Latest / Sandman Stories Presents / EP 105: Nigeria- The Sons of Sticks and others (M.I. Ogumefu 1929)
Transcript
- 0:21Hello listeners, and welcome back to Sandman stories
- 0:24presents. Today, we have five more Tales
- 0:27from the book of Yoruba Legends by Mi Okemos fool.
- 0:34In Story one, we learn why one tribe is called the son of
- 0:37sticks in story to we learn why women like to grow their hair
- 0:41out as it wasn't always that way.
- 0:43In Story 3, we hear about why people say long live the king
- 0:47after hearing thunder. In story for, we learn how
- 0:51saving the life of a mouse saves the life of the king.
- 0:54And finally, in Story 5, we learn about iroko trees and why
- 0:58you were what people do not use it in furniture.
- 1:02Okay, let's begin. Story number one, son of Styx.
- 1:09A great king sent, his various Sons to rule over different
- 1:12parts of his kingdom and all were satisfied.
- 1:14But one, the youngest, and most ambitious who returned to his
- 1:19father, after some time with the complained that his territory
- 1:22was much too small and his subjects too.
- 1:24Few. The King was displeased with his
- 1:27son and he sent for a large bundle of sticks, which he
- 1:30converted into human beings. Here are some more subjects for
- 1:34you. He said to the astonish Prince
- 1:38From that time, the tribe was famous for its strength and
- 1:40stupidity and went by the nickname sons of sticks.
- 1:44Oromo Iggy The end kind of interesting nickname being
- 1:54strong and stupid. Don't know if I'd like that.
- 2:00Alright, Story. Number two, why women have long
- 2:03hair? Two women quarreled and one of
- 2:07them went out secretly at night and dug a deep pit in the middle
- 2:11of the path. Leading from her enemies house
- 2:13to the Village. Well, Early the next morning,
- 2:16when all were going to the well for water with jars, balanced on
- 2:19their heads. This woman fell into the pit and
- 2:22cried loudly for help her friends ran to her and seizing
- 2:25her by the hair began to pull her out of the pit to their
- 2:29surprise. Her hair stretched as they
- 2:30pulled. And by the time, she was safely
- 2:32on the path. Her hair was, as long as a man's
- 2:35arm, this made her very much ashamed and she ran away and hid
- 2:38herself. But after a while she realized
- 2:41that her long hair was beautiful and then she felt very proud and
- 2:45scorned all the short hair, women jeering at them.
- 2:49When they saw this, they were consumed with jealousy and began
- 2:52to be ashamed of their short hair.
- 2:54We have men's hair. They said to one another, how
- 2:57beautiful it would be to have long hair.
- 3:00So one by one, they jumped into the pit and their friends pulled
- 3:03them out by the hair and in this way they and all women after
- 3:07them, had long hair. The end.
- 3:14And I guess to each their own short-hair long-hair whatever
- 3:19you like, do your hair for you. Okay, and Story number three.
- 3:34Why people cry long live, the king when Thunder follows
- 3:38lightning King Sango was acquainted with many, deadly
- 3:42charms. And he, once happened to
- 3:45discover a preparation by which he could attract lightning, He
- 3:50foolishly decided to try the effect of the charm.
- 3:53First of all, on his own Palace, which was at the foot of a hill,
- 3:57ascending to the hill with his courtiers, the king employed,
- 4:00the charm, a storm suddenly arose.
- 4:03The palace was struck by lightning and burnt to the
- 4:06ground together with sango's. Whole family, overcome with
- 4:10grief at having lost his possessions and above all.
- 4:14His sons, impetuous King resolved to retire to a corner
- 4:17of his kingdom and Rule no more. Or.
- 4:20Some of his courtiers agreed with him and others.
- 4:23Tried to dissuade him of the plan.
- 4:25But Sango in his rage executed 160 of them 80 who had disagreed
- 4:31with him and eighty who had agreed to eagerly.
- 4:35Then accompanied by a few friends, he left the palace and
- 4:38started on his long journey. One by one, his friends
- 4:41deserting him on the way until he was left alone and in
- 4:45despair. He decided to put an end to his
- 4:47life, which here Ashley did. When they heard of the deed, his
- 4:52people came to the spot and gave him an honorable funeral, and he
- 4:56was ever afterwards worshipped, as the god of thunder and
- 4:59lightning. So, among all the you rubas,
- 5:02when people see the flash of lightning followed by the Sullen
- 5:05Roar of Thunder, they remember sango's rage after the
- 5:09destruction of his Palace and exclaim, long live, the king,
- 5:15the n. That's a sad one.
