Where Animals Talk; West African Folk Lore Tales/Part 3/Tale 4
Parrot Standing on One Leg
Persons
| Njâku (Elephant) | Koho (Parrot) |
| Iwedo (Death) | |
NOTE
In former times, in the days of Witchcraft, it was the custom not to bury a corpse until the question was settled who or what had caused the death. This investigation sometimes occupied several days; during which time decomposition was hindered by the application of salt, and even by drying the remains in the smoke of a fire.
Elephant built his own town; and Parrot built also his.
Then the children of Parrot went a-hunting every day; and when they came back, the town had wild meat in abundance, hida! hida!
One day Elephant announced, "I must go on an excursion to the town of Chum Koho." He arrived there and found him, with that fashion of his, of standing with one leg bent up under his feathers hidden. His friend Elephant asked him, "Chum! what have you done to your leg?" He answered him (falsely), "My children have gone with it a-hunting." Elephant being astonished said, "On your oath?" He replied, "Truly!"
Then Elephant said, "I came to see you, only to see. I'm going back." The other said, "Yes; very good."
Elephant returned to his town, and said to his children, "Arrange the nets today; tomorrow for a hunt!"
The next day, the children made ready. And he, ashamed that a small Bird should do a greater act than himself said, "Take ye a saw, and cut off my leg." His children did not hesitate at his command, as they were accustomed to implicit obedience. So, they cut it off; and they carried with them, as he directed, the leg, on their hunt.
When they were gone, to their father Elephant came Death, saying, "I have arrived!" People of the town cried for help, "Come ye! Njâku is not well!" But, the children were beyond hearing, being still away at the hunt. During their absence. Elephant died. When they arrived, they found their father a corpse.
People wondered, saying, "What is this? Since we were born, we have not heard this, that hunting is carried on with the legs of one who remains behind in the town." When others, coming to the funeral, from other towns, asked the children, "Who was the person who counseled you such advice as that?" they said, "Himself it was who told us; he said to us 'Cut;' So we cut."
Then, on farther investigation, the people said, "The blame belongs to Koho," so, they called Parrot to account. But, Parrot said, "It is not mine. I did not tell him to cut off his leg." So, the charge was dismissed. And the burial proceeded.