This story took place a long time ago, when strange things used to happen off and on. In those days a man and his wife lived in a country full of happy people. The couple had four healthy sons, but they yearned for a little daughter. When the wife was expecting their fifth child, they hoped it would be different this time, a girl child, for example. The man and his wife prayed day and night, repeating the same worlds, "Please, God, make it different this time, make it different this time."
They could not say anything else. When finally, the day came, when the mother went into labour, the father fell on his knees, requesting all the Gods and Spirits to remember their prayer, and make it different.
In a few hours' time the mother was safely delivered of a hand some baby, and an old nurse brought the news to the father.
"Glad news, master." she informed him politely, "it is, indeed, different this time."
"Different?" gasped the father in exultation. "God be thanked a thousandfold!"
"Yes, different," announced the old woman solemnly, "the lady of this house has just given birth to a handsome little puppy dog!"
"What?" The father was at first greatly shocked at this news. He stood petrified for some time, but when once he set eyes on the cute little puppy dog, all his anger vanished, and his heart melted with tender love for the soft, helpless creature.
Days went by and all the family cherished the little puppy dog, because of his elder brothers wherever they went, and guarded his father's home and property with devotion. Even as a baby, he was no trouble to his mother, as he was the most obedient child anyone could ever want. All the world adored him.
When the boys grew up to be strong, handsome young men, the father bade them to seek their fortune in the wide world, on their own merit, because, he said, it would not be manly for them to stay protected in the parental home anymore. He gave them good advice and his blessings.
Later, he also gave each of his sons a hoe, and a sharp knife with which to fend for himself. The mother tied up some food in five identical bundles for them and sent them on their way.
Now the little puppy dog had grown up to be a very strong ani mal, almost resembling a lion, but his nature remained as gentle as before. As he could not carry his hoe and his knife and his bundle of food, his elder brothers carried them for him.
After various encounters, the young men at last arrived at the country of a good Chief. They presented themselves before the Chief and requested him to try their skill. The Chief was much impressed by their fearless, yet courteous bearing, and so, he employed them to lay a path leading from his palace to the river. Thus, the cargo from the boats could be transported into the palace yard easily.
This was a distance of about fifteen miles or over. In those days, it was a great distance indeed. Yet, without a murmur, all the brothers set to work immediately, in unison. In a very short time, they laid a very good passable path, on which carts, cattle, horses and men could carry their goods with comfort.
While the work was going on, the little dog guarded the possessions of his elder brothers and protected them from wild animals.
It was only a test to prove their skill. No need to say, they passed it with great honours. By some strange coincidence, the Chief had five beautiful daughters, whom he wanted to give away in marriage to deserving young men. The four elder brothers proved to be the best choice any parent could make as suitors for his daughters. Without a moment's hesitation, the Chief offered his four elder daughters in marriage to the four elder brothers.
When the ceremony was going on, someone was unhappy. This was none other than the Chief's youngest daughter, Nalishebo. She was very disappointed that she could not find a husband from among the hard-working brothers. Thinking it to be a joke, the elder brothers offered their puppy dog as a companion. The girl accepted the dog and looked after him carefully.
As the Chief was growing old, he gave a portion of his land to each of his daughters and bade them lead a peaceful life. Now was the real time for competition among the elder brothers. They vied with one another in cultivating their respective lands and growing different types of produce. They built roomy huts and homes for their families. They hunted many animals and procured warm skins. They had, in short, much to eat and drink and enjoyed a bounteous life. Nalishebo alone was left out. Being a fragile young maiden, she could not do all the work a man would do. As a result, she could hardly keep her hut clean, let alone cultivate the land. She was tired and ashamed to have to borrow food and skins from her father or her sisters. One day she was far too dejected about her situation and spoke bitterly to the poor dog.
"Look at all my sisters," she remarked, venting her wrath on him, "they have good strong men to help them. But what have I got? Only a worthless dog who can only eat and sleep!"
The poor dog could only whine sympathetically and wag his tail. Next morning, when Nalishebo woke up and looked out of her hut, a great surprise awaited her. As if by some strange power, the weed had been completely cleared from her land. At the back yard, several rows of newly dug beds were laid ready for plant ing seeds. Nalishebo wondered who could have done this good work for her.
