The Kob Antelope Woman and Other Human-Animal Folktales from the Mwaghavul of Nigeria: With English Translations

By Peace Sorochi Longdet

The Kob Antelope Woman and Other Human-Animal Folktales from the Mwaghavul of Nigeria is a collection of thirty-eight indigenous folktales from the Mwaghavul people, an indigenous community in the central zone of the present Plateau State of Nigeria. These folktales are well cherished by the Mwaghavul people. Folktales are rich and authentic sources of African values. Used deliberately to inculcate positive values in children, they are, therefore, didactic and morality-laden. These tales contain unique cultural knowledge. This book is written in a bilingual style and the translation is done with precision and clarity in order not to lose the flavour of its original form. The tales, though traditional, include contemporary real-life lessons and insights from a wide spectrum of experiences.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 10, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664173101

Peace Sorochi Longdet

Peace Sorochi Longdet is a lecturer at the Department of English, Federal College of Education, Pankshin, Plateau State, Nigeria. She obtained her PhD in 2019 from the Department of English, University of Jos, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. She has participated in national and international conferences and published articles in journals. She has won two academic prizes: the best graduating student, Department of English, F.C.E., Pankshin 1999, and the NAWCS prize for the best graduating female student in the Faculty of Arts, University of Jos, 2006. In 2017, she was awarded a grant by the Firebird Foundation for Anthropological Research Fellowship, USA, for the documentation of Mwaghavul oral literature. Her research interests are computational folkloristics, African Literature (oral and written), Gender Studies, Children Literature, and Creative Writing.

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Copyright © 2021 by Peace Sorochi Longdet.

ISBN:      Softcover      978-1-6641-7311-8

                eBook           978-1-6641-7310-1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 05/06/2021

