The Story of Juan Siis and the Cheils

Juan Siis, a boy living with his grandmother, yearned for rich food prepared for priests. A supernatural encounter led him to the Chich, who nursed him for three days, granting him the power to transform into a jaguar. Initially helping his village, he became ferocious, devouring livestock and even his grandmother. Living in the forest, he hunted for hunters and outwitted cannibalistic Cheils, ensuring his companions’ safety.

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: Juan Siis uses cunning to outsmart the cannibalistic Cheils, protecting his companions.

Conflict with Nature: As a jaguar, Juan Siis embodies the wild, creating tension between his human origins and animal instincts.

Forbidden Knowledge: Juan’s desire for the priests’ rich food leads him to acquire hidden, transformative abilities.

► From the same Region or People

Central America
- Maya Lore

Learn more about Maya people

There was a boy who used to live with his grandmother. He used to go out to cut firewood close to the church, where he would smell the rich food that was being prepared for the priest. He wanted to taste it, and kept muttering to himself, “I wish I could eat that nice food.”

One day the messenger of the Mam appeared to him and asked him why he was always muttering to himself. The boy explained that he wanted to eat all that fine food, whereupon the messenger told him to shut his eyes. When he opened them again, he was in the room of Chich (Tsits).

► Continue reading…

The Chichs are the wives of the Mams, and they are full-breasted. The Chich asked him his trouble, and when the boy explained, she told him that he must suckle at her breast for three days. The boy did so, and at the end of the three days Chich told him to throw himself on the ground. He did so and immediately turned into a jaguar. When he threw himself down again, he turned back into a boy. The Chich said to him, “Now you can get all the food you want,” and sent him back to the world. The boy’s name was Juan Siis, which is a Kekchi word meaning “coati.” That evening his grandmother cooked him food, but he said he did not want to eat cooked food, only raw meat. He told his grandmother he was going to play, and throwing himself on the ground, he turned into a jaguar. His grandmother was very frightened and called all the neighbors, but when they arrived, Juan Siis had already turned back into a boy. He began to catch and eat fowls, hogs, etc., and then, becoming more ferocious, ate up his own grandmother. After that he went away to live in the forest. One day in the forest he met three men. They told him that they were out hunting, but could find nothing. Juan Siis told them he would kill meat for them, and bid them follow him. At sunset they built a camp, and after dark Juan Siis went out hunting. Just before dawn the hunters heard the roar of the jaguar and Juan Siis reappeared in camp with several peccary. Next day he said to the hunters, “Let us go and visit my friends, the Cheils.”

The hunters did not want to go. “They are bad men,” they said. “They will eat us.” Juan Siis promised that no harm would befall them. They arrived at the home of the Cheils and entering sat down. The children of the Cheils were playing round, and scratching the bare legs of the hunters, they drew blood. The Cheils, smelling the blood, wanted to eat them. They asked Juan Siis to give them the hunters to eat, but the jaguar man refused them. Again they asked for the hunters. Juan Siis said, “I will give them to you, but you must beat me in play first of all.”

There was a large gombolimbo tree (tsikqa) close by. Juan Siis climbed up the tree to the first big branch, and then dived head down to the ground unscathed. He said to the Cheils, “You must do that too if you want my friends.”

At last one Cheil climbed up in the tree, but diving down broke his neck, and the rest were afraid to try the trick. Juan Siis next jumped over twelve hills (caves). “Now you must do that if you want those men,” he said. None of the Cheils could jump that far. Juan Siis told the three hunters to go away and take the peccary he had hunted with them.

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

Cheil or Chol

Two Kekchi men encountered two Chols who warned them about the dangerous Xacampach, a group of long-eared, cannibalistic people preparing for a feast. The Chols, claiming shared identity as Indians, urged the Kekchis not to proceed. Instead, they magically transported the Kekchis back to their home in Cajabon when the men closed their eyes, avoiding the peril ahead.

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 Chols use cunning and possibly supernatural means to outsmart potential threats and protect the Kekchi men.

