GENERAL INTRODUCTION

This book contains 19 Babanki folktales. Due to advances in technology and modernism in the last two decades, the Babanki people no longer engage in their traditional practices as much as they used to do, with the youth attending school, watching TV, or using mobile phones. For this reason, the special language of folktales (poetic forms, lexical items and grammatical structures) is being lost since it is no longer transmitted to younger generations within this community whose traditions and customs are transmitted only orally. Documenting the folktales is an attempt to save the language, and by extension the culture of the Babanki people from the overwhelming threat of extinction. This collection is also meant to encourage the revitalization and use of the language by Babanki people, including those in diaspora communities.

The Babanki language is spoken by close to 40,000 people of Kejom Ketinguh and Kejom Keku (Simons and Fennig 2018). The people call their language [gáʔá kədʒɔm], themselves [víʔí kədʒɔm], and their villages [kədʒɔḿ kəḱù and kədʒɔḿ kətíŋgùʔ]. The two Babanki villages are located 20 kilometers apart in Tubah Sub-division, Mezam Division, Northwest Region of Cameroon. Slight pronunciation differences exist between the speeches of the two villages but speakers from both understand each other perfectly well. The two villages came to exist in 1866 when a small contingent of 40 people from Kejom Keku left to form what became Kejom Ketinguh.

Simons and Fennig (2018) list Babanki in the Ethnologue with the code ISO 693-3 [bbk] and classifies it as Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Wide Grassfields, Narrow Grassfields, Ring, Centre. Bikia (2012) classify Babanki under the ALCAM code [824] as follows: Benoue-Congo, Bantoide, Bantou, Grassfields, Ring. Babanki [824] is one of the five languages of the Centre Ring Group. The others are Mmem [821], Kom [822], Bum [823], and Oku [825].

The Kejom alphabet is in conformity with the General Alphabet of Cameroonian Languages, adopted in 1979 by the National Committee for the unification and harmonization of the alphabets of Cameroonian languages.

The folktales have been graciously narrated by Dorine Abuh, Agnes Akumbom, Esther Madihambwom, Prudencia Ngongdong, Mary Njung, Regina Phubong, Emmanuel Vefemeh, Anna Vegheng to whom I express much gratitude.

A general introduction precedes the folktales. The phonology of Babanki is briefly presented and the Babanki Alphabet is provided. The noun class system of Babanki is also introduced. Some noun modifiers like possessive pronouns, demonstratives, some numerals are shown. Babanki tenses and negation patterns are also presented.

I am grateful for the financial assistance that was provided by the Foundation for Endangered Languages through its 2018 grant for the collection and production of these folktales.

Dr. Akumbu Pius Wuchu

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION TO THE PHONOLOGY

The segmental phonology of Babanki is made up of 25 phonemic consonants and eight phonemic vowels. All of the consonants can occur stem-initially. Six consonants (/f, s, k, m, n, k/) may occur in stem-final (coda) position. In this position, /k/ is realized as a glottal stop [']. Several consonant clusters occur in this language. They include prenasalized consonants (e.g. mbì 'first'), palatalized consonants (e.g. əfyə̀ 'cave'), labialised consonants (e.g. alwi 'nostrils'), and a combination of prenasalization with either palatalization or labialization (e.g. ngyàmtə̀ 'helper', nəǹchwì 'afternoon'). Of the eight vowels, only two (a, ə) can occur word-initially.

5 surface tone combinations, namely, high, low, rising, high-falling, and low-falling are possible from the two underlying tones -high and low. According to the orthography, only the low tone, and the lowfalling tone are marked by the grave accent ( ). An exception to this is that noun prefixes are not marked since they always occur on a low tone when in isolation. The following orthography rules are observed for the language.

1. Never write "c" alone, always write "ch". 2. The only consonants that can be word-final are "m", "n", "ŋ", "f", "'" and "s". 3. Never write the glottal stop "'" and "nz" word-initially. 4. If you hear a consonant before "f", "b", and "pf" always write "m". 5. If you hear a nasal consonant before "k" or "g", always write "n". 6. If you see "nk" or "ng" pronounce the "n" as "ŋ". 7. Never mark tone on noun prefixes, e.g. "kəmbò" 'bag ' The transcription used in this collection is broadly the one used in the orthography. The BABANKI NOUN CLASSES Each Babanki noun belongs to a specific class and forms its plural in another class. A singular form is paired with its plural form in what is called double class genders. Notice, however, that a few nouns occur with only one form in what is termed single class genders. Possible class pairings in Babanki are 1/2, 3/6, 3/13, 5/6, 5/13, 7/8, 7/6, 7/6a, 7/10, 9/6, 9/10, 19/6a. For example, kəmbò 'bag', kəbum 'mucus', kəfʉ 'medicine' are singular forms that occur in class 7. However, their plural forms are found in class 8, class 6 and class 6a respectively, resulting to the pairings 7/8, 7/6, 7/6a. The following

BABANKI TENSES

Babanki has an eight-way temporal distinction with four past tenses (immediate (P1), hordienal (P2), distant (P3), and remote (P4)), a present tense (P0), and three future tenses (immediate (F1), hodiernal (F2), and remote (F3)). These are exemplified in the following Table .   Tense Example Gloss P4

Nyàm ə mfəŋ li a nse. An animal fell on the ground (earlier than 2 weeks).

P3

Nyàm ə tə fəŋ a nse. An animal fell on the ground (yesterday to about 2 weeks).

P2

Nyàm ə yi fəŋ a nse. An animal fell on the ground (earlier today).

P1

Nyàm ə fəŋ li a nse. An animal fell on the ground (a short while ago). P0

Nyàm ə́ fəŋə a nse. An animal is falling on the ground (now).

F1

Nyàm a fəŋ a nse. An animal will fall on the ground (soon).

F2

Nyàm ə ne fəŋ a nse. An animal will fall on the ground (later today).

F3

Nyàm ə lu fəŋ a nse. An animal will fall on the ground (from tomorrow onward). Nyàm ə ko yi fəŋ a nse (bwen).

An animal won't fall on the ground (earlier today). P0

Nyàm ə́ ko fəŋə a nse (bwen).

An animal is falling on the ground (now).

F3

Nyàm ə ko lu fəŋ a nse (bwen).

An animal will fall on the ground (from tomorrow onward). Və ntsentə əko əcho' yi no'ə̀ tsəm ə nku a wen. Ghə̀ ə mfʉ̀ fa ngəŋə cho' yì luwèn ə sə jʉə, njʉ̀ nyen mu mə shi'ə, ghə̀ ə nga': tin fa kwì tìn fa teyn mà cho nə̀ əko bobo. tin fa kwì tìn fa teyn mà cho nə̀ əko bobo. Mu myì ə tinə ghə̀ ntɨm. Ə sə jʉə̀ luwèn nyen məntsenə mu ənshen ə ken li fa kwì mə sə shi'ə ta fənteì' ghə̀ ə mə̀ nga' a 'àìy mènmə dì' ta fənteì', mà ə ko yèn kənyʉ̀ nlòstə̀ zhɨmə ndzàŋ a shə.' Ghə̀ ə mə̀ nkwen a chì à mù yì luwèn ne sə za'ə a ntìntìn ənshen ə mbò' mu myì mə nshi'ə nlyɨ ə wen ə nwʉ a lo'ə̀ wù fəjoə. Wù fəjoə̀ nè sə vì tsò' əlo' ə wen ghə̀ mə kyiə əshi fa chì à mù. Ghə̀ ə ntem ə wen nə̀ əghoŋə, ghə̀ ə ngà' 'ke wù tèm fa shə a shə̀ wù bɛ̀ tèm fa shə a shə?' Ghə̀ ə mbɛ̀ tèm, ghə̀ ə ngà' 'ke wù tèm fa tsu wù bɛ̀ tèm fa kəchʉ?' ghə̀ ə tem ə wen ta lì ə nlyɨ luwèn ə jʉ̀ nə̀ wen a wɛ gə, ə njʉ̀ kwen. Ə sə kwen no'ə̀ əzhʉ əkɔ̀ wì ə̀ wù fəjoə̀ yì dì' nə̀ bəmə.

