THE USE OF THE !GOING!GOING, FOLLOWED BY AN ACCOUNT OF A BUSHMAN DANCE.

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

The people beat the !going!going, (in order) that the bees may become abundant[1] for the people, (in order)

[1. To become abundant.]

that the bees may go into the other people's places, that the people may eat honey. Therefore, the people beat the !going!going, when they desire that the people's bees may go into the other people's places, so that the people may cut honey, that they may put honey away into bags.

And the people carry honey. And the people, carrying, bring the honey home. And the people take honey to the women at home. For, the women are dying of hunger, at home. Therefore, the men take honey to the women at home; that the women may go to eat, for they feel that the women have been hungry at home; while they wish that the women may make[1] a drum for them, so that they may dance, when the women are satisfied with food. For they do not frolic when they are hungry.

And they dance, when the women have made a drum for them. Therefore, the women make a drum for them; they dance. The men are those who dance, while the women sit down, because they clap their hands for the men when the men are those who dance; while one woman is the one who beats the drum; while many women are those who clap their hands for the men; because they feel that many men are dancing.

Then, the sun rises, while they are dancing there, while they feel that they are satisfied with food. Then, the sun rises, while they are dancing there, while they feel that the women are satisfied with food. Therefore, the sun shines upon the backs of

[1. That the women may play for them, when the women are satisfied with food; that the women may also arrange the (game of) !goo for them, that they may roar.]

their heads;[1] while the women get the dust of the drum. Then the men are covered (?) with dust, while the dust of the drum lies upon the women's faces, because the women are accustomed to sit down there; therefore, the dust of the drum lies upon the women's faces. Because they (the men) do not dance a little, for they dance very much. Therefore, their foot's dust covers the women's faces; because they have danced strongly. Therefore, they get their foot's dust, which rises up from their feet, it rises up among them, as they stand dancing. They dance, standing around, while the women are those who sit down, while the men are those who dance, standing around.

Therefore they sleep, letting the sun set;[2] because they are tired when they have been dancing there; while the women leave off drumming. Therefore they sleep, letting the sun set; because they are tired when they have been dancing there. Therefore, they sleep, letting the sun set; because they are tired when they have been dancing there. The place becomes dark, as they sleep there, because they are tired, when they have danced there.

Therefore, morning is (the time) when they send the children to the water, that the children may dip up (water) for them, that they may drink; for they are thirsty. Therefore, the children go early to dip up (water) for them, at the break of day, so that they may come to drink. For they are

[1. The men are those, on the backs of whose heads the sun shines (literally, upon "the holes above the nape of their neck.").

2. They sleep at noon, because the women had bound on the drum for them, when the sun had just set.]

thirsty. They are aware that they are tired. Therefore it does not seem as if they will be those to send the children to the water; for they feel at first that they are still tired. Therefore, it does not seem as if they will be those to send the children to the water. Because they are still sleeping there for a while; because they are still tired. Therefore, they do not seem as if they will be those to send the children to the water. Therefore, when they awake, they send the children to the water; when they feel that they have had their sleep out. Therefore, they awake. And then they send the children to the water. They speak to the children, they thus say to the children, that the children must quickly bring them water, that they may quickly come to drink. For they are thirsty.