CATCH ME A RIVER
Diana Pitcher
a guide for teaching literature according to the Curriculum
Statement 2005
Compiled by
Michele Clift
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Acknowledgement:
The assessment standards in this book come from the policy documents of the National
Department of Education
All rights reserved
First edition in 2006 by Tafelberg
a division of NB-Publishers (PTY) Limited,
40 Heerengracht, Cape Town
Cover and typography by Mckore Graphics
Set in 10 on 12 pt Times by Mckore Graphics
Printed and bound by Paarl Print
ISBN 10: 0-624-04347-9
ISBN 13: 978-0-624-04347-8
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Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction .............................................................................................
1. A definition of myths, legends and fables ............................................
2. The concept of gods and deities in Africa ............................................
3. Some additional myths about creation found in Africa .......................
4. The structure of the book .....................................................................
5. Characters in the book .........................................................................
Chapter 2 Lord of the Rainbow................................................................................
Chapter 3 Shine, Liembu .........................................................................................
Chapter 4 The Guardian of the Pool ........................................................................
Chapter 5 The King’s Daughter ...............................................................................
Chapter 6 The Water People.....................................................................................
Chapter 7 Elephant and Hare ...................................................................................
Chapter 8 The Little People .....................................................................................
Chapter 9 Crocodile and Monkey ............................................................................
Chapter 10 How Tortoise Got His Hard Shell .........................................................
Chapter 11 The Seven Stars .....................................................................................
Chapter 12 The Snake Chief ....................................................................................
Chapter 13 Kingfisher ..............................................................................................
Chapter 14 Where No Frogs Croak..........................................................................
Chapter 15 An additional myth about how the world was created ..........................
Chapter 16 Writing the 4th genre essay ...................................................................
Chapter 17 Articles for discussion or enrichment ....................................................
Chapter 18 References .............................................................................................
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Foreword
Essentially, this study guide should be seen as more of a tool for teaching literary
techniques, and the National requirements for literature study, than a study of the literary
work itself.
The book appears to be a compilation and merging of many African myths, legends
and fables. Despite the fact that Africa is a vast continent that boasts a collection of
MANY tribes and belief systems, African Mythology is nevertheless used as a collective
term in this book. Where possible, each story is linked to country, culture and poetry.
Mostly this workbook is an exercise in creative thinking, and the development of the
understanding of figurative language. I have also tried to make studying this book
as enriching as possible. Many of our learners are urbanised and probably wouldn’t
know what a firefly or a woodborer or an Acacia tree looks like. For this reason, many
illustrations, descriptions and, where possible, additional myths and traditions are
included. It is more than just literary study.
At the end of each chapter there are contextual questions, questions on figures of
speech or style, worksheets for learners and/or creative response questions. The memos
to the worksheets form an integral part of the theory taught. It is essential to read the
worksheets before teaching each story to the class.
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CHAPTER 1
A definition of myths, legends and fables
There was a time, long, long ago, a time before the world could be explained scientifically,
when human reactions weren’t psychoanalysed, when people didn’t buy a tablet when
they were ill. During this period, the only way to learn about things was through the
telling of stories, and that is how myths and legends evolved. At the centre of any culture,
you will find the myths that shape and define it. Even though we have now learnt to read
and write, our habits and belief systems, certain foods we eat, and our everyday rituals,
are all still deeply rooted in the stories of our ancestors.
As one of the main components of oral tradition, myths served four main functions.
1. They explained natural phenomenon in a world that was not yet scientifically
advanced.
2. They translated the wonders of the world into digestible stories. There is a mystical
quality to life that even today modern man still can’t fully explain.
3. They taught values necessary for the given society. Each society has its own values
and traditions.
4. They were lessons in morality and behaviour.
Legends and fables form part of myths, but with a few differences.
Fables are largely about animals that display human characteristics and personality
types. Legends tell stories about people, while myths include gods or humans with
supernatural abilities. The lines between them often get blurred and definitions should
be seen as absolute. However, fables and legends are not necessarily bound by time. To
fully understand a myth though, we need to have some knowledge of how the religion or
the belief system of a particular culture worked.
The concept of gods and deities in traditional Africa
There is the concept of a supreme god or being in most African religions. There is,
however, no formal or organized worshipping of this supreme being in the form of
temples or shrines. The general belief is that he lives in the sky, is transcendent and that
he once lived on Earth.
There is also a belief in other nature spirits that take the shape of elements or objects
in nature. They are known as the children of god, and together with the ancestors, receive
more attention in daily worship. When making offerings to a deity or ancestor, one is
also worshipping the supreme god at the same time.
Death is not seen as ending the relationship with the family or tribe. Deceased family
members remain with the living and become intermediaries between family members
and the spirit world.
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Additional myths about how man was created
Terms like “First Man” and “First Woman”, and phrases such as “when the world was
first created”, are used rather loosely in the book. Below are a few African myths about
how the world was first created.
The chameleon is mocked and disregarded in many African cultures. This stems
from one of the myths about how man was created. The Shona believe that all tribes
in Africa emerged from marsh reeds, complete with their customs and traditions. The
chameleon, called Lumfana, was sent to each tribe with the message that all men would
die but would rise again. The chief also sent Galagal, a big, blue-headed lizard, with the
message that all men would die but would then rot. The lizard, being faster, overtook
the slow chameleon. The chameleon has thus never been forgiven for not delivering the
good message before the lizard’s bad news was accepted.
This myth explains why all bodies eventually rot and decompose.
The Herero believe that man and woman came from the Omumborumbonga tree.
The first ancestor was called Mukuru and his female counterpart, Kamungundu and from
them came all the different tribes in Africa. Oxen, so revered in many African cultures,
also came from the Omumborumbonga tree, while sheep and goats came from under a
flat stone. The other wild animals in Africa evolved from wild oxen.
A computer-based reconstruction of an
arsinoithere, an extinct fossil mammal from
Ethiopia that lived 27 million years ago. Height at
the shoulder is about seven feet.
Illustration courtesy Trent L. Schindler, National
Science Foundation
National Geographic News December 3, 2003
The structure of the book
The book consists of thirteen short stories that stand as entities on their own ,while also
forming a coherent whole. They are linked by character and content.
The protagonist is River, on a journey from his source to the sea. Each chapter
tells of a stop along the river bank, and describes either a geographical formation, a
traditional rite, or a fable about animals living in the African wild. One might see the
river as a metaphor for life. At first, the river experiences the discovery of things, much
like a little baby does: the shiny fish, the spirit people living in water, and the animals
and birds. As he grows older and begins to experience life, there are lessons he must
learn: lessons about the rewards for bravery, empathy and compassion, and also about the
consequences of arrogance, selfish behaviour and not playing your role in society.
The book does not follow any particular belief system, and can therefore be seen as
an introduction to the idea of African mythology. The river itself has no name and is a
generic term for any river in Africa.
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Characters
The characters are divided into three groups. Firstly, there is a group of ordinary human
beings who do the usual things that people do in their daily lives at home. The only
difference here is that the gods or animal beings interact with them and change them into
animals or star formations.
The next group of characters is a group of god-like animals or ‘other beings.’ These
beings were originally human, but their shapes have been changed by circumstance or
witchcraft.
The final group consists of talking and very cunning animals that either teach us
lessons about ourselves, or have had their shapes and bodies changed by their own doing.
Wild animals were carefully observed, respected and their habits interpreted as messages
from the gods, or indications of when to sow, celebrate or slaughter.
NAME
DESCRIPTION AND ORIGIN (if possible)
ILLUSTRATION
Animism
Animism can be defined as either “the belief that natural objects, natural
phenomena and the universe itself possess souls, or the belief that natural
objects have souls that may exist apart from their material bodies.”
Birds
Birds are often seen as the messengers of
the gods and play an integral part in the
transformation or final destiny of a human
character. Visuals are included because so
few of us know the beauty of African birds.
Bulbul
Bishop Bird
Egret
This necklet comes from
Nigeria, and depicts birds
of prey devouring the vitals
of manacled human figures.
It is an illustration of birds’
superiority to man.
Crocodile
The skin and bones of a crocodile are always returned to the river after it has
been slaughtered, to appease the spirit of the crocodile.
Elephant
The Shona believe that the elephant knows everything. Before an elephant
hunt began, the hunter had to make sure that he had done nothing offensive.
If he had, his hunt would be a disaster.
Fire
Revered element.
If a Xhosa tells you that you are lighting a fire in the wind, he means that you
trust somebody you do not know.
The story of how man was first given fire is told in Chapter 15.
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Greatest One
Most African belief systems have a series of gods for various activities and
rites, as well as a powerful concept of ancestral worship. There is, however,
also the idea of a single most powerful being as the one responsible for the
creation of man, the earth and the giver of fire.
Hare
Witches often disguise themselves as hares, and it is considered bad luck to
encounter a hare during the day. A Shona belief.
Kingfisher
The story of why the Kingfisher sits waiting at the edge of
water pools is told in the story bearing his name.
Leopard
According to Shona lore, a leopard that roams
close to a kraal is a spirit that has come to check on
conditions in the kraal. Only a medium can talk to it.
Fish
These wooden carvings of
fish were used to decorate the
columns of the Benin king’s
palace, Nigeria.
Lion
The Shona believe that a lion that hunts and kills people, is the spirit of a
chieftain that has returned to take revenge.
Little people
(abaThwa)
The “Little People” are a Zulu spirit species. They are very tiny replicas of
the Zulu, tiny enough to ride on the backs of ants or hide under blades of
grass. They very often sleep in anthills.