Ghə̀ ə nku a vʉnə wen, nga' la vəwenə pfe, kəfʉ'əfʉ'ə̀ kə mbì kə nè ku' vəwenə kyè mà'ə, kə bàm kə sə ku' vəwenə kyè lo. Kəfʉ'əfʉ'ə̀ kə mbì kyi ne nku' mbòŋ, vəwenə nkyè lo lo. Kə bàm kyìkə sə ku' vəwenə mə̀ nkyè ma'ə. Ghə̀ ə ntɨmə fʉ̀ fa ntòyn yi luwèn mbwinsə ngha' wì ə̀ bà'ə̀ yì ngablə nwye a ntòyn. Kəfʉ'əfʉ'ə̀ kə mbì kyi ne nku' ghə̀ ə nkyè ma'ə. Kə bàm kyìkə sə ku' ghə̀ ə nkyè lo. Ghə̀ ne a lì mu ghə̀ ə lyɨə̀ li əti əkəbayn ə mi a wenə əbəm la yì gùfə̀ ta ndə wì ə̀ bà'ə̀ yì yi ngùfə. Ghə̀ ə mbi luwèn ghə̀ ə nshisə nku vʉnə bà'a vyi sə zhɨə gà'ə̀ 'e' kənyìnə̀ kə kəwʉ kə bòŋsə̀ fəsə̀ kənyìnə̀ kə kəwʉ̀ lì ə̀ ghom.' Ghə̀ gà'ə̀ 'e wàyn yèn kə bɛ gà' mà bɔ kə'ə̀ fa shə̀ lə.' Vʉn vyi nga' ta lì mpfɨ' ə me. Ghə̀ ə mfʉ̀ nku' a kəchʉ kə ngəŋ, ə nshisə əti yi fa wenə əbəm ə mo' a nse, ə nga' a 'e' èm, wì nkʉlə wenə wen bèna yì nkʉlə mò e, e' èm.' Vʉn vyi nkəŋ təlyəŋ, nsu'ə wen tsu ghə̀ ə nshi'ə fa kwì ə ngəŋ yì. Vəwenə nzhwi wen mbɛ mpfe mpfɨ'.

Pfəpfəpfə, wù bwi wàyn ə̀ wù ghə̀ ə nku'ə ta bwàbwà' nkà wù bɛ ku'ə ta bwàbwà'.

1) The son and the bird

Once upon a time a woman had a son who went and caught a bird from Abe's yard. He came and left the bird on the fireside to get dry. While he was away, his mother came and tasted the bird and because it was very nice she ate it completely. The child returned and asked where his bird was and the mother told him what had happened. He requested that his mother should compensate him for the bird and so his mother gave him a yam.

He went and was washing the yam in a stream and a crab bit a part of the yam. He insisted that the crab should compensate him for his yam and the crab carried water and gave him.

He continued his way until he met a baby sitter feeding a baby with spittle. He asked her whether it was due to lack of water that she was using spittle. He then handed his water to her to use but as soon as the baby sitter had finished feeding the baby with the water he began to sing: Baby sitter eh pay my water.

Who gave me water? It was given by crab.

What was crab paying for? Crab was paying for my yam.

Who gave me the yam? The yam was given by my mother.

What was my mother paying for? My mother was paying for my bird which I had gone and caught at Abe's yard.

The baby sitter then gave him the rest of the child's cornfufu.

As he moved on he came across some hunters with exhausted hunting dogs and asked them whether they were using hungry dogs because of lack of cornfufu. He then offered the cornfufu he had and as soon as they had finished feeding the dogs he urged them to pay for his cornfufu and began to sing: Hunters eh pay my cornfufu.

Who gave me cornfufu? It was given by baby sitter.

What was baby sitter paying for? She was paying for my water Who gave me water? It was given by crab.

What was the crab paying for? Crab was paying for my yam.

Who gave me the yam? The yam was given by my mother.

What was my mother paying for? My mother was paying for my bird which I had gone and caught at Abe's yard.

As payment, the hunters gave him an animal's skin and as he proceeded he met blacksmiths using old bags to forge. He asked then whether they lacked animal skin to use in their work and then gave them his own. As soon as they had finished he insisted that they must pay for his animal skin and started singing: Blacksmiths eh pay my animal skin.

Who gave me animal skin? It was given by hunters.

What were hunters paying for? They were paying for my cornfufu.

Who gave me cornfufu? My cornfufu was given by baby sitter.

What was baby sitter paying for? She was paying for my water Who gave me water? My water was given by crab.

What was Crab paying for? Crab was paying for my yam.

Who gave me the yam? The yam was given by my mother.

What was my mother paying for? My mother was paying for my bird, which I had gone and caught at Abe's yard.

The blacksmiths gave him a hoe as payment.

He continued going and soon met an orphan using sticks to dig a grave for his dead mother. He asked her whether she was using sticks because she didn't have a hoe to dig the grave with.

He then gave her the hoe and as soon as she had finished digging the grave she obliged her to pay for the hoe and sang:

Orphan eh pay my hoe.

Who gave me the hoe? Blacksmiths gave me the hoe.

What were blacksmiths paying for? Blacksmiths were paying for my animal skin.

Who gave me animal skin? It was given by hunters.

What were hunters paying for? They were paying for my cornfufu.

Who gave me cornfufu? My cornfufu was given by baby sitter.

What was baby sitter paying for? She was paying for my water Who gave me water? My water was given by crab.

What was the crab paying for? Crab was paying for my yam.

Who gave me the yam? The yam was given by my mother.

What was my mother paying for? My mother was paying for my bird, which I had gone and caught at Abe's yard.

The orphan then gave him the corpse.

He took the corpse and continued his way and before long he saw people in a njangi (social gathering) house drinking. He found a dry tree close to a valley near the njangi house and placed the corpse against it before going to yoin the njangi people to drink. After a while he said he was moving with someone and had left her on the way. He urged some people to take some of the palmwine to the person. He advised them that if she is still sleeping they should shake her a little to give her the palmwine.

When the people tried to shake her up the dry tree gave way and the sleeping person (corpse) fell into the valley. He then insisted that the njangi people must pay for his person and began to sing: Njangi people eh pay my person.

Who gave my person? My person was given by an orphan.

What was the orphan paying for? She was paying for my hoe.

Who gave me the hoe? Blacksmiths gave me the hoe.

What were blacksmiths paying for? Blacksmiths were paying for my animal skin.

Who gave me animal skin? It was given by hunters.

What were hunters paying for? They were paying for my cornfufu.

Who gave me cornfufu? My cornfufu was given by baby sitter.

What was baby sitter paying for? She was paying for my water Who gave me water? My water was given by crab.

What was crab paying for? Crab was paying for my yam.

Who gave me the yam? The yam was given by my mother.

What was my mother paying for? My mother was paying for my bird, which I had gone and caught at Abe's yard.

The people gathered all the njangi money and gave him.

As he went on, he soon found a stream flowing heavily. As he needed to cross he sang inviting the stream to give him way.

Stop from up,

Stop from down

Let me pass with money, God.

Stop from up,

Stop from down

Let me pass with money, God.

The water stopped flowing and he crossed with the money and continued his way. Soon he found another stream without much water flowing because an elephant had blocked it from above. So, he ignored it and just went in to cross. As soon as he was in the middle of the stream the elephant left allowing the water to flow freely. It therefore carried him away and left him far off at Fedyo village.

When a Fedyo fisherman came to visit his traps, he found him inside the water and began to shoot him with his spear. He would shoot him from one side and he will say 'you have shot from this side but not from the other'. When he will shoot from the other side he will say 'you have shot from this side but not from my head'. The fisherman shot all over until he died. He took him home and gave his children to cook because his wife was pregnant. He however instructed them that when the flesh will begin to bubble, they should throw away the first set of bubbles that come to the top. They will then consume the next set of bubbles. Unfortunately, the first set of bubbles was so appetizing that they rather licked them up and only throw away the second set. Because of that he came out of the pot and caught the fisherman's wife, tore her apart and put into the pot to cook. He took a grinding stone and swallowed so that his stomach became as large as the pregnant woman's own for the children to think that he is their mother. When the first set of appetizing bubbles came up he threw away and then licked the second set. When it was ready he shared out to the children to eat. As they ate they would observe that the toes or other parts were like their mother's but he will convince them that she is still there so it can't be any part of her body. When they had finished eating he left the house, went up to the roof, removed the grinding stone from his stomach and throw it down while chanting saying they thought they had gotten him but he is free. The children were furious and pushed him down with bamboos, killed him, cooked and ate. This is the end of the story.

