Page:Where Animals Talk (West African folk lore tales).djvu/89



I have never seen the place; but, intelligent natives, (though they did not believe in the legend itself) told me there was the likeness to a human foot-print in a rock on the beach of the north shore of Corisco Bay. Doubtless a fossil.

Uhâdwe, Bokume, and Njâku were human beings, all three born of one mother. (Afterwards Bokume was called "Njâpĕ.")

As time went on, Uhâdwe called his brethren, Bokume and Njâku, and said, "My brothers! Let us separate; myself, I am going to the Great Sea; you, Bokume go to the Forest; you, Njâku, also go to the Forest."

Bokume went to the forest and grew up there, and became the valuable mahogany tree (Okume).

Njâku departed; but he went in anger, saying, "I will not remain in the forest, I am going to build with the towns-people." He came striding back to the town. As he emerged there from the forest, his feet swelled and swelled, and became elephant feet. His ear extended 'way down. His teeth spreading, this one grew to a tusk, and that one grew to a tusk. The towns-people began to hoot at him. And he turned back to the forest. But, as he went, he said to them, "In my going now to the Forest, I and whatever plants you shall plant in the forest shall journey together," (i. e., that their plantations should be destroyed by him). So Njâku went; and their food went.

When Uhâdwe had gone thence and emerged at the Sea, from the place where he emerged there grew the stem of "bush-rope" (the Calamus palm); and the staff he held became a mangrove forest. The footprints where he and his dog trod are there on the beach of Corisco Bay until this day. He created a sand-bank from where he stood, extending through the ocean, by which he crossed over to the Land of the Great Sea. When he reached that Land, he prepared a ship. He put into it every production by which white