I often tell of Kimanaueze, who begat a male child. The child grew up, and he came to the age of marrying. His father said, “Marry.”

He said, “I will not marry a woman of the earth.”

His father asked, “Then whom will you marry?”

He answered, “I!” If it must be, I shall marry the daughter of Lord Sun and Lady Moon.”

But the people asked, “Who can go to the sky where the daughter of Lord Sun and Lady Moon lives?”

He simply said, “I, indeed; I want her. If it is anyone on earth, I will not marry her.”

Thereupon he wrote a letter of marriage and gave it to Deer. But Deer said, “I cannot go to the sky.”

Then he gave it to Antelope. Antelope also said, “I cannot go to the sky.”

He gave the letter to Hawk. Hawk, too, said, “I cannot go to the sky.”

He gave the letter to Vulture, but Vulture also said, “I can go half way to the sky; however, All the way I cannot go.”

Finally the young man said, “How shall I do it?” He put his letter in his box and was quiet.

The people of Lord Sun and Lady Moon used to come to get water on earth, and one day Frog came and sought out the son of Kimanaueze and spoke to him.

“Young master.” he said, “give me the letter that I may take it.”

The young master, however, said, “Begone! If people of life, who have wings, gave it up, how can you say, “I will go there?” How can you get there?”

Frog said, “Young master, I am equal to it.”

So Kimanaueze gave Frog the letter, saying, “If you cannot get there and you return with it, I shall give you a thrashing.”

Frog started out and went to the well where people of Lord Sun and Lady Moon were wont to come to get water. He put the letter in his mouth and got into the well and kept very still. In a little while, the people of Lord Sun and Lady Moon came to get water. They put a jug into the well, and Frog got into the jug. After they got the water, they lifted it up, not knowing that Frog had entered the jug. They arrived in the sky, set down the jug in its place and departed.

Then Frog got out of the jug. In the room where they kept the jugs of water, there was also a table. Frog spat out the letter and placed it on top of the table. Then he hid in the corner of the room.

After a while, Lord Sun himself came into the room where the water was; he looked at the table and saw the letter on it. He took it and asked his people, “Where comes this letter?”

They answered, “lord, we do not know.” He opened it and read it. It ran thus: “I, the sun of Na Kimanaueze Kia-Tumb’a Ndala, a man of earth, want to marry the daughter of Lord Sun and Lady Moon.” Lord sun thought to himself in his heart: “Na Kimanaueze lives on earth; I am a man who lives in the sky. He who came with the letter, who is he?” He put the letter away into his box and said nothing.

When Lord Sun finished reading the letter, Frog got into the jug again. After the water had been emptied out of the jugs, the water girls lifted them and went down to earth. They again arrived at the well and put the jugs in the water. Frog then got out and went under the water and hid himself. After the girls had finished the filling of the jugs they left.

Frog answered, “Master, I delivered the letter, but they have not yet returned an answer.”

The son of Kimanauze said, “O man, you are telling a lie; you did not go there.”

Frog said, “Master, that same place where I went, that you shall see.”

After six days, the son of Kimanaueze again wrote a letter to ask about the former letter, saying: “I wrote to you, Lord Sun and Lady Moon. My letter was delivered but you returned no answer whatsoever to me, saying neither ‘We accept you’ nor ‘We refuse you.'” Having finished his letter, he sealed it. Then he called Frog and gave it to him. Frog started and soon arrived at the well. He took the letter into his mouth, got into the water, and squatted on the bottom of the well.

After a while, the water carriers came down and arrived at the well. They put the jugs into the water, and Frog got into a jug. When they had finished filling them, they lifted them up. They went up to the sky by means of a cobweb which Spider had woven. Soon they arrived there, and entered a house. There they set down the jugs and departed. Frog came out of a jug, spat out the letter, and laid it on the table. Then he hid in the corner.

After a while, Lord Sun passed through the room where the water was. He looked at the table and saw the letter on it. He opened it and read it. The letter said: “I, son of Na Kimanaueze Kia-Tumb’a Ndala, I ask you, Lord Sun, about my letter that went before. You did not return me an answer at all.”

Lord Sun said, “Girls, you who always go to fetch water, are you carrying letter?”

The girls said, “We, master? No.”

Then doubt possessed Lord Sun. He laid the letters in the box and wrote to the son of Kimanaueze, saying: “You who are sending me letters about marrying my daughter: I agree, on condition that you in person, the man, come with your first-present, so that I may know you.” When he finished writing, he folded the letter and laid it on the table and went away. Frog now came out of the corner and took the letter. He out it in his mouth and entered the jug. Then he remained very quiet.

