The Story of the Chac

A man encounters a mischievous Mahanamatz who tricks him into climbing a tree, leaving him stranded. Various animals refuse to help until a coati assists, but the man breaks their trust. Chac, the rain god, rescues the man repeatedly despite his disobedience, giving him self-replenishing honey and wax. When the man’s wife secretly follows him to Chac’s realm, they both vanish into a mysterious wind due to their transgression.

Source
Ethnology of the Mayas of
Southern and Central British Honduras
by John Eric Thompson
Field Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Series, Pub.274, Vol.17.2
Chicago, 1930

► Themes of the story

Trickster: The Mahanamatz deceives the man, leading him into a perilous situation.

Divine Intervention: Chac, the rain god, repeatedly rescues the man, providing him with self-replenishing honey and wax.

Forbidden Knowledge: The man’s wife secretly follows him to the divine realm, leading to unforeseen consequences.

► From the same Region or People

Central America
- Maya Lore

Learn more about Maya people

A man once went out to get some wax from a hive to make candles for a ceremony he was going to celebrate. He found a tree with a hive in it and climbed up, after first placing a leaf on the ground at the base of the tree to receive the honey and wax when it dropped down. As he was getting the honey, a Mahanamatz [a gorilla-like mythical animal] came along and asked the man to give him some honey. The man thought the Mahanamatz was a human, and told him to take the honey if he liked, but to leave all the wax as he wanted it for a ceremony. When he climbed down from the tree, he found that the Mahanamatz had eaten all the honey and the wax, too, which he had thrown down.

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The man was very annoyed and asked the Mahanamatz why he had eaten the wax as well. However, the Mahanamatz offered to show him another tree where plenty more wax could be obtained. They walked off through the forest, and on the way the man noticed that his companion’s big toe was turned backward, and by that he knew that he was a Mahanamatz, and was very frightened. They came to a large ceiba (yastse). The Mahanamatz told the man to climb up into the tree, which he did, but as soon as he began to cut the tree to get at the hive, the tree began to grow taller and taller. The man was unable to climb down. Then the Mahanamatz laughed, saying that in three days he would return to eat him. And then he went away. Later a small deer (yuk), passed by.

“Small deer, help me,” cried the man. “Help me to climb out of this tall tree.”

“Why should I help you,” replied the deer, “since you killed all my uncles and family?” And he went away.

A little later a peccary passed by. The man asked his help, but was again refused on the same grounds. Next a wild boar was asked for his aid and also refused. At last just before the Mahanamatz was going to return to eat him, a coati or pisote (chiic, tsiik) came along. The coati agreed to help him to get down from the tree, provided the man would give him as payment two milpas of new corn. The man agreed and the coati went away to fetch his comrades, returning later with a large number of them. By catching hold of each other’s tails with their front paws, they made a living chain which reached from the man down to the ground. Then they told the man to climb down over them, but to take care not to put his weight on any of the pregnant females. When the man had nearly reached the ground, he put his weight on a female and she fell to the ground, breaking the living rope.

The chief coati was very vexed and told the others to put the man back once more at the top of the tree. But the man heard it and jumped to the ground. The man led the coatis to the milpa of Chac, the rain god. As he was going along, the Mahanamatz came running after him in pursuit, and the coatis, giving him one of their incisor teeth, hid him in the hollow trunk of a tree. There the Mahanamatz found him and put out his tongue to get him, but the man plunged the incisor tooth into the tongue, nailing it to the tree trunk, and fled on. He ran on till he came to three fences which he jumped over and arrived at the house of Chac. The Chac was playing on his musical bow (tinkan, or pastse). A few moments later the Mahanamatz, who had wrenched his tongue free, arrived at Chac’s house in pursuit.

“Give me this man as food, or I will eat you,” he roared at Chac.

However, Chac called the jaguar and puma, and they caught the Mahanamatz and tore him to pieces.

Chac told the man that he could stay there as his servant. One day Chac sent him to pull up chicam (tsikam, jicama), telling him in no case to look underneath the root. The man went out and started to pull up the jicamas. After a time he felt curious to know what there could be underneath the root that Chac forbid him to look. Accordingly he looked underneath the next root he pulled up, and there below he saw the world and right underneath him his brother and his wife. They appeared so near that the man decided to make a rope and let himself down to earth. Accordingly he made himself a long rope and tying one end round the trunk of a tree and the other round his waist began to let himself down. But the rope, although it was long, did not reach to within miles of the earth, and the man found himself there unable to climb up again. The wind swayed him about at the end of the rope, and he was very frightened. Later Chac, noticing that he had not returned, went out to look for him. Finding him hanging there on the end of the rope ‘twixt heaven and earth, he hauled him up and gave him a severe scolding.

Another day Chac sent the man to fetch some pawpaws (put), telling him on no account to cut down any except those that were small. The man went away and, seeing a small pawpaw tree, decided that the fruit was not large enough. Consequently he cut down the largest pawpaw he could see. The tree fell on him, growing as it fell, and he was unable to get out from under it. There some hours later Chac found him and again scolded him. Chac told the man that if he wanted any tortillas to ask the metate for them, but under no circumstances to ask for more than one. One day the man was hungry and went to the metate and asked for a number of tortillas. Enormous tortillas rained down upon him and buried him under their mass. Chac extracted him after again scolding him. One day Chac told him to clean the house, the table and the qaantse (wooden benches), as he was going to make a feast and was expecting guests. The man thoroughly cleaned the house, but returning later found many frogs (muts) seated on the benches. Annoyed that they had come in to dirty the place after he had cleaned it, he began to drive them out with his broom. Later Chac inquired if the guests and the musicians had arrived, as it was past the time for the feast.

The man answered, “No, no guests have arrived yet. The only thing was that a big crowd of frogs came into the house just after I got it all clean and tidy.”

“Well,” said Chac, “those were my musicians and guests.”

