N0\-BMBER 1, 1900.] 



KNOWLEDGE. 



243 



vats to insiire good brews; the West African in his 

 drinking water to render it pure and cool ; the Indian 

 of Ceuti-al America does the same thing. Fishcnncn 

 and huntei-s, both in the Old and New Worlds, use 

 them to bring good luck. There is the widespread 

 belief that these stones possess extraordinary curative 

 virtues for severe abdominal pains, either in fever or 

 child-birth ; for chai-ms against snake-bites they ai'c a 

 specific. 



So far, however, as the West African negro is con- 

 cerned, an interesting question arises. Does ho regard 

 these stones as sacred objects, as objects of devotion, and 

 have they a place in their complex religious beliefs ? 



To attempt to understand the native mind, and ob- 

 tain a grasp of their fundanrental ideas of religion and 

 morality, requires not only years of patient investiga- 

 tion, untaintied by racial prejudice, but it involves a 

 sympathetic interest in all his petty disputes and 

 troubles — none the less real and important to him — 

 and the utmost assistance is to be derived by the study 

 of his folk-lore, as elucidating his mode of thought and 

 the motives that actuate his conduct and actions. A 

 depth of hidden meaning lies buried beneath their simple 

 stories, which have been handed down to them from 

 remote antiquity, in some cases, whilst othei-s are of 

 quite recent date, and tend to show that he is, in 

 thought and ideas, still where he was centuiies ago. 



It is to the anthropologist that we must look to 

 elucidate the conflicting opinions prevalent on this in- 

 teresting branch of the human race. In his search after 

 truth, he will gratefully accept the aid of the folk- 

 lorist, who, gathering his knowledge from all sources, 

 will discover that thunder-bolts lie scattered through 

 his domain. 



The West African, however, is by nature suspicious. 

 He is perpetually haunted by the idea that some deep 

 motive underlies your questions, and until he gets to 

 know and trust you, takes a particular delight in leading 

 you astray. Even Cruikshank, who lived among them 

 for fifteen years, and was much respected, found the 

 subjects of their religious beliefs " beset with difficul- 

 ties." As a contribution to this study, we have 

 searched the Coast for these implements and carefully 

 collected legends connected with them, some examples of 

 which we give. It is to be noted that all of them, 

 with the exception of the introductory legend, are con- 

 nected with the celts in our possession, and are num- 

 bered accordingly. The legends themselves have not 

 been repeated by " scholars," or the semi-educated 

 natives, but by most respectable chiefs, who spoke in 

 their own language. 



The wicked and malignant fairy of the West African 

 negro is the Anansi or spider, hence their Anansi asems, 

 or Anansi stories. He it was who originally brought 

 disaster on the world, by stealing the first thuiider-bolt 

 from Oyankapon (the god of the Ashantis and allied 

 tribes). The stoiy is briefly as follows : — " A very good 

 man, but sorely afilicted, went to lay his troubles at the 

 feet of Oyankapon, and Anansi detemiined to accompany 

 him and learn what he could of the secrets of heaven. 

 Secreting himself in the woolly head of the negro, he 

 listened attentively to the conversation between Oyan- 

 kapon and the suppliant. Whilst doing so he saw a 

 curious stone lying on the floor of heaven, and with his 

 usual inquisitiveness wanted to know what it was for. 

 In a second he had stolen it and hid it in his wallet, 

 little imagining Oyankapon had seen him. No sooner 

 had they returned to the earth than Oyankapon made 



a terrible thunderstm m mn't sliot thousands of these 

 stones down from heaven, with the object of killing 

 Anansi for his inquisitiveness in searching into matters 

 that did not concern him. His agility was so great, 

 however, that he was able to dodge the stones as they 

 fell round him, and escaped unhurt, perhaps because 

 he would not part with the tliunder-bolt ; but many 

 innocent people were killed. Hence it is that the 

 innocent suffer for the misdeeds of others." The African 

 tale invariably carries a moral, and as the people listen, 

 they cry " Oyea " (very true). 



Specimen No. 4. — "When I was a young man," said 

 the old chief Ekoom, " I farmed this hill on which the 

 Commissioner's bungalow now stands. One day, after 

 a very bad thunderstorm, I went to my farm, and to 



i 



Stuuo Tnipleiuents I'l-oiu West .Vfrica. 



my surprise saw that a very old tree, which stood in the 

 centre of my farm, had been struck by a thuudcr-bolt, 

 and was all burnt and chaired. This was a bad sign, 

 Oyankapon had killed the tree with his stone from 

 heaven, as a sign that I should work there no more; 

 but, as I looked at the tree, I saw embedded in it the 

 stone, and my heart felt good, for I knew that good 

 luck always attends the person who finds a thunder- 

 bolt. And so it proved, my farm became wonderfully 

 productive and I prospered." 



Specimen No. 8. — " If you tie a piece of thread round 