2) Wùwì ə̀ zhɨ kəjàŋ Narrator: Ntìi Audience: Mbòo Narrator: Wù ngwʉ' nə̀ nlùu lo Audience: ò Narrator: Ə làm wì ə wen, ə̀ jʉ̀ chɔm əsɨm ə wen. Ghə̀ sə̀ lu jʉ̀ shè'ə̀ tà kəbwin la kəmù', lu pfwoə. Əchʉ' ə nlayn a kətsi kə wyekə lɨm ə wen ə mbəm la və bɛ̀ wye təsɨm kò wù ə njʉ̀ ə wye əsɨm yi lɔ. Ghə̀ ə mə nkwo'tə la yì a nè alɛ lɔ, mə nlyɨ ngwà'sə əfo njʉ̀ a əsɨm. Ghə̀ ə njʉ̀ ghə̀ ə ko wyè tɛ̀ wye, mboŋsə nwʉ'mə tsu nkaŋtə mpfɨ' ə mpfɨ'. Ghə̀ ə lì sə kaŋtə əshɨ ə bələŋ ə fəŋ, əshɨ ə saŋ ə fəŋ, əshɨ ə kwen ə fəŋ. Ghə̀ ə sə lù fənyin fə mboŋtə əfo vyi nsulə a əbwin. əchʉ'ə nlayn, və mə sə jʉ̀ ə lye la, asaŋ ə kwi li mfosə və mə sə pfìə. Lɨm ə wen ə mbəm la və jʉ̀ ə pfì asaŋ à wù ə ko jʉ̀ ə pfì asaŋ yi mu wù kɛ tə̀ shè' ə mò'tə̀ a əsɨm lɔ. Wù ə mə nlyɨ ənkɨm luwèn a kəchʉ kə ji'əkə ə mə njʉ̀ a əsɨm yì, mə sə jʉ̀ ə̀ mə yen əfo a əsɨm tà ànchi. Mə nkwa'ə asaŋ luwèn ə nkwa'ə nkwa'ə nkwa' ə nwye a nkɨm, nkwoŋtə akwen, nkwoŋtə abu', njʉ̀ ə tsò'sə̀ à wù ə dzem no'ə̀ əzhʉ əkɔ̀ fənyin fə nga': Ghə̀ ə nku'ə ghom, nga' la lo 'wyè tì' ə wù ti tə vì ə gà' ta lə̀ mu ghə̀ ə tə kù nyamshìsə a ghə̀ tə̀ ku lì? Ngà'ə̀ la wù yen kəzo' kə nyam.' Ghə̀ ə mə̀ sə dìə̀ luwèn mə̀ gà'ə: wù yen kəzo' kə nyam ee, ngəm tə ngəm. wù yen ə wu təm ee ngəm tə ngəm.

kaŋ
Sətsèn vəwenə nna'ə sə vì, wù ə mə nlutə kəzo' kə nyam kyì mə ntəm a mpfʉ̀ tà kəẁen. Nges àfwin yi ntanə nku'ə nlyɨ wyè fəbʉtə̀ yì nshwe nə̀ wen a kətsèmə̀ nyìngòŋ. Ghə̀ ə mə̀ sə gà'ə̀ 'wo la wyè fəbʉtə̀ yì li leə̀ li òò.' 'La yɛs ku' nə̀ əkye ə bələŋ mulɔ?' Ghə̀ ə bɛ̀ gà', 'wo la wyè fəbʉtə̀ yì li leə̀ li òò.' 'La yɛs ku' nə̀ təkamtə mulɔ?' Sətsèn ghə̀ ə mə njʉ̀ luwèn sə shə'tə̀ kənyʉ̀ à ləmə̀ wen a kə yi ndì'. Ləmə̀ wen ə nga' a à bwen tà wyè fəbʉtə̀ yì yì kò və lə̀ gà' yì ga' fa tsu. Ghə̀ ə mə nkwo'tə kənyʉ̀ a ghə̀ a ne ghə̀ ə ko kɨ. Sətsèn ghə̀ ə njʉ̀ nchu' kəlàŋ nchu' kəlàŋ, mpfe ngə'sə. Sə jʉ̀ a shə̀ ghə̀ tìn kəlàŋ ə̀ mò', ghə̀ tìn ngə'sə ə̀ mò'. Ta lì ta lì no'ə̀ kətsèm kə̀ kɔ̀ a ghə yenə. Sə jʉ̀ a kətsèm yi a wyè fəbʉtə̀ yì dì'ə̀ tsu lì mbo njʉ̀ tin ta lə̀ ə mò' fə nshwaŋ ə nku'. Ghə̀ ə nshitə mpf ̀ no'ə nkàyn ghə̀ ə sə bwìnə̀ shwaŋ ə ku' ghə̀ ə nwye mpf ̀ a wenə kəndòŋ. Ncho tà nə̀ kənyinkə njʉ̀ kù à ləmə̀ wen.

Mbɛ nkwo' la yì a nè alɛ ə ləmə̀ yi sofa lɔ. Mbɛ dyotə əlwuŋ ə wen luwèn sə bɨ'ə, bɨ'ə, bɨ'ə, bɨ'ə, ləmə̀ wenə nga'ə 'əlyuŋ yɛ boŋə à yì, ghə̀ bɛ ku yì bɛ bɨ'tə. Ghə̀ ə nku ghə̀ ə sə bɨ'tə, bɨ'tə. Ghə̀ ə nga' a ghə̀ ji' yì fyitə a wen əkwoŋ. Ghə̀ ə mfyitə ghə nto no'ə̀ mwìmwìn. əzhʉ ne nkwʉ' a ghə̀ sə̀ kə jʉ̀ əlwuŋ nto tsu'mə ə fʉ̀ fa wen əkwoŋ. Ləmə̀ wen nga' a wen la ghə̀ nyòŋsə əkwoŋ ə wen və tin tĭ əlwuŋ yi fʉ. Ghə̀ ə mə̀ nyòŋsə və ntin.

Ghə̀ ə mbɛ mbwìnə̀ nkwo' la yì a nè alɛ nə ləmə̀ yi yì lɔ.

Ghə̀ ə nla'ə ngəŋə̀ wàyn, nchuŋ kəchom a nse, nwye mənzhi' tsu, nshə'tə a vi'i la və nvì a kə shi yì və̀ nyè'tə tà nye'tə kə və à tù' tu'ə. Ghə̀ ə ko shə'tə̀ à ləmə̀ wen yì. Və ne sə benə vì za'ə a kəshi yì nye'tə chòə, benə vì za'ə nye'tə chòə. Sətsèn və mbəm la 'və nye'tə chòə̀ kəshi kəǹ a lə̀ mu kə nè a lɛ?' Ləmə̀ wen yì nshitə wenə wen ntu'ə ntsɨŋ a kəshi yì sə tù' kəchom kyìkə mpfɨ. Ghə̀ ə mə̀ nga' a 'à bwen tà kəchom kyi kyì kò və lə̀ gà' yì ga' fa tsu'. Ghə̀ ə mə nlyɨ kəchom kyì ə̀ mə̀ sə dì'ə̀ jʉə̀ mə̀ dì'ə̀ jʉə̀ mə̀ dì'ə̀ jʉə̀ sətsèn ghə̀ ə njʉ̀ nyen fəno'əno'ə. Fəno'əno'ə fyìfə mbəm a wen la à bɛ̀ dì' ghɔ lɔ? Ghə̀ ə mə̀ nga' la kətsɔm kəǹkə lo a yi mə̀ zhwi lə̀ lo jìə ko k ̀ la yì a nè a lɛ lɔ. Fəno'əno'ə fyìfə nshi ə nlolə nlolə nlolə mbwinsə nchətə nku a wen. Ghə̀ ə ncho tà nə̀ kənyinkə njʉ̀ nkù à ləmə̀ wen yì.

Pfəpfəpfə, wù bwi wàyn ə̀ wù ghə̀ ə nku'ə ta bwàbwà' nkà wù bɛ ku'ə ta bwàbwà'.

2) The lazy woman

Once upon a time a man married a woman and got a piece of land for her to farm. She would go and make only a single ridge a day and then go back home. When the planting season was nearly over the man asked her why she hadn't gone to plant crops in her farm. She tried to figure out what to do since she had not properly prepared her farm for planting. In the end, she took seeds to the farm yet instead of planting them she roasted everything and ate.

As she was roasting, some corn, beans and groundnut seeds fell on the ground. When she left to return home a bird came, picked those seeds and planted in the few ridges she had formed.

When the period of harvest was running out the husband asked her why she was not going to harvest her crops like everyone was doing. With a lot of shame and guilt in her she carried a basket to the farm, knowing that she didn't plant anything. When she got there, she saw that there were crops all over the place and shamelessly harvested corn, beans, pumpkins, etc and packed them in the basket. As she attempted to carry the basket away a bird began to sing.

Fried everything in the fire, Fried everything in the fire, Fried corn seeds, Fried beans seeds, Fried groundnut seeds Fried pumpkin seeds.

