000 liANTU NEGROES 



threatened that if it were not forthcoming he would send his liuns to ]iunish those 

 Avho liad refused hiui. Several of the greater chiefs defied him, but in every case 

 they were brought to their knees by the losses inflicted on their people or cattle by 

 the lions he sent.* Kabarega became interested, and sent a messenger to Muguta 

 challenging him to send his lions. Three days after two of the lions appeared 

 insiile the king's enclosure and killed a cow. The i)eople were ready in large 

 numbers, and as a lion attacked a man it was riddled A^ith l)ullets, whilst the 

 other escaped. Kabarega placed no significance on the death of the lion, but 

 admitted ^Nluguta had proved his power by sending the lions. Kabarega received 

 his talisman, and thenceforth exempted Muguta from all obligations. Byabaswezi, 

 the ])resent chief, was one of the party sent by Kabarega to wait for the lions. 

 In Major Thruston's time, about 1894, four of Muguta's women were captured by 

 the Sudanese. Three days after nine lions appeared in Hoima. The Sudanese 

 released the women, and paid ^Nluguta four goats on receiving the talisman. [Nluguta 

 is still living, now very old and decrepit. His whereabouts liave been recently los-t 

 sight of. 



The following is one of the ve;sions most current in L'nyoro of the 

 oft-told Uganda legend respecting Kintu, the founder of the Unyoro- 

 I'ganda dynasty : — 



Kintu was inunortal. He was in the habit of periodically visiting God for the 

 purpose of reporting on the work he had done on earth. These visits were made 

 on a hill called Magonga, which has consequently been carefully guarded up to the 

 commencement of Mwanga's reign. There was one condition always laid down by 

 the Divinity, which was that on no account was Kintu to turn back or pay another 

 visit v;nless he were called. His orders were that " he was to do no evil ; he mu.st 

 not steal." God gave him a bag which was not to be separated from him, or even 

 be touched by any other jierson. One day, whilst under the effects of liquor, he 

 Avent to the hill ]\Iagonga, where he dropped his bag, not immediately noticing his 

 loss. Forgetting his order, he went back for it, to find God very angry with him. 

 "Why did you come back here, -when I gave you strict orders not to come unless 

 you were called ? " Some versions of the legend say that he Avas forbidden to return 

 to his home, and a young man, symbolical of the Sijirit of Death, t Avas ordered to 

 be continually beside him. In any case, he never did return. The ]ieople regarded 

 his absence as an indication of God's Avrath, and to provide for him in case he 

 Avas still alive they Ijuilt a large house in the forest on ^Nlagonga, and every 

 nine days carried food there. This custom, as Avell as the guard, Avas kept 

 up till MAvanga's time, Avhen the intestine Avars interfered Avith most of the old 

 usages and habits. To propitiate God's Avrath in His anger against Kintu's dis- 

 obedience it Avas decreed that Kintu's laAv, Avhich Avas that nobody should Avork on 

 every seventh clay and on the first day of each new moon, should be perpetuated. 

 To this day any person, no matter Avhat his offence may have been, or in AA'hat 

 AA'ay he may be ordered to be punished, if he es?ape and reach the hill Magonga, 

 must be liberated — in fact, it Avas regarded as a "hill of refuge" till quite recently, 

 and in every Avay had been considered sacred. 



* The chiefs bought !Muguta off by ])resents, receiving as a talisman that he Avould 

 not molest them again a piece of carvetl Avood. It Avas never knoAvn to fail. 

 + Some .sav of Sickness. 