They are said to be a very shy and withdrawn nomadic tribe who follow
hunters to eat away the spoils of the hunt. Because they are so shy, they
can be seen only by very small children. They are generally very friendly to
humans, but may become aggressive if mocked for being so small.
Mguda
An ordinary human being who is taught the lesson of not taking
responsibilities seriously.
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Monkey
A Xhosa proverb: You disturb monkeys on their way to drink is used to
express irritation at uncalled for interference.
Mtetwa
Mtetwa and his family become the first abaTwha: the diminutive race who
live with White Ants.
Nandi
Nandi is a mother struggling for her own
and her daughter’s survival. In an attempt
to prevent her family from going hungry, she
almost loses her most precious belonging: her
daughter. It is Nandi’s daughter that teaches
us the lesson of always keeping our word.
A wooden relief plaque depicting fruit
gatherers, Nigeria.
Ndlebe
A young boy with a physical defect goes on a long journey to find happiness.
Ngosa
Ngosa marries the God of Fertility, the Python, after
she bravely touches his wet skin in order to save her
mother.
Nondwe
Nondwe was a young girl who forsook her life with her family in search of the
origin of the rainbow. She met Resa, fell in love, and their children are the
little rainbows we see in water bubbles.
Ntanda
Not all spirit beings are friendly. A water sprite steals Ntanda’s shadow and
the Wind has to come up with a plan to save her life.
Owl
Python
An owl mask used in a hunting ritual.
The Venda revere the Python as the god of fertility. He lives at the bottom of
the lake and is never seen by humans.
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Rainbow
The Vugusu from Kenya believe that the high god, Wele Xakaba, is the
creator and giver of all things. He created rain and put it in the clouds. He
made two rainbows to stop the rain from falling when it wasn’t needed, a
narrow male one and a wider female one. To stop rain, the male rainbow
appears first, and the female rainbow afterwards. That is why there are
sometimes two rainbows in the sky.
Resa
Resa is a being with special powers. He is Lord of the Rainbow and wears
long, colourful cloaks that he hangs out to dry after it has rained – hence the
rainbow.
Seven Sisters
The Pleiades is an open star cluster,
also known as the Seven Sisters and
Messier 45 (M45). It is a conspicuous
object in the night sky with a prominent
place in ancient mythology.
It is a white star cluster that is roughly
500 light years from Earth. It is located
in the constellation of Taurus.
Sky
There is an ancient astronomical site in the Turkana region of Kenya, dating
back to 300BC. These basalt pillars were known as “Namorantunga” and
were used to calculate the Borana calendar. There were no weeks in the
Borana calendar, only 27 days. There were, however, 12 lunar months.
The Zulus believe in the Sky Princess, called Nomkululwana. There were
four parts to her physical anatomy. She was human, river, wood and a field
of grass. Nomkululwana taught man how to grow corn, bake bread and
brew beer.
Snake
A Bronze sculpture of a serpent’s head
found in Nigeria.
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Sun, Moon
and Stars
There are many interpretations of what the stars really are. The most
commonly held belief is that they are the spirits of the dead. There is also
the belief that everyone has his own star and when he dies, the star will fall.
The Kondi tribe of Malawi believe that the stars are little fires that form the
dewdrops when they fall to the ground early in the morning.
The Koi believe that the moon was an old shoe belonging to the mantis that
he threw into the air to guide him.
Tortoise
According to the Shona, a tortoise shell, ground to a fine powder, is a good
remedy for stomach ailments. It is bad luck if a tortoise enters a hut.
Water people
Called aBantu bamlambo, the water people are the African version of
mermaids. They cannot really move on dry land and are known as the
protectors of the river. They draw swimmers away from rapid waters with
their calls and prevent the drowning of those they like. If someone has
drowned and the body never recovered, it is believed that the water people
have taken the person to live with them.
Water sprites
or water spirits
Water sprites are similar to what we know as mermaids in European folklore.
They come in human or snake form, and can often interchange between the
two shapes.
Wild Dog
If a Xhosa calls you a dog of the wind, he means that you are footloose and
fancy free.
Wind
The Bushmen believe that the wind was once a hunter. For some unknown
reason he started growing feathers and lived like a hawk, hunting from the
sky. He now lives in a dry cave on the highest mountain, and you can still
feel him hunting when the wind blows. He is essentially very angry and there
is peace only when the wind is not blowing.
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Worksheet
FINDING THE MYTHS OF YOUR PEOPLE
You are required to do extensive research for this task. Follow the simple steps and you will not
find it that difficult. Please use the spaces provided for notes. These notes form the basis of a
creative writing task.
STEP ONE
• Write down the names of the SIX oldest members of your family. If possible, try using people
from both your maternal and paternal sides.
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
STEP TWO
• Ask each of them to tell you the oldest story that they can remember from their childhood.
Write down the main points of each story in the space below.
PATERNAL SIDE
1.
MATERNAL SIDE
2.
3.
4.
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5.
6.
The stories you have heard all form part of who you are. Even if you are of mixed cultural or racial
heritage, together they have all helped to SHAPE you.
STEP THREE
• Think about the six stories you have heard, and then answer the following questions about
them.
1. What have I learnt about proper behaviour, or doing the right thing?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. What have I learnt about family tradition and the way WE do things?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
3. What have I learnt about how awesome the planet or the universe is?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
STEP FOUR
• Use as many facts from the stories you have heard, and the lessons you have learnt to write a
story of your own.
• Use the rubric below to help you write the story.
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ASSESSMENT RUBRIC: NARRATIVE ESSAY
6
40 – 32
5
31 – 24
4
23 – 20
3
19 – 16
2
15 - 12
1
11 – 0
Concept
Ingenious!
Very clever
and original
Tried VERY
hard
The story
works,
but is very
predictable
Simply
adapted
somebody
else’s story
Didn’t really
try
Structure
Logical,
clever and
interesting
Easy to
read and
paragraphs
neatly
linked
Definite
paragraphs
and logical
structure
Sometimes
loses the
plot, a clear
storyline
Repeats
some parts
of the story
No paragraphing or
structure
Language
Excellent
vocabulary
Has learnt
how to use
words and
sentences
Uses good
words,
but writing
doesn’t
really flow
Some
clichés
Some
sentences
are
muddled
Can hardly
understand
Style
Clearly
addressing
a specific
audience
Clever use
of questions
and shorter
and longer
sentences
for variety
Some
dialogue
included
to make it
interesting
No slang
or harsh
language
Nothing
seriously
wrong,
but no real
effort.
Sentences
far too
long and
difficult to
understand
Editing
No mistakes Some
mistakes,
but really
tried to use
interesting
words.
Almost
too many
mistakes
– almost
ten!
Silly
mistakes
like
confusing
their and
there
Tenses very
muddled
More than
20 errors
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CHAPTER 2
Lord of the Rainbow
One of the difficulties one encounters when reading myths, is the figurative style of
writing. The westernised or urbanised mind is trained to believe that man is bigger and
more powerful than nature. In the land of mythology, nature is not classified scientifically
and all things are of equal value. It is therefore not at all strange that there is indeed a
Lord of the Rainbow, a powerful and mythical being who wears an incredibly beautiful
cloak.
The story starts with a description of water bubbles forming a clear pool high up in
the mountains. Together, the bubbles form Water and Water becomes River. Throughout
the book, natural elements are written as proper nouns because they are regarded as being
real.
Resa is introduced as he who can change colour. He gets wet when it rains and hangs
his cloak out to dry in the Sky. In chapter one, reference is made to man who came from
water. Here too, the mythical being, Rainbow, is dependant on Water for his colour, his
rainbow, his very being.
The author clearly wants the reader to go back in time when she refers to “many,
many years ago after a great storm …. and great sheets of water (poured) into river”. The
idea of the flood is evident in almost every culture in the world. After the flood came a
time of growth, and it is during this time that Nondwe wants to touch the colours of the
rainbow.
Throughout the book there are countless references to the vegetation of Africa. Some
have been highlighted for their cultural and medicinal value. On a simpler level though,
a beautiful picture of colour is painted – the daisies, the red aloe and the pink acacia. The
idea is that the world was still young and carefree. The water bubbles in the beginning
of the story are said to laugh and gurgle. This is a world with which we are not familiar,
because now the environment has been tainted by man. He has polluted it, built roads,
and killed animals. There was a time when man was not nature’s enemy.
Nondwe can speak to Water-rat, Firefly, and River. There is equality and
interaction.
Nondwe is filled with a longing to touch the rainbow. To fulfil this longing, she is
willing to leave all she knows. What she knows is elemental – her family, the dung hut,
the firewood and her daily routine.
It is this strength of character that Resa recognises in her. Rainbow, as old as time
itself, has never come across a human who is as strong and beautiful as Nondwe. He tells
Water-rat that he must go quickly. There is a sense of urgency.
Nondwe has problems on the way: the thorns of the Acacia hold her back. The
traditional name for the Acacia is Umsinsi – two references to the same tree. She is held
back by what is familiar and important to her. Even Water-rat knows the importance of
family, as he recalls playing with his brothers and sisters along the river bed.
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Zulu chiefs used to plant the Umsinsi tree
(Acacia or Lucky Bean tree) as protective
fences around their kraals, waterholes and
huts. When the trees started to flower, they
knew it was time to start planting their
crops.
Used in infusions, the bark was believed
to make giving birth easier. Boiled leaves
helped with infected wounds and insect
bites. The seeds of the tree were used as
lucky charms.