As the bird sang the things in the woman's basket also began to speak and run out of it saying:

Where is the place I was harvested from?

Here is the branch I was harvested from.

As the crops were saying so they were leaving the basket and going back to the position they occupied before they were harvested. She was amazed and ran back to report the scenario to her husband and invite him to come and see for himself. When they got to the farm she harvested the things and put in her The things were singing in response to the bird's song:

Where is the place I was harvested from?

Here is the branch I was harvested from.

As they sang they left the basket and went back to where they had been harvested from.

The man was astonished and they went back home. When they got home he looked for a calabash and took his wife back to the farm. When they got there, he asked her to harvest the crops again and put in the basket. When she attempted to carry the basket, the bird began to sing again. The man invited the bird to come down from the tree and sing clearly so that he would hear well. When it came down and sang the man asked the bird to come nearer to him before singing. When it came nearer and sang, he said it should come right to the entrance to the calabash and when it did he pleaded with it to go right inside and sing so that he will hear well. As soon as the bird entered the calabash the man closed it and then asked his wife to harvest the things for them to carry home.

They got home and left the bird inside the calabash. Soon the bird pleaded with them to roast it. They then roasted it and kept but soon after the bird pleaded with them to taste it. When they had tasted, it went further to plead that they should cook it and eat which they did. A little while later it pleaded with them to go and excrete it and when they did it was transformed into a puppy.

The man picked up the puppy and washed it very well, gave it a guitar and they went hunting. The puppy sat on top of a tree and began to sing.

If you see a limping animal you shoot.

If you see it shoot.

If you see a limping animal you shoot.

If you see it shoot.

Soon, animals began to move towards them with the leading one limping. The hunter sighted well and shot it down and as soon as it fell down all the other animals that were following also fell. He then called out to the villagers to bring large baskets and carry the animals home since they were too many for him alone.

The people came up and each took either two or three animals but they got to the hunter's brother when only one animal was left. He was very disappointed with his brother and decided to hunt for himself. He therefore went and begged his brother's puppy to use for the same purpose. They went to hunt and the puppy began to sing from the top of the same tree.

If you see a limping animal you shoot.

If you see it shoot.

If you see a limping animal you shoot.

If you see it shoot.

The man was offended at the fact that the puppy was advising him to shoot a limping animal and so beat it seriously. He asked the puppy whether that is how it sang for its master to catch all the animals he shared to the entire village. He insisted that it should rather sing and invite large and healthy animals. The puppy started to sing in tears, saying:

If you see a bulky animal you shoot.

If you see it shoot.

If you see a bulky animal you shoot.

If you see it shoot.

As animals began to come he sighted the bulky one and shot. It fell alone and the limping one rapidly climbed on to the tree and carried the puppy into a deep stream. He then began to cry out to the villagers telling them that the puppy has been taken away.

When the people heard his voice, they wondered whether his was inviting them to bring big baskets and carry animals but he kept insisting that he is rather saying that the puppy is gone.

Eventually he went to his brother, the owner of the puppy, to tell him what had happened. His brother told him that unless his puppy is brought back to him, he will not be part of any discussion. He then thought of what to do until he decided to pound cocoyams into achu, prepare egusi and to move from stream to stream and throw some of the food there. Finally, he got to the stream where the puppy was and when he threw some food into it the puppy jumped up out of the water and caught when he saw this he prepared a good rope and then threw more food into the stream. As the puppy jumped up to catch the food he threw the rope around its neck, fastened it and ran home to return the puppy to the owner.

Again, he thought of how to payback his brother for letting him go through all the trouble. He finally decided to fabricate a guitar for himself and to play it in a way that his brother will be attracted to it. When his brother asked to play the guitar, he fastened it well around his shoulder and allowed him to play.

After a while he wanted to leave and so asked his brother to return his guitar but it couldn't be removed because it was really tight. So, he said that the only way to remove the guitar was to cut off his brother's arm. Since his brother had no choice he presented his arm and it was cut off to remove the guitar.

Once this was done, this brother (the puppy owner) again thought of what to do to pay him back. He then decided to organize a birth celebration party. In preparing for the event he dug a calabash of palm oil at a certain spot and went ahead to inform every invitee except his brother. During the celebration, the invitees would avoid dancing over that spot until they began to ask why everyone including the brother were avoiding the spot.

As soon as he heard this, the brother used all his energy to dance on that spot and consequently destroyed the calabash and spilled the palm oil. His brother then said that unless he restituted the same calabash in good shape to him he will not forgive him. As he didn't know what to do he gathered the calabash pieces and began to wander away in tears. At some point, he met a chameleon who sympathized with him and asked why he was crying. He explained how he was required to rebuild those calabash pieces and return a full one to the owner. The chameleon took the pieces, applied its spittle on them and then rebuilt the calabash into a full one and handed it over to him. He ran straight to his brother and handed over the calabash. This is where the story ends. Pfəpfəpfə, wù bwi wàyn ə̀ wù ghə̀ ə nku'ə ta bwàbwà' nkà wù bɛ ku'ə ta bwàbwà'.

3) The three children and the mangoes Once upon a time a woman had three children named Large Cheeks, Large Head and Little Legs. She did everything for them and provided all the food they needed making sure that the children didn't work. As such they grew up to be lazy. When the woman died, the children were unable to feed themselves and resorted to stealing mangoes from a neighbor's mango tree.

Usually each time they went to steal Large Cheeks and Little Legs would climb but Large Head would not because his head couldn't go through the branches with ease. The others would eat the best ripe mangoes on the tree and send raw ones to Large Head.

One day, they went again to steal the mangoes and eat.

Even Large Head decided to climb and have good ones for herself.

Coincidentally the owner of the mango tree had decided to hide nearby and discover who the mango thief really was. When all the three had climbed, and started harvesting and eating the mangoes the owner suddenly frightened them with noise. When they heard the noise, Large Head attempted to rush down the tree but his head couldn't go through branches so he strangled on some branches to death. This was funny and when Large Cheeks attempted to laugh his cheeks were torn apart and he died. Then Little Legs tried to rush then but the legs got broken and he also died. From that day, the mangoes were safe. This is the end of the story.

4) Wàyn ə̀ ngə'

Narrator: Ntìi Audience: Mbòo Narrator: Wù ngwʉ' nə̀ nlùu lo Audience: ò Narrator: Ə làm lɨmə wen ə̀ bwì vʉnə wen la vəbò, kòŋə ghətsen, bànə̀ ghətsen. Nnè nza'ə a nsɨ'ə tsen ghə̀ ə nlyɨ yì a ghə bànə̀ lì ncho nwʉ a bàm ə chɨ ghə̀ ə sə nwʉ' ta kəshi ayì fəlɨ' fə kwenə a wen ashɨ. Ghə̀ zhɛstə̀ tɛ̀ ngəŋ gà'ə 'mà ma'ə əfo venə fɛ a nî?'. 'chòə̀ mà' a kəchʉ fənam fyì a kù' a fî.' ghə̀ ə chò shʉ'tə̀ a wenə kəchʉ.