The man thought that he would like to play at being Chac, so he watched how Chac dressed himself when he went out to do his work. One night when Chac was asleep, he took his clothes, his windbag and water-calabash (tsu), his axe and his drum. Then he went out and let loose the winds. The winds went screeching off, and the man, who had not the strength of Chac, could not shut them up again. A terrific storm rushed down upon the world. Then he took the calabash to make rain. Now, by pouring out four fingers of water, Chac used to cause a heavy rain. The man upset the whole calabash, and torrents of rain poured down on the earth. He began to beat on the drum, which causes the thunder, but when he tried to stop it, he couldn’t. In his effort to stop the thunder the rain and the winds, the man fell into the sea. When Chac woke up, there were no signs of his clothes and his instruments, and the man had disappeared too. He went to one of the other Chacs, for they are very numerous, and borrowed his clothes and his windbag and went out to stop the rain, and put the winds back in their bag and stop the beating of the drum. When he had controlled the storm, he went out in search of the man. At last he found him broken into many pieces; for the black wind, which is the biggest of all the winds, had utterly smashed him. Nine times Chac made passes over the body and revived him. When they got back to Chac’s home, he told the man that he could not stay there any longer, as he was always getting into trouble. He gave him a calabash full of honey and a bag of black wax, which would always replenish themselves. Then he took him back to earth.

“If you want to come and see me again here is the trail, but you must not bring anyone with you,” Chac told him on parting.

The man promised, and then returned home to his wife. His wife was very anxious to know where he had been, but he told her that he had been to visit his grandfather. She also became curious about the never-ending supply of honey and wax. One day the man decided to visit Chac, but he told his wife that he was going to visit his grandfather. She asked him to take her with him, but he refused. Accordingly, when he went off, his wife, who suspected him, followed him secretly. When the man arrived at Chac’s house, the god said to him, “Why do you bring somebody with you?” But the man said that he had come alone. “But I know you are not alone,” Chac replied, and at that moment the man’s wife, who had been following him, arrived. Chac, who was very vexed, started to question her. “What have you there?” he asked, pointing at her hair. “Hair,” the woman replied. Chac asked her the names of all the parts of her body from her head to her waist. Each time the woman answered correctly. Then Chac asked her what she called her genital organs. As the woman was about to reply, there came a great wind, which swept the woman and her husband off into space.

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The Man Who Ate the Snake

A skilled hunter once ate snake meat despite his friends’ warnings. Consumed by unquenchable thirst, he sought water at a river where the Mam, a supernatural force, captured him. His friends and wife pleaded for his release, burning copal, but the Mam refused. Bound to a mountain ever since, his fate serves as a warning against defying sacred taboos.

Source
Ethnology of the Mayas of
Southern and Central British Honduras
by John Eric Thompson
Field Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Series, Pub.274, Vol.17.2
Chicago, 1930

► Themes of the story

Divine Punishment: The hunter’s transgression of eating forbidden snake meat results in his capture and eternal imprisonment by the Mam, exemplifying retribution from higher powers for breaking taboos.

Forbidden Knowledge: The hunter’s curiosity and desire to experience the taste of snake meat, despite warnings, lead him to forbidden actions with dire consequences.

Moral Lessons: The narrative imparts a cautionary tale about respecting cultural taboos and the consequences of defying sacred prohibitions.

► From the same Region or People

Central America
- Maya Lore

Learn more about Maya people

Once there was a man who was a very good shot and, whenever he went into the forest, he always shot something. One day he went out with three friends to hunt, and seeing a large snake, he shot it. He said to his friends, “I have eaten every kind of meat except that of snake, so now I’m going to try this snake. It must be good.”

His comrades told him that he must not eat it, but the man cut off a large piece, and taking it home he ate it. Shortly afterwards he was overtaken with great thirst, drinking up every drop of water that there was in the house.

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As his thirst was still unassuaged, he went down to the river to get some water. There he came face to face with the Mam who carried him away. Next day his comrades, missing him, searched and found his trail. They followed it to a large mountain, in the middle of which they saw the man imprisoned. They prayed to the Mam to release him, but without success. Next day his wife too came and burnt copal, but the Mam would not release him, and the man has remained there ever since; for the Mam have forbidden man to eat snake’s meat.

The Man Who Cursed the Mam

A skilled hunter burned copal and prayed to the Mam to ensure success, while his ignorant friend struggled. Intrigued, the friend trespassed on the skilled hunter’s grounds, losing his dog and cursing the Mam. Summoned before Mam rulers, he faced judgment but was spared due to his ignorance. Enlightened, he received game and learned to honor the Mam for future hunting success.

Source
Ethnology of the Mayas of
Southern and Central British Honduras
by John Eric Thompson
Field Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Series, Pub.274, Vol.17.2
Chicago, 1930

► Themes of the story

Divine Intervention: The Mam, as spiritual entities, directly influence the hunter’s success, demonstrating the gods’ involvement in mortal affairs.

Trials and Tribulations: The ignorant hunter faces challenges due to his lack of knowledge, including losing his dog and being summoned by the Mam, underscoring the trials stemming from unawareness.

Forbidden Knowledge: The story touches on the pursuit of hidden truths, as the ignorant hunter learns about the rituals necessary for successful hunting, previously unknown to him.

► From the same Region or People

Central America
- Maya Lore

Learn more about Maya people

Once there were two friends. One always shot a great deal of game when he went out to the bush, but he did this because he knew how to burn copal and pray to the Mam before he started out. The other was ignorant of the offering and prayer that must be made. Consequently he shot little game.

One day the two friends went out shooting together. The first, as usual, burned his copal, and consequently they shot plenty of game. The man was impressed with the abundance of animals in the country over which his friend shot. Another day, he thought he would try his friend’s hunting ground.

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After hunting some time without success his dog ran under some stones and got lost. The man was vexed and began to curse the Mam, because they gave him no game and caused his dog to be lost. As he was cursing, a small boy suddenly appeared to him.

