Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 22, 1911.djvu/60

44 be born to them. This happened, and when the child, a girl, grew up, Bomazi married her. She bore him five children, each one of whom became the ruler of a people. Two of these children, Moelo and Woto, were twins. The son of the former committed adultery with the three wives of the latter, and, as his father refused to banish him, the incensed Woto left the country for ever. He had not left the village for more than a few days when his brother had cause to regret his departure, for there was no sun, and Moelo could not see, when he took a wife, if she were pretty or not; nor, if he plucked a fruit, if it were ripe or unripe; nor, if a man approached him, if he were friend or foe. So he called three of his men, and bade them go forth and find Woto and request him to give some remedy for the darkness. "In order that your mission may be successful," he said, "it is imperative that you should not quarrel on the way nor pause on your journey to fish." But one of the messengers did stop to fish, and quarrelled with the two others, and all three returned unsuccessfully. So Moelo punished and retained the quarrelsome man, and sent his dog in his stead with the others. With the animal's help they found Woto, who gave them three birds,—the Natal cuckoo, the cock, and the weaver bird,—and bade them let these loose in their village and then go to sleep. "When you hear the cuckoo, do not move; when you hear the cock call, do not move; but, when you hear the weaver bird, leave your huts and see." They returned and followed his advice, and, when the third bird sang zwa zwa zwa, they all came out, and there shone the sun in all its glory.

At this time disease and death were unknown, but a man with a deformed tongue invented them. To escape him, the whole tribe emigrated: but the mischievous man followed them, and since this men have been subject to illness and death.

The Bangongo have a story, somewhat similar to the Bambala tale, of a lake of palm wine, relating how people