Xxviii. The King And The Ju Ju Tree : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XXVIII. THE KING AND THE JU JU TREE UDO UBOK UDOM was a famous king who lived at Itam, which is an inland town, and does not possess a river. The king and his wife therefore used to wash at the spring just behind their house...
Xvii. Why The Flies Bother The Cows : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XVII. WHY THE FLIES BOTHER THE COWS WHEN Adiaha Umo was Queen of Calabar, being very rich and hospitable, she used to give big feasts to all the domestic animals, but never invited the wild beasts, as she was afraid of them...
Vi. Of The Pretty Stranger Who Killed The King : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], VI. OF THE PRETTY STRANGER WHO KILLED THE KING MBOTU was a very famous king of Old Town, Calabar. He was frequently at war, and was always successful, as he was a most skilful leader. All the prisoners he took were made slaves...
Iv. The King's Magic Drum : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], IV. THE KING'S MAGIC DRUM EFRIAM DUKE was an ancient king of Calabar. He was a peaceful man, and did not like war. He had a wonderful drum, the property of which, when it was beaten, was always to provide plenty of good food...
Xxx. Of The Pretty Girl And The Seven Jealous : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XXX. OF THE PRETTY GIRL AND THE SEVEN JEALOUS WOMEN THERE was once a very beautiful girl called Akim. She was a native of Ibibio, and the name was given to her on account of her good looks, as she was born in the spring-time...
Xxii. The Affair Of The Hippopotamus : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XXII. THE AFFAIR OF THE HIPPOPOTAMUS AND THE TORTOISE; OR, WHY THE HIPPOPOTAMUS LIVES IN THE WATER MANY years ago the hippopotamus, whose name was Isantim, was one of the biggest kings on the land; he was second only...
Introduction : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], INTRODUCTION MANY years ago a book on the Folk-Tales of the Eskimo was published, and the editor of "The Academy" (Dr. Appleton) told one of his minions to send it to me for revision. By mischance it was sent to an eminent...
Vii. Why The Bat Flies : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], VII. WHY THE BAT FLIES BY NIGHT A BUSH rat called Oyot was a great friend of Emiong, the bat; they always fed together, but the bat was jealous of the bush rat. When the bat cooked the food it was always very good...
Xxxv. The King And The 'nsiat Bird : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XXXV. THE KING AND THE 'NSIAT BIRD WHEN 'Ndarake was King of Idu, being young and rich, he was very fond of fine girls, and had plenty of slaves. The 'Nsiat bird was then living at Idu, and had a very pretty daughter, whom...
Xxxi. How The Cannibals Drove The People : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XXXI. HOW THE CANNIBALS DROVE THE PEOPLE FROM INSOFAN MOUNTAIN TO THE CROSS RIVER (IKOM) VERY many years ago, before the oldest man alive at the present time can remember, the towns of Ikom, Okuni, Abijon, Insofan, Obokum...
Xiii. Why The Worms Live Underneath The Ground : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XIII. WHY THE WORMS LIVE UNDERNEATH THE GROUND WHEN Eyo III. was ruling over all men and animals, he had a very big palaver house to which he used to invite his subjects at intervals to feast. After the feast had been held...
Xiv. The Elephant And The Tortoise. Or, Why : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XIV. THE ELEPHANT AND THE TORTOISE; OR, WHY THE WORMS ARE BLIND AND WHY THE ELEPHANT HAS SMALL EYES WHEN Ambo was king of Calabar, the elephant was not only a very big animal, but he had eyes in proportion to his immense bulk...
Ii. How A Hunter Obtained Money From His : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], II. HOW A HUNTER OBTAINED MONEY FROM HIS FRIENDS THE LEOPARD, GOAT, BUSH CAT, AND COCK, AND HOW HE GOT OUT OF REPAYING THEM MANY years ago there was a Calabar hunter called Effiong, who lived in the bush, killed plenty...
Xx. Why The Bush Cow And The Elephant Are : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XX. WHY THE BUSH COW AND THE ELEPHANT ARE BAD FRIENDS THE bush cow and the elephant were always bad friends, and as they could not settle their disputes between themselves, they agreed to let the head chief decide. The cause...