“My master sent me to summon you to him,” the boy said; and the man was vexed and replied, “I don’t know who your master is, and I don’t care, and further I’m not going.”

The boy repeated that the man must go to his master, but the man again refused.

“My master is Mam. Shut your eyes, as I am going to take you to him.”

The man at first didn’t want to do so, but the boy made him. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in the Mam’s home, and his dog was tied to the door. The Mam asked him why he had come to hunt game there on land where he had no right, and further had cursed him. The man replied that he had come there, because his friend always seemed to find plenty of game there.

“That is true,” replied the Mam. “But your friend buys his animals from me. Look!” And the Mam showed him a big mass of copal, perhaps a hundred pounds in weight. Then the Mam, whose name is Yaluk, sent to summon the other two junior Mams, whose names are Xucaneb and Coha. When they arrived, they sent a messenger to summon the chief Mam, whose name is Kitzan. Kitzan didn’t want to go. They sent for him a second time, and he told the messenger to tell the other Mams that he was very busy. However, on being summoned the third time he went to the council. Yaluk, pointing at the man, explained how he had come to hunt there without burning copal, and then had proceeded to curse him.

“We don’t know him,” he added. “And we think we should eat him.”

Kitzan answered, “You do not know this man, but I know him. He is very poor, and he is ignorant of our ways.”

Then Kitzan talked for the man and explained that his friend got plenty of game, because he burned copal and because he was known to the Mam, who ruled over that territory. Kitzan gave orders to let him go and to give him two peccary. The boy took the man back to where he had found him. The man, opening his eyes, went on a little and shot two peccary. From that time onwards he always went to his old hunting grounds, where he was known to Kitzan.

Thadhellala

Thadhellala, a cunning and resourceful woman, embarks on a series of elaborate deceptions involving theft, trickery, and manipulation. Her schemes lead to stolen treasures, outwitting multiple pursuers, and even evading execution. Ultimately, her cleverness brings her to a distant city where, by chance, she is chosen as the new queen due to a local custom. Her story illustrates wit triumphing over adversity and relentless pursuit.

Source
Moorish Literature
   romantic ballads, tales of the Berbers,
   stories of the Kabyles, folk-lore,
   and national traditions
The Colonial Press,
   London, New York, 1901

► Themes of the story

Cunning and Deception: The story revolves around Thadhellala’s elaborate schemes and manipulations to achieve her goals.

Conflict with Authority: Thadhellala’s actions lead to confrontations with various authority figures, including the Sultan’s soldiers, as she evades capture and punishment.

Forbidden Knowledge: Thadhellala’s ability to deceive and manipulate situations suggests she possesses knowledge and skills that are not commonly known or accepted, allowing her to navigate and exploit societal norms.

► From the same Region or People

North Africa
- Berber Lore

Learn more about the Berber peoples

Translated by J. Rivière
and Chauncey C. Starkweather

A woman had seven daughters and no son. She went to the city, and there saw a rich shop. A little farther on she perceived at the door of a house a young girl of great beauty. She called her parents, and said: “I have my son to marry; let me have your daughter for him.”

They let her take the girl away. She came back to the shop and said to the man in charge of it: “I will gladly give you my daughter; but go first and consult your father.”

The young man left a servant in his place and departed. Thadhellala (that was her name) sent the servant to buy some bread in another part of the city.

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Along came a caravan of mules. Thadhellala packed all the contents of the shop on their backs and said to the muleteer:

“I will go on ahead; my son will come in a moment. Wait for him–he will pay you.”

She went off with the mules and the treasures which she had packed upon them. The servant came back soon.

“Where is your mother?” cried the muleteer; “hurry and, pay me.”

“You tell me where she is and I will make her give me back what she has stolen.” And they went before the justice.

Thadhellala pursued her way, and met seven young students. She said to one of them, “A hundred francs and I will marry you.” The student gave them to her. She made the same offer to the others, and each one took her word.

Arriving at a fork in the road, the first one said, “I will take you,” the second one said, “I will take you,” and so on to the last.

Thadhellala answered: “You shall have a race as far as that ridge over there, and the one that gets there first shall marry me.”

The young men started. Just then a horseman came passing by. “Lend me your horse,” she said to him. The horseman jumped off. Thadhellala mounted the horse and said:

“You see that ridge? I will rejoin you there.”

The scholars perceived the man. “Have you not seen a woman?” they asked him. “She has stolen 700 francs from us.”

“Haven’t you others seen her? She has stolen my horse?”

They went to complain to the Sultan, who gave the command to arrest Thadhellala. A man promised to seize her. He secured a comrade, and they both pursued Thadhellala, who had taken flight. Nearly overtaken by the man, she met a negro who pulled teeth, and said to him:

“You see my son coming down there; pull out his teeth.” When the other passed the negro pulled out his teeth. The poor toothless one seized the negro and led him before the Sultan to have him punished. The negro said to the Sultan: “It was his mother that told me to pull them out for him.”

“Sidi,” said the accuser, “I was pursuing Thadhellala.”

The Sultan then sent soldiers in pursuit of the woman, who seized her and hung her up at the gates of the city. Seeing herself arrested, she sent a messenger to her relatives.

Then there came by a man who led a mule. Seeing her he said, “How has this woman deserved to be hanged in this way?”

“Take pity on me,” said Thadhellala; “give me your mule and I will show you a treasure.” She sent him to a certain place where the pretended treasure was supposed to be hidden. At this the brother-in-law of Thadhellala had arrived.

“Take away this mule,” she said to him. The searcher for treasures dug in the earth at many places and found nothing. He came back to Thadhellala and demanded his mule.

She began to weep and cry. The sentinel ran up, and Thadhellala brought complaint against this man. She was released, and he was hanged in her place.

She fled to a far city, of which the Sultan had just then died. Now, according to the custom of that country, they took as king the person who happened to be at the gates of the city when the King died. Fate took Thadhellala there at the right time. They conducted her to the palace, and she was proclaimed Queen.

