Page:Where Animals Talk (West African folk lore tales).djvu/229

 by. He said to himself. "Now! those who sing, where are they?"

The Gourd spoke to him, saying, "Call for the canoe!" He replied, "How shall I call for a canoe, while I see no people?" Gourd repeated to him, "Call!" Then he shouted out, "You, bring me the canoe!" Voices asked, "Who art thou?" He answered, "I! Njâ!" Some of the voices said, "Come! let us ferry him across." Others said, "No!" But the rest answered, "Come on!" Then they entered their canoe, laid hold of their paddles, and came singing,

And they came to the landing. He saw nothing but what seemed a log, and exclaimed, "How shall I embark in a log, while there is neither paddle, nor a person for a crew?" But Gourd directed him, "Embark!" So, he went in the log. They paddled, and brought him to the other side. He jumped ashore, and stood for a moment. Then he moved on with the journey, walking on to a certain town (that town of the Spirits). He saw nobody, but entered into the public Reception-House, and sat down.

Gourd spoke to him, saying, "Come, and escort me to the back-yard." He curtly answered, "Yes." He carried It, and stood It at the foot of a plantain stalk. Then he went back to the Reception-House and sat down.

A Bundle of Medicines came to salute him, and was about to sit on his lap. He jumped up saying, "What is this?" He sat down again. Another Bundle fell on his lap. He exclaimed, "Hump! what is that?" The Bundle being displeased, replied, "You will not come to the end." (i. e. you will not have a successful journey.)

The Gourd called him; and he went to the back-yard. The Gourd said to him, "Stand up!" And he stood up. Then the Gourd took a leaf, folded it as a funnel, and dropped a Medicine into his eyes; and he began to see everything clearly. He said, "This is the only thing which I can see that this Hova has done for me." He passed by, and entered the Reception-House again, and sat down. A person came saluting him, "Mbolo!" He responded, "Ai!" Another came, "Mbolo!" He replied, "Ai!"

They cooked food, and got it ready to bring to him.