Folktales
Introduction
Names and Naming Rules
In the Buli language, the letter ‘A’ prefixed to a word personifies whatever the word refers to. The names of people always begin with an ‘A’. Thus, all names beginning with ‘A’, whether they be names of animals, plants, places, concepts, or anything else, are given human qualities even if they do not play human roles in the tale. Asuom is, therefore, the personification of suom (hare), Apiuk is the personification of piuk (hyena) and Awalik is the personification of walik (antelope) etc.Asuom
the Herbalist
Once upon a time, during a most difficult year,
Asuom decided to employ himself in a new enterprise in order to make ends meet.
He and his wife, Aseeka, decided to become healers. Having established a good
hut for the practice, they announced such interesting terms as to tempt even
the most casual inquirer. The cost of treatment was to be a goat. However, if a
patient failed to get treated, she/he would receive a cow in return for the
endeavour.
As expected, this sparked a great deal of interest and discussion. People from
far and near debated on the claims of Asuom and wondered how to put him to the
test. As usual, Apiuk was first to try the new herbalist. Thinking it a
great opportunity to upgrade his goat to a cow, he went to consult Asuom with
the strange complaint that he had lost his sense of taste. After taking
the goat from Apiuk, Asuom recited some incantations and called to his wife;
"Aseeka, please bring the medicine pot in the far left corner of the
room”. When the pot was brought to Asuom, he poured out a generous portion into
a small dirty calabash for Apiuk who tasted it and quickly spat it out saying
that it was extremely bitter and sour!
Asuom: "Congratulations, your sense of taste
is restored"
Apiuk: “What! Is that the treatment? But I haven’t
taken the medicine!
Asuom: “But you have, my good friend. The
medicine works very fast and hence after tasting it, you were able to feel the
taste”. “This is not fair,” said Apiuk as he stormed out of the hut. He
went back home very annoyed and thought about it for many days. After
some time, he feigned another illness and returned to Asuom, the herbalist,
bringing yet another goat. “I have lost my memory, I cannot recollect
anything,” Apiuk said. Asuom recited some incantations and again called to
his wife; “Aseeka, please bring the pot of medicine in the far left corner of
the room and pour some for Apiuk, my friend.”
“What! Not that extremely bitter and sour
concoction you gave me last time I complained of a lack of taste! How can the
same medicine treat a lack of memory?” “Ah, congratulations my dear
friend. Your memory is back!” replied Asuom stretching out a hand to shake
Apiuk. Apiuk ignored it and got up to leave, taking his goat but Asuom
confronted him and collected the goat saying the price of the treatment must be
paid. Apiuk objected strongly saying that he had not taken any medicine. Asuom
replied that he was cured by the incantations and the powers of the spirits
that hovered in the hut. Apiuk stormed out and went back home in speechless
rage.
Again, Apiuk thought about it for some time and
went back, tempted by the prospect of getting a cow and the desire to expose
Asuom.
"My eyesight is gone, I have become completely blind!" said Apiuk on
his third visit, bringing yet another goat. "Well, I don't have
the medicine for eyesight ready yet so you can take this cow” replied Asuom,
taking Apiuk’s goat and handing him a different goat. "But this is a
goat, not a cow!” objected Apiuk. “How do you know my friend?” asked
Asuom. “I can see and I am not stupid, I know the difference between a
goat and a cow” replied Apiuk in anger. “Well, congratulations again my
dear friend, your eyesight is restored!” responded Asuom. Once again Apiuk
realized that he had been outwitted and has lost his goat.
Apiuk went back home miserable and angry. After
several weeks however, he went back more determined than ever to get his
revenge. This time, he bent his index finger and complained that he could not
straighten it again.
Asuom recited several incantations, burnt all manner of incense and fragrance
some of which was quite pungent and choking. He gave Apiuk different
concoctions to drink which he did but the finger remained bent. Asuom indeed
tried different remedies but Apiuk’s finger could not be straightened. He
pulled it straight but when he left it, it bent back again. Apiuk was
inwardly excited at the apparent failure of Asuom to treat him and began to demand
the promised cow in return.
At last Asuom appeared to give up. Wiping the
perspiration from his forehead, he sympathized with Apiuk saying; “My good
friend, this your malady is really a most untreatable one. I’m afraid that
either we have to cut it off or you’ll have to live with a bent index finger
for the rest of your life. I must warn you that if we don’t cut it off, the
bending might spread to your hand in time.” Apiuk was indeed flattered by
the apparent failure of Asuom and began to object to the idea of cutting off
his finger.
He replied: “Oh no, no, my friend Asuom, there’s no need to cut off my finger
just yet, let me try elsewhere in the meantime.”
“But do tell me," probed Asuom, "how did
it happen?” “As a matter of fact, it was straight like this” replied Apiuk
straightening his finger in demonstration. “Hold it there! Congratulations, your
finger is restored!” interjected Asuom. “But it is not” replied Apiuk who had
again bent his index finger.“Indeed, it was!” Argued Asuom. “You have just bent
it now before my eyes. The first bending was restored whilst you were talking
and this is a second occurrence. You have to bring another goat for treatment
again”.