The Robber and the Two Pilgrims

A story unfolds around two robbers, one married, the other a lone thief. When the married one’s daughter is born, she’s given to the single robber, who raises her. A mystical bird warns her against opening the door to a prince’s pursuit. Through layered tales of betrayal, justice, and tragedy, the narrative weaves fate, loyalty, and peril, culminating in feasts, wisdom, and the inevitability of choices.

Source
Moorish Literature
   romantic ballads, tales of the Berbers,
   stories of the Kabyles, folk-lore,
   and national traditions
The Colonial Press,
   London, New York, 1901

► Themes of the story

Love and Betrayal: Elements of romantic relationships and betrayal are evident, especially concerning the woman and the prince.

Prophecy and Fate: The mystical bird’s warnings and the unfolding events suggest themes of destiny and foretold outcomes.

Forbidden Knowledge: The story touches on the pursuit of hidden truths, as seen in the prince’s quest to uncover the identity of the woman.

► From the same Region or People

North Africa
- Berber Lore

Learn more about the Berber peoples

Translated by J. Rivière
and Chauncey C. Starkweather

Two robbers spent their time in robbing. One of them got married, and the other continued his trade. They were a long time without seeing each other. Finally the one who was not married went to visit his friend, and said to him:

“If your wife has a daughter, you must give her to me.”

“I will give her to you seven days after her birth.”

The daughter was born, and the robber took her to bring up in the country. He built a house, bought flocks, and tended them himself. One day some pilgrims came to the house. He killed a cow for them and entertained them.

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The next day he accompanied them on their pilgrimage. The pilgrims said to him:

“If you come with us, two birds will remain with your wife.”

The woman stayed in the country. One day the son of the Sultan came that way to hunt. One of the birds saw him and said to the woman, “Don’t open the door.” The prince heard the bird speak, and returned to the palace without saying a word. An old woman was called to cast spells over him, and said to the King:

“He could not see a woman he has never seen.”

The prince spoke and said to her: “If you will come with me, I will bring her here.” They arrived.

The old dame called the young woman, “Come out, that we may see you.”

She said to the bird, “I am going to open the door.”

The bird answered: “If you open the door you will meet the same fate as Si El-Ahcen. He was reading with many others in the mosque. One day he found an amulet. His betrothed went no longer to school, and as she was old enough he married her. Some days after he said to his father, ‘Watch over my wife.’ ‘Fear nothing,’ answered the father.

“He started, and came back. ‘Watch over my wife,’ he said to his father again. ‘Fear nothing,’ repeated his father. The latter went to the market. On his return he said to his daughter-in-law, ‘There were very beautiful women in the market,’ ‘I surpass them all in beauty,’ said the woman; ‘take me to the market.’

“A man offered 1,000 francs for her. The father-in-law refused, and said to her: ‘Sit down on the mat. The one that covers you with silver may have you,’ A man advanced. ‘If you want to marry her,’ said her father-in-law, ‘cover her with silver, and she will be your wife.’

“Soon Si El-Ahcen returned from his journey and asked if his wife were still living. ‘Your wife is dead,’ said his father; ‘she fell from her mule,’ Si El-Ahcen threw himself on the ground. They tried to lift him up. It was useless trouble. He remained stretched on the earth.

“One day a merchant came to the village and said to him, ‘The Sultan married your wife,’ She had said to the merchant, ‘The day that you leave I will give you a message,’ She wrote a letter to her husband, and promised the bearer a flock of sheep if he would deliver it.

“Si El-Ahcen received the letter, read it, was cured, ran to the house, and said to his father: ‘My wife has married again in my absence; she is not dead. I brought home much money. I will take it again.’

“He took his money and went to the city where his wife lived. He stopped at the gates. To the first passer-by he gave five francs, to the second five more.

“‘What do you want, O stranger?’ they asked. ‘If you want to see the Sultan we will take you to him,’ They presented him to the Sultan.

“‘Render justice to this man,’ ‘What does he want?’ ‘My lord,’ answered Sidi El-Ahcen, ‘the woman you married is my wife,’ ‘Kill him!’ cried the Sultan. ‘No,’ said the witnesses, ‘let him have justice,’

“‘Let him tell me if she carries an object,’ Si El-Ahcen answered: ‘This woman was betrothed to me before her birth. An amulet is hidden in her hair,’ He took away his wife, returned to the village, and gave a feast.

“If you open the door,” continued the bird, “you will have the same fate as Fatima-ou-Lmelh. Hamed-ou-Lmelh married her. Fatima said to her father-in-law, ‘Take me to my uncle’s house,’ Arriving there she married another husband. Hamed-ou-Lmelh was told of this, and ran to find her. At the moment he arrived he found the wedding over and the bride about to depart for the house of her new husband. Then Hamed burst into the room and cast himself out of the window. Fatima did the same, and they were both killed.

“The intended father-in-law and his family returned to their house, and were asked the cause of the misfortune. ‘The woman was the cause,’ they answered.

“Nevertheless, the father of Hamed-ou-Lmelh went to the parents of Fatima and said: ‘Pay us for the loss of our son. Pay us for the loss of Fatima.’

“They could not agree, and went before the justice. Passing by the village where the two spouses had died they met an old man, and said, ‘Settle our dispute,’ ‘I cannot,’ answered the old man. Farther on they met a sheep, which was butting a rock. ‘Settle our dispute,’ they said to the sheep. ‘I cannot,’ answered the sheep. Farther on they met a serpent. ‘Settle our dispute,’ they said to him. ‘I cannot,’ answered the serpent. They met a river. ‘Settle our dispute,’ they said to it. ‘I cannot,’ answered the river. They met a jackal. ‘Settle our dispute,’ they said to him. ‘Go to the village where your children died,’ answered the jackal. They went back to the village, and applied to the Sultan, who had them all killed.”

The bird stopped speaking, the pilgrims returned. The old woman saw them and fled. The robber prepared a feast for the pilgrims.