Xlibris

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Contents

Dedication

Tale 1 Mat Ɗí Ra a Luɓang

Tale 1 The Kob Antelope Woman

Tale 2 Mee Rèep Lukāa Puun kɨ Ɗyem kɨ̀ Mishkagham

Tale 2 The Motherless Young Woman and the Prince

Tale 3 Mee Ngukwat kɨ Mat Fɨri Kɨɓɨn

Tale 3 The Hunter and his Buffalo Wife

Tale 4 Làa Mishkagham Ɗí Mat Fɨri a Muluu

Tale 4 The Prince Whose Wife Was a Pumpkin

Tale 5 Daafwan kɨ Màar Kom kɨ̀ Bɨlaat Mo

Tale 5 The Hare and the Fulani Groundnut Farm

Tale 6 Sogho kɨ̀ Ka Nlumwat kɨ Kwàar

Tale 6 The Race Between Grandmother Toad and the Oribi

Tale 7 Ar Ɗí Kwoom Tu Daafwan Ɗi Ashak kɨ Nyemɓam Fɨri Mo

Tale 7 How the Bush Fowl Killed the Hare and His Collaborators

Tale 8 Daafwan Ɗí Ri a Ngu Tuténg

Tale 8 The Murderous Hare

Tale 9 Hime Ɗí Ni Met nDaafwan mƁal

Tale 9 The Hare’s Insatiable Appetite

Tale 10 Daafwan kɨ Màar Kóm kɨ̀ Mishkagham

Tale 10 The Hare and the King’s Groundnut Farm

Tale 11 Ar Ɗí Daafwan Làng Ndumu kaa Bɨring Sɨ̀

Tale 11 How the Hare Rode the Hyena like a Horse

Tale 12 Kaghan mpèe Mish

Tale 12 The Contest for a Husband

Tale 13 Daafwan kɨ Màar Kóm

Tale 13 The Hare and the Groundnut Farm

Tale 14 Daafwan Ɗí Ri Gyar Rɨɓet Mbii

Tale 14 The Greedy Hare

Tale 15 Zughum ɗí Daafwan kɨ Ndumu mo Lap

Tale 15 The Gifts Received by the Hare and the Hyena

Tale 16 Sogho kɨ̀ Ka Nlumwat kɨ Dughum

Tale 16 The Race Between Grandmother Toad and the Roan Antelope

Tale 17 Mbul Ɗí Ra Ɓɨlang nJep Fɨra Mo

Tale 17 The Dove who lost her Chicks

Tale 18 Ar Ɗí Daafwan Làng Ndumu Ɗi kaa Bɨring Sɨ̀

Tale 18 How the Hare Rode the Hyena like a Horse

Tale 19 Mee Làa nNaar kɨ̀ Lwaayil Mo

Tale 19 The Child Amidst Wild Animals

Tale 20 Nàariin kɨ Mish Nwòo Fɨra

Tale 20 Nàariin and Her Snake Husband

Tale 21 Mee Gwar kɨ Ndaajii Ɗiimat

Tale 21 A Man and the Female Monster

Tale 22 Nàariin kɨ Mish Fɨra Ndaajii

Tale 22 Nàariin and Her Monster Husband

Tale 23 Laareep Ɗí Ra Kwar Mish Shèe Fɨra

Tale 23 The Young Woman Who Disappointed Her Fiancé

Tale 24 Lwaa Ɗí Mo Mang Shin kɨ̀ Gurum

Tale 24 Animals in Human Form

Tale 25 Ɗyem Ɗí Mo Làa Ri a nkaa Fwat

Tale 25 The Boy Born on Ashes

Tale 26 Ngu Ɗak Gurum

Tale 26 The Human Maker

Tale 27 Tōok Tughul kɨ̀ Naannáa

Tale 27 The Neck of Naannáa’s Pot

Tale 28 Jep Ɗí Mo So nTap Ɗɨɓen a Yil

Tale 28 The Children Who Went to Guard Crops at the Countryside

Tale 29 Mat Ɗí mo Yàa Ra nƊik a Ɓal

Tale 29 The Woman who was Forced into Marriage

Tale 30 Nàatóok kɨ Mish Fɨra Ndaajii

Tale 30 Nàatóok and Her Monster Husband

Tale 31 Nlumwat Ɗí Ni Ɓam Làa Ɗí Am Mang Ni

Tale 31 The Toad That Rescued the Drowning Child

Tale 32 Dɨkaam Rìinshìk kɨ jep fɨri Ɗiimish

Tale 32 Dɨkaam Rìinshìk and his Sons

Tale 33 Mat Ɗí Ra Pɨring Làa kɨ mu Gɨnɨghɨn Fɨra

Tale 33 The Woman who exchanged her child with that of her co-wife

Tale 34 Mee Gwar Ngukwat kɨ Mat Fɨri Ndaajii

Tale 34 The Hunter and his Monster Wife

Tale 35 Mat Ɓutbish kɨ Gɨnɨghɨn Fɨra Tɨding

Tale 35 The Wicked Woman and Her Dumb Co-Wife

Tale 36 Zɨlang Tuu

Tale 36 Zɨlang Tuu, The Gourd Young Man

Tale 37 Ɗik kɨ̀ Nàamùur

Tale 37 The Marriage of Miss Fat

Tale 38 Làa Caanpee kɨ Ɗyemnɨghɨn Fɨri Ɗiimat

Tale 38 The Arsonist Boy and His Sister

Acknowledgements

Dedication

This work is dedicated to the Mwaghavul people all over the world.

Tale 1

MAT ƊÍ RA A LUƁANG

Mee gwar a ngukwat ɗiihakyeng. Parsɨ ɓe ri so nkwat a yil, ɗee ri so naa nɨ̀ghɨ̀n luɓang mo kɨ kuur mpoo mee am canɗar. Yakɓe luɓang ni mo shwat shim furu mo le sɨ, ɓe mo cɨghɨr jiraap ɗiimen mo. Ɗee mo mɨrep sham ɗi nɗɨghɨn am ni ku mo yàa taalung ɗi. Yaksɨ gwar ni tap so caghat-caghat ɓe so mang mee shim ɗiimen ni zok. Ɗee ri wuk mo, ɓe mo kàa pwat fùcìcàt aku nɗɨghɨn am ni. Koo weye mang shim fɨra lop ku su ɗel so ɗi sɨ. Mɨmee kàt shim fɨra jee, ɗee ra kwatpee kàt jee mander pee jì rii. Yaksɨ ngukwat ni jì put, ɓe ri katpoo kɨ ra. Ri shee shi tokshik nnee, Yi wet ryang aa?

Ryang, membii kas.

Yii tàng a me ’e?

Membii kas.

Tulu fuu a nne ’e?

Ni Jong.

Ɗang pee kɨ rii yi kas aa?

Ii, ɗangɓe kàt ɨn so wàa ɓe mo nso se an nlwaa mpeeɗi ba anɨ shim fɨna kas.

Shim nìi lagham aa?

Ii.

Ko ɓe yi min mmun so ntulu fɨna shing.

Ɓe mo nso yit an ɗi aa?

Mo nyit yi ɗi kas arang ’e? Wa yi sɨ̀ ashak kɨ an e.