Neə no'ə̀ tɛ̀ ghɔ̀ ayì chòə shʉ'tə̀ ta wenə kəchʉ. Əchʉ' ə nlayn kətsi kətsenkə ghə̀ ə nkwo'tə no'ə̀ ngə' ə nè a wen. Nkom kəlaŋ a lə̀ nkomə nkom ə ncho shʉ'ə əbvɨ vyi a wenə kəchʉ, nkɨ ngə'sə ə nkɨə nkɨə nkɨ ə ncho shʉ'ə əbvɨ vyi a wenə kəchʉ. Ə ne nlù ə mfʉkə ghə̀ ə mə nkwen a chì ə̀ bv ̀ əlàŋ vyi nsas nsas nsas sətsèn ghə̀ ə mboŋ bàŋə kəlàŋ fa tsu. Mbɛ nsas ə bvɨ ə ngə'sə vyi sək ̀plə̀ ghə̀ ə mbɛ mboŋ əshɨə ngə'sə wen fa tsu. Nlyɨ kəlàŋ kəwen kyìkə nlyɨ ntɔǹ ə nkom ntom tsu a chɨ. Kəlaŋ kyì ne sə fʉ'ə̀ mè mu kə lwin li a əchʉ̀ ə ntɔǹ. Ghə̀ ə mbɛ nkɨə ngə'sə wen shì ə mbvʉ, nkwi'tə a təbɨ' a təbɨ' sə mbɛ nku' nlwin a əchʉ̀ ə ntɔǹ ghə̀ ə mpfe. ə nchʉ' kəlaŋ kəwen kyì nchʉ' nchʉ' nchʉ', ə mboŋ sò'ə̀ nkyè ə nwye tsu. ə nlyɨə ngə'sə wen shìsə ə nwye à yi kəchʉ. Mə nlu sə jè'ə̀ jʉ̀ ta mpfen la kə mə ghò'ə wen. Sə njè'ə̀ jʉ̀ nyen fənyo'əlò fə nwʉ' a kwìə əlò, nga', 'tàsə mo ə̀ mò' a mù ə̀ chò'. 'Wɛ ləmə̀ ghom wù ə lə̀ dì' ta jinə̀ mò mà dì' ta jinə̀ wù wù ga'a mà tàs wù mò' a mù à dì' ghɔ'. Mboŋ fənyo'əlò fyì nshi'ə nshʉtə̄ a mù nshʉtə̄ nshʉtə̄ nku'ə nwʉ'sə ə nlyɨ kəlàŋ kətsen kyìkə nku a wen, nlyɨ əbɨ'ə ngə'sə tsɛghə yi nku a wen. Nga' la ghə̀ ə nzhɨə. Ghə̀ ə ncho sə njʉə, ghə̀ ə mə nga' 'wù sə njʉə̀ yèn vi'i a və ta'ə nkò' nə̀ àsoŋə kə wù à chə' mbɔ.' 'Wɛ mu mà kɛ yi nchə'ə wì' mà dì' ndə̀ a?'. Ghə̀ ə mbɛ nga' 'wù sə njʉə̀ yèn vi'i və ku'ə a əkàŋ nə̀ təchʉ tənà'tə kə wù à chə' mbɔ.' Ghə̀ ə nga'ə yì kɛ chə'ə dì' ndə?' 'Wù bɛ sə jʉə̀ yèn jì ə̀ mənka'ə̀ wù jʉə̀ tà fa jìə̀ kəzòyn kə wù à jʉ̀ fa jìə̀ mənka'ə̀ yì.' Ghə̀ ə nga' a yì jʉə̀ fa jìə̀ mənka'ə̀ mu yì zì yì cho fa jìə̀ mənka'ə̀ mu? Ghə̀ ə nga' a wen la 'wù jʉ̀ ə̀ yèn wulɨmə̀ mənka'ə̀ kə wù lə̀ lam, ə̀ yèn tà mənyìnə̀ awʉ nə̀ vətubù awʉ̀ wù ə mə̀ lam. Ghə̀ ə nga' a yìə lə̀ jʉ̀ lam wulɨmə̀ mənka'ə̀ yì dì' ndə? mu wulɨmə̀ mənka'ə̀ zì ghə̀ bɔ bəm kənyʉ̀ à yì lɔ? Ncho nzhʉ tà tə̀ so' tyìtə a və yi ngà'ə̀ lì. Sə njʉ̀ ə̀ yèn vi'i vyi a və ta'ə nkò' nə̀ àsoŋ ə lì ghə̀ ə ntoŋtə tà toŋtə ncho. Ə yèn vi'i a və ku'ə a əkàŋ nə̀ təchʉ tənà'tə ghə̀ ə ntoŋtə tà toŋtə ncho ghə̀ ə ko chə'. Sə jʉ̀ ə̀ nyèn jì ə̀ mənka'ə̀ yì ghə̀ ə ko jʉ̀ fa tsu, njʉ̀ tà fa jì ə̀ kəzòyn ta ji a və yì ty ̀ptə wen. Njʉ̀ nyen wì' mu ghə̀ ə mə làf a lɛ̀ sə so zhʉ̀ ta tsòŋ ghə̀ mə ga' a wì ə̀ yi ghə̀ ə ncho tà choə. Sətsèn bà'ə yi nyìə̀ vì nə̀ və̀ tubù a awʉ̀ ghə̀ ə nshwaŋ tà shwaŋ ə njʉ̀ mbwam nga' a ndì' lɨmə yi lə. Wenə wen nlam njʉ̀ ə mbwi wànə̀ mbì vəwenə ghə̀ soə la dzè', ə mbwi vətsevə vəbò və soə ta dzè'.

Sətsèn ghə̀ ə mə nkwo'tə a wenə kəchʉ la yì dì'ə ly ̀ vʉnə vyi venə jʉ̀ jì' à lì ə̀ yi wenə tì' ə yi. Ghə̀ ə nshʉ təẁen tə vʉnə wen tyìtə nlu wenə lɨm ə wen vəwenə mə na'ə sə vì mu lì ə̀ wen yî fʉ̀ wɛ nə tì' ə wen. Vəwenə ncho əku' ə nwʉ'mə a əkàŋ. Mə sə nwʉ' sə k ̀blə̀ lì, lì ə̀ wen nvì wenə tì' ə vəwenə ə nkwen, ghə̀ ə ŋamtə wànə̀ mbì ghə̀ ə nyiŋ ə cho ndzɨŋ a kəchʉ ə lì ə̀ wen. ŋamtə bamə wen ghə̀ ə ncho ndzɨŋ a kəchʉ ə tì' ə̀ wen. Andə ghə ne lì vəwenə mə nga' 'yoyì, a tà shəsə a sə dì'ə a əkàŋ a shə̀ layn dz ̀ə̀ a vi'i təwen a lə̀ a?' Andə və ga'ə me lì vʉn vyi nga' 'lò'ə mo a nɨ mà ku kəfo kyə.' Lì ə̀ wenə mə nga' 'wù mò kənà' kə tsàm ə̀ mò mu wù mò kəkaŋ kə mənzhì' ə̀ mò, mu wù mò ghɔ?' Ghə̀ ə nshi'sə wànə̀ mbi wen yì, və nayn nayn nayn. Sətsèn ghə̀ ə nshi'sə bamə wen, və nayn. Mbɛ nshi'sə bamə wen. Nkà wen nshi'ə wenə̀ lɨm ə wen və nsaŋlə a lə̀ nsaŋlə nsaŋlə nsaŋlə.

Wàyn yì a və nkòŋə̀ lì nyen ta lì mə nlyɨ nkyè ə kəŋ kəlaŋ tsu nvì ntom a chɨ a mpfìə̀ ntòyn kə nshi'ə no'ə̀ kətsèm ə nshi'ə me a kənà' kə ntòyn. Nkɨ ngə'sə a kye' ə mbvu sə nghamtə no'ə̀ sətsèm a kənà' kə ntòyn. Ghə̀ ə ne əfo vyi nkəŋə nkyè mənka'ə ənyaŋ tsu a wenə kəchʉ la yì jʉ̀ ə bwi vyi vʉnə. Sə njʉə̀ tà jʉ̀ ə nyen Fənyo'əlò fyì fə a kwì a mù. Fə nga' 'tàsə mo ə̀ mò' a mù ə̀ chò.' 'Wandafù wù dì' ghɔ a ma yi ndì'ə ntɨmə mu nə̀ wù tsu a?' Nchə ta lə̀ ə mo' a ch ̀ à mù ə ncho. Ghə̀ ə mbɛ ngholə nku' ntɨmə nga' 'wù sə njʉə̀ yèn vi'i a və ta'ə nkò' nə̀ àsoŋə wù ə chə' mbɔ.' 'Ghə̀ ə nga' a yì faŋ kɛ chə' la vi'i ta'ə nkò' nə̀ àsoŋə mu və ghɔ ndzàm mu?' mbɛ̀ nga' a 'wù sə njʉə̀ yèn vi'i a və ku'ə a əkaŋ nə̀ təchʉ tənà' tə wù ə chə' mbɔ.' Ghə̀ ə nga' a 'he' faŋ kɛ chə' la vi'i a və ku'ə a əkaŋ nə̀ təchʉ tənà' tə mu təku' tə jʉ̀ fenə?' 'Wù sə jʉə̀ yèn jìə̀ mənka'ə̀ wù jʉə̀ tà fa tsu kə wù à jʉ̀ a jì əto' mbɔ.' 'Mu mà ə ndì'ə jʉ̀ fa jì əto' à chòə̀ vəǹdə̀ fa jì mənka'ə?' 'Wù sə jʉ̀ ə̀ yèn wulɨmə̀ mənka'ə̀ wù lam tà wen ə̀ yen wulɨmə̀ vətubù kə wù lù lam bɔ. 'Uush mu wùlɨmə̀ vətubù yi ndì' bo'sə mo la wùlɨmə̀ mənka'ə̀ ayì dì' lɨmə̀ ndə?' Ncho njʉ̀ nyen vi' vyi ta lə̀ ə nchə'ə njʉ.