Conflict with Nature: The journey of the Kekchi men through dangerous territories reflects a struggle against natural and human threats.

Sacred Spaces: The return to their home in Cajabon can be seen as a retreat to a place of safety and spiritual significance.

► From the same Region or People

Central America
- Maya Lore

Learn more about Maya people

Two Kekchis men were walking along when they met a couple of good Chols sitting by the roadside. The two Kekchis were going to kill the Chols, but the latter said, “Don’t kill us, we are harmless. We are of the same race as you. We are Indians. If you go on along that road, you will meet the bad Chols, who are called Xacampach, and live by the sea. They are getting ready for their big fiesta, and if you go there, they will kill and eat you. They are bad people. Their ears are very long, and at night they lie down and sleep on them. They are not Indians. Close your eyes now, and we will take you back to your home.” The two Kekchis did so, and when they opened their eyes a moment later, they were back in Cajabon.

► Continue reading…

A Creation Myth

The Creator fashioned men from mud while distracting the jaguar with a leaking calabash to fetch water. Despite the jaguar’s efforts, the Creator completed thirteen men and twelve guns. When the jaguar demanded the dog as prey, the Creator demonstrated man’s superiority using the guns. After being wounded twice, the jaguar learned to respect humans and dogs, retreating to live in the bush.

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

Creation: The narrative explains how humans were created from mud by the Creator.

Trickster: The Creator uses cunning by giving the jaguar a leaking calabash, distracting him during the creation of humans.

Conflict with Nature: The story depicts a confrontation between humans (and their creations) and the jaguar, a powerful natural predator.

► From the same Region or People

Central America
- Maya Lore

Learn more about Maya people

The Creator decided to make men, for the jaguar already existed. He took mud and started to fashion men, but the jaguar was watching, and he did not wish him to see how man was made.

Therefore he sent him to the river to fetch some water, giving him a jar and a calabash with holes in it to scoop the water out of the river. In this way he hoped to have time to make the men, while the jaguar was vainly endeavoring to fill the jar with the leaking calabash. The jaguar tried and tried to fill the jar, but did not succeed. Then the frog called out to him, “Chohac, Chohac, Chohac! Put mud over the holes.”

► Continue reading…

The jaguar did so, but by the time he had filled the jar and taken it back, the Creator had already made thirteen men of mud and twelve guns. As the jaguar came up, he saw that the Creator was making a dog too out of mud.

“That animal is going to be for me to eat,” he said.

“No,” said the Creator. “The dog is to be the servant of man and these guns, further, will teach you to respect him.”

“I am not afraid of the gun,” replied the jaguar. “I’ll catch the shots that are fired at me.”

“All right, let’s see,” said the Creator, and he made the jaguar stand some way away, and then one of the newly created men fired at him, wounding him in the paw. The man bandaged up the wound. Again the jaguar said, “The dog is for me.”

But man said, “No,” and sent the dog after the jaguar and drove it up into a tree, and again shot him in the paw. “Now you have learned your lesson that you must not eat man or dog. The other animals you can eat. Go away and live in the bush.”

The Origin of the Rivers

This myth explains the origin of rivers on Earth. Initially, water was confined to an underground lake guarded by St. Peter. When a messenger conveyed humanity’s plea for accessible water, God granted permission, warning it would become polluted. The water, eager to explore the world, agreed. Released from the mountain, it formed rivers, bringing fish provided by the Mam, the mountain guardians, to nourish humanity.

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

Creation: The narrative explains the origin of rivers on Earth, detailing how they came into existence to benefit humanity.

Origin of Things: It provides an explanation for natural phenomena, specifically the formation of rivers and the introduction of fish as a food source.

Conflict with Nature: The initial scarcity of accessible water represents humanity’s struggle against natural limitations, leading to a transformative change in the environment.