After a while, the water was emptied from the jugs, and the girls came and lifted them up. Then went to the cord of Spider and descended to earth. They arrived at the well and put the jugs into the water. Frog got out of the jug and went to the bottom of the well. When the girls had completed the filling of the jugs, they returned to the sky. Frog then left the well and soon arrived in his village. He kept very quiet.

When evening came, he said, “Now I will take the letter.” He spat it out and arrived at the house of the son of Kimanaueze. He knocked at the door, and the son of Kimanaueze asked, “Who is it?”

Frog answered, “I, Mainu, the frog.”

The son of Kimanaueze got up from his bed where he was reclining and said, “Come in.”

So Frog went in and delivered the letter. Then he departed. The son of Kimanaueze opened the letter and read it. What Lord Sun announced pleased him. He said to himself: “Why, it was the truth Frog told me when he said ‘you shall see where I went.’ ” Then he went to sleep.

The next morning, he took forry macutas and wrote a letter, saying: “You, Lord Sun and Moon, here is the first-present; I remain on earth to seek for the wooing-present. You up there, you tell me the amount of the wooing-present.” He finished the letter and called Frog. When he came, he gave him the letter and the money, saying, “Take this.”

So Frog started. Soon he arrived at the well. He went to the bottom of the well and remained very quiet. After a while, the girls came down and put the jugs in the water, and Frog entered one of them. When the girls had finished filling them, they took them up. Again they went up to the sky by means of a cobweb. Soon they arrived in the room for the water. They set down the jugs and went away.

The Frog got out of the jug and put the letter in the table, together with the money. Then he hid in the corner. Some time later, Lord Sun came into the room and found the letter on the table. He took it with the money and read the letter. Then he told his wife the news that had come from the prospective son-in-law. His wife assented.

Lord Sun said, “Who is coming with these letters? I do not know. How shall his food be cooked?”

His wife, however, answered, “No matter, we shall cook it anyhow and put it on the table where the letters have been found.”

Lord Sun replied, “Very well.”

So they killed a mother hen and cooked it. When evening came, they cooked mush. They set these eatables on the table and shut the door. Frog came to the table and ate the victuals. Then he went to the corner and kept quiet.

Lord Sun now wrote another letter, saying: “You, son-in-law of mine, the first-present, which you have sent me, I have received. For the amount of the wooing-present, you shall give me a sack of money.” When he had finished the letter, he laid it on the table and left the room. Then Frog came out of the corner and took the letter. Shortly afterward, he entered the jug and went to sleep.

In the morning the girls took the jugs and went down to the earth. They arrived at the well and put the jugs into the water. Frog then got out of the jug. When the girls had finished filling the jugs, they again went up to the sky.

Frog now got out of the water and soon arrived at his village. He entered his own house but waited quietly until sundown. When evening had come, he said, “Now I will take the letter.” He started out and soon arrived at the house of the son of Kimanaueze. He knocked at the door and the son of Kimanaueze asked, “Who is it?”

Then Frog answered, “I, Manu, the frog.”

“Come in,” he replied.

Frog went in; he gave him the letter and departed. The son of Kimanaueze opened the letter, read it, and then put it aside.

Six days passed; then he was ready with the sack of money. He called Frog, and when Frog had come, the son of Kimanaueze wrote the following letter: “You, my parents-in-law, the wooing-present is enclosed. Soon I myself, I shall find a day to bring my wife home.” He gave the letter to Frog, together with the money.

Frog then started and soon arrived at the well. Again he went in under the water and hid. After a while, the water carriers came down and arrived at the well. They put the jugs, as usual, in the water; Frog, as usual, entered a jug. When they had finished filling the jugs, they took them up, going up by means of Spider’s cobweb. Soon they arrived in the sky. There they set down the jugs in the regular room and departed. Frog then got out of the jug and laid the letter down on the table, together with the money. Then he went into a corner and hid.

Soon Lord Sun came into the room and found the letter and the money. He took both and showed the money to his wife, Lady Moon.

Lady Moon thereupon said, “It is good.”

Then they took a young hog and killed it. When they had cooked the food, they set it down on the table and shut the door. Frog came in then and ate it. When he had finished, he entered the jug and went to sleep.