The Language of the Beasts

A compassionate man helps a greyhound, who is revealed to be a prince of the nether world. Later, the man inadvertently eats a magical creature, leading to a series of events where he gains the ability to understand animals. He discovers treasure but faces challenges due to his gift. Ultimately, through wit and the advice of animals, he overcomes obstacles and lives happily ever after.

Source
Moorish Literature
   romantic ballads, tales of the Berbers,
   stories of the Kabyles, folk-lore,
   and national traditions
The Colonial Press,
   London, New York, 1901

► Themes of the story

Forbidden Knowledge: The man’s ability to understand the language of animals is a form of esoteric knowledge, granted with the caveat that revealing it would result in his death.

Cunning and Deception: The protagonist employs wit and the insights gained from understanding animals to overcome obstacles and secure his fortune.

Moral Lessons: The story imparts lessons on compassion, the consequences of one’s actions, and the prudent use of special gifts or knowledge.

► From the same Region or People

North Africa
- Berber Lore

Learn more about the Berber peoples

Translated by Réne Basset
and Chauncey C. Starkweather

Once upon a time there was a man who had much goods. One day he went to market. There came a greyhound, which ate some meat. The butcher gave it a blow, which made it yelp. Seeing this, the heart of the man was touched with compassion. He bought of the butcher half a piece of meat and flung it to the greyhound. The dog took it and went away. It was the son of a king of the nether world.

Fortune changed with the man. He lost all his possessions, and began to wash for people. One day, he had gone to wash something, he stretched it on the sand to dry. A jerboa appeared with a ring in its ear. The man ran after it, killed it, hid the ring, made a fire, cooked the jerboa and ate it.

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A woman came out of the earth, seized him, and demanded, “Haven’t you seen my son, with an ear-ring?”

“I haven’t seen anybody,” he answered; “but I saw a jerboa which had a ring in its ear.”

“It is my son.” She drew him under the earth and told him: “You have eaten my son, you have separated me from him. Now I will separate you from your children, and you shall work in the place of my son.” He who was changed into a greyhound saw this man that day, and said to him: “It is you who bought some meat for a greyhound and threw it to him?”

“It is I.”

“I am that greyhound. Who brought you here?”

“A woman,” answered the man, and he recounted all his adventure.

“Go and make a complaint to the King,” answered the other. “I am his son. I’ll tell him: ‘This man did me a good service,’ When he asks you to go to the treasure and take as much money as you wish, answer him: ‘I don’t want any. I only want you to spit a benediction into my mouth,’ If he asks you, ‘Who told you that?’ answer, ‘Nobody.'”

The man went and found the King and complained of the woman. The King called her and asked her: “Why have you taken this man captive?”

“He ate my son.”

“Why was your son metamorphosed into a jerboa? When men see one of those they kill him and eat him.” Then addressing the man: “Give her back the ear-ring.” He gave it to her.

“Go,” said the King, “take this man to the place from which you brought him.”

The son of the King then said to his father: “This man did me a favor; you ought to reward him.”

The King said to him: “Go to the treasure, take as much money as you can.”

“I don’t want money,” he answered; “I want you to spit into my mouth a benediction.”

“Who told you that?”

“Nobody.”

“You will not be able to bear it.”

“I will be able.”

“When I have spat into your mouth, you will understand the language of beasts and birds; you will know what they say when they speak; but if you reveal it to the people you will die.”

“I will not reveal it.” So the King spat into his mouth and sent him away, saying to the woman, “Go and take him back where you found him.” She departed, and took him back there.

He mounted his ass and came back to his house. He arranged the load and took back to the people the linen he had washed. Then he remounted the beast to go and seek some earth. He was going to dig when he heard a crow say in the air:

“Dig beneath; you will sing when God has made you rich.”

He understood what the crow said, dug beneath, and found a treasure. He filled a basket with it. On the top he put a little earth and went home, but often returned to the spot. On one of these occasions his ass met a mule, which said:

“Are you working still?”

The ass replied: “My master has found a treasure and he is taking it away.”

The mule answered: “When you are in a crowd balk and throw the basket to the ground. People will see it, all will be discovered, and your master will leave you in peace.”

The man had heard every word of this. He filled his basket with earth only. When they arrived at a crowd of people the ass kicked and threw the load to the ground. Her master beat her till she had enough. He applied himself to gathering the treasure, and became a rich merchant.

He had at home some chickens and a dog. One day he went into the granary, and a hen followed him and ate the grain. A cock said to her:

“Bring me a little.”

She answered, “Eat for yourself.”

The master began to laugh. His wife asked him:

“What are you laughing at?”

“Nothing.”

“You are laughing at me.”

“Not at all.”

“You must tell me what you are laughing at.”

“If I tell you I shall die.”

“You shall tell me, and you shall die.”

“To-night.” He brought out some grain and said to his wife, “Give alms.” He invited the people, bade them to eat, and when they had gone he brought food to the dog, but he would not eat. The neighbor’s dog came, as it did every day, to eat with his dog. To-day it found the food intact.

“Come and eat,” it said.

“No,” the dog answered.

“Why not?”

Then the dog told the other: “My master, hearing the chickens talk, began to laugh. His wife asked him: ‘Why are you laughing?’ ‘If I tell you, I shall die.’ ‘Tell me and die,’ That is why,” continued the dog, “he has given alms, for when he reveals his secret he will die, and I shall never find anyone to act as he has.”

The other dog replied: “As he knows our language, let him take a stick and give it to his wife until she has had enough. As he beats her let him say: ‘This is what I was laughing at. This is what I was laughing at. This is what I was laughing at,’ until she says to him, ‘Reveal to me nothing.'”

The man heard the conversation of the dogs, and went and got a stick. When his wife and he went to bed she said to him, “Tell me that now.”

