A CERTAIN SNAKE, WHICH, BY LYING UPON ITS BACK, ANNOUNCES A DEATH IN THE FAMILY; AND WHICH MUST NOT, UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, BE KILLED.

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

The ||hing[1] (is) a serpent of our country. (If, when) we strike it, it does in this manner with its belly,[2] it

[1. A. long, light-coloured snake, which does not bite, and is timid.

2. That is, turns the under side of its body upwards.]

gives us its belly, we fear it, and go away, and return home; while (we) do not kill[1] it. For (we) let (it) alone; and it lies, lies, lies; arises, (and) goes away altogether.

And, another day, (if) we see it (and) it does not give us its belly, we beat it, we kill it altogether, and throw (it) altogether away; (we) do not keep (it) [do not eat it].[2]

Another day, (when) it sees us, (as) we approach it, approach it, approach it, (and) reach it, (and) it gives us its belly, we are afraid, we do not kill it, we run away.

Another day, we see it, (when) it is in the water--tree water[3]-we are near it, we think that we will drink water, we see its body, (when) it is in the water, (and) it sees us, it quickly(?) goes out of the water, and lies upon the ground. We think that we will strike it, (and) it gives us its belly, we turn back, we go away, and it alone lies (there).

And (if) a woman comes (and) the woman sees it, (she) unloosens (her) skin necklace, and (gently) lays (it) down; and it turns,[4] and lays its belly upon the earth. And the woman kills it, and throws it away.

(If) another person dies, (and) we have not heard his news,[5] (and) we see the ||hing turning its belly towards us, we are afraid of the ||hing, and cry.

[1. And (we) tell the people who are at home, and say: "I saw a ||hing, and struck the ||hing; and the ||hing objected, and gave me its belly; and I was afraid of the ||hing, and did not kill the |hing. but ran away." And many women hear, (and) cry.

2. And, another day, (when) it lies nicely [not turning up its belly at us, in a hollow manner, while it lies on its back], we skin it, and throw away its flesh; and keep its skin; give the Makoba its skin.

3. Namely, that which is in the hollow of a tree.

4. It sees the woman, it does thus with its belly. It sees the woman's skin necklace, it is afraid; for the woman has worked the necklace with plenty of fat; and (it) smells good; its scent being powerful (lit. "long", i.e., reaching a long way)

5. The words ||numm and #nua both mean "news", "tidings".]