lilKDS AX]) IXSKCTS IX BISIIMAX FOLK-LOKK. 



1!J5 



On another occasion the Mantis Ment to hunt, and saw 

 a little bird hovering- in the air. Then it drop])ed to the 

 ground and Avent into an ant-heap. While the Mantis stood 

 gazing' it popped out of another ant-heaj), Avitli its kaross full 

 of ants' larvae, called " IKishman rice." Then the Mantis 

 went up to it and begged it to shoAv him how to get Jiushnian 

 rice so easily, for his hands Avere sore with digging it out 

 with a stick. The little bird showed him Iioav it was done, 

 but the Mantis A\as ungrateful and soon got into trouble. This 

 little bird, the Loiiotu'ihni , is black, with white feathers on 

 its shoulders. 



This Jiushman rice was a great feature in a liushman 

 bill of fore. So also AAas a similar food, the Uiaken, of which 

 they told us that it was like Bushman rice, its larvae were 

 like those of the Bushman rice. Of what insect can it be 

 the larvae? They seem always to have sifted this .'Jiakeii 

 as sooji as it was dug, and to have i»ut any part on which a 

 certain dark-coloured fungus like a lieacon grew into a 

 separate little bag, which was kept for the old people, who 

 evidently thought it a dainty, and presented it to their friends 

 on a dish made of an ostrich's breast-bone. 



Among the many adventures of the Mantis, Ave hear of 

 him burning the bush shelters in which wild cats liA^e, in order 

 to kill the cats and get fine skins for his kaross. Now, do 

 wild cats liA'e in bush shelters, or cA^en in bushes? Is this 

 mvth based on natural historA', or is it in direct contradiction 

 of^it? 



In preparing a little book of folk-lore from manuscripts 

 of my father and my aunt, Avho collected much Bushman lore 

 in the 'seventies and 'eighties, I am held up by my inability 

 to translate these names or answer these questions, and I liaA'e 

 hopes that from your Association helpful information may 

 come. Such information mav be sent to the authoress at 

 Charlton House, Mowbrav, C.P. 



