African Myths by J.K. Jackson

Author:J.K. Jackson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Flame Tree Publishing
Published: 2018-12-05T16:04:00+00:00

Stories of Wit & Wisdom

Stories which explore human experience – man’s strengths and weaknesses, his relationship with his fellow beings and his correct place within society, form an intrinsic part of the African mythological tradition.

Many of the stories included here may be described as ‘proverbial’. They offer instruction, often culminating in some form of moral punch line, which demonstrates well the African storyteller’s use of tales as a vehicle to teach man correct social values, responsibility, humility, and a sense of justice. ‘The Young Man and the Skull’, for example, is characteristic of the group. It embodies a simple proverb, linked to the protagonist’s unhappy fate, warning us that boastfulness is a sign of moral decadence which cannot go unpunished. Similarly, ‘The Rich Man and the Poor Man’ demonstrates the fact that greed will never be rewarded.

Other stories, among them ‘How Walakuga Answered the King’ and ‘The Two Rogues’, have a less serious intention and focus rather more light-heartedly on man’s cunning, commending it as an essential tool for his survival.

Tales of punishment and retribution figure prominently in many African tales, demonstrating that wrongdoers will always suffer the consequences of their actions (and how), but also that the wronged are entitled to avenge themselves. It is also made clear that crimes will always be discovered – such as in ‘Out of the Mouths of Babes’, in which the baby reveals the truth.

The Rich Man and the Poor Man

(From the Akamba people, Kenya)

In a certain village of the Akamba there lived two men, one rich and one poor. Yet in spite of their different circumstances, they lived together as neighbours. The rich man always supported his poor friend in times of trouble and in return, the poor man worked hard on the rich man’s farm, ploughing the fields and carrying out as many odd jobs as he could manage.

But there came a time when a severe famine spread throughout the land, causing widespread hardship and misery. Even the rich man could not escape the suffering, and as he watched his wealth decline, he grew hard-hearted towards his fellow men. Soon he had forgotten all about the poor man and when, one day, his old friend arrived on his doorstep to beg the scraps from his table, the rich man dismissed him as a common beggar and warned him never to trespass on his land again.

The poor man watched his children die of starvation one by one until only himself and his wife remained. But even though his spirit was almost broken, he was determined to keep his wife alive, and so he swallowed his pride and set off one evening towards the village where he began searching through other people’s waste for even an old bone to chew on. Before long, he was approached by a well-dressed woman who took pity on him and presented him with a handful of maize. The poor man carried the maize home to his wife and she set a great pot of water over the fire to boil.

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