The next morning the water carriers took the jugs and again went down to earth. They soon arrived at the well and dipped the jugs in the water. Frog then got out of the jug and hid. When they had finished filling the jugs, they again returned to the sky. Then Frog left the well and soon arrived at his village. He entered his house and went to sleep.

The next morning, he said to the son of Kimanaueze, “Young master, I gave them the wooing-present, and they accepted it. They cooked me a young hog, and I ate it. Now, you, yourself, shall choose the day to fetch the bride home.”

The son of Kimanaueze said, “Very well.” Then twelve days elapsed.

Now the son of Kimanaueze spoke to Frog: “I need people to fetch the bride for me, but I cannot find them. All those to whom I speak say, ‘We cannot go to the sky.’ Now, what shall I do Frog?”

Frog said, “My young master, be at ease; I shall find a way to go and bring her home for you.”

But the son of Kimanaueze said, “You cannot do that. You could indeed carry the letters, but bring the bride home – that you are unable to do.”

But Frog again said, “Young master, be at ease; be not troubled for naught. I indeed will be able to go and bring her home. Do not despise me.”

The son of Kimanaueze said, “Well, I will try you.”

Then he took some victuals and gave them to Frog.

Frog thereupon started. Soon he arrived at the well. Again he got into the well and hid. After a while, the water carriers came down and arrived at the well. They dipped the jugs in the water. Frog entered one of them. When they had filled them, they went back. Arriving at the proper room, they set down the jugs and departed. Then Frog got out of the jug and hid in a corner. When the sun had set and it was evening, Frog left the room of the water jugs and went to seek the room where the daughter of Lord Sun slept. He found it and saw her asleep there. First, he took out one of her eyes and, then, the other. These he tied up in a handkerchief and went back to the room where the jugs were. He hid in a corner and slept.

In the morning, all the people got up, but not the daughter of Lord Sun. So they asked her, “Why do you not get up?”

And she answered, “My eyes are closed; I cannot see.”

Her father and mother said, “What may be the cause of this? Yesterday she did not complain.”

So lord Sun called for two messengers and said to them, “Go to Ngombo to divine about my child who is sick, whose eyes are sick.”

They started immediately and soon arrived at the Ngombo-man’s. They gave him presents and Ngomobo took out his paraphernalia. Not the people who came did not let him know anything about the disease; they simply said, “We have come to be divined.”

Ngomobo looked into his paraphernalia and said, “Disease has brought you. The one who is sick is a woman. The sickness that ails her concerns her eyes. You have come, being sent; you have not come of your own will. I have spoken.”

The people said, “True. Now tell us what caused the ailment.”

Ngombo looked again and said, “She, the woman is sick, is not yet married. She is only chosen. Her master, who bespake her, has sent a spell, saying, ‘My wife, let her come; if she does not come, she shall die.’ You, who came to divine, go, bring her to her husband, that she may escape death. I have spoken.”

The messengers agreed and get up. They went to Lord Sun and reported to him the words of Ngombo.

Lord Sun said, “All right. Let us sleep. Tomorrow they shall take her down to the earth.”

Frog, being in his corner, heard all that they were saying. Then all slept.

The next morning, Frog got into the jug. Again the water carriers came. Again they took up the jugs. Then they descended to the earth and soon arrived at the well. They put the jugs in the water, and Frog came out of one of them. He hid under the well. When the jugs were fill, the water carriers went up to the sky.

The Lord Sun told Spider, “Weave a large cobweb, down to earth, for this is the day when my daughter will be taken down to the earth.” Spider wove and finished the web. thus time passed.

Frog now got out of the well and went to his village. He found the son of Kimanueze and said to him, “O young master! Thy bride , today she comes.”

The son of Kimanaueze said, “Begone, man, you are a liar.”

Frog answered, “Master, this is the truth itself. This evening I will bring her to you.”

Frog then returned to the well and got into the water and was silent.

Now the sun had set, and the daughter of Lord Sun was taken down to the earth. They left her at the well and then went back.

Frog now got out of the well and spoke to the young woman, saying, “I myself will be your guide. Let us go immediately so that I can bring you to your master.” Then Frog returned her eyes to her and they started. Soon they entered the house of the son of Kimanaueze. Frog exclaimed:

“O young master! Your bride is here.”

The son of Kimanaueze said, “Welcome, Mainu, the frog.”

And so the son of Kimanaueze married the daughter of Lord Sun and lady Moon, and they lived on.

[ AMBUNDU ]