Then he took the stick and beat her, saying: “This is what I was laughing at. This is what I was laughing at. This is what I was laughing at,” until she cried out:

“Don’t tell it to me. Don’t tell it to me. Don’t tell it to me.” He left her alone. When the dogs heard that, they rejoiced, ran out on the terrace, played, and ate their food. From that day the wife never again said to her husband, “Tell me that!” They lived happy ever after. If I have omitted anything, may God forgive me for it.

The Magic Napkin

A taleb offered 100 mitquals to anyone willing to sell themselves, and a man accepted. The taleb used him to retrieve a magical box from the earth, but the man kept it secret. After being abandoned and recovering, he discovered the box contained magical wonders, including genii and dancers. This led to a royal invitation, a marriage to the Sultan’s daughter, and eventually becoming the Sultan himself.

Source
Moorish Literature
   romantic ballads, tales of the Berbers,
   stories of the Kabyles, folk-lore,
   and national traditions
The Colonial Press,
   London, New York, 1901

► Themes of the story

Trickster: The taleb deceives the man into retrieving the magical box, showcasing cunning behavior.

Forbidden Knowledge: The man uncovers hidden magical wonders within the box, delving into secrets beyond ordinary understanding.

Quest: The man’s task to retrieve the magical box serves as a journey undertaken to achieve a specific goal.

► From the same Region or People

North Africa
- Berber Lore

Learn more about the Berber peoples

Translated by Réne Basset
and Chauncey C. Starkweather

A taleb made a proclamation in these terms: “Is there anyone who will sell himself for 100 mitquals?” A man agreed to sell himself. The stranger took him to the cadi, who wrote out the bill of sale. He took the 100 mitquals and gave them to his mother and departed with the taleb. They went to a place where the latter began to repeat certain formulas. The earth opened and the man entered it. The other said to him, “Bring me the candlestick of reed and the box.” He took this and came out keeping it in his pocket.

“Where is the box?” asked the taleb.

“I did not find it.”

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“By the Lord, let us go.”

He took him to the mountains, cast a stone at him, and went away. He lay on the ground for three days. Then he came to himself, went back to his own country, and rented a house. He opened the box, found inside a silk napkin, which he opened, and in which he found seven folds. He unfolded one. Genii came around the chamber, and a young girl danced until the day dawned. The man stayed there all that day until night. The King came out that night, and, hearing the noise of the dance, he knocked at the door, with his vezir. They received him with a red h’aik. He amused himself until the day dawned. Then he went home with his vezir. The latter sent for the man and said, “Give me the box which you have at home.” He brought it to the King, who said to him: “Give me the box which you have so that I may amuse myself with it, and I will marry you to my daughter.” The man obeyed and married the Sultan’s daughter. The Sultan amused himself with the box, and after his death his son-in-law succeeded him.

The Woman and the Fairy

Omm Halima, a poor woman, encountered a fairy at a spring who promised wealth in exchange for offerings of herma and perfume. Following the fairy’s instructions, Halima grew rich, sparking rumors of an affair with a wealthy man, Mouley Ismail. When villagers secretly observed her meeting with the fairy, the spirit vanished forever, leaving Halima’s mysterious fortune unexplained.

Source
Moorish Literature
   romantic ballads, tales of the Berbers,
   stories of the Kabyles, folk-lore,
   and national traditions
The Colonial Press,
   London, New York, 1901

► Themes of the story

Forbidden Knowledge: The secret of the woman’s sudden wealth, linked to her clandestine meetings with the fairy.

Moral Lessons: The tale underscores the consequences of curiosity and intrusion, as the fairy disappears forever when others discover the secret.

Sacred Spaces: The spring serves as a mystical location where the woman meets the fairy and receives riches.

► From the same Region or People

North Africa
- Berber Lore

Learn more about the Berber peoples

Translated by Réne Basset
and Chauncey C. Starkweather

A woman who was named Omm Halima went one day to the stream to wash at the old spring. Alone, in the middle of the day, she began her work, when a woman appeared to her and said: “Let us be friends, you and I, and let us make a promise. When you come to this spring, bring me some herma and perfumes. Cast them into the fountain which faces the qsar. I will come forth and I will give you money.” And so the wife of Ben Sernghown returned every day and found the other woman, who gave her pieces of money. Omm Khalifah was poor. When she “became friends” with the fairy she grew rich all of a sudden. The people were curious to know how she had so quickly acquired a fortune. There was a rich man, the possessor of much property. He was called Mouley Ismail.

► Continue reading…

They said to Omm Khalifah:

“You are the mistress of Mouley Ismail, and he gives you pieces of money.”

She answered, “Never have I been his mistress.” One day, when she went to the spring to bathe, the people followed her until she arrived. The fairy came to meet her as usual, and gave her money. The people surprised them together. But the fairy never came out of the fountain again.

The Magician and the Sultan’s Son

A sultan entrusts a magician to educate his three sons, agreeing the magician can keep one as a companion. After becoming a scholar, Keejaanaa, the chosen son, discovers the magician’s sinister secret: he devours creatures and people. With a wise horse, Faaraasee, Keejaanaa defeats the magician, escapes, and builds a prosperous life. He marries a sultan’s daughter, has a son, and cherishes Faaraasee as his lifelong ally.

Source
Zanzibar Tales
told by natives of the East Coast of Africa
translated from the original Swahili
by George W. Bateman
A.C. McClurg & Co., Chicago, 1901

► Themes of the story

Forbidden Knowledge: Keejaanaa’s exploration of the magician’s house leads him to uncover hidden secrets, including rooms filled with bones and a live horse, revealing the magician’s sinister practices.

Cunning and Deception: Keejaanaa and Faaraasee devise clever strategies to outwit the magician, including deceiving him about the gold and planning an escape, showcasing the use of wit to overcome adversaries.

Trials and Tribulations: Keejaanaa faces numerous challenges, from discovering the magician’s true nature to orchestrating a daring escape, highlighting his resilience and determination.

