The two Lions: pointers to the Southern Cross

Metadata

Title

Collection

Lucy Lloyd |xam notebooks

Contributor

kabbo (Jantje) (II)

Summary

<i>The names of the two lions are !gu and !háuë ta #hóu. There are four birds mentioned in connection with them, the /gi and his wife the /ki, the !kao and his wife the !k'o (or 'Blue Crain'). The two husbands are killed and roasted by the lions, the /gi by /gu and the !kao by the other lion. The /ki saw what the lions did, and when offered some of her husband's flesh, refused it; but the Blue Crane accepted some of the flesh of the !kao. Both birds then went to fetch water. The Blue Crane, who had left her child (the little !koa) behind her, returned home from the water, and was eaten by the lions; whilst the /ki, who had taken her child (the little /gi) with her, did not come back, and went away to the house of the Crow, which was on the branch of a thorn-tree, and to this she was pulled up by a thong made of gemsbok skin. The Crow then made a fire, and heated stones. The lion !gu, pursuing the /ki, arrived under the thorn-tree, and begged to be pulled up. By direction of the Crow, the /ki threw down a rope made of mouse's entrails, which, of course, broke, precipitating the lion into the fire, where he was roasted to death. The birds then departed from the thorn-tree; and the other lion (!háuë ta #hóu), attracted by the smell of roasted flesh, arrived, and cut off a piece from his companion's thigh. Thereupon the lion !gu (who apparently suddenly came to life again) jumped up, and asked for a piece of his own flesh, which they both devoured together. They then hunted for food, but in vain. They perceived, at last, a male tortoise, and, notwithstanding its advice, as well as the request of his companion to be allowed to share this repast with him, the greedy !gu swallowed the tortoise down whole. In punishment of this, whenever the lion approached game or water, the tortoise told it to run away, or dry up; and when they came into the neighbourhood of human beings, the tortoise immediately called out to them to throw fire at the lion. Thus the two lions, while hunting together, could get nothing. They finally came to the house of an old woman who was lame, and lived with a little hare. These also managed to outwit the lions; and, at last, !gu died of starvation. After his death, the other lion soon obtained food. </i>

Comments

1) pp. 314v & 315v: on the names of the two Lions in this story, 2) The present-day blue crane is the

Type

story

Date

23 July 1871 (finished on or about)

Category

Celestial bodies and aeroscopy

History (Early Race)

Keyword

Blue Crane ( her child )

Blue Crane ( and two Lions: pointers to the Southern Cross )