Just when the path becomes clearer, Nondwe finds herself in a dark cave where the
Firefly leads her to Rainbow.
Nondwe’s gift for fulfilling her heart’s desire is eternal life. Her children are seen in
water drops everywhere for all time.
This myth can be discussed on many levels.
To begin with, it can be seen as a metaphor for life. What price is one willing to pay
to fulfil one’s heart’s desire? Was Nondwe really being fair to her family? After all, she
just upped and left for the mountain, never to be seen again.
Was the myth an attempt to explain what happened to people who disappeared? Or is
it a simple explanation for the rainbows we see in water bubbles?
It is important to discuss the different interpretations with your class. Don’t just
dismiss the stories as children’s tales.
The worksheet for this chapter focuses on figures of speech and style. These are only
introductory exercises and more detailed teaching will be required.
Worksheet
Lord of the Rainbow
Read the excerpt from Mariah Carey’s lyrics below and answer the questions.
I know there is a rainbow
For me to follow
To get beyond my sorrow
Thunder precedes the sunlight
So I’ll be all right
If I can find that
Rainbow’s end
Rainbows have special meaning for most of
us.
I will be all right
If I can find that
Rainbow’s End
What does Mariah Carey mean when she says
she wants to find “the rainbow’s end?”
Quote the line that confirms that difficult times
often come before happier times.
“______________________”
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In the story Lord of the Rainbow, the human character, Nondwe, leads a normal life. Write down
THREE chores that formed part of Nondwe’s daily activities.
1. ___________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________________
Nondwe was not driven to run away from home because she was unhappy or bored. Give TWO
reasons why Nondwe “gasped with delight.”
1. ___________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________
In order for us to understand and respect Nondwe’s desire to leave home in search of something
beautiful, the author paints a picture of just how beautiful the day was.
The way in which a writer describes actions or moments is referred to as the style. All the stories
in Catch me a River are written in a very descriptive and figurative style. Read the extract below
and answer the questions about the STYLE of writing.
Water is able to slide over the edge and dance and tumble down the slopes, laughing and
gurgling, until he comes to a cliff. Grey boulders and green moss and ferns try to hold him back,
but he throws himself over the edge with a cry of delight. A hundred thousand drops of water
shoot into the air and come to rest on moss and ferns.
What is being described in this paragraph?
______________________________________________________________________________________
What is strange or unique about the author’s choice of words?
This is called PERSONIFICATION.
The passage below can also be called an example of an EXTENDED METAPHOR.
Answer the following questions to find out what this is:
Water falling and gathering into a pool until it overflows and becomes a stream, is being compared
to the movements of a happy, agile dancer who is jumping around with delight until he eventually
stops to rest. The comparison lasts a few lines, and thereafter is extended throughout the book.
It is EXTENDED, which means that the words ‘like’ or ‘as’ aren’t used anymore in the comparison,
and thus it becomes a METAPHOR.
What is the effect of reading descriptions of nature that seem so
vital and human?
THINK ABOUT
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CHAPTER 3
Shine, Liembu!
River continues his journey down the mountain to form a huge lake, now known as
the Lake of Starlight. In this story, we are first introduced to the concept of a supreme
god called the Greatest One, who created a world with which it is stated he was wellpleased.
The glory of his creation focuses on a great lake that was blue, clear and sparkling.
All the elements conspired to enhance the beauty of the world: the Sun shone on the
silver fish until it looked as if they were on fire and Moon made the fish an ethereal green
at night. For a moment, the world was in perfect harmony.
It is interesting to note that a drought then suddenly happened. The drought appeared
to happen by chance. The Greatest One, it appears, does not have ultimate power over
the other deities or beings. The most obnoxious of these is the Serpent, who leaves his
waterhole. This, together with the drought, upsets the carefully designed ecosystem of
the world created by the Greatest One.
The consequences for the Serpent for disrupting the order of things are dire. He was
alone and “slimy weeds” grew around him. In his attempt to better his living conditions,
to serve and feed himself, the snake was left alone. The snake is also described as being
lazy. He “could have” fed off prey outside the lake, but it was easier to eat the beautiful
silver fish. It was not only the drought that harmed the beautiful creation, but also the
snake, who disrupted the order of things. The Sun now shone on the lake, but there was
no Fire to reflect the rays and the water became brackish.
The drought became worse and the beautiful world, created by the Greatest One,
became so dry that there was hardly any water left. There was also a battle of power
between the Greatest One and the Serpent. The Greatest One took a long time to think
of a plan.
Negative associations with snakes are plentiful in Africa. If you kill a snake in a
waterhole, you will bring bad luck to your kraal, because it is thought to be an ancestral
spirit coming to pay a visit. Could this be a possible reason for the Greatest One not
being able to harm the Serpent in the waterhole?
The idea of evolution, or the constantly changing aspect of nature, is brought into
the story with the jellyfish. The Greatest One had a plan. Dull, grey jellyfish were
transported from another lake to clear the muddy, brackish waterhole in which the snake
had come to rest. The jellyfish had to change their eating habits and start eating weeds.
As a result, they changed from being worthless into being useful, and from being dull
into being shiny. Their gift for helping the Greatest One was to shine beautifully in both
the sun and the moonlight.
What message is there in this myth?
Firstly, there is the concept of matter changing over time. It is always surprising
how ancient myths contain elements of scientific truth. The jellyfish evolved into bright,
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reflecting creatures. Creation myths tell us that man came from water reeds. Darwin
himself also maintained that man was first a water matter. Here we have a simplistic
explanation for why there are so many beautiful fish in what could very well be Lake
Malawi.
There is also the lesson of displeasing the Greatest One. The Serpent misused his
freedom of choice and destroyed what was once a beautiful lake. Punishment by the
Greatest One is not dished out lightly or carelessly. And the reward for the most humble
and apparently useless is indeed great.
The Serpent also teaches us the consequences of being lazy and slothful: If we live
only to serve ourselves, we will be left on our own.
Lake Malawi is known as “The Lake of a Million Stars.” It is unknown whether the myth
refers to this Lake, but the picture certainly illustrates the point.
Photograph: Rory plan
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Worksheet
The Greatest One made the most beautiful lake. List all the adjectives used to describe the lake.
Next to each one write down one positive association you have with the word.
1. _________________ ______________________________________________
2. _________________ ______________________________________________
3. _________________ ______________________________________________
4. _________________ ______________________________________________
5. _________________ ______________________________________________
This story teaches us that our actions have consequences both for ourselves and the
environment. To answer the questions below, refer to the actions of the Serpent and the jellyfish.
These consequences can be negative or positive.
jellyfish
Own consequences
Environmental
consequences
Serpent
Own consequences
Environmental
consequences
God and gods
Think carefully about your idea of God and religion.
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________.
Write a few lines about how the idea of god is portrayed in this story.
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________.
And finally … what do you think of that?
JUSTIFY your opinion. (give a reason!)
______________________________________________________________________________________
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CHAPTER 4
The Guardian of the Pool
Images of royal couples on display at The Metropolitan
Museum in Washington.
The carving of figures by African artists is often seen as a
craft, thereby ignoring their artistic quality.
Ngosa’s bravery won her the heart of a chief’s son, who
was banished to the lake when a witch cast a spell on him.
The Venda believe in the Python god of fertility – for both man and his crops. He lived
at the bottom of a lake and had two wives who he was allowed to visit only at night. His
wives did not know his true identity, and the youngest of the two decided to follow him
as he left the hut one morning. She saw him slithering into the lake. He was so mortified
at his secret being discovered, that he caused a drought to come over the land. The
chiefs decided that to appease the god, the young wife had to sacrifice herself to him. A
calabash of the finest beer was carried by her into the lake. The Venda still honour this
ritual by offering a calabash of beer to the river god.
We have followed the river from its source high up in the mountain, down to the
lake and until it gets stuck eventually between “three rocks-that-sit-upon-rocks.” The
descriptions of the swirling river are very sensual and sound almost like poetry.
The river is so angry that it destroys both vegetation and living creatures around it.
The Umsasa tree is also known as the hissing tree, because it hisses when cut down. The
description of the river flowing into the whirlpool is very onomatopoeic. Worlds such as:
suck, whirl, and even umsasa, clearly evoke aural images.
Potholes are created
after water has flowed
into them over millions of
years. These geological
formations in the
Blyde River canyon in
Mpumalanga are millions
of years old.
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The senses are fully awakened when we read the description of the Python. He is said
to be beautiful and terrible at the same time. The author evokes a very visual picture of
him. Once again, the paragraph describing his beauty reads like a long line in a poem.
The repetition of the ‘-ing’ sound is very effective, and similar to the use of assonance in
a poem. The use of this style of writing here serves three purposes. Firstly, it provides an
image of the length of the coiled snake. Secondly, it conveys to the reader the flickering
appearance of his glittering skin – the words are spaced like flashing lights. Lastly, it
introduces the idea that the snake is not angry, as the water is meant to be.
The snake has healing powers. All illness and pain will be eradicated if you are brave
enough to touch his skin. And so our story can now begin.
Ngosa’s mother is ill. Ngosa is afraid, as she should be, of touching the snake. She
has to recall her mother’s bravery before she dares touch the snake. Ngosa’s mother has
suffered the same hardships that most rural African mothers experience: crocodiles,
scorpions, baboons and the terrible drought.
It is interesting to note that these hardships are endured because they are seen as
being brought about by living entities and not, as modern man might think, pests. There
is no anger or rebellion. There is silent acceptance because suffering is regarded as being
part of interaction with the environment.