► From the same Region or People

East Africa
- Swahili Lore

Learn more about Swahili people

There was once a sultan who had three little sons, and no one seemed to be able to teach them anything; which greatly grieved both the sultan and his wife. One day a magician came to the sultan and said, “If I take your three boys and teach them to read and write, and make great scholars of them, what will you give me?” And the sultan said, “I will give you half of my property.”

“No,” said the magician; “that won’t do.” – “I’ll give you half of the towns I own.” – “No; that will not satisfy me.” – “What do you want, then?”

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“When I have made them scholars and bring them back to you, choose two of them for yourself and give me the third; for I want to have a companion of my own.”

“Agreed,” said the sultan.

So the magician took them away, and in a remarkably short time taught them to read, and to make letters, and made them quite good scholars. Then he took them back to the sultan and said: “Here are the children. They are all equally good scholars. Choose.”

So the sultan took the two he preferred, and the magician went away with the third, whose name was Keejaa’naa, to his own house, which was a very large one.

When they arrived, Mchaa’wee, the magician, gave the youth all the keys, saying, “Open whatever you wish to.” Then he told him that he was his father, and that he was going away for a month.

When he was gone, Keejaanaa took the keys and went to examine the house. He opened one door, and saw a room full of liquid gold. He put his finger in, and the gold stuck to it, and, wipe and rub as he would, the gold would not come off; so he wrapped a piece of rag around it, and when his supposed father came home and saw the rag, and asked him what he had been doing to his finger, he was afraid to tell him the truth, so he said that he had cut it.

Not very long after, Mchaawee went away again, and the youth took the keys and continued his investigations.

The first room he opened was filled with the bones of goats, the next with sheep’s bones, the next with the bones of oxen, the fourth with the bones of donkeys, the fifth with those of horses, the sixth contained men’s skulls, and in the seventh was a live horse.

“Hullo!” said the horse; “where do you come from, you son of Adam?”

“This is my father’s house,” said Keejaanaa.

“Oh, indeed!” was the reply. “Well, you’ve got a pretty nice parent! Do you know that he occupies himself with eating people, and donkeys, and horses, and oxen and goats and everything he can lay his hands on? You and I are the only living things left.”

This scared the youth pretty badly, and he faltered, “What are we to do?”

“What’s your name?” said the horse.

“Keejaanaa.”

“Well, I’m Faaraa’see. Now, Keejaanaa, first of all, come and unfasten me.”

The youth did so at once.

“Now, then, open the door of the room with the gold in it, and I will swallow it all; then I’ll go and wait for you under the big tree down the road a little way. When the magician comes home, he will say to you, ‘Let us go for firewood;’ then you answer, ‘I don’t understand that work;’ and he will go by himself. When he comes back, he will put a great big pot on the hook and will tell you to make a fire under it. Tell him you don’t know how to make a fire, and he will make it himself.

“Then he will bring a large quantity of butter, and while it is getting hot he will put up a swing and say to you, ‘Get up there, and I’ll swing you.’ But you tell him you never played at that game, and ask him to swing first, that you may see how it is done. Then he will get up to show you; and you must push him into the big pot, and then come to me as quickly as you can.”

Then the horse went away.

Now, Mchaawee had invited some of his friends to a feast at his house that evening; so, returning home early, he said to Keejaanaa, “Let us go for firewood;” but the youth answered, “I don’t understand that work.” So he went by himself and brought the wood.

Then he hung up the big pot and said, “Light the fire;” but the youth said, “I don’t know how to do it.” So the magician laid the wood under the pot and lighted it himself.

Then he said, “Put all that butter in the pot;” but the youth answered, “I can’t lift it; I’m not strong enough.” So he put in the butter himself.

Next Mchaawee said, “Have you seen our country game?” And Keejaanaa answered, “I think not.”

“Well,” said the magician, “let’s play at it while the butter is getting hot.”

So he tied up the swing and said to Keejaanaa, “Get up here, and learn the game.” But the youth said: “You get up first and show me. I’ll learn quicker that way.”

The magician got into the swing, and just as he got started Keejaanaa gave him a push right into the big pot; and as the butter was by this time boiling, it not only killed him, but cooked him also.

As soon as the youth had pushed the magician into the big pot, he ran as fast as he could to the big tree, where the horse was waiting for him.

“Come on,” said Faaraasee; “jump on my back and let’s be going.”

So he mounted and they started off.

When the magician’s guests arrived they looked everywhere for him, but, of course, could not find him. Then, after waiting a while, they began to be very hungry; so, looking around for something to eat, they saw that the stew in the big pot was done, and, saying to each other, “Let’s begin, anyway,” they started in and ate the entire contents of the pot. After they had finished, they searched for Mchaawee again, and finding lots of provisions in the house, they thought they would stay there until he came; but after they had waited a couple of days and eaten all the food in the place, they gave him up and returned to their homes.

Meanwhile Keejaanaa and the horse continued on their way until they had gone a great distance, and at last they stopped near a large town.

“Let us stay here,” said the youth, “and build a house.”

As Faaraasee was agreeable, they did so. The horse coughed up all the gold he had swallowed, with which they purchased slaves, and cattle, and everything they needed.

When the people of the town saw the beautiful new house and all the slaves, and cattle, and riches it contained, they went and told their sultan, who at once made up his mind that the owner of such a place must be of sufficient importance to be visited and taken notice of, as an acquisition to the neighborhood.

So he called on Keejaanaa, and inquired who he was.

“Oh, I’m just an ordinary being, like other people.”

“Are you a traveler?”

“Well, I have been; but I like this place, and think I’ll settle down here.”

“Why don’t you come and walk in our town?”

“I should like to very much, but I need some one to show me around.”

“Oh, I’ll show you around,” said the sultan, eagerly, for he was quite taken with the young man.

After this Keejaanaa and the sultan became great friends; and in the course of time the young man married the sultan’s daughter, and they had one son.

They lived very happily together, and Keejaanaa loved Faaraasee as his own soul.