Xv. Why A Hawk Kills Chickens : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XV. WHY A HAWK KILLS CHICKENS IN the olden days there was a very fine young hen who lived with her parents in the bush. One day a hawk was hovering round, about eleven o'clock in the morning, as was his custom, making large...
Title Page : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], FOLK STORIES FROM SOUTHERN NIGERIA WEST AFRICA BY ELPHINSTONE DAYRELL, F.R.G.S., F.R.A.I. DISTRICT COMMISSIONER, SOUTHERN NIGERIA WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY ANDREW LANG 1910 published by Longmans, Green and Co.
Xi. The Fish And The Leopard's Wife : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XI. THE FISH AND THE LEOPARD'S WIFE; OR, WHY THE FISH LIVES IN THE WATER MANY years ago, when King Eyo was ruler of Calabar, the fish used to live on the land; he was a great friend of the leopard, and frequently used to go...
Xxxiii. The Orphan Boy And The Magic Stone : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XXXIII. THE ORPHAN BOY AND THE MAGIC STONE A CHIEF of Inde named Inkita had a son named Ayong Kita, whose mother had died at his birth. The old chief was a hunter, and used to take his son out with him when he went ...
Xxxvii. Concerning The Hawk And The Owl : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XXXVII. CONCERNING THE HAWK AND THE OWL IN the olden days when Effiong was king of Calabar, it was customary at that time for rulers to give big feasts, to which all the subjects and all the birds of the air and animals...
Xxiii. Why Dead People Are Buried : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XXIII. WHY DEAD PEOPLE ARE BURIED IN the beginning of the world when the Creator had made men and women and the animals, they all lived together in the creation land. The Creator was a big chief, past all men, and being very...
Xxi. The Cock Who Caused A Fight Between Two Towns : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XXI. THE COCK WHO CAUSED A FIGHT BETWEEN TWO TOWNS EKPO and Etim were half-brothers, that is to say they had the same mother, but different fathers. Their mother first of all had married a chief of Duke Town, when Ekpo w...
Viii. The Disobedient Daughter Who Married A Skull : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], VIII. THE DISOBEDIENT DAUGHTER WHO MARRIED A SKULL EFFIONG Edem was a native of Cobham Town. He had a very fine daughter, whose name was Afiong. All the young men in the country wanted to marry her on account of her beauty;...
Xxvi. Why The Moon Waxes And Wanes : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XXVI. WHY THE MOON WAXES AND WANES THERE was once an old woman who was very poor, and lived in a small mud hut thatched with mats made from the leaves of the tombo palm in the bush. She was often very hungry, as there was no...
Xix. The Story Of The Lightning And The Thunder : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XIX. THE STORY OF THE LIGHTNING AND THE THUNDER IN the olden days the thunder and lightning lived on the earth amongst all the other people, but the king made them live at the far end of the town, as far as possible from other...
Xviii. Why The Cat Kills Rats : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XVIII. WHY THE CAT KILLS RATS ANSA was King of Calabar for fifty years. He had a very faithful cat as a housekeeper, and a rat was his house-boy. The king was an obstinate, headstrong man, but was very fond of the cat, who had...
Ix. The King Who Married The Cock's Daughter : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], IX. THE KING WHO MARRIED THE COCK'S DAUGHTER KING EFFIOM of Duke Town, Calabar, was very fond of pretty maidens, and whenever he heard of a girl who was unusually good-looking, he always sent for her, and if she took his fancy...
Xii. Why The Bat Is Ashamed To Be Seen : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XII. WHY THE BAT IS ASHAMED TO BE SEEN IN THE DAYTIME THERE was once an old mother sheep who had seven lambs, and one day the bat, who was about to make a visit to his father-in-law who lived a long day's march away, went...
Xxv. Concerning The Leopard, The Squirrel : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XXV. CONCERNING THE LEOPARD, THE SQUIRREL, AND THE TORTOISE MANY years ago there was a great famine throughout the land, and all the people were starving. The yam crop had failed entirely, the plantains did not bear any fruit...