Ɗeeɓe gwar ni so kɨ ra ntulu fɨri, ɓe ri so sat mmat fɨri nnee, Mee mɨzep mmun sɨ̀! Mat ni cin mbiise nra se. Daar nni ba mɨzep ni baa kas. Ra yem ɗi ntulu kɨ̀ gwar ni mander ni jì ɗee agaak nne ra kɨ̀ cìn a ɗik ngwar ni.

Teer lee ɓe ra mang aak zii. Ra làa ɓe làa ni wurang. Ra waa baa kàt mee aak ni ɗi, ɗee ra làa ɓe làa ni wurang aasɨ zak. Pàr mee puus ɓe jɨghɨr ɗen ɗi nnaar fɨra kɨ̀ gɨnoghon, ɗee gɨnɨghɨn ni sat nra nnee, Ɓe ɗí wii a gurum ’e? Wa yi a lwaayil e! Wa shim fii sɨ nɗyaar e!

Mo tong ɓe yàk ta lee kusuk jì wul. Ɗee parmeeci sɨ ɓe mat ɗiilee ni sat nyem tulu fɨra ni mo nne ba ɗa nso a yil pàr ni kas mpeeɗi ba ɗa nkagham kas. Yaksɨ nyem tulu ni mo pwat so yit ra ɗee ɗi mmɨsat. Ɗeeɓe ra tàng sheep ku ra wet ɗi nkwàt shim fɨra nɗɨghɨn ɗyaar ni mo, ɗangɓe ba ra kàt kas. Gungyer ɗang ra so kàt shim ni nɗɨghɨn mee ɗyaar ɗí ni nkɨngpee. Yaksɨ ra sham ten shim ni ndung kaa ten ngyam pɨsyaa sɨ̀ mpeeku ni yem nung ɗi. Nɗi ni jì nung kaa pàn fɨra sɨ̀, ɓe ra lop sat ɗiɓut, ɗee ra cɨghɨr a luɓang. Yaksɨ ra mɨrep jéng-jéng ku ra so kàt nyem tulu fɨra ni mo ɗi a pèe lee kusuk a yil. Ɗee ra mɨrep cɨghɨr pu mo ɗi. Yaksɨ mish ni sat nnee, A me nɗiisɨ̀ ’e? Ba a mat fɨna kas ’e?

Ɗeeɓe nnyee ni mo so pɨring nnee, Mat fwagha arang ’e? Ji wagha lap a mee lwaayil ’e? Ba ni cin ngwar ni kas vit, yaksɨ ri baa kɨ kusuk ni kwang sɨ ku ri su so ɗi wàa. Mee gurum ɗi ntulu ni kas. Ri tangpee kàt jee, ɗee ri sat nnee, Á’á. Wura nciin kagham ɗang raà kàt a ɓàl so nne ’e?

Gwar ni baa so ɗi a yil ni, ɓe ri so sat mmo nnee, Ba ra ɗi ntulu ni kas! Ɗí an sat nne a ra jì mwàan sɨ shi o.

Ɗee mee mat so pɨring nnee, Ni nɗen a ra, mpeeɗi ji pàr mee puus ɓe mo ɗyeel kɨ gɨnɨghɨn fɨra, ɗeeɓe gɨnɨghɨn ni sat nne ra a lwaayil ɗang shim fɨra ni sɨ nɗyaar. Mmeeɓe raà tàng shim ni kàt.

Yaksɨ gwar ni so lap jeel-jeel nnee, Ni nɗen a ra. Ɨn sat nwun nne a ra. Wan ɗee kwe!

Tale 1

THE KOB ANTELOPE WOMAN

A certain man was a great hunter. One day he went for hunting at the countryside and saw a large number of kob antelopes gathered beside a pond. Soon after, they removed their skins and turned into beautiful young women. They then jumped into the water and began to swim. The man went there stealthily, took and hid one of the beautiful skins. He then scared them and they stampeded out of the water. Each of them wore her skin and sped off. One of them could not find her skin, so she searched for it but to no avail, and it soon got dark. Then the hunter appeared and conversed with her. Good evening, he began with a greeting.

Evening.

What are you searching for?

Nothing.

Where’s your house?

It’s far away.

Isn’t darkness catching up with you?

Yes, but if I go home I’ll be eaten as meat because I don’t have my skin.

Is the skin missing?

Yes.

Then let’s go to my house.

Will I be free from harassment when I go there?

Why not? After all, you’re together with me.

So, the man took her to his house and said to his wife, Here’s our visitor! The woman gave her food to eat. Then the following day, the visitor did not go back. She stayed in the man’s house for many days until it became obvious that she was married to him.

A few days later, she became pregnant. She gave birth to a child and the child grew big. She conceived again, gave birth to a child and the child also grew big. One day, there was a quarrel between her and her co-wife, and the co-wife said to her, "After all, are you a human being? You’re a beast! Your skin is there in the rhombus.

