Reading Diary B: South African Tales

South AfricanFolktales

READING B:

1. The Dance for Water

Its very interesting how some pairs (rabbit and tortoise) of animals are so common in folklore. I like this trickster rabbit and his irreverence but such characters pose a major problem for small close-knit societies.

2. Jackal and Monkey

There were a lot of terms here that I didn’t understand: “Boer's kraal,” “wip,” and “kopje.” Jackal was the trickster here.






A Boer, Source: Wikipedia


3. The Story of Hare

4. The White Man and Snake

This story really spoke to my sense of justice unlike some of the other folk-tales. I like the moral of the story; Do not give aid to those who would harm you, or do not bite the hand that feeds you. Although Jackal is still a bit of a trickster in this story, he was fair.

5. Jackal, Dove, and Heron

6. Elephant and Tortoise

7. The Judgment of Baboon

8. When Lion Could Fly

kraal
kräl/
SOUTH AFRICAN
noun
a traditional African village of huts, typically enclosed by a fence.

This was a really strange story. I want to know what the pile of bones had to do with Lion’s ability to fly. Why does frog want to break them? Is he leveling the playing field by reducing Lion’s ability to hunt prey? Do Lion’s hunt frogs but not crows?

9. Lion Who Thought Himself Wiser Than His Mother

This one was a bit strange too. I understand the part about listening to your mother but the rhyme part didn’t make sense. Short-eared, blood-stained nostrils…

10. Lion Who Took a Woman's Shape

In this story, a young girl disobeys her mother and ends up being devoured by a lion. The lion steals her skin and masquerades as the young girl in a village. The family and village become wise to the deception and disassemble the hut where the lion is sleeping. They then burn the lion. Somehow the girl’s heart was found intact and when mixed with milk the daughter grew whole again. The daughter then learned her lesson and remained home with her mother never marrying.


Story source: South African Folk-Tales by James Honey (1910).

Reading Diary A: South African Tales

ReadingDiary Week 6

READING A:

1. The Lost Message

I immediately see parallels to human struggles; different groups coming together to address common struggles and enemies. Consensus could not be found but each group found a separate unity. Still fell prey to their enemies. King-insect sent a message to work together but the beetle lost it.

In a hunter-gatherer community like the San, working together can mean the difference between life and death. This story helps to illustrate the dangers on discord.

2. The Monkey's Fiddle

Again we see a reflection of the nomadic culture in the monkey’s need to travel to a new land for resources. There is also insight into the kinship structure and nature of reciprocity.

Jealously incites wolf, and in turn jackal, to want the bow for themselves. Monkey ends up saving himself with his magic fiddle and escapes to his thorn tree with the bow and instrument.

3. The Tiger, The Ram, and The Jackal

4. The Lion, The Jackal, and The Man

5. The World's Reward

6. Tiger and Jackal

7. Tink-Tinkje

8. The Lion, The Jackal and The Rope

This tale, like many folk tales, attributes human qualities to animal behaviors. The jackal is a scavenger and often takes the kills of other predators. Here the jackal deceives the lion and steals his kill. This can parallel the behavior of some people who profit from the hard work of others. In a small tribe like the San, this type of behavior cannot be tolerated and people must be extra vigilant.

9. Jackal Fools Lion Again

10. The Hunt of Lion and Jackal

11. Story of Lion and Little Jackal

12. The Lioness and the Ostrich

This story was a bit strange and I’m not sure that I understood it. Ostriches drink blood and roar?



(Ostrich, mouth open Source: Wikipedia Commons)

13. The Story of a Dam

Story source: South African Folk-Tales by James Honey (1910).