The Orphan Boy and the Magic Stone

Ayong Kita, son of Chief Inkita of Inde, was orphaned young and faced exile when discontented slaves plotted his death. Surviving in the bush, he received guidance from an old woman who gave him a magical stone. Using its powers, Ayong amassed wealth and eventually reclaimed his father’s legacy. However, his ruthless trials of accused witches and their aftermath haunted his rule, shaping traditions in his land.

Source
Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria
by Elphinstone Dayrell
Longmans, Green & Co.
London, New York, Bombay, Calcutta, 1910

► Themes of the story

Forbidden Knowledge: Ayong gains access to hidden wisdom through his dream and the old woman’s guidance, leading him to buried treasure and the magical stone.

Sacred Objects: The magical stone serves as a powerful artifact that grants Ayong wealth and the means to reclaim his father’s legacy.

Revenge and Justice: Ayong’s return to his father’s house and his subsequent actions, including the trials of accused witches, reflect themes of retribution and the pursuit of justice.

► From the same Region or People

West Africa
- Nigerian Lore

Learn more about Nigerian peoples

A chief of Inde named Inkita had a son named Ayong Kita, whose mother had died at his birth.

The old chief was a hunter, and used to take his son out with him when he went into the bush. He used to do most of his hunting in the long grass which grows over nearly all the Inde country, and used to kill plenty of bush buck in the dry season.

In those days the people had no guns, so the chief had to shoot everything he got with his bow and arrows, which required a lot of skill.

► Continue reading…

When his little son was old enough, he gave him a small bow and some small arrows, and taught him how to shoot. The little boy was very quick at learning, and by continually practising at lizards and small birds, soon became expert in the use of his little bow, and could hit them almost every time he shot at them.

When the boy was ten years old his father died, and as he thus became the head of his father’s house, and was in authority over all the slaves, they became very discontented, and made plans to kill him, so he ran away into the bush.

Having nothing to eat, he lived for several days on the nuts which fell from the palm trees. He was too young to kill any large animals, and only had his small bow and arrows, with which he killed a few squirrels, bush rats, and small birds, and so managed to live.

Now once at night, when he was sleeping in the hollow of a tree, he had a dream in which his father appeared, and told him where there was plenty of treasure buried in the earth, but, being a small boy, he was frightened, and did not go to the place.

One day, some time after the dream, having walked far and being very thirsty, he went to a lake, and was just going to drink, when he heard a hissing sound, and heard a voice tell him not to drink. Not seeing any one, he was afraid, and ran away without drinking.

Early next morning, when he was out with his bow trying to shoot some small animal, he met an old woman with quite long hair. She was so ugly that he thought she must be a witch, so he tried to run, but she told him not to fear, as she wanted to help him and assist him to rule over his late father’s house. She also told him that it was she who had called out to him at the lake not to drink, as there was a bad Ju Ju in the water which would have killed him. The old woman then took Ayong to a stream some little distance from the lake, and bending down, took out a small shining stone from the water, which she gave to him, at the same time telling him to go to the place which his father had advised him to visit in his dream. She then said, “When you get there you must dig, and you will find plenty of money; you must then go and buy two strong slaves, and when you have got them, you must take them into the forest, away from the town, and get them to build you a house with several rooms in it. You must then place the stone in one of the rooms, and whenever you want anything, all you have to do is to go into the room and tell the stone what you want, and your wishes will be at once gratified.”

Ayong did as the old woman told him, and after much difficulty and danger bought the two slaves and built a house in the forest, taking great care of the precious stone, which he placed in an inside room. Then for some time, whenever he wanted anything, he used to go into the room and ask for a sufficient number of rods to buy what he wanted, and they were always brought at once.

This went on for many years, and Ayong grew up to be a man, and became very rich, and bought many slaves, having made friends with the Aro men, who in those days used to do a big traffic in slaves. After ten years had passed Ayong had quite a large town and many slaves, but one night the old woman appeared to him in a dream and told him that she thought that he was sufficiently wealthy, and that it was time for him to return the magic stone to the small stream from whence it came. But Ayong, although he was rich, wanted to rule his father’s house and be a head chief for all the Inde country, so he sent for all the Ju Ju men in the country and two witch men, and marched with all his slaves to his father’s town. Before he started he held a big palaver, and told them to point out any slave who had a bad heart, and who might kill him when he came to rule the country. Then the Ju Ju men consulted together, and pointed out fifty of the slaves who, they said, were witches, and would try to kill Ayong. He at once had them made prisoners, and tried them by the ordeal of Esere bean to see whether they were witches or not. [The Esere or Calabar bean is a strong poison, and was formerly much used by the natives. These beans are ground up in a stone mortar, and are then swallowed by the accused person. If the man dies he is considered guilty, but if he lives, he is supposed to have proved his innocence of whatever the charge may have been which was brought against him. Death generally ensues about two hours after the poison is administered. If the accused takes a sufficient amount of the ground-up beans to make him vomit it will probably save his life, otherwise he will die in great pain.] As none of them could vomit the beans they all died, and were declared to be witches. He then had them buried at once. When the remainder of his slaves saw what had happened, they all came to him and begged his pardon, and promised to serve him faithfully. Although the fifty men were buried they could not rest, and troubled Ayong very much, and after a time he became very sick himself, so he sent again for the Ju Ju men, who told him that it was the witch men who, although they were dead and buried, had power to come out at night and used to suck Ayong’s blood, which was the cause of his sickness. They then said, “We are only three Ju Ju men; you must get seven more of us, making the magic number of ten.” When they came they dug up the bodies of the fifty witches, and found they were quite fresh. Then Ayong had big fires made, and burned them one after the other, and gave the Ju Ju men a big present. He soon after became quite well again, and took possession of his father’s property, and ruled over all the country. Ever since then, whenever any one is accused of being a witch, they are tried by the ordeal of the poisonous Esere bean, and if they can vomit they do not die, and are declared innocent, but if they cannot do so, they die in great pain.