► From the same Region or People

Central America
- Maya Lore

Learn more about Maya people

Once there were no rivers on earth, only one big lake, which was underground in a big hill, and the people had to get their water by lowering jars down into a very deep cenote (a deep and wide natural well). St. Peter, who was the lord of the water, wouldn’t allow rivers on earth, as the people would dirty them and churn them up. A messenger passed over the world and asked the people if they were contented and if they wanted anything.

Adam and Eve, the first people, said, “It is bad. The people are increasing, and there is no water except down that deep hole. We would like to see the water on earth.”

► Continue reading…

Then the messenger went to the water and questioned it under the ground in the mountains. The water began to talk to the messenger.

“Where are you going?” he asked the messenger.

“I am going to God,” the messenger replied, “to tell Him the people are dying of thirst.”

“Well,” said the water, “I am getting tired of being hidden here under the mountain. The sun pours down on me through the cenote mouth, and I get very hot. Besides, I would like to see the world.”

The messenger went away and told God what the water said.

“I put him there,” answered God, “so that he shouldn’t get dirty and angry with the people. If he is on earth, the people will wash in him and dirty him, and throw rubbish in him, and he will be angry. Tell him that if he is prepared to suffer all these indignities, he may go on earth.”

The messenger went to the water and told him what God had said. The water was happy.

“I don’t mind all that,” he cried. “I shall be on the move all the time, and I shall clean myself, and I shall see everything.” Then the messenger smashed the rock, and the water began to pour out in four directions. As it poured out, each stream asked the Mam, the owners of the mountain, for some food to give to the people. In one stream the Mam put minnows, in another machaca and another bagre. From that time the people have had fish to eat. That is why one must ask the Mam for fish when one goes out to catch them, for the Mam have them stored in the mountains and send them to feed the people.

The Wren

A wren’s vanity blinds him to reality when his offspring describe a camel’s size. Dismissing their claims, he insists no creature surpasses him in stature. When the camel reappears, the wren’s arrogance falters as the massive beast briefly seizes him. Though unharmed, the wren acknowledges its grandeur. The tale warns of vanity’s futility, as pride inevitably leads to downfall.

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 wren’s initial arrogance leads him to underestimate the camel’s size, but he later acknowledges the truth after a humbling encounter.

Conflict with Nature: The wren’s encounter with the camel represents a confrontation with the natural world’s realities, challenging his misconceptions.

Illusion vs. Reality: The wren’s belief in his own grandeur is shattered when faced with the camel’s true size, highlighting the disparity between perception and reality.

► 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 wren had built its nest on the side of a road. When the eggs were hatched, a camel passed that way. The little wrens saw it, and said to their father when he returned from the fields:

“O papa, a gigantic animal passed by.”

The wren stretched out his foot. “As big as this, my children?”

“O papa, much bigger.”

He stretched out his foot and his wing. “As big as this?”

“O papa, much bigger.”

► Continue reading…

Finally he stretched out fully his feet and legs. “As big as this, then?”

“Much bigger.”

“That is a lie; there is no animal bigger than I am.”

“Well, wait,” said the little ones, “and you will see.” The camel came back while browsing the grass of the roadside. The wren stretched himself out near the nest. The camel seized the bird, which passed through its teeth safe and sound.

“Truly,” he said to them, “the camel is a gigantic animal, but I am not ashamed of myself.”

On the earth it generally happens that the vain are as if they did not exist. But sooner or later a rock falls and crushes them.

The Lion, the Jackal, and the Man

A laborer plagued by a lion seeks the advice of a clever jackal, who devises a plan to kill the lion. The laborer succeeds, promising the jackal a lamb in gratitude. However, his wife replaces the lamb with a dog. When the jackal opens the sack, the dog attacks and eats him, leaving the laborer rid of both threats.

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: Both the jackal’s plan to deceive the lion and the wife’s substitution of the lamb with a dog involve deceit.

Revenge and Justice: The laborer’s actions against the lion can be seen as a form of retribution for the loss of his oxen.

Conflict with Nature: The laborer’s struggle against the lion represents a human conflict with a natural predator.