Ncho njʉ̀ nyen wùlɨmə̀ mənka'ə̀ yì ghə̀ vì tà viə ghə̀ ə mə nshwaŋ ə jʉ̀ ngha' ə mə nga'ə à dì' lɨmə yi lə, mu' fənyìn awʉ fyi fə viə li a mbì ghə̀ ə nchən ə ncho njʉ̀ nlam tà wùlɨmə̀ mənka'ə̀ yì. Wenə wen njʉ, mbwi wàyn ə̀ mbì vəwenə à dì' zhʉ. Bamə wenə dì' fəkə'əkə'ə. Bamə wenə dì' fəno'əno'ə. əchʉ' ə nlayn ghə̀ ə mə mbɛ nly ̀ nvì nə̀ vəwenə mə ga'ə yì vì və bɛ nàyn ta lì. Nvì mu lì ə̀ vəwenə bɛ fʉ̀ və ncho nku' a kàŋ yì. Lì ə̀ wenə ne mbwinə mpfwo ghə̀ ə mə̀ nga' fa kàŋ 'lò'ə mo a nɨ mà ku kəfo kə.' 'Wù mò kəna' kə tsàm ə̀ mò mu wù mò kəkaŋ kə mənzhì' ə̀ mò, mu wù mò ghɔ?' Ghə̀ ə nga' zhʉ̀ yi nshi'sə, və nzɨmə, wemey wemey, wì'ə pfʉ̀ li, nghomə nzhwi. Sətsèn fəkə'əkə'ə fə mbɛ nshi'sə və nghomə nzhwi.

Fəno'əno'ə fə n ̀'kə̀ shi'ə vì və nghomə nzhwi tà zhwiə. Wù ə mə nghɨlə nshi'ə fa əkaŋ wyɛ lɨmə wù. ə mə̀ sə kò'sə̀ kə'ə.

Pfəpfəpfə, wù bwi wàyn ə̀ wù ghə̀ ə nku'ə ta bwàbwà' nkà wù bɛ ku'ə ta bwàbwà'.

4) The maltreated girl

Once upon a time a man married his wife and they had two daughters whom they didn't love equally. In fact, they loved one and hated the other. Eventually they demonstrated the hatred by sending the one they hated to stay behind the fireplace in the kitchen where smoke would always penetrate her eyes as they cook. Before long she even became a place for dumping dirt so that each time there would be trash they will dispose of it on her.

It went on and on and one day as she was reflecting on her predicament they again peeled cocoyams and egusi and throw all the peelings on her before leaving the house. When the others had left the house, she decided to search through those peelings and eventually found one little cocoyam and a lone egusi. She peeled the cocoyam and cooked but as the cocoyam was boiling in the pot it increased until the pot was full. She pounded the cocoyams and formed several loaves of achu from it. After that she prepared the egusi, which also increased tremendously and she ended up with several bundles of it.

When everything was ready, she found a broken basket around and put both the achu and egusi into it, carried on her head and began to go to an unknown destination. She got to a bridge and met a cranky animal sitting on it. The animal told her to push him into the stream and pass but she refused saying that both are cranky and she cannot afford to maltreat anybody. She rather picked the animal up, entered the stream, cleaned it up, took it back to the bridge and gave it enough achu and egusi to eat. When the animal started to eat, she left to continue on her way. The animal was so pleased and advised her saying that 'As you go if you meet people splitting firewood with their teeth you shouldn't laugh at them.' She replied asking him who she is to laugh at people who lack axes. It again said that 'As you go if you meet people climbing into their barns with their buttocks you shouldn't laugh at them.' She replied asking him why she would laugh at such people. Then it said 'If you meet a thorny footpath and a paved road you should follow the former instead of the latter.' She responded asking him who she is to be able to walk on a paved road. Finally, it said 'If you go and see a presentable civilized man you shouldn't marry him, instead marry only a local wretched man with jiggers in his feet.' Again, she told him that she couldn't even attempt to marry a civilized man giving her status.

As she moved on she met all these scenarios and behaved just the way she had been advised to. When she met people splitting firewood with their teeth and those climbing into their barns with their buttocks she just greeted them and passed. When she came to the two roads she simply followed the path with thorns and as she went on she met a civilized man who proposed marriage to her but she refused. Soon she saw a wretched villager whom she accepted to marry. They went and had three extremely beautiful children and lived happily.

One day she decided to go back to her parents for them to see her children. She then prepared everyone, dressed the kids very well and went with her husband. They got to her parents' home when all of them had gone out so she decided to climb into the barn with her children and husband and wait for her parents there. Eventually they came back home and sat in the house. Soon after she pinched the children one after another to go over (in the barn) and urinate directly on the man or woman in the kitchen.

When the urine would drip on one of them they would think that there are many rats in the barn urinating on them. When all the children had taken turns to urinate their mother spoke from the barn saying 'Pay me mother and I will give you something.' Her mother replied 'You know everything I own and you can have what you want. They then lowered the first child from the barn to the floor and he was so handsome that there was a lot of celebration. After that they lowered their second child, then the third and finally she came down with her husband and there was total celebration. When the other beloved girl saw this, and became yealous, she decided to go and have her own children. She therefore went and harvested much cocoyams but when she cooked them the quantity rather reduced in the pot. She peeled much egusi and cooked but the quantity also rather diminished. In any case, she prepared the small quantities and put them inside a very beautiful basket, dressed herself very well and set out to an unknown destination to get her own children. Soon she got to the bridge and found the cranky animal that told her to push it into the water and pass. She angrily asked the animal whether it thought she could cross the bridge with it sitting there. She kicked it down and passed. As she was going the animal struggled and came out of the water and told her that 'As you go if you see people splitting wood with their teeth you should laugh at them.' Then she said 'I will laugh at them for not having an axe to split their firewood with.' The animal continued and told her that 'If you see people climbing with their buttocks into their barns you should laugh at them.' She said 'I will laugh at such people for not having ladders to use and climb into their barns.' Again it said 'If you meet a junction with two roads make sure to follow only the paved one and not the dirty footpath.' She asked it 'Did you really think that with my status I could follow a dirty path?'. Finally, it said 'if you see a presentable civilized man marry him instead of a wretched poor man.' She said that 'I could only marry a handsome civilized man. What will I have to do with a wretched villager?' As she went on and saw people splitting firewood with the teeth, and others climbing into their barns with their buttocks she mocked at them as she had said. When she got to the junction she followed the paved road and soon she met a wretched villager who proposed to marry her but she brutalized him, refused and went on until she met a civilized man whom she didn't hesitate to marry. They went and their first child was a snake, the second a lizard and the third a chameleon.

One day she decided to go back to her parents for them to see her children. They got to her parents' home when all of them had gone out so she decided to climb into the barn with her children and husband and wait for her parents there. Eventually they came back home, sat in the house and she said 'Pay me mother and I will give you something.' Her mother replied 'You know everything I own and you can have what you want. They then lowered the first child from the barn to the floor and when the snake landed everyone was so scared that they killed it immediately. Then they lowered the lizard and chameleon, which were also killed. Finally, she descended with her husband and they were all ashamed. This is the end of the story. Pfəpfəpfə, wù bwi wàyn ə̀ wù ghə̀ ə nku'ə ta bwàbwà' nkà wù bɛ ku'ə ta bwàbwà'.

5) The family and the Crocodile

Once upon a time a woman had five children whose names were five different leafy vegetables (Njamanjama, Cabbage, Green, Bitter-green, Bitter-leaf). One day she sent Cabbage to the stream to go and fetch water. When Cabbage got there, she met a Crocodile on a stone and shot it with a pebble so that it should give way for her to fetch the water. Crocodile shot her back with fluid from its mouth and she fell and died then it carried her and placed somewhere behind.

When Cabbage didn't return, the woman sent Bitter-green to go and check. Bitter-green got to the stream and asked Crocodile 'Where is my sister who came here to fetch water?' Crocodile replied saying:

Take a pebble and shoot me with, I take my fluid and shoot you with, you fall and die, I take you and place behind me.

Bitter-green also shot it with a pebble so that it should give way for her to fetch the water. Again, Crocodile shot her back with fluid from its mouth and she fell and died then it carried her and placed somewhere behind.

They waited for the two children in vain and sent the third, fourth and fifth but none of them ever returned. The woman decided to go herself to the stream. When she got there, she asked Crocodile 'Where are my children who came here to fetch water?'

Crocodile replied:

Take a pebble and shoot me with, I take my fluid and shoot you with, you fall and die, I take you and place behind me.