Interesting, also, is the full Moon’s blessing of Ngosa’s bravery. She is also given a
moonstone necklace that she hangs around her neck. Her life is far from perfect, as she
can only see her husband at night, but nevertheless they are happy.
Uhadi bows.
A traditional Xhosa instrument.
There are basically two
sounds or notes made by this
instrument. The musician can
change the intensity of the notes
by changing the position of the
instrument. The gourd is held
against the chest.
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Worksheet
THE GUARDIAN OF THE POOL
Writers have two things in their minds when they write. Most important to them is the reader,
with whom they would like to share the picture or story in their heads. It is often very difficult
for writers to recreate what they see in their minds so that the reader can experience it more
powerfully.
Writers use FIGURES OF SPEECH like comparisons, metaphors, assonance, and alliteration to
help the reader experience their words physically. The more SENSES involved when reading, the
better the story or poem is felt and understood.
Read The Guardian of the Pool
very carefully and write down all the phrases or words that refer to the senses in the spaces
below.
SIGHT
SOUND
TOUCH
TASTE
Write a short paragraph in
which you practise writing for
all five senses…
SMELL
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CHAPTER 5
The King’s Daughter
There are three interesting points in this story. Firstly, we read of an invasion from a
foreign tribe of bandits who took young African girls as slaves. The only description
of them refers to their thin noses and red lips. Thus they could be either European or
Eastern.
More interesting though, is the introduction of the idea of creature turning on creature.
The hare is described as being angry and spiteful. The hare is a popular villain in African
stories because he is so sly and vindictive. His is often the shape chosen by witches and
he is generally regarded with suspicion and caution. The hare deliberately causes the
king’s daughter to cry out. He wants her to be caught out. The spiteful hare appears in
other stories in which he will be dealt with in more detail.
Most interesting is the idea of shape-shifting. The king’s daughter asks god to help
her and so he changes her into a water sprite. Water Sprites are different to Water People,
whom we meet in the next story. Water Sprites are spirit beings who don’t interact with
humans. In this story, the king’s daughter makes the sounds we hear when water flows
or makes waves.
Two elements cause chaos, but balance is restored again by god. The hare is punished,
the king’s daughter does not die, and mankind receives another blessing: the sound of
music.
The Marabou stork is probably one of
the ugliest and biggest water birds in
Africa. It weighs up to seven kilograms
and feeds off fish, carcasses, rodents
and weeds.
This is the bird chosen by the Greatest
One to protect the King’s daughter from
crocodiles, snakes and the wicked hare.
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Worksheet
THE KING’S DAUGHTER
Read the two sayings of the Asante people written below carefully. How does the story of the
King’s daughter illustrate their meaning?
If you wish to tell anything to the superior being, tell it to the winds.
The supreme being cannot kill you, you do not die. Only a human can kill you.
Let’s get creative
In the column to your right, draw a picture of running water. It can be from a tap, or river water
running over pebbles, or whatever you choose.
1. Write down the sounds you hear.
2. Try describing the sounds. Use metaphors,
comparisons, alliteration and assonance
to make sure that somebody else can hear
EXACTLY what you are hearing.
3. Form a group with three other learners and
write a water poem together.
4. Perform the poem to the class. The rubric
below should help you.
Voice
projection
Figures of
speech
Structure of
poem
Individual
performance
Group
performance
Could hear
every word
Used all four
specified
Clear structure
– added a
story line
Each member
in the group
must get an
individual
mark out of
four. Discuss
amongst
yourselves
what each
learner should
get.
Each learner
had equal
opportunity
Some lines
unclear
Only used
three
Some attempt
at coherence
A fair attempt
at sharing the
load
3
Far too loud
Only used two
Rather
jumbled
Two learners
dominated
2
Far too soft
Only used one
Hardly made
sense
Only one
learner spoke.
1
4
NAME: _______________________________________ TOTAL MARK: _____/20
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CHAPTER 6
The Water People
Both the Thembu and the Xhosa believe in the existence of the Water People. They are
semi-deities who live in the river. Essentially the Water People are good and kind and
have a genuine concern for humans. If they like someone they see swimming in the river,
they will lure that person away from dangerous spots. Their particular concern is that
people are going to follow the stream and then end up in the sea. Those that do drown,
and whose bodies are not recovered, are said to be living with the Water People.
Once again, this story depicts the fine balance between man and animal, highlighting
the co-dependency and dual respect. Almost a third of this very short story is used to
describe the location and beauty of the Water People.
Firstly, the route taken by the river is described very poetically: “he creeps; twists and
turns; fingers; throws himself laughing; spreads himself out; draws himself in.” These
images are exceptionally vivid. We are reminded that the river is a living being, not just a
geographical formation. We are also reminded that the river is on a journey to the sea.
In the silent pool, where the river is said to draw himself in, and where he comes
to rest, we find the Water People. We never see the Water People. We see only their
shadows, the rainbow reflecting from their wet bodies, and their dappled reflections in
the water. Also, take note of the careful relationship between the Water People and the
other elements. Sun, Moon and Water all make us aware of their existence. If all these
major elements are needed for them to be seen, they must be important.
The Water People came into existence as a result of what is probably the most
devastating of all occurrences in Africa, a drought. It hadn’t rained for ten months,
and “the moon rose and set as many times as you have fingers”. This is an important
reminder of just how old myths really are, of the time preceding modern intelligence and
numbers.
The drought was severe. There was no maize and there was no milk. The world was
dry and dull and red. The protagonist in the story, Vuyila, comes across a starving bird.
The interaction between her and the bird is described very effectively with the words
“hard dry earth” juxtaposed with “gently picked up.” Her actions are extraordinary,
given the circumstances. She gives the bird the last of what she has.
However, her kind gesture seems to result in gluttony, as the whole flock of Weaver
Birds then comes swooping down to finish off her stock of food.
Afterwards though, Vuyila and her people are rewarded by being given everlasting
life. They are given life in the water, a life without need, and one of perpetual joy.
Perhaps this is just a story meant to explain away the horrors of drought, and death
by starvation. Perhaps it is simply meant to illustrate the rewards of putting nature
before man. Whatever the case though, it is the bond between man and animal, their
interdependence, that is of importance here.
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Worksheet
The Water People
Read the first paragraph of the story to answer the questions below.
The movement of River is described as it continues its journey through the countryside. NINE
verbs are used to describe the movement and flow of the river.
Complete the table below.
VERBS
CONNOTATION
FIGURE OF SPEECH
EFFECTIVENESS
The Weaver Bird
The Weaver Bird seems rather selfish at first. Why is this so?
It could be said that the Weaver Bird saved Vuyila and her people from an inescapable death.
What indications are there that they would otherwise have died?
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CHAPTER 7
Elephant and Hare
This is a light-hearted little fable. There is no real lesson to be learnt, because the hare
gets away with doing absolutely nothing. All the animals get together to try to save
themselves during the drought, but the lazy, clever little hare, refuses to do anything at
all, and manages to outwit the other animals.
This is perhaps a warning never to trust anyone, and also to be vigilant always. One
must be clever all the time. Good doesn’t always outwit bad.
What is interesting and very enriching are the many references to wild animals,
insects and birds in the African veld. It is a pity that so much of this has been lost forever.
It makes it difficult to picture just how beautiful and lush the environment must have
been.
Worksheet
GETTING TO KNOW AFRICA
a mini research task
Make a list of all the animals, insect and birds mentioned in this story. Find pictures of them, or
draw them yourself. Make a collage of what you think the African veld looked like so very long
ago.
Rubric
Visual interpretation of text
Total: 5
Has put
together three
or four pictures.
Has made no
attempt to
reconstruct text
visually.
Has some idea,
but didn’t make
a coherent
whole.
A fair effort, but
no artistic flair.
A very good
effort, but lacks
brilliance.
Has attempted
to create
a beautiful
collage,
including many
references to
flora as well as
fauna.
1
2
3
4
5
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CHAPTER 8
The Little People
This myth explains the origin of mythical creatures in Zulu mythology. These very shy
and elusive spirits are seldom seen, but are revered by humans.
There are two interesting aspects to the story. Firstly, it gives a very moving account
of the daily routine of the ant, and secondly, it provides fascinating insight into how man
dealt with, and managed to save food in times of drought.
There is a paradox in the introduction to the ants in the story. They are very small,
but clever and powerful enough to build an anthill so high that you couldn’t touch the
top. They are tiny in size, but big in what they do and achieve. They eat and carry tiny
scraps of food to feed their own babies and the Little People. It is visually incongruous
and utterly intriguing.
The story also highlights the intimate relationship between man and animal, or man
and insect in this case. Mtetwe and his family didn’t harm the ants, but loved to watch
them scavenging and cleaning the plains. This is unlike our almost instinctive reaction
to regard them as pests and to kill them. Mtetwe and his family’ reward is life. When
all their carefully stored food was destroyed when their calabashes got wet in the flood,
the ants saved their lives. The ants do appear to have a special place in the supreme
being’s heart, because the anthill was the only structure that stood above the water (of the
floods).” The message is clear: no living thing is too small or insignificant to be denied
care and respect.
It would appear as if Mtetwe and his people were similar to the ants in nature. The
description of their attempts to save and preserve food for during the drought is carefully
documented. The descriptions of selecting and preserving food make for very interesting
reading to a generation used to buying food in tins.
Food was kept cool in calabashes hung in the roofs of their huts. Meat was hung to
dry in trees. Caterpillars were fried and kept for stews. Grasshoppers were roasted and
eaten as nuts.
