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Sondoda Ngcobo CHAKIJANA, THE TRICKSTER (ZULU) The performer of this Zulu story about the fictional trickster, Chakijana, was Sondoda Ngcobo, a Zulu man about forty-five years old. The performance took place on February 7, 1968, in a home in Mahlabatini District, Zululand. The audience consisted offifteen women, one man, and ten children. (3597; tape 70, side 1) It happened.... There was a woman who had a child, a small child. She had had another child in her maidenhood, before she had married. Now this boy grew up, the one she had given birth to when she was still unmarried. And he became a fine young fellow. When he was already a young man, the one she had borne in her maidenhood, she gave birth to a small child. Then her husband died, and the wife remained behind with the small child and the son whom she had given birth to in her maidenhood. One day, when she had gone off to hoe, she was approached by Chakijana . He said to her, "Mother, let me watch the child for you! I can see that the sun is too much for him." The woman refused. She said, "No, I don't want you to watch my child! I'm satisfied with the baby strapped to my back." She hoed on, then she went home. The next day, the sun was very hot. Again, Chakijana came along. He said, "Mother, Mother, let me watch your child for you. Can't you hear that the child is .crying?" The mother said, "Well, you began all this by asking me to allow you to watch my child. Just sit nearby, and carry the child." The mother gave the child to Chakijana, and Chakijana played with him. The mother hoed on. She finished, then prepared to go home when the cattle were returning from the pasture. Chakijana said, "Will you come back, Mother, when the cattle return to the pasture?" The woman said, "Yes, I'll come back-but only when it's cooler." So Chakijana remained there, waiting for the mother to return to this field. She did come back in time, she came as the cattle spread in the pasture. Then Chakijana said, "Mother! Mother, let me watch the child for you." The mother gave the child to him, she had no suspicions anymore. No 314 Chakijana, the Trickster 315 more did she wonder "what sort of person this is who offers to watch my child," anxious lest he be some kind of monster who might bewitch the child. Chakijana watched the child, and the mother went on hoeing. At sunset , she thanked him. She thanked Chakijana, and said, "I thank you, my child, for watching my child for me." And she said, "Well, I'll bring you some boiled mealies from home next time, so that you can munch on something as you look after the child." Chakijana expressed his thanks, and said, "Well, Mother, I'll return in the morning." The woman did not think to ask, "Just tell me, my child, where have you come from? Where do you live? You're so generous, all this time looking after my child in this way!" The woman departed. On the third day, Chakijana came. He came in the company of an animal -a duiker. He drove it ahead. As this woman hoed, he suddenly appeared. "Mother, I'm here already! Isn't the baby crying?" She said, "Oh! Are you already here, my child?" He said, "Yes, I'm already here. Isn't the baby crying, Mother? Give it to me, I'll look after it." Then he said, "I want to teach him some games. I even brought something for him to play with." "What have you brought, my child?" "I've brought him this beautiful thing-he can throw it in front of himself , he can throw it in front. While you're hoeing, the child will not be crying!" So the mother gave him the child. Then Chakijana said, "Well, Mother, we'll just sit down under that tree, over there in the middle of the field." Then he pointed to his duiker, and said, "There! The child can ride on the duiker!" He said, "Say, Mother! Say, Mother! Look how I play with the child!" So indeed this mother was happy. Then the mother said that she thought it was time for her to return to her home, to go and prepare food for that boy who...

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