After some time, the season for the harvest of fonio set in. Then one day, the second wife informed her household that she was not going to the farm on that day because of ill-health. So they went and left her alone. She then looked for a ladder and spent the day searching for her skin inside the rhombus, but she could not find it. At last, she found the skin inside a rhombus that was hidden by other buildings. She then took it to the stream and pinned it at the bottom of the water like jute plants so that it would soften in some days. When it had softened to her taste, she wore it and turned into a kob antelope. She then pranced to the members of her household on the farm where they were harvesting fonio. When she arrived, she gambolled round them. Then the husband said, What’s this? Isn’t it my wife?

The others replied, How’s it your wife? Was it a beast you married? The man was still having suspicion, so he threw away the heads of fonio in his hands and ran home. Nobody was in the house. He searched but found no one, so he said, What a surprise! Ill as she is, what strength has she got to go anywhere?

The man went back to the farm and said to them, She wasn’t at home! I’d told you that she was the one who came and gambolled here!

Then a certain woman responded, She should be the one, for there was a day she had a quarrel with her co-wife and the co-wife said she was a wild animal, adding that her skin was inside the rhombus. She may have searched for and found the skin.

The man then replied in a worried tone, She should be the one. I earlier said it was her. I’m finished!

Tale 2

MEE RÈEP LUKĀA PUUN KƗ

ƊYEM KƗ̀ MISHKAGHAM

Mee gwar ri kɨ mat mo vul, ɗang ri ɗi kɨ nɨghɨn mmeen. Mat ɗiiɗes ni kɨ reep nri mɨndong, ɗang ba mat ɗiilee ni kɨ mee làa kas. Nɗi mat ɗiiɗes ni muut ɓe reep fɨra ni shwaa jeel ɗiinaat nsar kɨ̀ gɨnɨghɨn ni.

Pàr mee puus ɓe kaaɗi gɨnɨghɨn ni a àr so nlutuk, ɓe reep ni ɗang nra nne ra so seet Dáaɗěs nra. Ra so nang ɓe mo sat nra nne Dáaɗěs ni a ɗyem kɨ̀ mishkagham. Mo kam pu tulu ni nra ɓe ra so sat nɗyem kɨ̀ mishkagham ni nnee, "Ba ɗin man nne Dáaɗěs ni a ɗyem kɨ̀ mishkagham kas. Ɗí a reep fɨna ɗang an nne kàt ɨn so nlutuk ɓe ɨn seet pak Dáaɗěs nɗa.

Yi nne a reep fii aa?

Ii, a reep fɨna.

Kaaɗi ra a laareep sɨ̀, ɓe yi sat nra nne anɨ so mpuus Shii-ɗiipaat.

Pàr puus Shii-ɗiipaat ni, ɓe kaaɗi laareep ni ra nsaam, ɓe Dáaɗěs ri teer jì yàa ɗēng lu fɨra sham ɗi. Abet ɓe ra mii, ɗee mo yàa tongɗirem kɨ shak. Mo cɨghɨr ɗak nne mo ncìn a ɗik nshak. Kàt mo mpoo ɓe ri kɨ twas lii, ɓe a bòng kɨ kàa put. Yakɓe ri baa wàa. Laareep ni ra so yakshii ni nkàá fɨra nkaa poo ɗik ni kɨ bòng ɗí zɨlang ni jì twas ni. Yaksɨ kàá ni pɨring nra nnee, An ghɨr bòng ni kun sɨrep lēe ɗik mo ku pàr mu ɓwot yi ɗishik. Ɗee ra ɗel nlutuk ku ra sɨrep lee ni mo jì le ɗi.

Pàr mee Shii-ɗiipaat zak ɓe Dáaɗěs ri waa baaji cìn ɗi aasɨ, ɓe nɨghɨnmat ni ghɨr bòng ni so sɨrep lēe ɗik mo ɗɨkɨ zak. Nɗi matlu ni naa lee ni mo ɓe ni shwal nra mɓut. Ɗee ra so sɨrep kɨcīk luɓura mo feer ku ra jì jwal luɓura ni mo ɗi aɗēng lu kɨ̀ laareep ni.

