The sun., 1908-05-17
HoPPERTOAD THE CRAFTY
a SOUTH AFRICAN sNOVELETfE
or THE JUNGLE KIN

A Hot Fsnish whcn the GaxelIe Loat thc
Race the Bandy Legged Isippepsta-
psus Could Not Play a-Note, but Came
tp Grief over . st0len Truupet.
Tho southern terminus Of the area of the
great African animal myth may roughly
he mark cd as about Delagoa Bay, for among
the Amasulu still further TO the southland
among the tribes loosely ciassed as Kafslr
the central figures Of the bush stories change
and the whole tone OF the legends 10 far diff
ferent. Above Delagoa Bay the mythology
In strikingly uniform. sort OF epic Of the
beasties. and the central figure throughout
is the rabbit. who conquers strength by
means Of craft ,s& btf d.
The eastern and western boundaries OF
this area are the Indian and the Atlantic
oceans. respectively. It's northward extern
sion Is at present uncertain, but it seerns
fair to assume that IL 10 practically de-
limited by the line Of severance between the
true negroes OF the tropical forests and the
Sudhnese. Of distinct race and on an alien
plane Of culture. - t@
From Delagoa Bay. more specifically
from the Lorenzo Marques country. comes
o story Of the craft and wisdom OF the small
Do<4ot. uut hf oPPOolttOu ~ Hi'iv cApSO
strength and winning In the end by wit
Az It Is told at length by the Ba-Ronga
keepers Of the legends the effective hero
10 the toad. and the rabbit Ii introduced
for just a passing episode and in Sec
ondary position.
Yet it is really true Rabbit tale. for
each Of these twenty gests loosely strung
together has been told by the Ba-Ronga
themselves Of the wise Rabbit, and by near
neighbors Of this tribe the stories are uni
formIy credited to the wonder deeds Of the
Rabbit himself. To the Rev. Henri a.
Junod Of the Swiss Mission in South Africa
10 due the credit for the preservation Of this
valuable tale of the African amir ais In the
Ba-Ronga words. words hitherto preserved
only from tongue 10 ear and thence to re-
tentive minds in the soft nights Of the south
whenever the moon, flooding blue lights
upon the red and chapped sraces Of tho
kraals, sets loose the tongues Of the tellers
OF tales. 49,.
This. then, is close rendering Of the
Ba-R -Ronga Tale Of tho Hoppertoad, prof
aced by the traditional exordium Of the
professional novelists OF that race.
Ahina kambe kunene-Hearken to the
true word!
Madam Gray Gazelle brewed beer one fine
day and called her neighbors in to help her
work her garden. They went out to work
upon the hill. they titled the whole planta-
ton. Then the Gazelle said to the Hopper
toad
Suppose we race to see which gets home
first. And the one who passes the other
and Gomez in first shall turn back until she
meets the one behind and shall give her a
pot Of beer"
They ran their race. The Eoppertoad
numbered over the clods after her manner.
the Gazelle bounded through the air and was
at home in an instant. She came back with
a crock OF beer. stopped the Hoppertoad in
the road and said: Take this and drink,
have beaten YOU
"True for you." says the other. you have
outrun me- ft
Then they went to Madam Gazelle 8 house
and drank the beer. IN -7ia t ~ eiI
When they had pretty nearly finished the
Hoppertoad said to her companion: @Since
you say that you have run faster than let
US try another race
All right says the Gazelle, where shall
we 60 TO run this .raoe?'
The other answers: Il will 60 to show
you where We shall race now Then the
Hoppertoad goes into her house. but the
Gazelle builds fence all about it and closes
1t tight The Hoppertoad says TO her:
ATake a firestick and burn the house since
you have beaten me in the race And the
Gaxelle sets the house ablaze.
; Then the Hoppertoad cries out: -Ho.
Madam Gazelle, whore shall find refugee
She replied: Get into the big pot
sInto the big pot--but there are others
there. Where shall I 60 to be safe''
Sect into the big basket
ssIpto the big basket-there are others
there !, KS
(, Then the Gazells says: We'll. then. die,
burn with your house and turn into little
black coal all burnt out!'
! But the Hoppertoad goes into the ground,
sbe makes burrow and hides there. When
tile house is all burned down there Is no
more Hoppertoad to be seen.
The rain comes down. At once the
Hoppertoad comes out with her brothers.
her wenches and her children. Her, village
grows large apd becomes great kraal.
The Gazeile says to her: "Ho. my friend!
You have run stronger than i. you have
rome beyond me. nen Sno went away
to sleep elsewhere, for she dreaded the
neighborhood Of a village 30 large as that
was. But the Hoppertoad prepared food
Tor the Antelope. which before had never
been done.
The GazeIle then says: 'Ah, well. II has
como to this. too. am going into my
house. set it afre.".
The Hoppertoad says to her: "Not sol
For you are leaper over the bushes. while
I am forced to stay upon the ground
But the Gazelle was insistent and said:
.Not at all myself wish it. and II I burn
with my house it matters not &
The Hoppsrtoad replies; II 1t is really
your wish, very well, but had pity on
you,- The Gazelle went into the house and
her horns went with her. The Hoppertoad
put fence Of thorns about the house and
made it tight, she took frestiok, she set
it alight.
The Gazelle cries out: Good Nanny
Hoppertoad. burn! Where shall go to
be safe?' ~
aGet into the big pot!' says tho Hopper
toad.
4Into the big pot9' says she, there are
others there already
Get into the big basketl'
-Into the big basket There are others in