THE WIT AND WISDCJM UF THE J'.ANTU. S37 



sion of morfai enmitv. Enmitv is also expressed by sayings like: 

 "' They ( the cattle ) don't eat on the same ridge," or " They don*t 

 take fire from each other's hearths " (as people were glad to do 

 before the coming of lucifer matches). Ubodf esanibesa, he 

 loathes while he clothes, indicates outward friendliness but in- 

 ward hate. The proverb for cruelty is : Ixama litohvc nga-Batzva, 

 rhe hartebeest has been arrowed by the Bushmen (i.e., the man 

 has fallen into cruel, merciless hands). Cruelty to animals is 

 discouraged by the words that a child must say if he has killed 



a frog: Mkoiii warn, itngafi . . . 7vofi "Frog of 



mine, don't do so " (drawing in the arm), " do so " (stretching it 

 out). If he doesn't say so, his arm will shrivel up, so he is told. 



Feuds were kept uj) in Africa in old days as long and as bit- 

 terly as in Europe : Though a snake is dead, a bone of it will 

 pierce a man to death, is said of the recrudescence of an old feud. 

 Umlandu ubanjwa y'mkume, the quarrel is taken up by the centi- 

 pede ( which comes out of the old log when struck, i.e., the father's 

 feiid is taken up by the son). Family quarrels are reprobated: 

 Umbango uviif emlotcni, the strife blazes up in the family ash- 

 pit. Induku ayinamsi, the stick has no kraal (Where there is 

 constant quarrelling at home, no 'family flourishes). 



Of malice tbey say : Ulunya lubiz olunye, a malicious act 

 calls for another (Malice begets malice). Of envy: He who 

 gets rich late has a hard hill to climb (The upstart has great envy 

 to surmount). Umona zvasemlungivini ubandez icityiva, ungali- 

 qabi, the white man's envy forbids us the red clay, though he 

 doesn't paint himself. Of jealousy : Jealousy was cooked in a 

 pot with a stone ; the stone got soft, but jealousy remained hard. 



Anger and hatred may often be avoided if warning is taken 

 in time, and the Bantu have many proverl)s expressive of threat 

 and warning : Ukasel' eziko, you are creeping to the fireplace 

 (You are going into danger). Udlala iigegeja kusihva, you are 

 playing with the hoe on a fast-day (You are doing what is for- 

 bidden and dangennis). Uya kuva into embi eyaviwa ngu-Hili 

 wasemabalini, You will get what I lib of the fables got (Hili 

 of the fables was always playing tricks on people, but he came 

 to a bad end}. You are going to tread on my tail, and the fur 

 will come otr, reminds us of a well-known Irish saying. JVod' 

 iifunyanwe, sesiineiloiils, abanzi. You will be cavight in the 

 storm ; big drops are falling already. And sternest of all : Ikan- 

 jana lake lingakelwa ongnso ngelanga, the field-mice may be 

 building in liis linlc >knl] ere long ( I'll do 'for him if he doesn't 

 take carej . 



On Crime and Punishment. 



The thief is the one that is caught, say the Kaffirs. Caught ifi 

 the act, say we. They are very fond of casting the blame 

 of their ill-deed on others : He hid himself behind me, they 

 say. The thief has splashed the other man's face with the milk, is 

 said of one trying to transfer guilt from himself. lutslmba 

 isulele ixiegiiitHinsha. the genet \viv>ed itself otl on the l)ush 