Kaaɗi ɗyem kɨ̀ mishkagham ni baaji ɗi pàr mee puus Shii-ɗiipaat, ɓe luɓura ni mo jì ɗel rwa nɗɨghɨn shin fɨri, yaksɨ ri sat nlaareep ni nne ba kagham mak ɗí kas. Ɗee kàt ri tus lii ɓe a tòghòm kɨ kàa put nri mpoo. Yaklee ɓe ri yaghal mpèe baa wàa, ɗangɓe ri sat nreep ni nnee, Ɨn mbaa wàa kun naa tongpong kɨ̀ san fɨna ni ɗi, ɓe jir mbii ɗí ni ɗiɓut ɓe ɗang yii kɨling.

Ɗang anɨ kɨling ɗak. Ni nkyes!

Ri so cìn túghúptèer kun ɓe ba ra naa ri kas. Ɗee ra so sat nkàa fɨra ni nnee, A túghúptèer kun kyes nɗiisɨ̀ ɓe ba anɨ̀ naa ri kas. Ɨn nso foghot ri aku.

Waash! Ba yi nso aasɨ kas. Yaksɨ nɨghɨnmat ni sak kaa nra ku yit shoop byaap ɗi, ɗang ra waa lop murdu ɗiidut nra, ɓe ra so lap kɨ làa ɗiimish. Kàá ni waa sul ɗaa lop teng ni ku làng ɗi nra ntook, ɓe ra ɗel lap kɨ làa ɗang-ɗang ɗiimish. Yaksɨ̀ ra a làa ɗiimish.

Kàt kansɨghɨn kɨ cìn ɓe ri yaghal mwaan fɨri ni ɗak. Pee taa rii ri a ar, yaksɨ ri tàng mee dèr ting kwaghat ɗi mpeeku ri teer ɗi mpee mɨni. Yakɓe nyer mo jì mpèe saam, ɗee mo tok kɨ shak kɨ ɗùghùr kɨ̀ wet tàng mbiise ni. Nɗi ɓit mang daar nni ɓe mo tok kɨ shak aasɨ zak ku yàk mo rangkaa so ɗi a pèe kwàt mbiise. Yaksɨ mee nyer ni sat nnee, Ɓe wu man pak mbii ɗí nii so ɗi nyil funu ni mmɨni o? Dáaɗěs làa kɨ̀ mishkagham so mpoo mee rèep nɨghɨnwen ra ɓe matlu ni so sɨrep luɓura kɨcik feer ku jì jwal ɗel ɗi nɗɨghɨn shin fɨri. Yaksɨ̀ rii gan kɨ shwàl ni sɨ kaa yàk ri mmumuut sɨ̀.

Ɗee mee nyer ni so lap nnee, Kàt ɗí ri man ɓe ɗí ri njì ghɨr pak ɗyes funu sɨ̀ ku ri waar shwaa ɗi yit feer, ɓe ri mbar.

Kaaɗi nyer ni mo rangkaa ɓe laaɗyem ni kok ɗyes kɨ̀ mo ni le nɗaa fɨri ni ku ɗel so pu làa kɨ̀ mishkagham ni ɗi. Nɗi ri wul ntulu ni ɓe ri kàt gurum mo atɨ̀leng, ɗee ri sat mmo nnee, An jì a pu Dáaɗěs ɗi.

Mengo so ɓam nnee, Mee Dáaɗěs ɗiiɗang e! Ba làa kɨ̀ mishkagham funu nkagham kas ɓe nne a jì a pu ri ɗi o. Làa ɗang-ɗang ɗiisɨ̀, kàt a ɗel so sɨ kas! Ɗee mee ngunan sat nne mo yit ku ri so naa làa kɨ̀ mishkagham ni ɗi mpeeɗi ba mengo mak man mbii ɗí ri kɨ ɗom naa ri mpee ni kas. Nɗi mo ɗel kɨ ri pu Dáaɗěs ɗi ɓe làa mɨzep ni sat nne mo jì kɨ ɗaa kɨ am nɗi, ɗee ri waar pak mbii ɗí nɗaa fɨri ni ku mo ɗyeep ngugok ni cin ɗi nri shwaa. Abet ɓe Dáaɗěs ri fuut luɓura mo kàa put, ɓe mo gam kɨcik mɨndong. Ri waa baa tung cìn nri shwaa ɓe ri fuut aasɨ zak, ɗang luɓura ni baa gam mee kɨcik ɗi. Mɨzep ni cìn aasɨ yit feer, ɓe luɓura ni mo gam kɨcik feer zak.

Abet ɓe làa kɨ̀ mishkagham ni sham yaghal ɓe sat mmɨzep ni nnee, "Shaar, ɨn pɨlang mpeeɗi aà bar an. Ba

Reviews for The Kob Antelope Woman and Other Human-Animal Folktales from the Mwaghavul of Nigeria

[Nandi · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's really nice,I enjoyed reading it
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