Specimens of Bushman Folklore, by W.H.I. Bleek and L.C. Lloyd, [1911], at sacred-texts.com
HOW |HANG#KASS'O'S PET LEVERET WAS KILLED.
|Xabbi-ang[1] killed (my) leveret for me, and I came crying to her, because I wanted them[2] therefore to seek for (other) leverets; for they were those who had killed (my) leveret for me. And she soothed
[1. The narrator's mother.
2. i.e. his mother and his maternal grandmother #kammi.]
me, about it. Therefore, she told me that the lizard had formerly said:
"For,
I therefore intend to go,
Passing through,
guru-|na's pass.--
"For,
I therefore intend to go,
Passing through,
|Xe-!khwai's pass."
Tsatsi[1] was the one who caught hold of (and) took up a leveret on the hunting-ground; and, he brought it (home) alive, he came (and) gave it to me. And I played with it; I set it down, it ran; I also ran after it. And I went to catch it, and, I came to set it down. It again ran; and I again ran to catch it; and I went catching hold of it, I came to set it down. Again, it ran; and, I again ran after it. And I again caught hold of it; and again, I caught hold of it; and I came to set it down.
|Xabbi-ang wished that I (should) leave off playing with the leveret, that I (should) kill it, that I (should) lay it to roast. I was not willing to kill the leveret. She wished me to leave off playing with the leveret, that I (should) kill it, that I might lay it to roast. I was not willing to kill the leveret, because I felt that nothing acted as prettily as it did, when it was gently running, gently running along. It did in this manner (showing the motion of its ears), while it was gently running along, nothing acted as prettily as it did; and it went to sit down.
[1. The narrator's maternal grandfather.]
Then they told me to fetch water; for I was one who quickly came away from the water, while I did not go to play at the water. Therefore, I went to fetch water, when I had tied up the leveret. And I went to fetch water; then, they killed (my) leveret for me, while I was at the water. They killed (my) leveret for me; and then I came (and) cried, about it; because I had thought that they would let (my) leveret alone. For, they must have been deceiving me; they told me to fetch water, while they must have intended that they would kill (my) leveret for me, which I had meant to let alone, so that it might live (on) in peace. They had killed it for me. Therefore, I came (and) cried, on account of it. They said, that we should not again get another leveret; when I wanted them to seek some leverets for me, they said, we should not again get another leveret.
Therefore, they soothing calmed(?) me with the (story of the) lizard; while they wished that I might quietly listen to them; when I had shut my mouth, I might quietly listen to them.[1]
[1. She (my mother) said (to me), that I should not play with meat; for we do not play with meat; for we lay meat to roast. For the leveret is not a little fat; therefore, we kill it, we lay it to roast, while we do not play with it.]