tgnmi. Misi amami kpq kgnibg okubo-tgry tin gboro wgrl beinng ania kimlotu a kedi akl akimlni. Kimfm! bo dginng ni wo o leem'ororo tgnm!. Kgni ba! dein o ma alagba-ama kgn wgrl mu o lemi. Wo o lemini deiin k! mlsi orumi mu tinmi owou, ange m9 kirii yai kedimi. Kiri o koro bomln! mi kimimi sibeye kai wgri kgn o diaml, oruu gbarni.'l tein kgmg e. ! tein kgmg e. i bo kiri ladg aba ma opu eye-ama

i m9 gba e diaamini e.' Klmi m! mini sibeye koromgmi. O koro bo kiri olami, orumi mini kedi wgr! okubo-tgryho kqn wgri koro toun kpg digha bra ki kgn balnm!. Kimi! kpg o pinmgmi. Orumikqn pqU balmg timi mu kirl beni a koromo migminimikimilkpg la wo aru touun kgr! wgri kgni tibi a o mgmq mu beini a krom!. Tgry gban toru finimi, a rnu oru ama otu amaa ki a padq. Kimlm! amaa di a ebi wari war! ki bein
emi. Orubo a beriye aklmi. Zga oruama o bimi,'Tiklmikie mgmg bo emi yan o?'Orumi kgn okubobo sibe braa mo o ba furu timi o pri kgrf ni wo o momo beni a bo hra gbami. A kimii bimi, o kpg pa-tg gbam!. A ogqtla pglg seimg mini firimg oruu prlmi.'Klmimi mig brami kirii emi e.' a mg gbami. A o kamai a o wuru bou bggha; a fiyal ki mlg o pri kpg o fi bggha. A ororo wqd ni o la wuru bou,ani akpg eye flmi aba a kgnl tibi a o kgn beni a wgri yerinmini e, anlkl o ba la egbeirii kgn rnu izgn a gbagha fa e. A mig timi dgin kpg kimim! ani tgn bra miggha ni a wo okubo-tgrybo tgn wgri tubo pele wgri o gbgml. A o bgmg pa gaan bomi. Ania kir! a o pamgmini m!, kimimi egbeirii kgn izgn a gbaaminl bra a mg ororoo duon! a beni bllai firimg o mgnlmj ororo tgnmi, o bo bein aggngmi a padg mi. Kimlrni beinbilai bulouml a mini sibeyebo kai wgri kgnil kgnll kgn o teinmi. Mi eyemi fl solo yqgrAi timi bo fimi. O bo ofeinng mi, kiml-ama wo ari wgr! gba amami a zini otu primi. A bo eyee kpun mu ogbo a gbana wgri o peimi. A o pgi

of those whom he called, after struggling without any apparent sickness, died; not responding to all means of resuscitation. Not long before, another one of them died. Not even had they returned from burying his corpse when the third person died. After they had buried the third person, the man went in the night to the cemetery. On arrival, and when he was about to alight, he became afraid and retreated immediately to his canoe when he saw fireflies emitting phosphorescent
even

preparing a spell for you.' The man returned home. Two days following his arrival, one

light. His second attempt bore same result. On the third t*i.p, he said: 'It is better if I die while I brave it than to keep going suffering.' He went up; dug up one, shaved the hairs, went to the second and even proceeded onto the third. He took the

hairs, re-buried the corpses, and went home. On the following clay, he returned to the man who prepared a spell into a bottle and gave it to him. The man advised him: 'When you get home, keep it in a

room out of bounds to any person and hide itl even your wife should not be allowed to see it. What will insulate you from being detected on time is this-first rnake a farm. If you go to it one day, the following day, go to that room and command the bottle, "Go ahead of me to the farm and keep working while waiting for me." Before you will get to the farm, those that have been killed in preparing this spell will have been working, invisible to any person save yourself, will working in the farm waiting your arrival. After you have got money, it is then you
34

timini kimimi a mg arimi, a o kpgn pamg w94 wo ofgg, afqrg beni tainmg o birimg, diri kgn o mig timi taara dein baldg k9 kirl o bo kiri naml. O bo kiri nang mi a o bi wgrlo pr! mini wgni-tu gbami.