Apiuk could not believe his ears. “Are you mad?” he
roared at Asuom. “I haven’t even left your hut yet, how can you say this is a
second occurrence of the malady? You have to pay me back a cow!” Asuom objected
in a calm voice, once again explaining that both of them have seen the finger
straighten out before it bent back again. As such, the treatment must have been
successful but it did not guarantee that the disease would not recur. To treat
the recurrence would, therefore, require new herbs, incense and concoctions
hence another payment was required.
After much argument, Apiuk left in frustration and
reported the matter to the chief of their village. A day was set and both Asuom
and Apiuk appeared before the chief for the matter to be resolved. Apiuk still
had his finger bent all this time and his muscles were now almost numb from
tiredness. Both of them narrated their part of the story. The chief and his
elders were astonished at what happened and were quite at a loss as to how to
judge the matter. However, since all of them knew that Asuom was not known as a
herbalist in the village, they were inclined to believe Apiuk and pronounced
Asuom to be a fraud since evidently, Apiuk’s finger was still bent.
At this point, Asuom objected and told the chief and his elders that perhaps
they did not understand the case because Apiuk had not demonstrated to them how
his finger got bent. The chief and his elders agreed and asked Apiuk to explain
and demonstrate again what he did in the hut of Asuom for everyone to
see.
Apiuk began again to explain that his finger had
been straight like this (Unbending his finger in the process). “Exactly!”
Interjected Asuom. “Keep it straight so. I have cured you but you’re bending it
yourself and that is what I’m talking about.” Apiuk bent his finger again
but too late, the king and his elders had seen him straighten his finger and
they all realized that it was Apiuk who was being dishonest. The case was
therefore settled in favour of Asuom whilst Apiuk had to find another goat to
pay for wasting the time of the chief and his elders. That is why it is said
that Asuom is wiser than all other people.
How Asuom Saved Aposuk (Sheep) from A Hungry Lion
Long
long ago, in the Animal Kingdom, Aposuk was wandering in the forest when
he saw Lion crying inside a cage trap. Lion begged Aposuk to save him with a
promise not to eat her afterwards. After much crying and persuasion, Aposuk
the sheep opened the cage for the lion.
Now the lion was very hungry having been trapped in the
cage for days without food. So he quickly grabbed Aposuk the sheep to kill and
eat, but Aposuk reminded him of his promise. So an argument ensued.
They were still arguing when other animals came passing by
and sought to know the cause of the quarrel. Both the lion and Aposuk the
sheep narrated their sides of the story. However, out of fear and in order to
gain the favour of Lion, all the animals took sides with him.
Just then, Asuom happened to be passing by and also came
over to enquire. After being told the story, he thought it over for a minute
and declared that he could not understand and would not believe that Aposuk the
sheep could actually safe the mighty Lion as had been narrated. But both lion
and Aposuk insisted that it was indeed so.
So Asuom asked the lion to show them all where he was
before the Aposuk rescued him, and Lion pointed to the cage. Asuom asked,
"Were you inside or outside when Aposuk the sheep arrived"? The lion
said he was inside. Then Asuom said, "Ok, enter and let us see how
difficult it was to unlock it". The lion re-entered the cage
and the Asuom locked him back inside.
In amazement, the other animals asked Asuom why and he
replied "if we allow him to eat Aposuk the sheep today, he will still be
hungry tomorrow and who knows which of us will be next?
With sighs of relief, all the animals thanked Asuom for his
wisdom.
Moral lesson:
Don't support evil out of fear or because it doesn't affect
you today, tomorrow it could be your turn.
.........................
The caterpillar and
the stubborn children
Long,
long ago, there was a man who had several children. One woman had only one
child but she was the favourite wife of the man. The other wives resented this
but could not do anything about it. Unfortunately, the woman fell ill and died,
leaving her child an orphan. The orphan was well-loved by his father and this
made the other children to hate him so much. They never ceased to remind him
that he had no mother. Their mothers hated him even more. He did all the
difficult work and got the least food. The man always advised them that they
should not mistreat the boy because one day he could be the saviour of them all
but they never paid attention to him.
One
day, in the absence of their husband, one of the women wanted to prepare tubani and
asked the children to go and fetch her leaves used for wrapping the tubani paste.