All this effort was to be in vain when the floods came. How small man must feel when
nature’s force is felt! In this story, man literally shrinks, but he is saved by the White
Ants. In some African cultures, ants are seen as messengers of the gods. Perhaps Mtetwe
and his family’s salvation is from their god, seeing that they were saved by the ants.
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The Little People
A myth is often a description or an explanation of how things have now come to be viewed
scientifically. Science is often a matter of carefully recorded observation. Read the excerpts from
http:www.nationmaster.com below, and find as many details as you can that you are able to link to
sections of the story.
…an excerpt
Ants are holometabolous, and develop by
complete metamorphosis, passing through
larval and pupal stages before they become
adults. The larval stage is particularly helpless
- for instance it lacks legs entirely - because it
does not need to care for itself. The difference
between queens and workers, and between
different castes of workers when they exist,
is determined by feeding in the larval stage.
Food is given to the larvae by a process
called trophallaxis in which an ant regurgitates
food previously held in its crop for communal
storage. This is also how adults distribute food
amongst themselves. Larvae and pupae need
to be kept at fairly constant temperatures to
ensure proper development, and so are often
moved around various brood chambers within
the Holometabolism.
Metamorphosis in biology is physical
development of the individual after birth
or hatching involving significant change in
form as well as growth and differentiation.
A larva (Latin; plural larvae) is a juvenile
form of animal with indirect development,
undergoing metamorphosis (for example,
insects or amphibians.) A pupa (Plural pupae
or pupas) is the life stage of some insects
undergoing transformation. Trophallaxis is the
regurgitation of food by one animal for another.
Ants are useful for clearing out insect pests
and aerating the soil. On the other hand, they
can become annoyances when they invade
homes, yards, gardens and fields. Carpenter
…relative to story
ants damage wood by hollowing it out for
nesting. Nests may be destroyed by tracing
the ants’ trails back to the nest, then pouring
boiling water into it to kill the queen. (Killing
individual ants is less than effective due to the
secretion of pheromones mentioned above).
The myth of The Little People gives a detailed account of how ancient man selected, collected
and preserved food. Write a few “Handy tips for conserving, saving and preserving food.” Read
the myth in Chapter 15 and give an account of how man discovered fire. The author makes the
shrinking of people very plausible in this myth. How does she do this?
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CHAPTER 9
Crocodile and Monkey
There are many fables in African oral tradition in which animals take on human
characteristics in order to teach a society lessons about appropriate behaviour. These
fables are not condemnatory or overtly sermonising, as there is no concept of good or
bad behaviour. On the contrary, the antics of the villainous character are entertaining and
delightful despite the fact that he is able to outsmart the other characters because of their
weaknesses. It is the unfairness of the situation that teaches us the lesson.
In this fable the crocodile is complacent and lazy. She has the strength of her jaws,
her size, a history of aggressive behaviour, and she doesn’t even need to sleep. Sooner or
later an animal will have to come to the river for water and then, snap! There is something
offensive about her behaviour. As a mother, she even relies on the sun to hatch her eggs,
and all in all, doesn’t evoke much sympathy or command any respect.
In direct contrast to the fierce agility and aggression of the crocodile, we are introduced
to the tortoise. The tortoise too, was enjoying the warmth of the sun, and was observing
the activity around him, without being observed himself.
The tortoise had a craving for the bananas the monkeys were enjoying in the tree, but
“(could) never reach them.” The reader immediately sympathises with that because the
poor tortoise is a slow and clumsy creature. Compared to the other characters in the fable,
he is decidedly the worst off. He has however, one thing the other characters do not have,
and that is an idea. Initiative is considered a very admirable trait.
He calls to the monkeys by “stretching his wrinkled neck” and “blinking his snakelike eyes.” This is an interesting choice of words. The “wrinkled neck” and the tortoise’s
clumsy physical inefficiency evoke sympathy in us as it is a reminder of old age. There
is a hint of the inappropriate behaviour to follow in the sly reference to his “snake-like
eyes.”
His proposal is absurd: twenty eggs for one banana. The monkeys are greedy and
gullible. Tortoise had been watching them eating banana after banana all morning and
now they still want to eat twenty eggs! Monkey deserves to have his thumb bitten and to
almost lose his tail.
Tortoise exploited both Crocodile and Monkey. What he did was certainly not right,
but somehow he seems to deserve being able to enjoy that banana.
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Worksheet
Crocodile and Monkey
The art of stereotyping
Study each of the animal characters listed below. Carefully list their characteristics and think
about whether they are POSITIVE or NEGATIVE.
Tortoise
Crocodile
Monkey
Write a moral for the fable.
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CHAPTER 10
How the tortoise got his hard shell
The content of a myth is not cast in stone. What is important though, is the life skill or
lesson that it teaches. To illustrate the point, read the version of “How the Tortoise got
his hard shell” as told in “Things fall apart” by Chinua Achebe (Nigeria).
Once upon a time, all the birds were invited to a feast in the sky. They were very happy and
began to prepare themselves for the great day. They painted their bodies with red cam wood and
drew beautiful patterns on them with uli.
Tortoise saw all these preparations and soon discovered what it all meant. Nothing that
happened in the world of the animals ever escaped his notice; he was full of cunning. As soon
as he heard of the great feast in the sky his throat began to itch at the very thought. There was a
famine in those days and Tortoise had not eaten a good meal for two moons. His body rattled like
a piece of dry stick in his empty shell. So he began to plan how he would go to the sky.
Tortoise had no wings, but he went to the birds and asked to be allowed to go with them.
“We know you too well, “ said the birds when they had heard him. “You are full of cunning and
you are ungrateful. If we allow you to come with us you will soon begin your mischief.”
“You do not know me,” said Tortoise. “I am a changed man. I have learnt that a man who
makes trouble for others is also making it for himself.”
Tortoise had a sweet tongue, and within a short time all the birds agreed that he was a changed
man, and they each gave him a feather, with which he made two wings.
At last the great day came and Tortoise was the first to arrive at the meeting place. When all the
birds had gathered together, they set off in a body. Tortoise was very happy and voluble as he
flew among the birds, and he was soon chosen as the man to speak for the party because he was
a great orator.
“There is one important thing that we must not forget,” he said as they flew on their way. “When
people are invited to a great feast like this, they take new names for the occasion. Our hosts in
the sky will expect us to honour this age-old tradition.”
None of the birds had heard of this custom but they knew that Tortoise, in spite of his failings in
other directions, was a wisely-travelled man who knew the customs of different peoples. And so
they each took a new name. When they had all taken, Tortoise also took one. He was to be called
All of you.
At last the party arrived in the sky and their hosts were very happy to see them. Tortoise
stood up in his many-coloured plumage and thanked them for their invitation. His speech was
so eloquent that all the birds were glad that they had brought him, and nodded their heads
in approval of all he said. Their hosts took him as king of the birds, especially as he looked
somewhat different from the others.
After kola nuts had been presented and eaten, the people of the sky set before their guests the
most delectable dishes Tortoise had ever seen or dreamt of. The soup was brought out hot from
the fire and in the very pot in which it had been cooked. It was full of meat and fish. Tortoise
began to sniff aloud. There was pounded yam and also yam pottage cooked with palm-oil and
fresh fish. There were also pots of palm wine. When everything had been set before the guests,
one of the people of the sky came forward and tasted a little from each pot. He then invited the
birds to eat. But Tortoise jumped to his feet asked: “For whom have you prepared this feast?”
“For all of you,” replied the man.
Tortoise turned to the birds and said: “You remember that my name is All of You. The custom
here is to serve the spokesman first and the others later. They will serve you when I have eaten.”
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He began to eat and the birds grumbled angrily. The people of the sky thought it must be their
custom to leave all the food for their king. And so Tortoise ate the best part of the food and then
drank two pots of palm-wine, so that he was full of food and drink and his body filled out in his
shell.
The birds gathered round to eat what was left and to peck at the bones she had thrown all about
the floor. Some of them were too angry to eat. They chose to fly home on an empty stomach.
But before they left each took back the feather he had lent to Tortoise. And there he stood in his
hard shell full of food and wine but without any wings to fly home. He asked the birds to take a
message for his wife, but they all refused. In the end Parrot, who had felt more angry than the
others, suddenly changed his mind and agreed to take the message.
“Tell my wife,” said Tortoise, “to bring out all the soft things in my house and cover the
compound with them so that I can jump from the sky without very great changes.”
Parrot promised to deliver the message and then flew away. But when he reached Tortoise’s
house he told his wife to bring out all the hard things in his house. And so she brought out her
husband’s hoes, matches, spears, guns and even his cannon. Tortoise looked down from the sky
and saw his wife bringing things out, but it was too far to see what they were. When all seemed
ready he let himself go. He fell and fell and fell until he began to fear that he would never stop
falling. And then, like the sound of his cannon, he crashed on the compound.
His shell broke into pieces. But there was a great medicine-man in the neighbourhood.
Tortoise’s wife sent for him and he gathered all the bits of shell and stuck them together. That is
why Tortoise’s shell is not smooth.
The contents of the two myths here are vastly different, but the themes or lessons are the
same.
In Diana Pitcher’s story, the rat is determined to teach Tortoise a lesson. Tortoise is
described as lumbering and rough. He is also rather arrogant in his assumption that he
can do anything better than a mere rat. His assumption of superior intelligence soon
proves to be incorrect.
In Achebe’s version, the Tortoise is simply not trusted as the birds say that he will
soon start his mischief again. They know they shouldn’t trust Tortoise, but are fooled by
his eloquence and apparent knowledge because he is older and well-travelled. They also
believe that he knows customs better than they do.
