THE #NERRU AND HER HUSBAND.[1]

Specimens of Bushman Folklore, by W.H.I. Bleek and L.C. Lloyd, [1911], at sacred-texts.com

A man of the early race formerly married a #nerru.[2] The #nerru put[3] the dusty (i.e. earthy) Bushman rice into a bag, when her husband had dug out (literally,"had killed") Bushman rice. She went to wash the Bushman rice; they returned home.

They early went out to seek for food on the morrow, she and (her) husband; for she was alone(?) with her husband. He was the one who dug[4] out (Bushman rice). Therefore she was with her husband. Thus she went out to seek for food, on the morrow. The husband dug out Bushman rice; he put the Bushman rice into the bag.[5] And the husband again dug out other Bushman rice. He put it in above, put in the Bushman rice on the top of the morning's Bushman rice. He again arose, he sought for other Bushman rice. He again found other Bushman rice; he dug out

[1. think that |Xabbi-ang's grandmother's grandmother's other grandmother's mother it must have been who formerly, in this manner, spoke to her.

2. The #nerru (now a bird) was formerly a person; therefore, a man of the early race was the one who married her.

3. When they are putting Bushman rice into (a bag), when the Bushman rice has earth with it, they say that they !ko Bushman rice.

4. "To dig with a stick" is here meant.

5. The man was the one who was putting Bushman rice into the bag, while the woman was the one who was holding the bag; she was the one who intended to shake in the Bushman rice. He stood inside the mouth of the hole, while the wife stood above.]

(the earth from it). And he again dug it (the rice) out. He put it on the top (of the other). He put it on the top; and the bag[1] became full.

And he arose, he sought for other Bushman rice. He found other Bushman rice; he dug but (the earth from) it. He dug it out. And he exclaimed:"Give me (thy) little kaross,[2] that I may put the Bushman rice upon it." And the wife said:[3] "We are not accustomed to put Bushman rice, having earth with it, into our back's kaxoss, we who are of the house of #nerru."[4] And he exclaimed: "Give me, give me the little kaross, that I may put the Bushman rice upon (it)." And the wife said: "Thou shouldst put the Bushman rice into the ground; for we are not accustomed to put Bushman rice, having earth with it, into our back's kaross." And he exclaimed: "Give me, give me the little kaross, that I may put the Bushman rice upon (it)." And the wife exclaimed: "Thou shouldst put the Bushman rice into the ground, that thou mayst cover over the Bushman rice."[5]

And he exclaimed: "Give me the kaross, that I may put the Bushman rice upon (it)!" while he snatched away the kaross. The wife's entrails,

[1. I think that it seems to have been a springbok sack (i.e. a bag made of springbok skin).

2. It is a little kaross. One skin (that is, the skin of one animal) they call !koussi.

3. She spoke gently (i.e. did not sing here).

4. I think that their houses must have been numerous; for they were numerous; for, when they are little birds, they are not a little numerous.

5. With other earth.]

which were upon the little kaross,[1] poured down.[2] And he, crying, exclaimed: "Oh dear! O my wife! What shall I do?" while the wife arose, the wife said (i.e. sang)--

"We, who are of the house of #nerru,
We are not used to put earthy Bushman rice
(Into) our back's kaross;
We, who are of the house of #nerru,
We are not used to put earthy Bushman rice
(Into) our back's kaross:"

while she walked on replacing her entrails. She sang--[3]

"We, who are of the house of #nerru,
We are not used to put earthy Bushman rice
(Into) our back's kaross:"

Therefore, her mother, when sitting,[4] exclaimed: "Look at the place to which (thy) elder sister went to seek food, for the noise of the wind is that which sounds like a person;" for, (thy) elder sisters' husbands do not act rightly. Thou dost see that the noise of the wind is that which sounds like a person, singing to windward." And her daughter stood up; her daughter looked. She (the daughter) exclaimed: "(Thy) daughter is the one who falling comes." Then her mother said: "I wish that ye may see; (thy) elder sisters' husbands[6] do

[1. I do not know well (about it), for my people were those who spoke thus; they said that the #nerru's entrails were formerly upon the little kaross.

2. She was sitting down.

3. She went along singing, as she went away home (to her mother's home).

4. She was sitting at home.

5. Her daughter was the one of whom she spoke, (of) her singing.

6. I think that she was speaking of her daughter's husband.]

mad things, as if they do not seem to understand; they marry among us (literally, 'into us') as if they understood."

Then she ran to meet her daughter; she went to put the little kaross[1] upon her daughter; she, holding, put her daughter's entrails upon the little kaross; and she bound up her daughter;[2] she slowly conducted her daughter home; she went to take her daughter into her (the mother's) hut.

Therefore, she was angry about her daughter; when her daughter's husband wanted to come to his wife, she was angry. Therefore, her daughter's husband went back to his own people, when she had said that her daughter's husband should go back; for, they did not understand. Therefore, her daughter's husband went back; while they[3] continued to dwell (there).

[1. Her mother's new little kaross, which had been unused (lit. "sitting"), and which she had put away.

2. With the four straps of the !k'oussi, formed by the four legs of the springbok's skin

3. i.e., the #nerru, many #nerru.]