Reading B: Nigerian unit (Dayrell)

Week 9 Nigerian unit (Dayrell)

Reading B

The Story of the Lightning and the Thunder

An origin story of lightning and thunder. Long ago, lightning was a ram, the son of thunder, a sheep. They lived at the far end of town. Lightning had a terrible temper and when he became mad he would burn down houses, knock down trees, and kill people. His mother’s response to his antics was to call him using a very loud voice telling him to stop the destruction. The people of the town complained to the king. The king made the ram and the sheep move to the bush. However, this did little good as the ram continued to burn the forest. Again, the people complained to the king. He banished both the lightning and thunder from the Earth and forced them to live in the sky where their damage would be minimal. To this day, when lightnings temper flares, you can hear his mother yelling at him.

Image of lightning in the sky

Why the Bush Cow and the Elephant are bad Friends

Another origin story with an added addition of a pesky monkey who doesn’t not alter the tale, but provides a lot of entertainment and personality. When the chief had ordered that the bickering between the Bush Cow and the Elephant be decided with a fight in an open space. The Bush Cow, instead, met the Elephant on the road to the market and fighting ensued. The monkey say what was happening and rushed back to tell the chief. However, the forgetful and easily distracted monkey forgets his mission. He finally remembers, when prompted by the chief. The chief becomes angry and shots the Elephant and Bush Cow with a poison bow and arrow. The chief then hides. The two animals die a painful death. However, since the issues of dominance was never decided, the Elephant and Bush Cow remain enemies.

Image of a Bush Cow or African elephant

The Affair of the Hippopotamus and the Tortoise or Why the Hippopotamus Lives in the Water

Another origin tale as to why the hippos lives in the water and comes on shore to feed at night. A hippopotamus king named Isantim had seven wives. The king often held very large feasts for the people. During one of the feast, he told the people that they come to enjoy his food, but if they didn’t know his name, that they should leave. No one knew his name, but the tortoise asked what would happen if at the next feast someone knew his name. The hippo said that he would be so ashamed that he and his family would leave the land and become water dwellers. Knowing that the king and his wives bathed at the water each day, the tortoise hid. When all but two of the wives had passed, he partially buried himself. One of the wives stepped on him and bellowed for her husband “Isantim, I have hurt my foot.” At the next feast tortoise told the hippo his name. An abiding by the agreement, the king and his family went to the river and all hippos have lived in the water since that day.

IMAGE of Hippo family

Of the Fat Woman who Melted Away

Origin story about why a misbehaving wife is returned to her parents, sold as a slave, and then the proceeds of her sale are used to repay the husband for the dowry he had paid to marry the girl. A very fat girl who is made of oil weds a man. Her mother cautions her to stay out of the sun because she will melt. Her younger sister moves away with her. The husband other wife is jealous of the fat wife and hates how she always gets out of doing work because of the fear of melting. In the husband’s absence, the jealous wife makes the fat wife work in the son. Although the young sister tells her not to work, the fat wife melts. All that remains is her big tow which was under a leaf. The sister takes the big toe and puts it in a pot with water and covers it. When the husband arrives home, the sister tells the husband. She exclaims that the fat wife will grow back if he send the jealous wife away. He takes the jealous wife back to her parents, who sale her as a slave, and repay the husband the dowry money. After three months the sister lifts the pot lid and the fat wife is there. The husband was happy and threw a giant feast.

Image of a big toe or big pot or leaf

The King and the ‘Nsiat Bird

A king fell deeply in love with Adit, a ‘Nsiat bird. Her father had warned the king that she would give birth to twins like her mother. Since the tradition was to kill both twins at birth and to drive the mother out and let her starve, the father was concerned. However, the king so loved Adit that he paid a huge dowry for her. Soon after marriage, she had twins. The father ‘Nsiat made a deal with the king that he would take the twins, his daughter, and all the ‘Nsiat birds and that they would forever live in the sky. The king agreed. However, the ‘Nsiat did not go to live in the Bush, they instead chose to live in the trees in town where people are present. To this day, yellow ‘Nsiat females and black males can be spotted living in the trees.

Image of a pretty yellow bird or ‘Nsiat Bird

Concerning the Hawk and the Owl

A hawk retiring from a life of messenger service to the King is told that he must decide on what animal he would like to eat for the rest of his life. The hawk flies around and finds a baby owlet that has fallen from the nest. The hawk takes the owlet to the king and tells the king that he has chosen owls to eat. The hawk tells his friends, the wisest of whom, asks the owl what the owlet’s parents said when he took the babe. The hawk replied the the parents were quiet. The friend said that they were no doubt plotting a revenge in the night against the hawk and that he should return the owlet. The hawk did returned the owlet and then sought another source of food. He saw some baby chickens and decided to take one. The mother chicken made a lot of noise and chased him. He took the chicken to the king and told the king that he had returned the owlet and decided to eat chickens. The hawk told his friends and, again, the wise friend asked what the parents said. The hawk said that the mom chicken made a noisy scene and chased him. The friend said the chicken was safe to eat. He explained that those that made plenty of noise during the daytime would sleep at night and not harm the hawk. However, those that were quiet were most likely planning to do the hawk harm at night.

Image of a hawk

The ‘Nsasak Bird and the Odudu Bird

Two birds compete to be the chief of the small birds to King Adam. The ‘Nsasak Bird a small bird that feeds on palm nuts and the larger Odudu Bird, who feeds on grasshoppers and crickets, were the very best of friends. The king ordered the two birds to build a house,which he would inspect, and then the birds would be trapped inside and see which bird could to the longest without food. Unbeknownst to the king, the ‘Nsasak Bird had made a small hole in the house and was able to escape and eat during the day and return and cover up the hole at night. Eventually, no noise was made from the Odudu Bird house. The house were opened and out flew the ‘Nsasak Bird, but the Odudu Bird was dead. The ‘Nsasak Bird was named head chief of all the small birds and remains so to this day.

Bibliography: Nigerian unit, Dayrell, http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/nigeria-nsasak-bird-and-odudu-bird.html

'Nsasak Bird
Red headed