The children set off into the bush and found the leaves but as they were about
to pluck them, they saw a giant caterpillar on one of the leaves. Being spoilt
and mischievous children, one of them broke a piece of twig and proceeded to
stab the eye of the caterpillar. In anger the caterpillar swallowed them all,
only the youngest escaped to run home and report. One of the mothers went out
to see what really happened. When she arrived at the tree, she saw the giant
caterpillar and she started to sing:
N’dua
ananzura, da lem, n’dua ananzura da lem dayii da lem
M’bisa
jam dela? da lem, m’bisa jam dela? da lem dayii da lem
Ba
yai ba vaata, da lem ba yai ba vaata da lem dayii da lem
Ba
meena n’jam ya, da lem, ba meena n’jam ya, da lem dayii da lem
M’maa
beg fi nya, da lem, m’maa beg nya, da lem dayii da lem
(My
friend caterpillar, da lem, my friend caterpillar, da lem dayii da lem
My
children have been here, da lem, my children have been here, da lem dayii da
lem
To
find some leaves, da lem, to find some leaves, da lem dayii da lem
Some
have not returned, da lem, some have not returned, da lem dayii da lem
I’m
here to find out, da lem, I’m here to find out, da lem dayii da lem)
The caterpillar replied:
Ba sum jam dela; da lem, ba sum jam dela; da lem, dayii da lem
Aya
jam nya mi; da lem, aya jam nya mi; da lem, dayii da lem
B’a
we ba mu’m mu, da lem b’a we ba mu’m mu; da lem, dayii da lem
Ba
chub mi num mu; da lem, ba chub mi num mu; da lem, dayii da lem
Mi
yaa zag ne; da lem, mi yaa zag ne; da lem, dayii da lem
Fi
dan zaing nye; da lem, fi dan zaing nye; da lem, dayii da lem
N’gum
fidek du; da lem, n’gum fidek du; da lem, dayii da lem
(Indeed
they came here, da lem, they came here, da lem dayii da lem
And
met me here; da lem, they met me here, da lem, dayii da lem
They
broke a twig; da lem, broke a twig; da lem, dayii da lem
And
stabbed my eye; da lem, they stabbed my eye; da lem, dayii da lem
So I
swallowed them; da lem, so I swallowed them; da lem, dayii da lem
If
you misbehave; da lem, if you misbehave; da lem, dayii da lem
I’ll
swallow you too; da lem, I’ll swallow you too; da lem, dayii da lem)
The woman took a big stick and was about to smash the caterpillar but the caterpillar was faster than her and swallowed her too. The news soon reached the second wife who rushed there. When she saw the caterpillar, she also began:
N’dua ananzura; da lem, n’dua ananzura; da lem, dayii da lem
M’bisa
jam dela; da lem, m’bisa jam dela; da lem, dayii da lem
Ba
yai ba vaata; da lem, ba yai ba vaata; da lem, dayii da lem
Ba
meena n’jam ya; da lem, ba meena n’jam ya; da lem, dayii da lem
M’maa
beg fi nya; da lem, m’maa beg nya; da lem, dayii da lem
The caterpillar
replied:
Ba
sum jam dela; da lem, ba sum jam dela; da lem dayii da lem
Aya
jam nya mi; da lem, aya jam nya mi; da lem dayii da lem
B’a
we ba mu’m mu, da lem b’a we ba mu’m mu; da lem dayii da lem
Ba
chub mi num mu; da lem, ba chub mi num mu; da lem dayii da lem
Mi
yaa zag ne; da lem, mi yaa zag ne; da lem dayii da lem
Fi
dan zaing nye; da lem, fi dan zaing nye; da lem dayii da lem
N’gum
fidek du; da lem, n’gum fidek du; da lem dayii da lem
She also tried to hit the caterpillar with a stick but the caterpillar swallowed her too. Finally, the orphaned child went there and started to sing:
N’dua ananzura; da lem, n’dua ananzura; da lem, dayii da lem
M’yoba
jam dela; da lem, m’yoba jam dela; da lem, dayii da lem
Ba
yai ba vaata, da lem, ba yai ba vaata; da lem, dayii da lem
Ba
meena n’jam ya, da lem, ba meena n’jam ya; da lem, dayii da lem
M’maa
beg fi nya; da lem, m’maa begi nya; da lem, dayii da lem
The caterpillar replied:
Ba sum jam dela; da lem, ba sum jam dela; da lem dayii da lem
Aya
jam nya mi; da lem, aya jam nya mi; da lem dayii da lem
B’a
we ba mu’m mu, da lem b’a we ba mu’m mu; da lem dayii da lem
Ba
chub mi num mu; da lem, ba chub mi num mu; da lem dayii da lem
Mi yaa
zag ne; da lem, mi yaa zag ne; da lem dayii da lem
Fi
dan zaing nye; da lem, fi dan zaing nye; da lem dayii da lem
N’gum
fidek du; da lem, n’gum fidek du; da lem dayii da lem
He pleaded with the caterpillar but the caterpillar refused to vomit his siblings so he hit it with a stick and it swallowed him too. However, he had come prepared with a sharp knife in his pocket. When the caterpillar swallowed him, he cut open the caterpillar from inside and they all escaped. That was the end of his maltreatment at the hands of his stepmothers. That is why our fathers say that you should not maltreat any child for one does not know whose child would bury him/her. The despised orphan was the saviour of the two women and their children who maltreated him.
Comments
Post a Comment