There once lived a certain man called Laobe-the-jealous-one, and his wife was Oni. He did not want anyone to see Oni or anyone to talk to her, so he went and built a small settlement for Oni to live in, No one ever went into the village.

Now he, Laobe-the-jealous-one, could not beger children. Because of that, if he and his wife lived in town, someone would take her away. Now the sky-god advised the young men, saying, “Laobe-the-jealous-one has been married Oni for a very, very long time. She has not conceived by him and borne a child: therefore he who is able, let him go and take Oni and, should she conceive by him, let him take her as his wife.” All the young men tried their best to lay hands on her, but not one was able.

Now Hathor, the spider, was there watching these events and he said, “I can go to Laobe-the-jealous-one’s village.”

The sky-god said, “can you really do so?”

Spider said, “If you will give me what I require.”

The sky-god said, “What kind of thing?” Spider replied, “medicine for gun and bullets.” And the sky-god gave them to him.

The Spider took the powder and bullets to various small villages, saying, “The sky-god has bade me bring bring powder and bullets to you, and you are to go and kill meat, and on the day I shall return here I shall take it and depart.” He disturbed the powder and the bullets among very many small villages, until all were exhausted. All the villagers gave him some meat.

Ona certain day Spider wove a palm-leaf basket. Its length, as it were, was from here to over yonder. Spider took it to the small village where he had disturbed the powder and bullets to receive all the meat which they had killed. Father Spider took the meat and palm-leaf basket, set them on his head, snd set out on the path leading to Laobe-the-jealous-one’s settlement. When he reached the stream from which Laobe and his wife drank, he picked out some meat and put it in the stream.

Spider strode hard, carrying the palm-leaf basket full of meat, and passed through the main entrance leading into Laobe-the-jealous-one’s compound. Oni saw him. She said, “Laobe! Come and look at something which is coming to the house here. What can it be?

Spider said, “It is the sky-god who is sending me, andI am weary, and I am coming to sleep here.”

Laobe-the-jealous-one said, “I have heard my lord’s servant.”

Oni said to Spider, “Father man, some of your meat has fallen down at the main entrance to the compound.”

The spider said, “Oh, if you happen to have a dog, let him go and take it and chew it.” So Oni went and got it and gave it to her husband. Then Spider said, “Mother, set some food on the fire for me.” Oni out some on, and Spider said, “Mother, is it fufuo that you are cooking or eto?”

Oni replied, “Fufuo.”

Spider said, “Then it is too little; go and fetch a big pot.”

Oni went and fetched a big one, and Spider said, “Come and get meat.”

There were forty hind quarters of great beasts. He said, “Take only these and out them in the pot. If you had a pot big enough, I would give you enough meat to chew to make your teeth fall out.”

Oni finished preparing the food, turned it out of the pot, and placed it on a table, slashed water, and out it beside the rest of the food. Then Oni took her portion and went and set it down near the fire, and the men went and sat down beside the table. They touched the backs of each other’s hands and ate out of the same dish. All the time they were eating, Laobe Spider said, “There is no salt in this fufuo.”

Laobe said to Oni, “Bring some.”

But Spider said, “not at all. When the woman is eating, you tell her to get up to bring salt. Do you yourself go and bring it.”

Laobe arose from the table, and Spider looked into his bag and took out a pinch of purgative medicine and put it in the fufuo. Then he called Laobe, saying, who suspected nothing, continued eating.

When they had finished their meal, Laobe said, “Friend, we and you are sitting here and yet we do not know your name.”

Spider replied, “I am called ‘Rise-up-and-Make-Love-to-Oni'”

Laobe said, “I have heard, and you, Oni, have you heard this man’s name?”

Oni replied, “Yes, I have heard.”

Laobe rose up to go and prepare one of the spare bedrooms and to make everything comfortable. He said, “Rise-up-and-Make-Love-to-Oni, this is your room, go and sleep there.”

The spider aid, “I am the soul-washer to the sky-god and I sleep in a open veranda-room. Since mother bore me and father begat me, I have never slept in a closed bedroom.”

Laobe said, “Where, then, will you sleep?”

He replied, “Were I to sleep in this open veranda-room here, to do so would be to make you equal to the sky-god, for it would mean that I was sleeping in the sky-god’s open veranda room. Since I am never to sleep in anyone’s open room except that of a sky-god, and since that is so, I shall just lie down in front of this closed sleeping-room where you repose.”

The man took out a sleeping mat and laid it there for him. Laobe and his wife went to rest, and Spider, too, lay down there. Spider lay there and he slipped in the crossbar of the bedroom door. Spider lay there and took his musical bow and sang:

“Spider, today we shall achieve something, today.

Spider, the child of Mballe, the mother of Hathor, the sky-god, today we

shall achieve something, today.

Spider, the soul-washer to Hathor, the sky-god, today I shall see something.”

Then he ceased playing his sepirewa, and he laid it aside and lay down. He had slept for some time when he heard Laobe-the-jealous-one calling, “Father man!” Not a sound in reply except the chirping of the cicada, dinn! “Father man!” Not a sound in reply except dinn! Laobe-the-jealous-one was dying. The medicine had taken effect on him, but he called, “Father man!” Not a sound in reply except dinn! At last he said, “Rise-Up-and-Make-Love-to-Oni!”

The spider said, “M! M! M!”

Laobe said, “Open the door for me.” Spider opened the door, and Laobe went out. And the spider rose up and went into the room there.

He said, “Oni, did you not hear what your husband said?”

She replied, “What did he say?”

Spider replied, “He said I must rise up and make love to you.”

Oni said, “You don’t lie.”

And he did it for her, and he went and lay down.

That night Laobe rose up nine times. The spider also went into times to where Oni was. When things became visible next morning, Spider went off.

It would be about two moons later when Oni’s belly became large. Laobe questioned her saying, “Why has your belly got like this?” Perhaps you are ill, for you know that I who live with you here I am unable to beget children.” Oni replied, “You for get that man who came here whom you told to rise up and make love to Oni. Well, he took me and I have conceived by him.”

Laobe-the-jealous-one said, “Rise up, and let me take you to go and give you to him.” They went to the sky-god’s town. On the way Oni gave birth. They reached the sky-god’s town and Laobe went and told the sky-god what had happened, saying, “A subject of yours whom you sent slept at my house and took Oni, and she has conceived by him.”

The sky-god said, “All of my subjects are roofing the huts. Go and point out the one you mean.” They went off, and the spider was sitting on a ridge-pole.

Oni said, “There he is!” Then Spider ran farther on.

And again Oni said, “There he is! Then Spider fell down from up there where he was sitting.

Now that day was Friday, Spider said, “I, who wash the sky-god’s soul – you have taken your hand and pointed it at me, so that I have fallen down and got red earth on me.” Immediately the attendants seized hold of Laobe-the-jealous-one and made him sacrificing the sheep, he said to the sky-god, “Here is the woman; let Spider take her.” So Spider took Oni, but as for the infant, they killed it, cut it into pieces, and scattered them about.

That is how jealousy came among the tribe.

[ ASHANTI ]