A man in the forest encounters a little man offering two bundles: a large one with material goods and a small one containing eternal life. While seeking advice from his village, women arrive and choose the large bundle, enchanted by its trinkets. The little man vanishes with the smaller bundle, leaving death as humanity’s fate. Regret persists, as the choice sealed mortality forever.
Source
Among Congo Cannibals
by John H. Weeks
Seeley, Service & Co.,London, 1913
► Themes of the story
Forbidden Knowledge: The small bundle containing eternal life represents hidden truths that, if chosen, could have altered human destiny.
Eternal Life and Mortality: The choice between the two bundles directly impacts the fate of humanity, emphasizing the themes of immortality and the brevity of life.
Echoes of the Past: The tale reflects on ancestral decisions that have lasting impacts on present and future generations.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about Bantu peoples
The following story also gives the reason for the continuance of death in the world. It was told me by a friend who lived for many years among the Balolo tribe at Bolengi (Equatorville district), about fifty or sixty miles below Monsembe.
While a man was working one day in the forest a little man with two bundles—one large and one small—went to him and asked: “Which of these two bundles will you have? This one” (taking up the large bundle) “contains looking-glasses, knives, beads, cloth, etc.; or this one” (taking up the little one) “contains lasting life.”
“I cannot choose by myself,” answered the man; “I must go and ask the other people in the town.”
While he was gone to ask the other people some women arrived, and the choice was put to them. The women tried the edges of the knives, bedecked themselves in the cloth, admired themselves in the looking-glasses, and without more ado they selected the big bundle and took it away.
► Continue reading…
The little man, picking up the small bundle, vanished.
On the return of the man from the town both the little man and his bundles had disappeared. The women exhibited and shared the things, but death continued on the earth. Hence the people say: “Oh, if those women had only chosen the small bundle, we folk would not be dying like this!”
Running and expanding this site requires resources: from maintaining our digital platform to sourcing and curating new content. With your help, we can grow our collection, improve accessibility, and bring these incredible narratives to an even wider audience. Your sponsorship enables us to keep the world’s stories alive and thriving. ♦ Visit our Support page
Dreamtime Whispers 