The two stories can also be read in sequence. Pitcher’s version tells us the reason
WHY Tortoise has a hard shell, and Achebe’s version tells us the treason why his shell
is not smooth. In both cases though, the focus is on his fall from grace, which is a direct
result of his arrogance.
What is interesting though, is that the reader at no point hates or dislikes Tortoise.
He endears us to him by being shrewd, and especially in Achebe’s story, we are critical
of the birds for being that stupid and gullible. Even the men in the sky do not doubt the
authenticity of Tortoise’s claim that the feast was prepared just for him. They even think
that he may be their leader because he looks so different!
In Pitcher’s version, we admire Tortoise’s staying power. There is evidence of both
pride and stubbornness in his determination to out-stay Water-rat. It is also interesting
to see how we instinctively side with Tortoise, despite the fact that all the other animals
gang up against him.
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How Tortoise got his hard shell
Listening comprehension
You need to have read the story “How Tortoise Got his Hard Shell,” by Diana Pitcher and to have
listened carefully to the story of “Why Tortoise’s Shell Is Not Smooth,” by Chinua Achebe. The
questions below are based on the story by Chinua Achebe.
1. Why had Tortoise not eaten a good meal in two months?
___________________________________________________________________________________ (1)
2. How does Tortoise prove that he has a smooth tongue?
___________________________________________________________________________________ (1)
3. Give TWO reasons why the birds, despite the fact that they do not trust Tortoise, still believe
everything he says?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________ (2)
4. Tortoises can’t fly. How do the birds help him to fly?
___________________________________________________________________________________ (1)
5. What new custom does Tortoise introduce on the way to the feast in the sky?
___________________________________________________________________________________ (1)
6. How does Tortoise manage to end up being the sole participant in the feast?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________ (2)
7. How do the birds prevent Tortoise from flying back home?
___________________________________________________________________________________ (1)
8. Why isn’t Tortoise’s shell smooth?
___________________________________________________________________________________ (1)
[10]
Think about…
Man is seldom punished by God, but often suffers as a consequence of his own deeds…..
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CHAPTER 11
The Seven Stars
The healthy functioning of a society depends to a large extent upon whether individuals
take the roles they are expected to play seriously. This story teaches the moral lesson of
the consequences of neglecting your duties, and also the rewards that come with being
conscientious.
There are eight children in Mguda’s family. He is the only son among seven sisters. It
is evident that he, as the male member of the family, is the most important. He is the only
character that has a name and his chore is to look after the cattle. His father, in order to
ensure the safety of his family and cattle, planted a hedge of umthungulu bushes around
the kraal. It is a perfectly worked out arrangement. The cattle are safe during the day
because Mguda guards them in the veld.
The daughters of the family have the second most important chore. They have to tend
to the crops in the field. This ensures that the family has food, fuel for the fires and beer.
The conditions are not perfect. There is a drought and it is exceptionally hot.
The two sets of children have two very different approaches to their responsibilities.
Mguda, it seemed “loved nothing better than to hide behind the hedge and eat the sweet
red fruit.” He was not doing what he was supposed to be doing which is guarding the
cattle in the veld.
The daughters, on the other hand, went beyond the call of duty. The weather was so
hot that trickles of perspiration ran down their necks and faces. The leaves of the maize
plants were wilting. Their concern was that there were no clouds in the sky. All seven
sisters were scared of the crocodile in the river, but together they decided that, rather
than see their family die of starvation, they would go and collect water in calabashes.
They knew that they would have to walk back and forth many times, because a calabash
doesn’t hold much water, and that it would be tiring because it was very hot. However,
these difficulties did not put them off.
Mguda was too lazy even to try to do his job, but the sisters did more than they were
required to do.
The sisters are saved from death by the Water People. Their brother, Mguda, was too
busy eating to even hear their cries. He failed as protector of the family.
Thus the cluster of seven stars shines to remind us to be responsible. If we choose
to be part of a community and part of a society, we must act responsibly. There is a
difference between accident and neglect. Mguada neglected his duty and he had a history
of doing so.
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Worksheet
The Seven Sisters
Contextual Questions
Read the excerpt below and answer the questions that follow:
“Aau, I am weary,” said the first sister.
“Truly it is too hot for walking, “ said the second sister.
“It is not so far to the deep pool,” said the third sister.
“I am afraid of Crocodile who lives in the reeds near the deep pool,” said the fourth sister.
“If the maize dies we will all have no food to eat,” said the fifth sister.
“We can go carefully, watching all the while for crocodile,” said the sixth sister.
The seventh sister picked up her calabash shell, and started off for the deep pool, carrying
her hoe.
“See,” she said, “I shall beat Crocodile about the snout if he tries to take me.”
Crocodile lay on the edge of River and blinked one eye. So still he lay that even Frog thought
him to be a log and leaped onto his back. So still that even the sisters thought him to be a tree
trunk as they scrambled down the bank. So still that as the sisters bent to fill their calabashes,
not even weaver Bird chittered a warning.
1. The sisters each have a different response to the idea of collecting water in the river.
Write down their comments and state what it reflects about their characters.
(14)
2. Write down the reason why the sisters have to walk to the river?
(2)
3. Comment on their use of calabashes. The reasons are not in the text itself, but you should
remember them from the rest of the story.
(2)
4. The crocodile is evidently determined to remain undetected. Write down TWO indications of
his determination.
(2)
5. Quote ONE word that implies that the weaver bird would have saved the girls had he seen the
crocodile.
(1)
6. In myths the human characters and the animal characters have the same reactions and
responses. How does this myth illustrate this with regard to frog and the sisters’ responses at
the sight of the crocodile’s body? Quote to substantiate your answer.
(3)
7. “Frog thought him to be a log and leaped onto his back.”
a) Identify the figure of speech quoted in the sentence above.
(1)
b) What is the purpose of using this figure of speech?
(2)
c) To which of the senses does it appeal?
(1)
8. How are the seven sisters rewarded for their attempt to ensure their family’s well-being?
(2)
[30]
MEMORANDUM
1. Give a mark for the comment and the interpretation.
• The first sister says that she is tired which tells us that she is weak.
• The second sister complains about the heat which suggests that she is lazy.
• The third sister reminds them that it isn’t that far to walk which suggests that she has a
positive approach.
• The fourth sister says she is scared of the crocodile which suggests that she is not very
brave and very cautious.
• The fifth sister is concerned about the maize dying and their family having no food which
tells us that she is very responsible.
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
• The sixth sister suggests that they have to walk carefully which suggests that she is
practical.
• The seventh sister says she’ll attack the crocodile which suggests that she is brave.
There is a drought and there are no signs of rain. The maize crop is wilting because of the
heat.
Calabashes do not take much water and they would have to walk several times.
He blinks only one eye and lies dead still.
even
They both think he is a fallen tree trunk or log.
alliteration of L sound
a) accentuates the movement of the frog
b) sight
The Water People fling them into the sky where they sign as stars.
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CHAPTER 12
The Snake Chief
Nandi’s character evokes sympathy within the first paragraph of the story. She is a widow
and has to fend for herself and her daughter. To make matters worse, she has no son.
Without a man in her clan, her vital resources, her cattle, were largely unattended, and
one can assume that they were either stolen or eaten by wild animals. The description of
her and her daughter digging for roots to eat with their porridge is a grim one. Her selfreliance depended on the seasons and the next step was to collect berries which she could
barter for meat. She is clearly desperate.
She is also clearly an outcast, living in stark contrast with her neighbours who have
thick, creamy amasi and goats meat. It is essential for her to find berries so that she and
her daughter can eat. It is most definitely out of fear and desperation that she exchanges
her daughter for a basket of berries.
According to the text, she trembles, silently slips, makes her way carefully and silently,
and creeps home. Her route back home is also described in some detail, accentuating the
fact that Nandi went far in her search for the berries.
The Umdoni tree flowers from August to
November. The fleshy fruit becomes deep red
or purple when it is ripe. It is slightly bitter but is
often eaten by children.
The fruit is also used to make alcohol and is an
effective remedy for stomach ache, diarrhoea,
tuberculosis and respiratory ailments.
In her haste to get back home to her daughter, she leaves a trail of markers that enable the
snake to track her all the way back to her home: a piece of her leather skirt, a berry and
beads from her ankle bracelet.
The realisation that her deed was indeed horrible is clearly evident: she bursts into
tears and says that it was evil. Not only is the idea that you can trade your child for a
basketful of berries unacceptable, but the snake is also an especially unappealing creature
in that he is ugly and aggressive. He is described as: loud; terrible; and green-grey. His
actions slithering ones and he hisses.
Nandi’s only response when she sees the snake at the door of her hut is to simply
say: “I didn’t mean to.” We can all empathise with that statement. We often do or say
awful things without really meaning to. Nandi’s deed was indeed evil, but her intention
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was most definitely not. She was only trying to prevent her daughter and herself from
starving.
The daughter’s reaction is described as gentle and fearless. Whether it is the bravery
or strength that comes from deprivation, we do not know, but the daughter steps into her
role as the wife of the snake with ease.
All is well in the end. Nandi’s foolishness did not go unnoticed by the chief’s son and,
fortunately, she eventually has a life full of blessings.
The lesson of honouring your word, of being strong and brave despite the odds against
you, is highlighted by the daughter’s reaction. Nandi panicked and lost her dignity.
