(Njoh! Are you so unreasonable and treacherous ?)
Maito, maito, kaii. It’s time to narrate tales.
Yasi nanu: Njoh a Nyame accidentally slipped into a deep hole in the forest. The earth on the sides of the hole was loose. There was no hard substance that Njoh could grip and climb up the sides of the hole. Njoh cried for help but no one was prepared to take the risk to rescue him. When Kema Nyame arrived at the scene Njoh pleaded:
“Mola Kema koko ! I am dying in this hole. Please you also should not allow me to perish here. I am surprised that Yuungu, and Wombe, and Kaki Inoni who fly up high in the sky and who are therefore near to The Creator have refused to pull me out from this hole. Grip the stump of a tree and then lower your long tail into this hole. I will then grip your tail and climb up the walls of the hole to safety”.
(“Mola Kema koko !
Naa nwe-eya anu tena ene efondi !
wafe osi keka foni lino liya anu,
ema osa no fusise anu !.
Mola ! nowa teke !
a-lembelene yuu-mu ya gbwe,
tende-nde, nange,
o-si-se moo-ndo mwango anu,
tena efondi,
na-mwa lembelene,
na gbwe esu ye efondi yase,
nate na fuwene o-mwanyu”).
Isela Nyame warned Kema:
“Don’t assist Njoh.
Njoh has terrorized us Wolinyama for too long.
Let him perish in that hole.
If you assist him out from that hole, he will devour you”.
(“osi kee-ka lo-ngowa-na Njoh lifusa anga tena efondi.
Njoh ama takise Wolinyama tee-te !
wenga, omo-veme,
a nju-nje-ya anga tena efondi.
o-ngowani te Njoh, si,
a-fusa anga efondi, kaa Njoh ao-la oo”)
Kema was determined to give assistance to Njoh. Kema then lowered his tail into the hole. Njoh gripped the tail and climbed up the wall of the hole to safety. Then Njoh with his eyes wide opened, clenched teeth, and still gripping Kema’s tail firmly, told Kema:
“I have been in that hole for three days without food. I am very hungry. I therefore have to eat you now as an appetizer”.
Kama wailed:
"Njoh !
oma, maa-me ee !
oma ono la !
i-Njoh !
Weke nandi o-veli” !
(Njoh !
What are you saying ?
Are you suggesting that you will eat me ?
Are you so unreasonable and treacherous ?)
Njoh responded:
“Yes, by creation I am unreasonable
I have to devour you now”.
(“eee ! nandi imba naveli, oo !
noo-la nange”).
At that juncture Ikula Nyame emerged from under a log. Intervening cunningly, Ikule said to Kema:
"Can you Kema, explain why you are resisting that Mola Njoh should not eat you ?
Mola Njoh is the king of this forest. He is entitled to eat what ever he wants to eat.
His wishes cannot be challenged”.
Njoh apparently pleased with the trend of affairs smiled.
Continuing, Ikule said:
“Mola Njoh,
Release your grip on Kema so that he can freely present his defense. In the meantime, Mola, let all of us lean on that big tree so that you can relax under the shade”.
Njoh complied. Ikule then gave a signal to Kema to jump on the tree and climb up very fast. While Njoh relaxed and was being flattered by Ikule, Kema jumped on the tree and in the twinkling of an eye he climbed up to the branches. Ikule then disappeared under a heavy log. Njoh had been outwitted.
Staring at Kema on top of the tree, Njoh told Kema that he Njoh was not serious when he said he was going to eat Kema. Njoh then asked Kema to come down so that he Njoh would have the opportunity of expressing his appreciation to Kema.
Kema descended gradually and pretended to be in a happy mood. As Njoh stared at Kema, Kema released his urine on Njoh's face, and said to Njoh:
“Njoh, o-lemi” !
(Njoh, you are an idiot).
Acid in Kema's urine nearly burst Njoh's eyes. Thereafter Njoh's eyes acquired a reddish colour like fire.
Lexicon.
Njoh/e-Njoh/Njoh a Nyame = a leopard.
Another name for Njoh is Nama-nge
Keme/Kema/Kema Nyame = a monkey.
Ikule/Ikule-kule/Ikula Nyame = a tortoise.
Isele/Isela Nyame = an antelope.
Yuungu = a big bird that resembles a duck.
Wombe/Wombe Inoni = a hawk.
Kaka/Kaki Inoni = a vulture.
nju-nja = to perish.
a nju-nje-ya anga = let him die there.
mbaki = the clouds; the sky
O-mbaki = up in the clouds; the sky.
la-teeke = to beg.
nama vaa-tee-ke tee-te = I have begged them repeatedly for mercy/assistance .
Wolinyama = Animal World.
Oma Nanu
Imba Thomas Mbua Ndoko
Dallas Texas, USA
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