Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 24, 1913.djvu/505

 Pokomo Folklore. 467

have heard from the natives themselves. Some of these notes were made at Kulesa, and some at Ngao.

Various fabulous beings appear to be firmly believed in. The following account was given in all seriousness by a very intelligent Christian at Kulesa, who pointed out the spot where the incident occurred. His father, when a young man, was walking by night from Chunoni to Kulesa, — about three miles by land, cutting across a bend of the river, — when, just after passing the old bed of the Tana, he saw before him, as he thought, a huge leafless tree, quite white, high up on which were two bright lights, — " like these," he said, pointing to the brilliant yellow flowers of a small hibiscus, which I had just gathered and was carrying in my hand. When Jonathan's father approached the tree, he found that it was no tree, but a huge snake, the lights being, 7iot its eyes, but, curiously enough, its ears. It lifted up its voice and made such a noise that the percipient was deaf for two weeks after. He was terrified and fled, but " the snake remained where it was." It appears to be called ngoloko, so, though no one else saw it on that occasion, it must have been previously known, at any rate by hearsay.

On the same occasion, Jonathan pointed out a small bird on the wing, which, he said, was much dreaded by mothers of children, present or prospective. He called it Dipiingii. I could not see it distinctly, but it seemed to be about the size of a thrush. If a pregnant woman sees this bird, it is supposed that her child, when born, will be seized and devoured by some animal, unless she works the counter- charm by plucking a piece of green grass, — any kind of grass will do, — tying a knot in it, and sticking it into her hair. My informant picked and knotted a blade in illustration. "'Mani mawitsi in kintii cJui kiivolhya" (Green grass is a sacred thing), he added, " and will prevent the creature from doing any harm." This belief, it is well known, is held by the Masai and also by the Galla. I am