► From the same Region or People

North Africa
- Berber Lore

Learn more about the Berber peoples

Translated by Réne Basset
and Chauncey C. Starkweather

In times past, when the animals spoke, there existed, they say, a laborer who owned a pair of oxen, with which he worked. It was his custom to start out with them early in the morning, and in the evening he returned with one ox.

The next day he bought another and went to the fallow land, but the lion came and took one ox from him and left him only one. He was in despair, seeking someone to advise him, when he met the jackal and told him what had taken place between him and the lion. The jackal demanded: “What will you give me if I deliver you from the lion?”

“Whatever you wish I will give it to you.”

► Continue reading…

“Give me a fat lamb,” answered the jackal. “You will follow my advice. To-morrow when the lion comes, I will be there. I will arrive on that hill on the other side. You will bring your axe very well sharpened and when I say to you, ‘What is that which I see with you now?’ you must answer, ‘It is an ass which I have taken with me to carry barley.’ I will say to you, ‘I am looking for the lion, and not for an ass,’ Then he will ask you, ‘Who is speaking to you?’ Answer him, ‘It is the nems!’ He will say to you, ‘Hide me, for I am afraid of him,’ When I ask you, ‘Who is that stretched there before you?’ answer, ‘It is a beaver,’ I will say, ‘Take your axe and strike, to know if it be not the lion,’ You will take your axe and you will strike the lion hard between the eyes. Then I will continue: ‘I have not heard very well. Strike him again once more until he shall really be dead,'” The next day he came to him as before to eat an ox. When the jackal saw him he called his friend and said, “Who is that with you?”

“It is a beaver which is before me.”

The jackal answered: “Where is the lion? I am looking for him.”

“Who is talking to you?” asked the lion, of the laborer.

“The ‘nems.'”

“Hide me,” cried the lion, “for I fear him.”

The laborer said to him, “Stretch yourself out before me, shut your eyes, and don’t move.” The lion stretched out before him, shut his eyes, and held his breath.

The peasant said to the jackal, “I have not seen the lion pass to-day.”

“What is that stretched before you?”

“It is a beaver.”

“Take your axe,” said the jackal, “and strike that beaver.” The laborer obeyed and struck the lion violently between the eyes.

“Strike hard,” said the jackal again; “I did not hear very well.”

He struck him three or four times more, until he had killed him. Then he called the jackal: “See, I have killed him. Come, let me embrace you for your good advice. To-morrow you must come here to get the lamb which I will give you.” They separated and each went his way. As for the peasant, the next day, as soon as dawn, he took a lamb, put it into a sack, tied it up, went into the court-yard and hung it up. Then while he went to get his oxen to till his fields, at that moment, his wife opened the sack, set the lamb free, and replaced it by a dog. The peasant took the sack and went to his work. He attached his oxen and set to work, till the arrival of the jackal. The jackal said to him, “Where is that promise you made me?”

“It is in the sack. Open it and you’ll find the lamb which I give you.”

He followed his advice, opened the sack, and saw two eyes which shone more brightly than those of a lamb, and said to the laborer, “My friend, you have deceived me.”

“How have I deceived you?” asked the other. “As for the lamb, I put him in the sack. Open it well; I do not lie.”

The jackal followed his advice, he opened the sack, a dog jumped fiercely out. When the jackal saw the dog he ran away, but the dog caught him and ate him up.

The Story of the Leopard, the Tortoise, and the Bush Rat

During a famine, a clever tortoise, angry at the leopard for killing his mother, discovered a hidden lake with fish, keeping his family well-fed. The leopard, noticing the tortoise’s good fortune, demanded fish but was tricked into being tied to a tree in a “game.” Left to starve, the leopard was eventually freed by a cautious bush rat, narrowly escaping death, leaving scars that marked bush rats forever.

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

► Themes of the story

Revenge and Justice: The tortoise seeks retribution against the leopard for killing his mother, reflecting themes of vengeance and moral retribution.

Conflict with Nature: The animals face a famine, highlighting their struggle against natural forces for survival.