Like the chief’s son, we can “smile gently” at Nandi because she was indeed
foolish. We also smile gently at her because her suffering was great, and we admire the
determination with which she tried to keep her family safe and properly fed.
Worksheet
The Snake Chief
“Nandi now has three grandchildren.” She often tells them the story of how their parents met.
Rewrite the story as if NANDI is telling it. Use your OWN words throughout, but make sure to
include all the details. Use the rubric below to guide you. Write 250 words.
6
20 – 16
EXCELLENT
5
15 – 12
GOOD
4
11 – 10
SATISFACTORY
3
9–8
MUNDANE
1
2
5–0
7–6
UNINTERESTING UNACCEPTABLE
HANDLING
OF SUBJECT
Excellent
Good
Mundane
Satisfactory
Uninteresting
Unacceptable
STYLE
A clear
insight into
audience of
grandchildren
Good
sentences
variety
Some lovely
moments
Sentences
all well
constructed but
no variety
Some clumsy
sentences
No attempt or
insight
LANGAUGE
Well structured
paragraphs
Some very
good moments
There are
paragraphs
and idea of
introduction
and climaxing
Evidence of
slang and
careless
structuring
Has some idea
of introduction
and conclusion
One long piece
FORMAT
Kept to
first person
narration,
added some
dialogue
Kept to
first person
narration
Sometimes
slips into third
person
Too long and
becomes
excessive
Too short and
left out too
many details
Didn’t stick
to any
requirements
CREATIVITY
Has kept
to original
concept but
added own
brilliant ideas
Has tried
hard to write
originally and
creatively
Has kept
to original
concept
Generally kept
to content
Basically
rewrote the
original
Not related to
text at all
EDITING
No mistakes
A few minor
spelling
mistakes
Only one or two
spelling and
some tense
errors
Far too many
mistakes
Can hardly
understand
some
sentences
No real attempt
at even
writing it
TOTAL: 20
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CHAPTER 13
Kingfisher
This story is clearly set in time. It is LONG before Tortoise got his hard shell, long before
the Liembu got their shine. Clearly the story is as old as time itself.
This is the only story in the book that illustrates a negative force present in nature.
The Water Sprite wants Ntanda for himself and his desire for her ruins her life. It is an
horrific story, as Ntanda’s character stands out over all the other characters in the book.
And it is surprising that someone as obviously lovely as she is, and who is also loved
by all creatures, can’t be helped by any of them and has to forfeit her life. This is what
makes myths so powerful. Paradoxically, they reflect reality in their ‘unrealistic’ way,
even more clearly than ‘real’ stories do. This story is effective because in it bad things
happen to good people. And life is sometimes just as unfair as this story portrays.
Ntanda was so lovely that all the creatures adored her. They loved her so much that
they tended to forget their true natures: the Water-rat let her stroke him, the Snake stopped
hissing, and the Widow Bird sat on her shoulder. Also, the trees made their berries redder
for her to enjoy. It is almost as though nature was more beautiful because Ntanda was
part of it.
This world of joy and song is shattered by the Water Sprite’s desire. The Water
Sprite wanted Ntanda. He grabs her shadow. As a human being, Ntanda is defined by her
shadow, it is proof that she is alive.
In a desperate plea to save herself, she cries out to all the animals for help. But
nobody is able to match the Water Sprite’s strength. The Wind does the best he can and
manages to save her body, but her shadow and her soul are left with the Water Sprite in
the river.
The Wind rightly tells her that she can never leave her shadow and will always sit at
the pool’s edge because she will be drawn to it. She will forget her own people and grow
thin and withered. In other words, she will die.
The message of this myth is clear: Don’t play in the river! Ntanda preferred collecting
water from the fast stream because it was sweeter. As is often the case in myths, beings
are specially created to warn people of the dangers of everyday life.
It is also a warning that you can never know if a place is safe, you can never be
sure that something bad will not happen, no matter how good or loved you are. Spirits
(people) are sometimes bad because it is in their nature to be so.
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Worksheet
Kingfisher
Draw a map of River’s route to the sea and make marks on the map of all characters and
locations referred to in the first two paragraphs of the story.
Find examples in local and national newspapers that illustrate the point being made in the
story. Discuss examples in groups in class. Jot down a few comments made in class.
If you wish to say anything to the supreme being, tell it to the winds.
An Asante proverb
Dig the hole of evil shallow
Evil is a hill. Everyone gets on his own
And speaks about someone else’s
Hausa proverbs
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CHAPTER 14
Where No Frogs Croak
Ndlebe is born without an ear and suffers the isolation and loneliness so often endured
by those who are physically challenged. The porpoise promises him the impossible:
happiness, and another ear if he can find the “pool where no frogs croak.”
To find true happiness, Ndlebe has to follow the river back to its source. If one accepts
that the flowing of the river is a metaphor for life, then true happiness is meant to be
found when you have learnt all life’s lessons. It is only when all the pieces fit together
and are seen as a whole, that you will understand everything and be happy.
Just like Ndlebe, we ask: “Where no frogs croak?” Is this possible? And so Ndlebe
then sets out to seek the place.
He walked all day. It was hot and he was very tired. Wind blew cold during the night.
He didn’t want to cross the river where the crocodile stayed. He grew afraid.
He knew he could not afford the journey. The sentence, “He really ought to go home”,
is repeated like a mantra throughout the story. But he was compelled to continue his
journey, as we all are, despite our responsibilities and chores. The Seven Water Carriers
(The seven sisters who died for having a sense of responsibility) remind him of that when
they shine brighter than any other stars during the night.
But he perseveres and he reaches his goal. He finds the pool “where no frogs croak”,
and gets his other ear.
The story serves as reminder of two things. Firstly, that it is important to have your
own quest in life, and that you must go to the trouble of embarking on it. The path will
not be without difficulties or hardships, but the prize in the end will be happiness.
Secondly, the story serves as a summary of all the lessons learnt in the book. Myths
are stories of morality, and also teach lessons. In Lord of the Rainbow, we learn that with
finding joy comes sacrifice. In Shine, Liembu!, we learn that even the most insignificant
of deeds or creatures can be of cosmic importance. The Guardian of the Pool teaches us
that bravery and courage are always rewarded. The King’s Daughter shows us that even
when the meanest among us try to do us harm, our inert goodness still shines through.
Vuyila is kind to the hungry weaver bird, and she cares for her environment. As a result,
her whole tribe is saved from dying during the great drought. The fable of Elephant and
Hare teaches us never to assume anything. The Little People reminds us that whoever we
protect, will protect us, just as the white ants protected Mtetwe’s family. Crocodile and
Monkey is an entertaining reminder that gullible fools will suffer. Tortoise Got His Hard
Shell shows how he arrogantly tried to prove a point. The Seven Sisters tells us that they
shine in the night sky as a reminder that we cannot avoid responsibility. In Kingfisher,
Nandi was poor and made a foolish mistake. The Snake Chief does not judge or hurt
her, but she did come close to losing everything that was dear to her because she was so
desperate. The melancholic Kingfisher is a reminder that bad things do happen to good
people.
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And in the end there is a place “Where no frogs croak.” It is a silent place where we
can come to terms with ourselves and be happy.
Worksheet
Where No Frogs Croak
This story refers to all the myths and fables you read in “Catch me a river.” Write down the
titles of all the myths, summarise their content and write down the lesson learnt in each one.
TITLE
SUMMARY
MORAL
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
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Ndeble is unhappy in the beginning of this story. What are his reasons? Do you think he was
right to feel that way?
Think about….
You may not have a physical handicap, but there are things that you wish you could change at
all costs.
What are they?
Are they conditions that you can change?
What are you willing to do to change your reality?
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CHAPTER 15
An additional myth of how the world was created
An account from the Boshongo, a Central Tribe of the Lunda Cluster
In the beginning, in the dark, there was nothing but water. And Bumba was alone.
One day Bumba was in terrible pain. He retched and strained and vomited up the sun.
After that light spread over everything. The heat of the sun dried up the water until the
black edges of the world began to show. Black sandbanks and reefs could be seen. But
there were no living things.
Bumba vomited up the moon and then the stars, and after that the night had its light
also.
Still Bumba was in pain. He strained again and nine living creatures came forth: the
leopard named Koy Bumba, and Pongo Bumba the crested eagle, the crocodile, Ganda
Bumba, and one little fish named Yo; next, old Kono Bumba, the tortoise, and Tsetse, the
lightning, swift, deadly, beautiful like the leopard, then the white heron, Nyanyi Bumba,
also one beetle, and the goat named Budi.
Last of all came forth men. There were many men, but only one was white like
Bumba. His name was Loko Yima.
The creatures themselves then created all the creatures. The heron created all the
birds of the air except the kite. He did not make the kite. The crocodile made serpents and
the iguana. The goat produced every beast with horns. Yo, the small fish, brought forth all
the fish of all the seas and waters. The beetle created insects.
Then the serpents in their turn made grasshoppers, and the iguana made the creatures
without horns.
Then the three sons of Bumba said they would finish the world. The first, Nyonye
Ngana, made the white ants; but he was not equal to the task, and died of it. The ants,
however, thankful for life and being, went searching for black earth in the depths of the
world and covered the barren sands to bury and honour their creator.
Chonganda, the second son, brought forth a marvelous living plant from which all the
trees and grasses and flowers and plants in the world have sprung. The third son, Chedi
Bumba, wanted something different, but for all his trying made only the bird called the
kite.
