Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 24, 1913.djvu/508

 470 Pokonio Folklore.

ngpjavia lived in the bush at Mifuneni (on the north-east bank of the Tana) ; and the man and his wife, once upon a time, went to the bush, and they separated, taking different paths, and the wife called out " Bombe, iiubaa ? Bombe, iyubaaV (Bombe, which way are you coming out (of the bushes) ?, — inibaa being a Galla word). The ngojaina repeated her words, saying " Bombe, iinbaa ? " "

Here Yonatan broke off", adding, somewhat inconse- sequently, " His weapon is [a steel spike] in [the palm of] his right hand, and people fear him." Isaya continues the story as follows : —

"Then the man in his turn called his wife, saying " Nanguri ! Nanguri ! " [He was not quite sure of the name, but thought this was it.] " The woman was silent when she heard the shout, thinking it was not her husband's voice, and she called him again, — " Bombe ! Bombe 1 who is it that is calling .'* " Then the man came to his wife, and they came out on to the open plain. Suddenly the ngojama too came out, and called " Bombe, where are you coming out } " Bombe answered " God will bring me out." The ngojavia asked " Is your God the black cloud .'' " [The words are partly Galla.] He answered "Yes." Then Bombe and his wife ran away, and the ngojama pursued them as far as the Tana."

Another story told by Isaya is as follows : — " Long ago Bombe arose and took his saka [a gourd supported by a string netting], and went to climb a [tree containing a] bee- hive. While he was climbing, the ngojama came, and stood at the foot of the tree calling " Bombe ! Bombe ! ", and Bombe answered, " IVozl" [the usual hail of the Galla]. " Is it you .'' " " It is 1 1 " " Can you escape ? " "I can." " Where can you get out .'' " " God will take me out." " Where is this God of yours ? Show him to me that I may see him who is going to deliver you to-day." Bombe answered " He lives up there .' " " Is this God of yours that black cloud ? " " Yes ! " "