All her sisters came to see the work. There was much guessing and much talking, but no one could find out who did all the work. Day after day passed, each morning bringing new reasons for wonder to the young girl. One day fresh thatch was laid on the roof, the next day all land was tilled, on the third morning, saplings were blossoms everywhere. Nalishebo imagined she was living in a dream land. Even her sisters and their husbands left off teasing her, because they could not, themselves, make their lands flourish so well. They even suspected that there was some spell, good or bad, working on Nalishebo's land. Many nights they kept watch to catch the worker red-handed. But all their efforts were in vain.
Once, in the dead of night, Nalishebo suddenly woke up to hear the noise of someone tilling the land. She quietly slipped out of her hut. In the dim moon light, she could see a young man bent over his work, in deep concentration. She had never seen anyone of that stature in the neighbourhood. Her heart pounding with excitement and fear, she approached the man to have a closer look. She took a few steps forward, but suddenly she stepped on something soft and warm. As she bent down to examine the object, she screamed, "oh my pet, my dear dog is dead!" and tearfully she gathered the animal in her arms. Strange to say, it felt very light.
Her scream alerted the working young man. He came running to her, "Please, give me back my skin, quick!" he urged.
At once everything became clear to Nalishebo. The handsome young benefactor was none other than the dog himself. By some magic power, this young man could get in and out of the dog skin, as he chose! He had been keeping this power a secret for many years, but Nalishebo accidentally discovered it that night.
The young man begged Nalishebo not to divulge the secret to anyone, because if many others knew of it, his power would wane, and he would be condemned to remain a dog forever.
Such things could not be hidden from prying eyes for long. As her sisters and others suspected that she entertained a secret lover, the young girl thought of a plan to bring the matter to the open, at least to protect her own good name. In those days it was considered very important that the daughters of the Chief set an exemplary example for the other maidens of a chiefdom. If Nalishebo was proved to be a wanton maiden, she could be punished severely.
Nalishebo realized that the secret of the young man would be out some day and he would be condemned to be a dog forever. On the other hand, if she protected the secret much longer, the Chief and the elders of the country would punish her for her way ward behaviour.
Therefore, when next time the young man came out of the dog skin at night, she crept up behind him to steal the skin. When he was hard at work, she burned the dog skin to ashes. It was a pity, though, to have to destroy such a smooth, healthy, lovely skin that she adored all along. This she had to do, to retain the young man in his human form forever and to extricate herself from the false stories.
In this way, Nalishebo broke the spell, and married the fifth younger brother, and they all lived happily ever after.
More Zambian folk-tales
How the Monkeys Come to Be
A long time ago, deep in the African jungle, there was a clearing where a particular tribe had built their huts and lived peacefully. In their midst were a skinny older man and his wife, a thin older woman. These two were always complaining of their hunger and poverty. Naturally, all the good neighbours took pity on them and often invited them to share a meal with them. However, whenever they visited a hut, they made it a point to steal something to keep for themselves.
Why the Jackal Howls at the Moon
Long, long ago, in the middle of a dark forest in the Congo, there lived a Jackal. He was big and strong, and all the other animals were afraid of him. At nightfall every evening, he would take his gold tipped bamboo spear and go out hunting.
One night, as he set out into the forest, the Moon, up in the sky, was watching him, as he hunted among the trees with his gold tipped spear. In a few hours' time, he had killed two Kudus and a wild Pig. The Moon became jealous of the Jackal's success and planned to steal the spear.
Why the Sky Is So High
According to an early Zambian belief, the sky was like a roof over the earth. It was so low that the people could reach and touch it. At certain places, it was even hanging down loose, like a mosquito net that we use over our bed at night.
The Gods and Spirits of our forefathers lived inside this sky, and they could always listen to the prayers, songs, chatter and squabbles taking place on Earth.
The sky was so low, that the people could talk to the Gods and get their wishes fulfilled immediately.
The Fourth Gourd of Cowrie
Chipila and Zongwe were friends. They lived in adjacent huts and owned adjacent pieces of land. They helped each other with the tilling, hoeing, sowing and reaping. They were such good friends, that people called them the Twin Gods.