Of all the creatures, Tsetse, lightning, was the only trouble-maker. She stirred up so
much trouble that Bumba chased her into the sky. Then mankind was without fire until
Bumba showed the people how to draw fire out of trees. ‘There is fire in every tree,’ he
told them, and showed them how to make the fire drill and liberate it. Sometimes today
Tsetse still leaps down and strikes the earth and causes damage.
When at last the work of creation was finished, Bumba walked through the peaceful
villages and said to the people, ‘Behold these wonders. They belong to you.’ Thus from
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Bumba, the Creator, the First Ancestor, came forth all the wonders that we see and hold
and use, and all the brotherhood of beasts and man.
Maria Leach, The Beginning (New York, 1956), pp.145-6; translated and adapted from
E. Torday and J. A Joyce, Les Boshongo, pp.2
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CHAPTER 16
Learning to write the 4th Genre Essay
The 4th genre essay is probably the most difficult essay that learners need to learn how to
write. They should understand the following about the 4th genre essay:
• Essentially it is an essay about a literary work in which they have to discuss a certain
point that they have not been taught. In other words it is an exercise in learning to be
confident about what THEY think about something.
• The tendency is to rewrite the story. Planning is therefore very important.
A 4th genre question will always refer to certain POINTS or TOPICS.
• It is important to STICK to the question asked.
A group oral approach to learning to write the 4th genre essay
Question
The route the river takes from his source to the sea can be seen as a metaphor of man’s
journey through life. Discuss this statement, referring to each story in the book
Answering this question is discussed in the worksheet below. Instead of writing the essay,
learners are asked to share their answers with the class. An essay rubric, NOT an oral
rubric, is included, because the final outcome is learners writing an essay of their own.
Learners are encouraged to give their OWN opinions, whether different to the
educators or not, as long as they can PROVE their point, using EXAMPLES from the
text.
Suggested Topics for the 4th Genre Essay
1. The tortoise features regularly in the short stories in Catch me a River. Using ALL
the references to his character in ALL the stories, compile a character profile of the
typical tortoise. What personality type in society does he portray?
2. Catch me a River provides a lot of insight into the lifestyle of the ancient African
people. Summarise the daily routine and skills of the first peoples of Africa.
3. Myths and legends teach us about society and life. Choose THREE myths in which
important life skills are taught and discuss them in detail.
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Learner worksheet for the planning of the 4th genre essay
Form groups of four or five. Read the statement below carefully and follow the steps.
The route the river takes from his source to the sea can be seen as a metaphor of man’s journey
through life. Discuss this statement referring to each story in the book.
1. Draw a map of the river’s journey from story one to story two.
2. Mark each story as a destination or a stopover on a journey. Make careful note of all the
plants, animals, birds, and general scenery on the way.
3. Do some research. Do any of the plants, animals or scenes have symbolic, cultural or social
meaning?
4. You’ll eventually have thirteen resting points; one for each story read. Give a brief summary of
each lesson or moral taught in each story.
5. Can you allocate a moral to a stage or period in a person’s life? For example: “Oh yes, that’s
the kind of lesson you learn in Grade 3.” Or, “That was a difficult lesson to learn in my life!”
6. You are now ready to discuss the statement.
6
30 -23
INSPIRATIONAL
5
22 - 18
MASTERFUL
4
17 – 15
FUNCTIONAL
3
14 – 12
COLOURLESS
2
11 – 8
MUNDANE
1
7–0
DULL
Justification
from text,
relevant
examples
Very good,
mature insight,
everything
relevant
Very relevant
quotations,
good insight
Meets
requirements
Meets
requirements,
but gives
nothing more
Some
quotations,
but most not
relevant
Didn’t really try
Skilful reference
to style and
figures of
speech
Understands
writing skills
and relationship
between style
and content
Shows some
understanding
of literary skills
Makes passing
references to
style
Refers to figures
of speech
and sentence
structure
Makes one or
two arbitrary
references
Writes about
style but doesn’t
understand
meaning
Understanding
of genre writing
Excellent
analytical skills
Good analytical
skills
Tries to analyse
text
Some
understanding
No
understanding
Retells stories
Length, format
and language
Good tone and
no language
errors
Some language
errors
average
Too many
language errors,
or too long,
distracting
Some careless
errors
Errors obscure
meaning
Creative
Novel approach
Functional
approach
Competent
approach
A fine effort, but
nothing out of
the ordinary
Just did it
Hardly any effort
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CHAPTER 17
Articles for enrichment
These articles appear in no particular order and are included for enrichment. They
were chosen as reminders of how ancient and rich the African continent is. Use them
as comprehension pieces, articles for class discussion or as the impetus to do more
research.
A
This article could be used as inspiration for writing a myth entitled: Why Tortoise
Has Two Heads.
Rare Two-Headed Tortoise Found in South Africa
Candice Swarts in Cape Town
For National Geographic News
May 30, 2003
Fantasy books are filled with
stories about two-headed
dragons and two-headed
monsters, but who has
ever heard of a two-headed
tortoise?
Noël Daniels with the
tortoise that showed up in
his backyard. The month-old
reptile’s two heads appear to
be normal and both feed on
grass, leaves, and softened
rabbit pellets.
Photograph by Leon
Steenkamp/Paarl Post
This is exactly what Noël Daniels, a welder of Wellington, Western Cape, South Africa, discovered
when he went into his backyard and found this strange newcomer hatched from an egg amongst
his pet tortoises.
Daniels is the owner of seven tortoises, as terrestrial turtles are commonly known. They live with
his parrots and pigeons in a dovecote. The strange tortoise’s shell is flat underneath and not
rounded at the belly as usual, he says.
The two heads are joined separately to a shared body.
“But it seems quite normal and both heads feed on grass, leaves, and softened rabbit pellets,”
Daniels said. “When it gets scared, however, [the] heads move in different directions as if
confused. Sometimes its legs also want to move in different directions. Luckily, it moves quite
slowly. There seems to be enough time to figure out which way to go.”
The month-old tortoise’s shell is about five centimeters (two inches) wide.
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Ernst Baard, manager of scientific services of Cape Nature Conservation, an expert on South
African tortoises, said that the phenomenon of two heads is extremely rare. To his knowledge, it
is only the second reported case of its kind in South Africa in over 20 years. The other one was
discovered in the early 1980s.
Baard said that the tortoise might be the product of a genetic deviation during the development
stage of the embryo.
He believes that the tortoise has a better chance of survival in captivity than in the wild. “With
proper feeding and love it’s chances of survival [are] fairly good. However, I am not so sure if it will
mature completely.”
Baard is almost 100 percent sure that it is an ungulate tortoise, which is commonly found in South
Africa. He said he would like to examine the animal physically to confirm this and find out more
about the phenomenon of its two heads.
Le Fras Mouton, professor in the department of zoology at the University of Stellenbosch, Western
Cape, agreed that it could be an ungulate tortoise (Chersina angulata). Mouton, a reptile expert,
said that he has heard of two-headed lizards, but never of two-headed tortoises.
B
Many learners do not have a concept of time. It would be interesting to find out what they
think the world may have looked like 18 000 years ago. You can also refer to the African
Origins excerpt on the following page. In archeology, the idea of a time like 300 000
years ago is the norm. However, the man in the street struggles with such concepts.
Diminutive hominids make a big evolutionary point: Humans aren’t exempt from natural
selection
By Mike Morwood,
Thomas Sutikna,
and Richard Roberts for
National Geographic
Magazine
Photographs by
Kenneth Garrett
H. floresiensis
reconstruction (above)
by John Gurche
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At first we thought it was a child, perhaps three years old. But a closer look showed that the tiny,
fragile bones we had just laid bare in a spacious cave on the Indonesian island of Flores belonged
to a full-grown adult just over three feet (one meter) tall.
Had we simply found a modern human stunted by disease or malnutrition? No. The bones looked
primitive, and other remains from Liang Bua, which means “cool cave” in the local Manggarai
language, showed that this skeleton wasn’t unique. It was typical of a whole population of tiny
beings who once lived on this remote island. We had discovered a new kind of human.
Back in the lab, where we analyzed the bones and other artifacts, the full dimensions of what we
had discovered began to emerge. This tiny human relative, whom we nicknamed Hobbit, lived just
18,000 years ago, a time when modern humans—people like us—were on the march around the
globe. Yet it looked more like a diminutive version of human ancestors a hundred times older, from
the other end of Asia.
We had stumbled on a lost world: pygmy survivors from an earlier era, hanging on far from the
main currents of human prehistory. Who were they? And what does this lost relative tell us about
our evolutionary past?
African origins:
Ethiopian fossils are the earliest Homo sapiens
Evidence for the ‘Out of Africa’ hypothesis for the origin of Homo sapiens has been questioned
because of the lack of African hominid fossils from a critical period, between 100,000 and
300,000 years ago. New finds from the Middle Awash region of Ethiopia have filled that gap. A
near-complete adult skull and a partial child’s skull have been dated to about 160,000 years old,
making them the oldest remains that can be firmly assigned to modern Homo sapiens. In addition
this shows that morphologically modern humans had emerged long before ‘classic’ Neanderthals
vanished from Eurasia. The series of illustrations on the cover, by J. Matternes, are reconstructions
based on the fossilized adult male cranium from the Herto locality.
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CHAPTER 18
References
Didier Colin: Dictionary of symbols, myths and legends
Joseph Cambell: The Power of Myth
Penny Miller: Myths and legends of Southern Africa
Gordon Lindsay Maclean: Robert’s Birds of Southern Africa
Harold Scheub A Dictionary of African Mythology
Bollingen Series African Folktales and Sculpture
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