African Myths of Origin by Stephen Belcher

Author:Stephen Belcher
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Group USA, Inc.
Published: 2008-11-19T16:00:00+00:00

THE POWER OF THE MBIRA

A man and his wife once had two sons. But they were poor, and he had very few cattle with which to pay the lobolo, or bride-price, for his sons. He had only enough for one wife, and after some discussion, the younger son was allowed to marry. The elder left home to find his own way to a wife. He took with him his mbira, for he was an accomplished player and the music was his consolation and delight. He played as he walked.

His path led him past the den of some hares, and when he tried to walk through their land they buffeted him with their paws and pushed him back, so that he could not pass. He wondered how he could pass, and then began to play his mbira. The hares began to dance, and as they danced he was able to pass through. He continued on his way.

His path then led him into the grazing land of large herds of wildebeest and zebra and antelope. He looked at them and considered trying to pass through, but he knew they could crush him with the weight of their bodies and their horns. He wondered how to pass through, and began to play his mbira. As he did so, all the grazing animals began to dance. He was able to pass through their land as they danced.

Further on, he came upon a large pride of lions. As usual, most of them were asleep, but one or two were awake and looking about, and when they yawned he could see how long and sharp their teeth were. Again, he wondered how to pass them by, and he played his mbira. The lions slowly rose up from their lazy slumbering and began to dance, and as they danced he passed through them and continued on his way.

He came finally to the shores of a lake, and sat by the waters playing his mbira. A water-spirit came up and heard him playing; the water-spirit fetched another to listen to the music, and then the two of them fetched yet more of their people. Finally, they decided that their king must hear this music. They summoned the young man and gave him a special medicine which allowed him to live under the water, and then led him down to the king’s hall, where the young man played his mbira. The king was delighted and rewarded the young man with a village of water-spirits and a wife. Eventually, the young man returned to the dry land to tell his brother what had become of him, but the younger brother refused the invitation to visit the water-world. The older brother went back under the waters and remains there still.

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