Cunning and Deception: The tortoise’s deceitful tactics to outsmart the leopard emphasize the use of wit to achieve goals.

► From the same Region or People

West Africa
- Nigerian Lore

Learn more about Nigerian peoples

At the time of the great famine all the animals were very thin and weak from want of food; but there was one exception, and that was the tortoise and all his family, who were quite fat, and did not seem to suffer at all. Even the leopard was very thin, in spite of the arrangement he had made with the animals to bring him their old grandmothers and mothers for food.

In the early days of the famine (as you will remember) the leopard had killed the mother of the tortoise, in consequence of which the tortoise was very angry with the leopard, and determined if possible to be revenged upon him.

► Continue reading…

The tortoise, who was very clever, had discovered a shallow lake full of fish in the middle of the forest, and every morning he used to go to the lake and, without much trouble, bring back enough food for himself and his family. One day the leopard met the tortoise and noticed how fat he was. As he was very thin himself he decided to watch the tortoise, so the next morning he hid himself in the long grass near the tortoise’s house and waited very patiently, until at last the tortoise came along quite slowly, carrying a basket which appeared to be very heavy. Then the leopard sprang out, and said to the tortoise:

“What have you got in that basket?”

The tortoise, as he did not want to lose his breakfast, replied that he was carrying firewood back to his home. Unfortunately for the tortoise the leopard had a very acute sense of smell, and knew at once that there was fish in the basket, so he said:

“I know there is fish in there, and I am going to eat it.”

The tortoise, not being in a position to refuse, as he was such a poor creature, said:

“Very well. Let us sit down under this shady tree, and if you will make a fire I will go to my house and get pepper, oil, and salt, and then we will feed together.”

To this the leopard agreed, and began to search about for dry wood, and started the fire. In the meantime the tortoise waddled off to his house, and very soon returned with the pepper, salt, and oil; he also brought a long piece of cane tie-tie, which is very strong. This he put on the ground, and began boiling the fish. Then he said to the leopard:

“While we are waiting for the fish to cook, let us play at tying one another up to a tree. You may tie me up first, and when I say ‘Tighten,’ you must loose the rope, and when I say ‘Loosen,’ you must tighten the rope.”

The leopard, who was very hungry, thought that this game would make the time pass more quickly until the fish was cooked, so he said he would play. The tortoise then stood with his back to the tree and said, “Loosen the rope,” and the leopard, in accordance with the rules of the game, began to tie up the tortoise. Very soon the tortoise shouted out, “Tighten!” and the leopard at once unfastened the tie-tie, and the tortoise was free. The tortoise then said, “Now, leopard, it is your turn;” so the leopard stood up against the tree and called out to the tortoise to loosen the rope, and the tortoise at once very quickly passed the rope several times round the leopard and got him fast to the tree. Then the leopard said, “Tighten the rope;” but instead of playing the game in accordance with the rules he had laid down, the tortoise ran faster and faster with the rope round the leopard, taking great care, however, to keep out of reach of the leopard’s claws, and very soon had the leopard so securely fastened that it was quite impossible for him to free himself.

All this time the leopard was calling out to the tortoise to let him go, as he was tired of the game; but the tortoise only laughed, and sat down at the fireside and commenced his meal. When he had finished he packed up the remainder of the fish for his family, and prepared to go, but before he started he said to the leopard:

“You killed my mother and now you want to take my fish. It is not likely that I am going to the lake to get fish for you, so I shall leave you here to starve.”

He then threw the remains of the pepper and salt into the leopard’s eyes and quietly went on his way, leaving the leopard roaring with pain.

All that day and throughout the night the leopard was calling out for some one to release him, and vowing all sorts of vengeance on the tortoise; but no one came, as the people and animals of the forest do not like to hear the leopard’s voice.

