THE WIT AND WISDOM OF THE BANTU. 335 



done to one. ( )r : iJur ulcers don't hurt when it is ourselves 

 that rub them. How ready we are to do ourselves more than 

 justice: Ukiicisikela eiiqafeni, to cut off for ourselves from the 

 fat part ; and to think that all our s^eese are swans: When a man 

 speaks of gcx^d milkers you may be sure he means his own goats. 

 Of others they have not much to say, but they appreciate 

 friendship: A ring makes a sound when it strikes another ("As 

 iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the face of his 

 friend "). It is good to grow at the toes (It is well to have many 

 friends, by whose support one grows or prospers). One born 

 without blood-relatives is no better than a heap cA meat (on the 

 battle-field, that is, for he has none to rescue him as others have 

 when the enemy presses hard). Strangers surprise each other, 

 they say (" When Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug-of- 

 war"). And when one is found to be favouring strangers at 

 the expense of relatives, they say: Uzipcmbel' emoyeni. You are 

 kindling your tire in the wind (instead of on the hearth: much 

 good it will do you there!). 



Os HUNOEK AND HoSl'ITALlTV. 



Hunger has an inconvenient way of forcin-i itself on the 

 attention of poor people that the Bantu have not failed to com- 

 ment on: The hand never loses its way to the mouth (Hunger 

 asserts its claims). Usegolcla impukauL\ he is snatching at a 

 fly already (he is so hungry). Andikanyc udosulc itmlofiio zvam 

 namhla-njc, 1 have never wiped my mouth to-day (i.e., never 

 tasted a mouthful of food). IsisH somhamhi kasingakanani. 

 shiijapaiiil^ili kodii^'a, a tra\eller's stomach is not so big, but it is 

 in front (^and therefore important and clamorous). Hence the 

 sacredness of hospitality: Unyauro alniiampunilo, alunamehlo, 

 lnyi'mpumpute-iijc. liiya kitkutwala lapo ungazani noinntu, the 

 fcK>t has no no:-e. it has no eyes, it is only a blind thing groping 

 its way ; it will carry you where you know^ nobod}' ( Don't be 

 inhospitable ; your steps will bring you some day among strangers, 

 where you will be glad of hospitality; they may even bring you 

 to the place of the very man who now asks hospitality of you). 

 Of the churl they say: Ndafika kzvanja-yof itndilo, I came to the 

 place of Dog-warming-himself-at-the-Fire. 



Of Greed and Giving and Gratitude. 



Unumkakh he has a throat, means he is very greedy. Uyavuza 

 amatc, he leaks saliva (his mouth waters like a dog's in prospect 

 of a meal). Ku.velhve e-Xnkivanc, they have slaughtered at 

 Xukwane, you'll get big helpings there, is said of one asking 

 too much. "Give me! give me!" only makes hungrier (The 

 beggar's wallet never gets tilled). You'll drain the fountain 

 (You'll kill the goose that lays the golden eggs). 



Ikaba abayisengayo, the cow kicks its milkers (The beggar 

 has to bear many a rebuff). Uxam ivapusilc, the leguaan or 

 monitor ( which is said to be a most affectionate nurse to its 

 young) has gone dry (Von have outstayed your v/elcome). 