The woman also shot it with a pebble and Crocodile shot her back with its fluid and she fell and died like her children. Crocodile also took her and placed where the children were.

When the man had waited for long he decided to go down to the stream. He got there and also asked Crocodile 'Where are my people who came here to fetch water?' Crocodile again replied:

Take a pebble and shoot me with, I take my fluid and shoot you with, you fall and die, I take you and place behind me.

The man also shot it with a pebble and Crocodile shot him back with its fluid such that he fell and died like his wife and children. Pfəpfəpfə, wù bwi wàyn ə̀ wù ghə̀ ə nku'ə ta bwàbwà' nkà wù ku'ə ta bwàbwà'.

6) The greedy Ogre

Once upon a time a woman had a son. One day she went working in her farm with him. When they were tired at noon she sent him to go and fetch water so that they could eat and drink. When he got to the stream he met an ogre sitting on a stone. Ogre caught the child, put it in a basket and closed it well. The animal carried the child in the basket and was moving around until it found a certain woman working in her own farm. Ogre told the woman 'Madam, pay me and I will entertain you with music from my basket.' She gave her the food she was planning to eat when she would be tired. The animal ate everything and then ordered its basket to play music. The child began to sing from the basket: I went to fetch water, found Ogre sitting on a stone, It caught me and put inside the basket, I am Kendong's child.

The child sang this way hoping that even if they do not meet his mother someone who knows his father can hear the song and will be able to inform his family.

After that the animal carried its basket and they continued going. Soon it saw another woman working in her own farm and after the ogre had eaten this woman's food as payment it ordered its basket to play music. The child sang from the basket:

I went to fetch water, found Ogre sitting on a stone, It caught me and put inside the basket, I am Kendong's child.

Thereafter they got to the next farm and it happened to be the child's mother working there. Ogre told the woman 'Madam, pay me and I will entertain you with music from my basket.' The woman said it should let her listen a little bit to the kind of music.

When the child sang, the woman knew that it was her son. She appreciated the music very much and told Ogre that there is much food for it to eat but no water to drink and so it should keep the basket there, go to the stream and fetch water that it can drink after eating. She then bore several tiny holes on a calabash before giving it to the animal to go to the stream. When it had gone to fetch the water the woman took out her son and covered him with grass and soil in a ridge. She had enough time because Ogre could not bring water with ease because of the holes in the calabash through which the water leaked each time and it was forced to return to the stream to refill it. She looked for insects like bees and wasps that can produce music but also sting and put into the basket. She covered it properly and then waited for Ogre who finally came back with a bit of water. They ate the food and drank the little water and the woman told Ogre that the music is so nice that it should not even play it to anyone again. She advised that the basket should be carried straight home and the beautiful music preserved. Ogre thanked the woman and then left. She then removed her son from the ridge and ran home.

At the next farm, Ogre saw another woman working and again told her to pay so that she could be entertained with music from the basket. The woman also gave food to it and after eating the animal told the basket to play. Surprisingly only bee and wasp noises were produced. Ogre became angry and warned that if the music didn't sound well it will smash the child's ribs. Again, only the noise of insects was produced. Ogre then kicked the basket and scattered it. All those insects came out and stung it to death. This is the end of the story. Pfəpfəpfə, wù bwi wàyn ə̀ wù ghə̀ ə nku'ə ta bwàbwà' nkà wù ku'ə ta bwàbwà'.

7) The Wicked Monkeys

Once upon a time a man had a son. The man will go and tap palmwine, bring to his home and then play his xylophone for monkeys to come out of the forest and dance. After dancing he will offer them the palmwine as entertainment. The monkeys will drink the palmwine and then return to the forest. The child always watched with interest and admiration.

One day his father was leaving home and the child told him that during the day he will play the xylophone for the monkeys to come and dance. The father refused telling him that if he dares, the monkeys will trouble him since he will not have palmwine to entertain them with. The man then left thinking that the child had understood and will obey him.

However, when the man was gone the child went to the palm bush to harvest the forest sour fruit. He came home, squeezed the juice and put into jugs as if it were palmwine. After Pfəpfəpfə, wù bwi wàyn ə̀ wù ghə̀ ə nku'ə ta bwàbwà' nkà wù bɛ ku'ə ta bwàbwà'.

9) The discriminating woman

Once upon a time a woman had four children named Atikwakwa, Yunawoman, Bebibesanda, and Bebibebi. Atikwakwa had scabies on her body and her mother didn't like her. Each time the woman was going to work she will take the children and keep near a stream to stay the day and wait for her. On her way back, she would stop by the stream at a distance from the children and sing:

Bebibebi come here, Yunawoman come here, Bebibesanda come here, Atikwakwa you stay there.

The children would obey her and she will clean up the three who go to her and feed them well meanwhile the fourth will be neglected to herself.

This happened regularly until one day a snake came to the place near the stream where the woman usually stopped and sang.

It also sang in a snake voice:

Bebibebi come here, Yunawoman come here, Bebibesanda come here, Atikwakwa you stay there.

But the children refused to go because they noticed that the voice was not their mother's. At that the snake modified its voice to sound exactly like the woman's own by eating an insect. Then it repeated the song:

Bebibebi come here, Yunawoman come here, Bebibesanda come here, Atikwakwa you stay there.

The children then obeyed and when the three went over the snake swallowed them such that Atikwakwa survived alone.

In the evening their mother came and sang as usual but this time Atikwakwa replied:

Bebibebi is not here, Yunawoman is not here, Bebibesanda is not here, Atikwakwa is here.

The woman began to mourn and to sing: Ghə̀ ə lì gà'à wàyn yi nè jʉ̀ za'ə a kəshi a əlo dì'ə̀ tsu ghə̀ ə tɨm ə̀ kɔs ə̀ əlo yi mò' a mù ghə̀ ə sə myì'ə̀ jʉə. Ghə̀ nè vì za'ə tsu nè nyù'ə̀ wen ə wen mimbu ghə̀ nè sə tɨm mu wàyn yi bɛ̀ jʉ̀ no'ə̀ kəghaf. ə ne ta lì, ə ne ta lì, ə ne ta lì sətsen ghə̀ ə nka'ə nyɨŋ kə ngho'ə wen ghə̀ ə mfəŋə mpfʉ. Wàyn yi mə mbwoŋ.

If Bebibebi is
Pfəpfəpfə, wù bwi wàyn ə̀ wù ghə̀ ə nku'ə ta bwàbwà' nkà wù bɛ ku'ə ta bwàbwà'.

10) The tricky children

Once upon a time a woman had two children. She had a farm far away in the forest. She would go there and work but will return home every day despite the distance. When the crops were getting mature she asked her children to go there and watch the farm so that animals and birds will not eat the crops.

One day it happened that the children were to spend the night up there in the forest. In the evening, they harvested pumpkins and cooked. When the pumpkins were getting ready one of the children said he would like to go and fetch water for them to drink after eating. He used that as an opportunity to escape and return home because he feared staying the night at the farm. When he had been gone for too long and the pumpkins were ready his brother got out of the house and began to call out to him in the dark.

oh friend, oh friend, But a certain large scrotum animal was approaching and responding:

friend, friend, empty.

The young man would ask:

What is this I am calling you and you are saying?

The animal will still respond: friend, friend, empty.

The boy got fed up and went back into the house and said 'Where will I remove these pumpkins from the pot and keep?' As soon as he had finished talking the animal stood at the door and spread its scrotum from the entrance of the house to the floor and told the young man to place all the pumpkins there. While panicking, he carried all the pumpkins and placed on the scrotum.

The animal began select the good pumpkins and eat while giving the bad ones to the boy to eat. As they were eating the boy began to wonder what he will do to escape so that the animal doesn't eat him as well. Finally, an idea came to his mind and he told the animal that since there was no potable water he should go and fetch some so that they could drink after eating. So, the animal gave way for him to pass. He got out and ran straight home to safety. The animal finished eating, waited for some time without him returning and then left.

The next time the two children were to stay the night in the forest again they still harvested pumpkins to eat after guarding the farm the whole day. This night the second boy said he will be the one to go and fetch water since the first had gone the last time. He left and also went straight home abandoning the other in the forest. The boy stayed behind and waited in vain until he decided to go out and call for his brother.

oh friend, oh friend

The large scrotum animal was again approaching and responding: friend, friend, empty.

The young man would ask:

What is this I am calling you and you are saying?

The animal will still respond: friend, friend, empty.