In the morning, when the animals began to go about to get their food, the leopard called out to every one he saw to come and untie him, but they all refused, as they knew that if they did so the leopard would most likely kill them at once and eat them. At last a bush rat came near and saw the leopard tied up to the tree and asked him what was the matter, so the leopard told him that he had been playing a game of “tight” and “loose” with the tortoise, and that he had tied him up and left him there to starve. The leopard then implored the bush rat to cut the ropes with his sharp teeth. The bush rat was very sorry for the leopard; but at the same time he knew that, if he let the leopard go, he would most likely be killed and eaten, so he hesitated, and said that he did not quite see his way to cutting the ropes. But this bush rat, being rather kind-hearted, and having had some experience of traps himself, could sympathise with the leopard in his uncomfortable position. He therefore thought for a time, and then hit upon a plan. He first started to dig a hole under the tree, quite regardless of the leopard’s cries. When he had finished the hole he came out and cut one of the ropes, and immediately ran into his hole, and waited there to see what would happen; but although the leopard struggled frantically, he could not get loose, as the tortoise had tied him up so fast. After a time, when he saw that there was no danger, the bush rat crept out again and very carefully bit through another rope, and then retired to his hole as before. Again nothing happened, and he began to feel more confidence, so he bit several strands through one after the other until at last the leopard was free. The leopard, who was ravenous with hunger, instead of being grateful to the bush rat, directly he was free, made a dash at the bush rat with his big paw, but just missed him, as the bush rat had dived for his hole; but he was not quite quick enough to escape altogether, and the leopard’s sharp claws scored his back and left marks which he carried to his grave. Ever since then the bush rats have had white spots on their skins, which represent the marks of the leopard’s claws.

Why the Moon Waxes and Wanes

A poor old woman lived alone in a mud hut, often starving. The moon, a fat woman made of hide, took pity on her and allowed the woman to carve meat from her each night. As the moon grew thin, people grew suspicious. They caught the old woman in the act, scaring the moon back to the sky, where she now waxes and wanes, never descending again.

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

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: The tale provides an explanation for the natural phenomenon of the moon’s waxing and waning.

Conflict with Nature: The old woman’s actions in carving meat from the moon lead to unintended consequences affecting the natural world.

Loss and Renewal: The moon’s cycle of becoming thin and then renewing herself each month reflects themes of depletion and restoration.

► From the same Region or People

West Africa
- Nigerian Lore

Learn more about Nigerian peoples

There was once an old woman who was very poor, and lived in a small mud hut thatched with mats made from the leaves of the tombo palm in the bush. She was often very hungry, as there was no one to look after her.

In the olden days the moon used often to come down to the earth, although she lived most of the time in the sky. The moon was a fat woman with a skin of hide, and she was full of fat meat. She was quite round, and in the night used to give plenty of light. The moon was sorry for the poor starving old woman, so she came to her and said, “You may cut some of my meat away for your food.”

► Continue reading…

This the old woman did every evening, and the moon got smaller and smaller until you could scarcely see her at all. Of course this made her give very little light, and all the people began to grumble in consequence, and to ask why it was that the moon was getting so thin.

At last the people went to the old woman’s house where there happened to be a little girl sleeping. She had been there for some little time, and had seen the moon come down every evening, and the old woman go out with her knife and carve her daily supply of meat out of the moon. As she was very frightened, she told the people all about it, so they determined to set a watch on the movements of the old woman.

That very night the moon came down as usual, and the old woman went out with her knife and basket to get her food; but before she could carve any meat all the people rushed out shouting, and the moon was so frightened that she went back again into the sky, and never came down again to the earth. The old woman was left to starve in the bush.

Ever since that time the moon has hidden herself most of the day, as she was so frightened, and she still gets very thin once a month, but later on she gets fat again, and when she is quite fat she gives plenty of light all the night; but this does not last very long, and she begins to get thinner and thinner, in the same way as she did when the old woman was carving her meat from her.

The Story of the Lightning and the Thunder

Long ago, Thunder and Lightning lived among people, with Thunder as an old sheep and Lightning her fiery ram son. Lightning’s destructive temper led to widespread harm despite Thunder’s rebukes. After complaints, the king first banished them to the bush, then to the sky. From there, Lightning still rages, and Thunder’s distant voice continues to scold him, explaining their celestial presence today.

