Publications of the Folk-lore Society . fragment of Mr. Dennettsobservations on Nzambi, wherein he says: ABOUT NZAMBI. It is the most difficult thing in the world at present, I think,to get a clear definition of Nzambi Mpungu, or of Nzambi, fromthe natives themselves in a direct way. Some say that Nzambi Mpungu made the world and sentNzambi there, and that then he came down and married hiscreation, and thus became the father of us all. And of coursewe have distorted versions of the Creation according to theBible. God, we are told, made man and woman, and put themin a large white house in a bea
Publications of the Folk-lore Society . fragment of Mr. Dennettsobservations on Nzambi, wherein he says: ABOUT NZAMBI. It is the most difficult thing in the world at present, I think,to get a clear definition of Nzambi Mpungu, or of Nzambi, fromthe natives themselves in a direct way. Some say that Nzambi Mpungu made the world and sentNzambi there, and that then he came down and married hiscreation, and thus became the father of us all. And of coursewe have distorted versions of the Creation according to theBible. God, we are told, made man and woman, and put themin a large white house in a beautiful garden and told them notto eat of the tree of shame. But before they took charge of theirhouse, thousands and thousands of rats trooped out of it. Theyate of the tree of shame, and when God called to see them theywere ashamed and dared not come out. And so forth. Still the faint notion of a spirit that rules the rains and sendsthe lightning, and gives them rainbows, exists; and they callthat very humanised spirit Nzambi CLIMBING A PALM-TREE FOR PALM-WINE. To face page 121. ABOUT NZAMBI. 121 But Nzambi, as the great princess that governed all on earth,is ever in their mouths as a mighty ruler, and she seem- to haveobtained the spirit of rain, lightning, etc., and to have buried itin her bowels. The following is a little story that gives her :ihuman shape, and fixes her position as a mother: Some women were busy planting in a country where waterwas scarce, so that they had brought their sangas, containingthat precious fluid, with them. As they were working, a poorold woman, carrying a child on her back, passed by them,hesitated for a moment, and then walked back to them andasked them to give her child a cup of water. The women said that they had carried the water from afar,and needed it for themselves, as there was no water justthere. The poor old woman passed on, but told them that theywould one day regret their want of charity. Noticing a man up a palm tree, she
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