39

money available for me.' TheY did'

'I

buy them; therciore inake shall chnage into a human being to go and

Pgrg-diri Ggg Owei

O wqni firi weni firi' eye Kgni efie kgni owei kqni ama a timimi' oya owei' ni o fpg nunu u*gg-u"lu kpg zi wgriemi' Yerinmi bo o dginng pagha, ania wo Klmii "r" wgri min! vgu-tu gbam!' rcqnl kimi O ilil-t; sqQmi, pgrg-A^i.i guq "Vq'aba,m1b9d9bed9 k!lapgrggmini"l e .. . ei"" pti.i,'i" "vL migi pads e' lmini i dag ba ki pa' i Wo o parymi, 'l*iniilEaqUEop pgrggm' eye dgggha kl dggmlnl e''. yin ba kl pu, Uinu U" ki p" tpq ba w9r1 kiali pgrggm' eye 'Ani aba i kqn bqlgq ki yqgmggmini e"' o kqn Diri miggm' o*ei*i d**i,
bglqr3 y<2qung dqgmlnlrni,Kimirn! o 'Yd eken kimi baaminl Ya o?'

in the town passionately attracted Uylfte beauty of ihe women He camd back to his senses after having expend completely the inoney on ti.,.nl. wastedawaythemoney.Leftwithnothinganymore,heresolvedtogostealing. had wtro trad pt-antio cowrie-tree in that town which
There was onty on" ,un thieves' Being that the owner could born ftuit but it had uf*uy' it"n stealing by to keep watch over it- On a certain not endure the situation #y foni"r, tre OeilalO this respect. It was that very night night, he employed tt ,.'."i".i watchmen in " plucked some cowries according to taste' i'r,ii iit" j";" went and climbed the tee and the latter

to the town' but was He changed lnto u t'utun being and travelled which made him

bimi'

gun at th.juj" llith made As he was coming O"*", ift" *"n pointed his shall not shoot at me' When I have climbed down' I to say: Do not shoot at me' Do to you'' discltse two important pieces of information juju' with the

cowries he had

ptu"L"Jtool6 his heels without even looking at his rear. The to waterside and as he was about his ;;;il it. it "'iulu air."i"o ,un course to the the back of his dress and both fell gripped had come down to the river, ir.,,
man

the The man a.opp"i'ftit-gun' When tre nia come down'

O gbami,'Ye ekeenmini e' O tlnmi' 'eii amam! a eye la kgrgmq otu a taara kimi tin eyee temimi' aniibo-asin-ama mlsi Wo 'yee mig sinng *1, *o'o bq noun kan gba o diam!, 'E mu ama ladg aba' mi kimlbo fiimini eyee duo tain tgin pami.

e''

fi.ii

e.AfldgnidddibidguUu,*uanidr;wqibosouwgrianitib!dunmounbosiniyari
e, ye a kgn eYee mig e Priimini e''

they had come to the community of onto the river. Within a twinkling of an eye' was replete with beautifui the juju. The man observed thlt the "ottunity il"iriiigt. They were bot welcomed by the juju the community'with you?' The juju .w'," isie that has come of th. j"j; i;;ir"a,
Some

narratedthewholeepisodeindetail.Themandidnotadduceanycontrary the their fellow juju of his theft. They declared it to staternent. r.n.y "onui.t.d hearingoftheman:.Thathehadcommittedanevil.'Theypresentedsomedrinks the food p^resented' They for entertainment but r,. J*.iin.a it; neither did he accept by means of any of their had planned to imprison him from coming back preve.nt the news ftom travelling presentations if he had honoured any in ordeito tohumanbeings.Themanabortedutltn"i'tricks,andatlast'afterresolvingto givehimrT'oney.o'-,-,..n,u,u.etothecowries;hewaspaidaccordingly'Thelet they had
were allowing him to come'