Iii. The Woman With Two Skins : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], III. THE WOMAN WITH TWO SKINS EYAMBA I. of Calabar was a very powerful king. He fought and conquered all the surrounding countries, killing all the old men and women, but the able-bodied men and girls he caught and brought...
Xxxii. The Lucky Fisherman : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XXXII. THE LUCKY FISHERMAN IN the olden days there were no hooks or casting nets, so that when the natives wanted to catch fish they made baskets and set traps at the river side. One man named Akon Obo, who was very po...
Xxiv. Of The Fat Woman Who Melted Away : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XXIV. OF THE FAT WOMAN WHO MELTED AWAY THERE was once a very fat woman who was made of oil. She was very beautiful, and many young men applied to the parents for permission to marry their daughter, and offered dowry, but...
I. The Tortise With A Pretty Daughter : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], FOLK STORIES FROM SOUTHERN NIGERIA I. THE TORTOISE WITH A PRETTY DAUGHTER THERE was once a king who was very powerful. He had great influence over the wild beasts and animals. Now the tortoise was looked upon as the wisest...
Xxix. How The Tortoise Overcame The Elephant : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XXIX. HOW THE TORTOISE OVERCAME THE ELEPHANT AND THE HIPPOPOTAMUS THE elephant and the hippopotamus always used to feed together, and were good friends. One day when they were both dining together, the tortoise appeared...
Xxxix. The 'nsasak Bird And The Odudu Bird : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XXXIX. THE 'NSASAK BIRD AND THE ODUDU BIRD A LONG time ago, in the days of King Adam of Calabar, the king wanted to know if there was any animal or bird which was capable of enduring hunger for a long period. When he found one...
Xxxiv. The Slave Girl Who Tried To Kill Her : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XXXIV. THE SLAVE GIRL WHO TRIED TO KILL HER MISTRESS A MAN called Akpan, who was a native of Oku, a town in the Ibibio country, admired a girl called Emme very much, who lived at Ibibio, and wished to marry her, as she w...
X. The Woman, The Ape, And The Child : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], X. THE WOMAN, THE APE, AND THE CHILD OKUN ARCHIBONG was one of King Archibong's slaves, and lived on a farm near Calabar. He was a hunter, and used to kill bush buck and other kinds of antelopes and many monkeys. The skins he...
V. Ituen And The King's Wife : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], V. ITUEN AND THE KING'S WIFE ITUEN was a young man of Calabar. He was the only child of his parents, and they were extremely fond of him, as he was of fine proportions and very good to look upon. They were poor people...
Xxxvi. Concerning The Fate Of Essido : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XXXVI. CONCERNING THE FATE OF ESSIDO AND HIS EVIL COMPANIONS CHIEF OBORRI lived at a town called Adiagor, which is on the right bank of the Calabar River. He was a wealthy chief, and belonged to the Egbo Society. He had many...
Xvi. Why The Sun And The Moon Live In The Sky : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XVI. WHY THE SUN AND THE MOON LIVE IN THE SKY MANY years ago the sun and water were great friends, and both lived on the earth together. The sun very often used to visit the water, but the water never returned his visits...
Xxxviii. The Story Of The Drummer : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XXXVIII. THE STORY OF THE DRUMMER AND THE ALLIGATORS THERE was once a woman named Aftiong Any who lived at 'Nsidung, a small town to the south of Calabar. She was married to a chief of Hensham Town called Etim Ekeng. They had...
Xxvii. The Story Of The Leopard, The Tortoise : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XXVII. THE STORY OF THE LEOPARD, THE TORTOISE, AND THE BUSH RAT AT the time of the great famine all the animals were very thin and weak from want of food; but there was one exception, and that was the tortoise and all his...
Xl. The Election Of The King Bird : * "Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria", by Elphinstone Dayrell, [1910], XL. THE ELECTION OF THE KING BIRD (THE BLACK AND-WHITE FISHING EAGLE) OLD Town, Calabar, once had a king called Essiya, who, like most of the Calabar kings in the olden days, was rich and powerful; but although he was so...