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

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: The tale provides an explanation for the natural phenomena of thunder and lightning.

Conflict with Nature: The people’s struggle against the destructive forces of Lightning reflects human challenges with natural elements.

Divine Punishment: Lightning’s banishment to the sky serves as retribution for his harmful actions.

► From the same Region or People

West Africa
- Nigerian Lore

Learn more about Nigerian peoples

In the olden days the thunder and lightning lived on the earth amongst all the other people, but the king made them live at the far end of the town, as far as possible from other people’s houses.

The thunder was an old mother sheep, and the lightning was her son, a ram. Whenever the ram got angry he used to go about and burn houses and knock down trees; he even did damage on the farms, and sometimes killed people. Whenever the lightning did these things, his mother used to call out to him in a very loud voice to stop and not to do any more damage.

► Continue reading…

But the lightning did not care in the least for what his mother said, and when he was in a bad temper used to do a very large amount of damage. At last the people could not stand it any longer, and complained to the king.

So the king made a special order that the sheep (Thunder) and her son, the ram (Lightning), should leave the town and live in the far bush. This did not do much good, as when the ram got angry he still burnt the forest, and the flames sometimes spread to the farms and consumed them.

So the people complained again, and the king banished both the lightning and the thunder from the earth and made them live in the sky, where they could not cause so much destruction. Ever since, when the lightning is angry, he commits damage as before, but you can hear his mother, the thunder, rebuking him and telling him to stop. Sometimes, however, when the mother has gone away some distance from her naughty son, you can still see that he is angry and is doing damage, but his mother’s voice cannot be heard.

Why the Sun and the Moon live in the Sky

The story tells of the sun and water, once friends living on Earth. Water refused to visit the sun, claiming his vast people needed a large space. The sun built a huge compound, inviting water, who arrived with his people and gradually filled the space. Eventually, water overflowed, forcing the sun and moon to retreat to the sky, where they remain to this day.

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

► Themes of the story

Creation: The tale explains the origin of the Sun and Moon’s positions in the sky.

Origin of Things: It provides a narrative for a natural phenomenon: why the Sun and Moon reside in the sky.

Conflict with Nature: The Sun’s interaction with Water leads to an overwhelming flood, highlighting a struggle against natural forces.

► From the same Region or People

West Africa
- Nigerian Lore

Learn more about Nigerian peoples

Many years ago the sun and water were great friends, and both lived on the earth together. The sun very often used to visit the water, but the water never returned his visits. At last the sun asked the water why it was that he never came to see him in his house, the water replied that the sun’s house was not big enough, and that if he came with his people he would drive the sun out.

He then said, “If you wish me to visit you, you must build a very large compound; but I warn you that it will have to be a tremendous place, as my people are very numerous, and take up a lot of room.”

► Continue reading…

The sun promised to build a very big compound, and soon afterwards he returned home to his wife, the moon, who greeted him with a broad smile when he opened the door. The sun told the moon what he had promised the water, and the next day commenced building a huge compound in which to entertain his friend.

When it was completed, he asked the water to come and visit him the next day.

When the water arrived, he called out to the sun, and asked him whether it would be safe for him to enter, and the sun answered, “Yes, come in, my friend.”

The water then began to flow in, accompanied by the fish and all the water animals.

Very soon the water was knee-deep, so he asked the sun if it was still safe, and the sun again said, “Yes,” so more water came in.

When the water was level with the top of a man’s head, the water said to the sun, “Do you want more of my people to come?” and the sun and moon both answered, “Yes,” not knowing any better, so the water flowed on, until the sun and moon had to perch themselves on the top of the roof.

Again the water addressed the sun, but receiving the same answer, and more of his people rushing in, the water very soon overflowed the top of the roof, and the sun and moon were forced to go up into the sky, where they have remained ever since.