O mu ma dein' o tin kimibo a kqnibg' eye kpq K|mim! wai wari "'rn"rni' o koro firni' ofqg kpg seriigha' Timi zebqrgg mi' gbologha mi, pa'gUalagbalaabo bqq kpq fimi' IiniUiUu fimi. e a kgn"mu dibi eyo kpg duo bqgha mi taargkaramq mq kgn mu dibidg mi' kimimi deinmi a ygu faargkaramq kimii kpq a ^d *u egbe ni kirl wo owoumi' aginginbo malg mah't J\r*iiuou*i a mumi. amumi' O bari kpq kgrlimin! brami o mq admi *o "y" esin ni o wa! bain aru oyamlni braa di' i mu tarilqmg bra. Taargkaramg'serimi-, o gbami, 'fmini mi timi

ni fi ki pa kpg i fiml ebi igin emi e'' O wqni owqgmi'

O mu ogboo la' kqni o mg

commence his homewarJ lou*'y' As they him as soon as he comes to the planned that a whale shouid be ready to swallow beings. iu.iu." on the ground that he would disclose the news to human the whale gun ready' triggered it while

ut.t g"tti"g his .inside fn" *nii"--tt?.tggli and at- last,-aied' When it had come to the successively. t;ilrted to their town's men' They tugged it to the surface, people t"* i;;; the man; and
The man,
point in time,.they saw shore and butchered it. While tutchering, at a resuiitating means on him, boiled water and they pulled him out and applied herbs untii three days before he regained

a taarykaramg yee kpg sou- dumouunbo sin ak!, mamgkaramqye a mu' kgn! tibi wo ama a mumi sinmi. Dumounbo o -q ign, wal drlwgibo dibi sinng mi' tpa o prlmi' Kimim! Tu baimio k!m!lturu mu wgri 'yebo kgn ye mig ololo a okpo mig pamg wgr! o kgn o tolumgmi,'Emung aba, kimi arigha ba la kpq lagha E mi9n9 k!m! klal! nemigha fa bram!' misiyS u gluin, e ta kpq piUl *1 l'1t"9 emini mu misi okpomi a mi UUfqg'lqri tiri ti gUo- e. n kqnl'bai sidg aba, tu baimi koru e'' Kiri e rnu kirii laamini mi' 'UUls,l [q4 mu kirimi a fi4 wgni timi i "y""'Ug ", 'yee mig wgrlemi oiubo, zinl kiml arigha- enibgtibl e' mu firi wgni timi ba tgnmig bia mig timi eye sou ygddg aba kiri eminl eyee b9 sil! bign e' e e foruumjni

"'

".

-iti

bathed

they inquired fiom him conscientiousn.ss. After he had-gained conscientiousness, juju that were in charge of were about it; and they ,.;;;i-ir ro ,r,"",o detail. These i"'*" rJ times of war. Knowing that rhe human beings have learnt

him with it, uppiying

35

ffi;iiil ;.

38

should command it to produce money in which case no one would ever quickly suspect you of anything' He answered: 'It is noted.' He went home and complied with the instruction given him. He used to command the bottle to go and work, waiting his anival after going to farm one day. He ha very big farms. The entire town regarded him as a hard-working man. He became rich by this means. One day, while commanding the bottle in the room, his wife overheard him. Another day, his wife requested: ,My husband, could you give me the key to that room prohibited to any other
person to keep for you?' .Are you the one has been keeping consequent upon her Persistence.

