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SOUTH-AFRICAN FOLK-TALES
BY
JAMES A. HONEŸ, M.D.
1910
The Baker & Taylor Company
AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED
TO
C. F. H. AND F. I. G.

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION

1

ORIGIN OF THE DIFFERENCE IN MODES OF LIFE BETWEEN HOTTENTOTS AND BUSHMEN

8

THE LOST MESSAGE

10

THE MONKEY'S FIDDLE

14

THE TIGER, THE RAM, AND THE JACKAL

19

THE JACKAL AND THE WOLF

22

A JACKAL AND AWOLF

24

THE LION, THE JACKAL, AND THE MAN

25

THE WORLD'S REWARD

28

THE LION AND THE JACKAL

33

TINK-TINKJE

41

THE LION AND JACKAL

45

THE LION AND JACKAL

48

THF, HUNT OF LION AND JACKAL

53

THE STORY OF LION AND LITTLE JACKAL

56

THE LIONESS AND THE OSTRICH

62

CROCODILE'S TREASON

64

THE STORY OF A DAM

73

THE DANCE FOR WATER ORRABBITS' TRIUMPH

79

JACKAL AND MONKEY

84

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LION'S SHARE

87

JACKAL'S BRIDE

92

THE STORY OF HARE

94

THE WHITE MAN AND SNAKE

101

ANOTHER VERSION OF THE SAME FABLE

103

CLOUD BATING

105

LION'S ILLNESS

107

JACKAL, DOVE, AND HERON

109

COCK AND JACKAL

111

ELEPHANT ANDTORT01SE

112

ANOTHER VERSION OF THE SAME FABLE

115

TORTOISE HUNTING OSTRICHES

117

THE JUDGMENT OF BABOON

118

LION AND BABOON

121

THE ZEBRA STALLION

122

WHEN LION COULD FLY

124

LION WHO THOUGHT HIMSELF WISER THAN HIS MOTHER

126

LION WHO TOOK A WOMAN'S SHAPE

129

WHY HAS JACKAL A LONG BLACK STRIPE ON HIS BACK?

137

HORSE CURSED BY SUN

138LION'S DEFEAT

139

THE ORIGIN OF DEATH

141

ANOTHER VERSION OF THE SAME FABLE

143

A THIRD VERSION OF THE SAME FABLE

144

A FOURTH VERSION OF THE SAME FABLE

146

A ZULU VERSION OF THE LEGEND OF THE "ORIGIN OF DEATH"

147

LITERATURE ON SOUTH-AFRICAN FOLK-LORE

148

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SOUTH-AFRICAN FOLK-TALESINTRODUCTION
IN presenting these stories, which are of deep interest and value to South Africans, I hope they may prove of some value to those
Americans who have either an interest in animals or who appreciate the folklore of other countries.
Many of these tales have appeared among English collections previous to 1880, others have been translated from the Dutch, and a few
have been writtenfrom childhood remembrance. Consequently they do not pretend to be original or unique. Care has been taken not to
spoil the ethnological value for the sake of form or structure; and in all cases they are as nearly like the original as a translation from one
tongue to another will allow. They are all South-African folklore tales and mainly from the Bushmen. Some are perverted types from what
wereoriginally Bushmen tales, but have been taken over by Hottentots or Zulus; a few are from the Dutch. Most of these last named will
show a European influence, especially French.
Some of the animal stories have appeared in American magazines under the author's name, but this is the first time that a complete
collection has appeared since Dr. Bleek published his stories in 1864. The object hasbeen to keep the stories apart from those which have
a mythological or religious significance, and especially to keep it an animal collection free from those in which man appears to take a part.
There will be found several versions of the same story, and as far as possible these will be put in the order of their importance in relation
to the original. The author does not pretend to be an authorityon South-African folklore, but has only a South-African-born interest in
what springs from that country of sunshine. It is a difficult task to attempt to trace the origin of these stories, as there is no country where
there have been so many distinct and primitive races dwelling together.
The Bushmen seem to trace back to the earliest Egyptian days, when dwarfs were pictured on the tombs of...