Where Animals Talk; West African Folk Lore Tales/Part 3/Tale 9
An Oath, With a Mental Reservation
Persons
| Ibembe (Dove) | Njĕ (Leopard) |
| Ngando (Crocodile) | |
NOTE
Covenants among natives are made under oath, by the two parties eating together of some fetish-mixture, called a "Medicine"; which, being connected with some Spirit, is supposed to be able to punish any infraction of the covenant.
Because Dove "abused" Leopard, that is, deceived him, the dove no longer builds its nest on the ground, through fear of leopards.
Dove was building in a tree-trunk by a river, because it preferred to walk on the ground. And Crocodile just then emerged from the river to the bank, and lay on his log where he usually rested.
They two said, "Let us eat a Medicine-charm."
So, Dove agreed, and swore, saying, "I say to you that, when anything at all shall happen openly, if I do not tell it to you, then may this Medicine find me out and kill me." Crocodile also uttered his oath, "When whatever thing shall come out from the river onto the ground, if I do not tell it to you, this Medicine must find me out and kill me!"
When they had finished their Covenant, Crocodile returned to his hollow in the ground by the river. Dove also arose, and went away, walking to his place. Then he and Leopard suddenly met, on the path.
Leopard asked, "Are you able to see Ngando for me? I want to eat it." Dove answered, "Ah! would that you and I were living in one place with an Agreement!" Leopard replied, "Come then! let us, I and you, eat a Medicine."
So Leopard began. He said as his oath: "Anything at all that shall come to my place where I dwell, if I be there, and it wants to get hold of you, if I tell it not to you, let this Medicine find and certainly kill me!" Dove also with his oath, said, "If I see Ngando, and I do not tell you, let this Medicine find me and certainly kill me!"
So, they made their promise; then they separated; and each one went to his own village.
Thus Dove and Leopard ate their kind of "Medicine," after Dove and Crocodile had already eaten theirs.
Then, one day. Crocodile came out from the river. Dove at once began to tell Leopard, saying, "He has emerged from the river and is about to settle on the log!" So, Leopard began slowly to come, and watching Crocodile, as he came. When he was near, in his advance. Dove spoke, telling Crocodile, and said, "Your watcher! Your watcher is coming! Do not apprach here!"
Thereat, Crocodile slipped back into the water.
The next time that Dove and Leopard met, Leopard demanded, "What is this you have done to me? You swore to me this: 'If I see Crocodile I will tell you; and you must come catch him.' Now, as soon as you saw me, you turned around, and told Crocodile, 'Fall into the River!' You have mocked me!"
And Leopard grew very angry.