- 5:26Don't shock your family. Don't electrocute your family.
- 5:30Don't burn your Palace to the ground I guess is the moral of
- 5:32that one. Okay, and Story number for the
- 5:36olefin and the mice. A famous olefin.
- 5:40Or you were booked King was once in prison by his enemies and
- 5:43hot. But that any door or roof
- 5:45opening and left to die of starvation.
- 5:50As he said, gloomily on the ground, the olefin saw a little
- 5:53mouse running across the Hut. He seized his knife, exclaiming,
- 5:58rather than die of hunger. I will eat this mouse.
- 6:02But on second thoughts, he put his knife away.
- 6:04Saying why should I kill a mouse?
- 6:07I shall starve later on just the same.
- 6:10To his surprise. The mouse addressed him in the
- 6:12following words, Noble King, greetings to you.
- 6:16On your generosity, you have spared my life and in return, I
- 6:19will spare yours. The mouse then disappeared into
- 6:22a hole in the ground and return some time afterwards, followed
- 6:26by 20 or 30 other mice, all bearing grains of corn, gauri
- 6:30and small fruits. For five days, they fed him in
- 6:33this manner. And on the sixth day, the Hut
- 6:36was opened by the olefins captors who were astonished to
- 6:39find him still alive and in good health.
- 6:42This olefin must have a powerful charm.
- 6:45They declared it appears that he can live without eating or
- 6:48drinking. Thereupon, they released him,
- 6:52gave him a war canoe and let him return in Freedom to his own
- 6:56country. The end.
- 7:11Okay, so pays to be nice to mice and other small helpers.
- 7:17And finally Story number five, the iroko tree.
- 7:22In the forest, there is a giant tree called, by the Euro Buzz,
- 7:25the iroko, which is shunned by all people for in it lives, the
- 7:29spirit of an old man who prowls about it night with a little
- 7:33torch and frightens Travelers, anyone who sees the iroko man,
- 7:38face to face goes mad and speedily dies.
- 7:43Seeing the thick branches in Mighty, trunk of the iroko.
- 7:46Woodcutters are often tempted to cut the tree down and make use
- 7:49of the wood. But this is very unlucky as it
- 7:52houses, the displeasure of the iroko man and brings Misfortune
- 7:56on The Woodcutter and all his family.
- 8:00In any house which contains furniture made of iroko wood.
- 8:03There can be heard at night, strange, groaning and creaking
- 8:06noises. It is the spirit of the iroko
- 8:09imprisoned in the wood, who longs to wander about again,
- 8:12through the forest with his little torch, The end.
- 8:31I always love reading these stories because they give me
- 8:32insight into what people hold dear, and how they explain their
- 8:36world. I really enjoyed hearing about
- 8:38the thunder and lightning and the sadness of the king.
- 8:41Also iroko wood is, apparently not very good for structures.
- 8:45It's called the poor man's teak. And while it looks like it's
- 8:49good to use, it isn't so that might be the source of this
- 8:54Legend. Today's podcast shout-out is too
- 8:58dark stories from the campfire by Stephen motr.
- 9:02Oh gosh, I hope I'm saying that right Steven brings elements of
- 9:06folklore history, and his own creative brain to bring you
- 9:09creepy, tales that will leave you looking over your shoulder
- 9:12or huddle up under your blankets.
- 9:15Not only does he write his own show.
- 9:17He also composes the music that goes with it.
- 9:19Dude is seriously, talented, and if you like it, as much as I do
- 9:24go and give him a five star rating on pod, Chaser or iTunes.
- 9:29And The Listener shout out is to Grayslake Illinois, situated,
- 9:32north of Chicago Schaumburg Elgin, Arlington, Heights and
- 9:35Downers Grove. Great lake is situated.
- 9:38Among many lakes that play home to Chicagoans vacation, cabins?
- 9:42My father's side of the family often, went up through that area
- 9:45on their way to Delavan Wisconsin.
- 9:48And my uncle Mickey was dearly missed used to have a little
- 9:51cabin on Fox Lake nearby. You are 51 percent of my
- 9:55listeners in Illinois and if you want to reach out to me on
- 9:58Twitter, I can give you a personal shout-out for giving so
- 10:01many listens. Thank you.
- 10:04Good night.