Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 21, 1910.djvu/240

 204 Collectanea.

what has happened to you (that) you look so ill ? " ^ The Spider said, — " I fought yesterday with the Spider, — see, he scratched me, he bit me, and that is why I look so ill." The Elephant did not know that it was the Spider (who) was speaking, she thought it was the Oribi. So she was frightened and did not look for the Spider any more (///. did not increase looking).^

2. The Spider, the Hyana, and the Corn. (S. D.) The beasts of the forest had all assembled. They made their fences, and they collected their guinea-corn in their storerooms. They said, — " Let us go and travel. When the wet season has commenced let us return to our store." ^ After they had gone, the Spider came and used to take out the corn. Each morning he took (some), until he ate up the corn in all the stores. Then he sought a calabash, and (began) collecting the Hyaena's dung, and filled the store with it. About that time the animals said, — " Let us return home." All returned. The Spider was nowhere to be seen (they did not see). He was their Chief They kept calling,— "O Spider, O Spider," (but) they did not see him. As for him, he was close, but he answered softly "Yes," like as if he were far away. Then some time after he answered loudly " Yes." Then he came. They said, — "We have been here (come) since the morning. We are hungry (hunger has seized us). You must give us out our corn that we may eat." Then he caught hold of the (wall of the?) store-room, and climbed up. When he had climbed up and looked he said, — " Great Scot ! " (No God). They said, —"What is it?" He said,— "No" (I cannot say it). He descended. Then he said, — " Hyaena, you climb up, and give out the guinea-corn." The Hyaena caught hold and ascended. When she had opened (the roof)''' she saw dung inside like hers. She said, — " (As) God (is my witness) it was not L"


 * Lalache, i.e. wasted, ruined.

® Cf. Cronise and Ward, Cunnie Rabbit, Mr. Spider and the other Beef, pp. 117-22 ("Spider, Elephan' en Pawpawtamus") ; y(3?«'«a/ ^ /"/^e African Society, 1904, p. 307 ("Animal-stories from Calabar : The Tortoise, Elephant and Hippopotamus ").

^ The stores are usually depleted about this (sowing) time.

^ The stores are small houses with grass roofs, or they may be sm,aller and built inside the dwellinghouses.