Welcome to the second part of a three part story. If you haven't read my last entry(South Africa # 6,) please do so before continuing. As I mentioned last time, this version of "Tsalane and the Dimo" comes courtesy of my friend and guide to African spirituality, Mma Seitsang. Today's picture is a portrait of Mma Seitsang that I drew while she was in a trance-like state. Or, as she would put it, "talking to the ancestors." One thing I have learned, is that whether you believe that good ideas come from the inside or the outside matters infinitely less than what you do with those ideas. Inside or outside-its all the same side anyway (unless you're outside in the cold.) Confusing Mumbo-Jumbo over. Now, on with the story: TSALANE AND THE DIMO PART 2 Big Papa Dimo knew that Tsalane was living by herself and wanted more than anything to bring her home to his hungry family. The problem was that a dimo, just like the Devil, cannot force his way into your house. He must be welcomed in. After watching for a long time, Papa Dimo decided to trick Tsalane into inviting him inside. So, He lumbered up to the front door and sang out in his great rough voice: "Tsalane my child. Tsalane my child. Come and take your food." In response, Tsalane shrieked from inside the house: "I know that voice! You're not my Mother! GO AWAY, DIMO! You'll find no food here! I'll never fill your pot!" The dimo slunk away defeated. The next day, Big Papa Dimo visited rabbit (the smartest beast in the forest) and told him about his problem. Rabbit thought and thought and finally said: "In order to trick Tsalane into letting you inside, not only must you use her mother's song, you must sound like her mother too. In order to change your voice, you should heat a stone in the fire until it is red hot. Then, swallow that stone as slowly as you can without making a sound. If you do this correctly, Tsalane will be fooled and you will be able to feed your family." The first time that the dimo swallowed the stone, he grunted like a pig as it went down. This made his voice deeper than ever. The rabbit laughed and said: "Oh, you stupid thing! If you make even one sound, the stone will not work. Go home and do it correctly!" The dimo returned home and this time, he managed to keep quiet as the stone burned its way down his throat. And, when he opened his mouth, the sound of Mother's voice came out. Big Papa Dimo rushed to Tsalane's house and began to sweetly sing: "Tsalane my child. Tsalane my child. Come and take your food." And, thinking her mother was at the door, Tsalane undid the lock and the bolt and stepped outside. Big Papa Dimo pounced from around the corner. And, as quick as a politician's phony smile, he gathered the screaming Tsalane up in an old potato sack and ran back to the cave with his prize. While thumping his chest,the proud Papa Dimo pronounced grandly to his family: "For many weeks, we have lived on tough cow meat from the back of the herd, but today we will dine on tender human meat. Mother Dimo, I want this girl prepared in a proper way-stewed slowly in a pot with tender carrots, potatoes,and peas, with a snowy-white crust of steamed bread on top. A meal like this will be worth making right." After the speech, Father Dimo, Mother Dimo, and all the dimo children thundered around the cave shouting: "WE WILL HAVE THE FEAST OF ALL FEASTS!" From inside her sack, Tsalane trembled with fear as she listened to the stomping feet and thick gobs of dimo drool hitting the floor. Meanwhile, Tsalane's mother arrived at her old house to deliver her daughter's daily meal. But, she did not get to sing her song. The words stopped in her throat as she saw the door standing wide open and great dimo footprints all around the sandy yard. Thinking quickly, Mother hatched a plan and put it into action. She picked up a sack and went into the forest where she found a huge bee hive hanging from an old tree. By taking a mighty swing with a stick, she knocked the bee hive out of the tree and right into the sack. The stunned bees stayed quiet for just long enough for Mother to tie the top of the sack so tight that not single one could escape. Next, she dragged her big buzzing bag behind a bush near the entrance of the Dimo Family's cave, where she could hear them all bragging about the big feast to come. This confirmed Mother's fears, that Tsalane had been capture by a dimo and was now on the menu. Screwing up all of her courage, Mother shouted(in her roughest and most dimo-ish voice) from her hiding place into the mouth of the cave: "My Friends, I have a whole dead cow just over the next hill, but I am nearly full. Please, come and help me eat it." Hearing this news, Big Papa Dimo turned to his family and said: "I think that half of a cow would make a wonderful appetizer for our human stew. Lets go!" And with that, the Dimo Family ran out of the cave and over the next hill in a cloud of dust. Next time: the third and final part of "Tsalane and the Dimo."
No comments:
Post a Comment