The Mantis and !goe !kweitentu

The Mantis and !goe !kweitentu

Wilhelm Bleek notebooks

kabbo (Jantje) (II)

+

Dia!kwain (David Hoesar) (V)

Among the fights which the Mantis has with different personages and animals, one of the most interesting to the Bushman mind, is that with a being whose eyes are in his feet, instead of his head, which is smooth. Its unusual name is !góë-kweitentu, - but it has others, one of which seems identical with the Bushman name for the Ignis fatuus. This personage, in the first instance, gives the Mantis a severe beating, but the latter, obtaining advice from his grandson, the Ichneumon, with regard to the proper method of attacking this foe, is ultimately victorious. Of this myth we have three versions; a short one (L II.-9. 935-966), a long one (B II.391-420, III. 461-500, XI.1027-1119, XII. 1121-1170, XIX.1805-1871, XX. 1872-1964, again pp.1805-1816, 1872-1910, 2060-2152

1) !goe !kweitentu is spelt in various ways throughout this story, 2) Dia!kwain (David Hoesar) began translation of this story on 28 December 1873, 3) p.1121opp: a note on a brush: its |xam name, how it is made and what it is used for, 4) p.1072v: the name of a |xam man (Whitbooi Toorn or 'Smoke's Man'), 5) p.1130v: a note on the thinking strings, how the tale enters the ears and travels down the sides of the throat into the thinking channels, where it grows up with the hearer, 6) p.1131v: a note on !kuken !kakka !ani (who scratches with his feet, lays eggs like an ostrich but talks like a person, and the yolks of its eggs are like water), 7) p.1873v: what |kaggen calls to his hartebeest sack (his things), 8) p.1903v: the |gipp is the striped jackal, 9) p.2100v: |kua is another name for |kwammana, 10) p.2115v: |kwa is another name for |kwammana,11) An insert between pp.2121 and 2122: scrap paper with sums on the back featuring translations of |xam names of insects, 12) This story is found in Book II, Book III, Book XI, Book XII, Book XIX, Book XX, Book XXI and Book XXII

story

1871-1873

|kaggen (the Mantis)

fight ( between |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

fight ( on the hunting-ground )

fight ( between |kaggen and striped jackals )

fight ( between |kaggen and !kuken !kakka !ani )

things ( |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

things ( |kaggen's )

things ( in a hartebeest sack )

things ( 'hartebeest children' )

things ( talk )

things ( follow |kaggen )

beating ( |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

beating ( of !goe !kweitentu )

beating ( of |kaggen )

!goe !kweitentu ( |kaggen and )

!goe !kweitentu ( is blinded )

!goe !kweitentu ( dust and )

!goe !kweitentu ( toes of )

!goe !kweitentu ( eyes in feet of )

!goe !kweitentu ( eyes in toes of )

!goe !kweitentu ( eyes of on ground )

!goe !kweitentu ( feet of )

!goe !kweitentu ( 'foot's armpits' )

!goe !kweitentu ( 'old man' )

!goe !kweitentu ( 'cross man' )

!goe !kweitentu ( beating of )

!goe !kweitentu ( beats |kaggen )

!goe !kweitentu ( fights with |kaggen )

!goe !kweitentu ( head-wounds of )

|kaggen ( the Mantis )

|kaggen ( and !goe !kweitentu )

|kaggen ( anger of )

|kaggen ( calls to the hartebeest sack )

|kaggen ( relations of )

|kaggen ( friends of )

|kaggen ( and poison arrow )

|kaggen ( cheated by own arrow )

|kaggen ( arrow of turns on him )

|kaggen ( flesh of is yellow )

|kaggen ( arms of are handsome )

|kaggen ( nose of smells )

|kaggen ( is human )

|kaggen ( is a man )

|kaggen ( handsome )

|kaggen ( arms of have feathers )

|kaggen ( and the 'hartebeest children's' sack )

|kaggen ( belongings of )

|kaggen ( things of )

|kaggen ( sleeping place of )

|kaggen ( bed of )

|kaggen ( dreams )

|kaggen ( wife of is the Dassie or |huntu !kat !katten )

|kaggen ( has his head bound with sinew thread )

|kaggen ( is a 'devil' )

|kaggen ( house of )

|kaggen ( wounds of )

|kaggen ( 'head-hair' of )

|kaggen ( is ashamed )

|kaggen ( is wet )

|kaggen ( 'flesh's water' of )

|kaggen ( flies away )

|kaggen ( 'gets feathers' )

|kaggen ( actions of )

|kaggen ( doings of )

|kaggen ( and Ichneumon )

|kaggen ( and striped jackals )

|kaggen ( and !kuken !kakka !ani )

Ichneumon ( and |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

Ichneumon ( laughs at |kaggen )

Ichneumon ( advises |kaggen )

Dassie ( hyrax )

Dassie ( |huntu !kat !katten )

Dassie ( |kaggen's wife is )

Dassie ( |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

!kuken !kakka !ani ( and |kaggen's arrow )

!kuken !kakka !ani ( one who talks )

!kuken !kakka !ani ( eggs of )

!kuken !kakka !ani ( an Ostrich who is different )

!kuken !kakka !ani ( |kaggen fights with )

!kuken !kakka !ani ( |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

Ostrich ( !kuken !kakka !ani )

Ostrich ( which is real )

Ostrich ( 'which is different' )

Ostrich ( which does not talk )

Ostrich ( |kaggen hunts for eggs of )

Ostrich ( |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

striped jackal ( |xam name of )

striped jackal ( their fight with |kaggen )

striped jackal ( |gipp )

striped jackal ( |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

|kwammana ( names of )

|kwammana ( and |kaggen )

|kwammana ( |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

hunting-ground ( |kaggen fights !goe !kweitentu on )

hunting-ground ( |kaggen's fights on )

artefacts ( |xam cooking implements )

artefacts ( making of )

artefacts ( in |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

names ( of |xam )

names ( of |kaggen's friends, relations and opponents )

names ( of |kaggen's wife the Dassie )

names ( of |kaggen's things )

names ( |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

thinking strings ( of the |xam )

thinking strings ( thoughts )

thinking strings ( stories )

thinking strings ( location of )

thinking strings ( about the )

thinking strings ( channels )

thinking strings ( |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

wife ( |kaggen's is Dassie or |huntu !kat !katten )

wife ( |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

feathers ( |kaggen's arm's )

feathers ( |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

things ( |kaggen's 'hartebeest children' )

things ( |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

hartebeest children ( |kaggen's things )

hartebeest children ( |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

different ( !kuken !kakka !ani, the Ostrich which is )

different ( |kaggen's fight with )

different ( |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

sack ( |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

sack ( of hartebeest skin )

sack ( |kaggen's 'hartebeest children' )

eggs ( of !kuken !kakka !ani, the Ostrich which is different )

eggs ( |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

feet ( |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

feet ( !goe !kweitentu's eyes are in his toes )

eye ( |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

eye ( !goe !kweitentu's eyes are in his feet )

arrow ( |kaggen's turn on him and cheat him )

arrow ( |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

dream ( |kaggen's dreams )

dream ( |kaggen and !goe !kweitentu )

391-420, 461-500, 1027-1119, 1121-1170, 1805-1871, 1872-1964, 1965-2058, 2059-2152