aniki kimi ba e mig timi sili nana bra kgn eni ororo seigha fa e.' Kimi gbami, '! na wgri emi e.' Kimil mu ama la wgd gba braa mlgmi. O kgni bai si a, tu baimi o mu ololoo tigqs wEri kimibo bg mu kirimla firi wgni 'yQ a mu timi o koru o korutimimi. Kiribo nl o dr;ng yaibo omgbg omgbg. Amaa sg kimii kqrq bra ki kgn o serimi. O mlsi bra rnig timi pgrg fadg. Kgnl bai, o ba okpomi a mu ololoo kgri argmini mi, o ta o nang. Zini bai lami
o ta o bimi,

it for me since all these days while go to the farm? I shall not give you' he said. He repented, one day, and gave it to her
One day, after he had gone to farm, she went to the room and searched for what he was talking with but did not find it. There was nothing she could do but a thought flashed onto her mind and she lifted the bottle, talked the way her husband

did, let it down, locked the house and went to the farm. When she had not completely appeared on the farm, she saw the three persons who had died in the town working in the farm. She quietly returned. Running back home, she gathered the town and narrated completely her discovery. People went to the farm with her; they did not appear on ihe farm an<i they did not see anybody. She took them to the room, commanded the bottle, returned with them to the farrn. As they drew near the farm, on closer examination, the discovered that the men were actually working in the farm assiduously. They appeared onto the farm and took hold ofone person' behold it was ordinary air. It was the same with the second and third persons.
They returned and invited the husband home. In the presence the ofthe entire town, thiy questioned him. He did not deny, he narrated in detail how it all
happened.

'A I yei, eni kimi sqggha okpo igodo-blraa kqn i pri wqrl e koru a.' 'f mi si timi bo mibra lami e kiri o kgrl o kgrltimi ma o? Ye e prigha e'o mg gbami.A misi bra mig mig timi kgnl ba! lami, eree duoni o kqn 6 pdmi' O sidg mi 6 kpg mu okpoo duo sgq wgri o kg4 arq timi eyee dqU kpg arigha. A zfni mi99m' bra fa nl 6 pa kl ololoo serimq di, r{ yei arg brami ar7, 6 o koromg, warii kai wgri kiriml a mumi. A na mu kiriml a vuaan pagha mi, amaml a fi taara klmlbo kirimi a timi firl wgnl bra 6 mq arimi. A fi{di walmi. A Uain wal mu ama lami, d amaa hnimq wgri mi braa gbami. Kimiotu d mgmg sUq mumi, aminikimibo arigha ania a mu kirimi a pa korogha. A a kgn mu okpoo duo sgg, ololoo kp4 arg, wai a mgmg kiriiml a mumi. A mu kirii mg nainng mi, a di a, ml klmlbo k9k9 kirimi a ekonu serimggha serimogha timi flri wgnimini. A mu kirimi a pa wgri kgni kimi kqrl a, afqrl ki kgrimi. A mu mamrlkaramg kimi
mg taanlkaramg klmikgrikpg, tarikgmg bra. A wai ama a mu wgd yeii tln boml. Amaa sg @ni emi mi ma bimi. O kpg pigha, sgnisgni mlni wgni-tu gbaml. Diri-fi ki a mq fii duoni kimi zini bra kgn o miggha, ania a eyee ki vqr99 seimgmi. Klmil pri mini erema duo, mini yerin kqn bplgg yeirnmg timi wo fi bai lami.

Being a victim of a magical spell, they did not do anything to the man, but only destrJyed the spell. The man divorced his wife, and lived until the day of his
death.

Furu Timi A Pri Keri Oru

Kgniefie kgnl owei ama a timimi. Misi ama pgq bglgqmi-beni buloumi oruama otu ama kpg koro emt.

A Juju Caught Stealing

Once there was a man in a certain town. Right directly in front of that town, in the river there was a community ofjuju. There was a time they crowned one of them a king. They resolved they use only cowries to make dress for him; but there was no cowrie in the river. 'Where shall we get cowries?' one of them asked' One other volunteered. 'How you get us cowries?' they inquired'

Orubo yerin timi kgni efie la a i bo benimi a pgrq tqaam' ni a kqni oru sglgmi. gba biberin ni okubo-tgry okubo-tgry a mq kgn kggntgaye mig o tgaamini e. Ania benimi okubo-tgry fa. TiyS ki w6 ma okubo-tgry nanaaminlyan?'Kgni bq mq bimi. Kgnibg ange pameml. A o bimi, 'E ti bra ki mip okubo-tgry kqn boomini

yan'?'

'

36

37