He got fed up and went back into the house and as he was looking for something to place the pumpkins on the animal stood at the door and spread its scrotum from the entrance of the house to the floor and told the boy to put the pumpkins in it. He carried all the pumpkins and placed on the large scrotum and the animal began to select and eat. The child was panicking and wondering what he will do and soon he said he would like to go and fetch water for them to drink. The animal refused reminding him that the boy had deceived him the previous day and did not return.

When the animal had finished eating it carried the boy to where it lives. At its residence, there were several gates each one of them having a distinct sound it makes when it is opened/closed. They passed from one gate to another and the sounds were reminding the boy that there would be no way for him to escape because if he tried to do the gates will produce a lot of noise and the animal will catch up with him. When they got to the room where the animal lives the boy saw several skulls and was scared to his bones. He really wondered what he would do to escape. Finally, the child asked him how one would really know and be sure that the animal was deep asleep. The animal told him that when it begins to snore seriously then it means that it is deep asleep. The animal then asked the child that how would one know if he is deep asleep. The child said it is when he sleeps until saliva comes out of his mouth.

When it was, bedtime the animal removed its heart and kept in the inner part of the room from where it was shining brightly. The animal placed the child behind its back and then began to sleep. The boy couldn't sleep and kept listening until the animal began to snore. The boy got up gently, took a pillow and placed it where he was lying, went over the animal, took its heart and went out of the room quietly. He opened the gates and closed them gently behind him until he got to the last one and banged it forcefully to wake up the animal. The animal woke up, took a machete and was cutting the pillow knowing that it was the boy.

When he discovered that the boy was not there and that its heart was also gone, he cried out for his life and began to rush after the 11) The farm stone/house Once upon a time there was a farm in the Fon's piece of land. On that farm, there was a stone that will transform into a house each time it started to rain. One day a woman was working in the farm when it started to rain. She took her children and they went into the house for shelter. When they got in they met a large scrotum animal and saw human skulls all over the place. The woman imagined what she will do for them to escape and was still thinking when termites began to come out of the ground because of the rain. She then told one of her children to go out and pick some termites so that they could fry and eat with cornfufu. When the child was going out she winked to him not to return into that house. The child went and did not return. After a while she began to worry and to ask why the child had not returned with the termites. She therefore asked another child to go and pick the termites. Before the child left she pinched him so that he would not return to that house. After waiting for some time without the two children returning the woman asked the third, who happened to have jiggers in his toes, to go and pick the termites since his brothers were not returning. The child was angry with his mother and asked her how she could want him to go into rain with his jiggers because of termites. For that reason, the woman said she herself will go and check the two other children so that they can pick the termites.

When the woman left, the house immediately transformed into the stone. The woman ran to the village and reported the matter, saying that one of her children was left inside the stone.

The child who had stayed in the house/stone ran and entered under a bed but while the large scrotum animal was sleeping on the bed he will send a stick up and scratch the animal with. Each time the child did so the animal will exclaim saying that the lice in the bed were too many. It continued like that until the animal discovered that it was the child doing it. It went below and got the child from under the bed, killed him and ate.

Back in the village the people contemplated on what to do and finally decided on a day to go and break the stone. They went with all kinds of things such as hammers and even axes that can be used to break stones. They spent the whole day hitting the stone to no avail as not even a part of it got broken. Towards the end of the day a man whose feet had been destroyed by jiggers was coming to the scene with a stick in his hand. People began to mock at him wondering what he was coming to do when they had spent an entire day there without succeeding to break the stone.

People even challenged him to his face but he didn't respond but made his way through the crowd to the stone. He put himself together and hit the stone with the stick and immediately blood came out. He hit again for the second time and more blood flew.

The people then yoined him to hit that broken spot until the stone was broken. They opened it up and found the animal, which they brought out and killed.

After that they took the woman and her surviving children as well as the man with jiggers in his feet to the palace. When they got there the Fon surrendered half of the village to them to rule over while he continued to rule over the other part. Thanks to the woman and especially the man with jiggers in his feet the village was freed from the whims and caprices of the large scrotum animal. This is the end of the story. 12) The blacksmith and the Ogre Once upon a time a blacksmith got married and it happened that when his wife was pregnant he had to go and work in a far-off place. He knew that his wife will have the baby while he is away so he bought enough meat for her to feed on when she will be delivered of the baby. He left her and went away to work and when he left, an ogre came by and when it saw that the woman was alone it decided to remain with her. When the woman finally got the baby, Ogre tamus took away the meat the woman was supposed to be eating. The animal will cook the meat and while eating it will scrape its skin and give the woman to eat cornfufu with. The woman will pretend to put it in her mouth but throw it behind her. Ogre would rebuke her asking what it was that she is throwing behind her. She would say she was just scratching her back. It continued this way until the woman became so pale since she was breastfeeding without eating well.

One day a bird that had been taking note decided to go and report the matter to the woman's husband. It flew to the place where the man was working, landed on a branch and began to sing:

Madam stayed back and had a baby.

Ogre is maltreating her.

As the bird sang, the man's assistant working with him heard and told the man to pay attention as the song concerned him but the man told him that it was nothing serious and that he should get back to work. The bird sang again:

Madam stayed back and had a baby.

Ogre is maltreating her.

This time the man got the message and so packed his tools quickly and rushed home. He got home and found that his wife was tied to a robe, which was connected to the Hippopotamus that had gone out to work in a farm. It had tied the robe on the woman so that if she attempted to move and look for food to eat the robe will shake and then Ogre will notice it and will run home to stop her from eating.

The man untied the rope gently and gave the woman water to take a bath. He prepared food and gave her to eat and after that she narrated the entire story to him and showed him the spot where Ogre always sits in the house. The man heated his axe very well in the fire and put it inside coals to continue heating and then went up to the barn and sat directly on top of the place where Ogre always sits. Ogre soon returned and ordered the woman to 'throw that child over there and come and take this basket from me.' Unlike before when the woman would quickly throw down the baby and go to take the basket, she didn't make a move nor even say anything this time around, to the greatest surprise of Ogre who repeated the order yet the woman didn't move. So, Ogre asked: 'Have you seen your mother or your father?' Yet the woman didn't utter even a single word. This attitude surprised Ogre a lot and he just went in and sat down to rest. As soon as he sat down the man sent the hot axe into the middle of his head and he ran out shouting:

Oh, it has met me today.

Have you seen your mother or your father?

Oh, it has met me today.

Ogre continued running and shouting until he arrived his home.

The man sat and wondered how he could recover his axe and continue working with it. He decided to go to Ogre's house and when he got there he met him at home with much hair on his head since it couldn't be shaved with the axe on it. He asked him:

'My friend how come your hair has grown this much and you haven't shaved it?' Ogre replied: 'I have been asking people to help shave it but everyone has been refusing.' The man told Ogre to sprinkle water on it and he will help do the shaving. While he was sprinkling the water, he looked for a piece of bottle to shave the hair with. When he had shaved all round, and got to the middle where the axe was he will shake it a bit to remove and the pain will cause Ogre to cry and ask what is happening. The man will respond by saying that it is the bottle that is touching the axe thereby causing the pain. Finally, when he was nearly done, he pulled out the axe forcefully and Ogre fell and died and the man went home with his axe. This is the end of the story. Lùwàyn yi nnè ta lì, nnè ta lì, nnè ta lì, əzhʉ nkwʉ' ghə̀ ə mfəŋ ə mpfʉ̀ byì j ̀ŋ. Jìə ko dì'ə ghə̀ zhɨ kàsa yì tà ndə wì'ə̀ əsɨm ə kàsa yi nè kəfʉ̀ a wenə kàsa.

Pfəpfəpfə, wù bwi wàyn ə̀ wù ghə̀ ə nku'ə ta bwàbwà' nkà wù bɛ ku'ə ta bwàbwà'.

15) The cassava thief

Once upon a woman planted a cassava farm and as it was getting ready famine attacked the village. One woman who didn't have what to eat decided to go and steal some of the cassava. It happened that the cassava owner had placed medicine against theft on the farm. The woman dug up the cassava, went home and cooked it. When it was ready she opened the pot to dish it out and eat but as soon as she took off the lid, the pot jumped off the fireplace and began to run to the farm while the woman followed to try to catch it. When the pot got to the farm all the cassava left and went back to the plant in the ground. The woman tried again the second time and the same thing happened. She took her pot home and contemplated on what to do with all the hunger in her.

Finally, she decided to use her hoe and make little holes on the road so that they will act as obstacles to the pot and she will be able to catch it when it attempts to run again. She then went back and dug the cassava. When it was ready she opens the pot to dish it and the pot left again and began to run away. It will fall into a hole but before the woman gets there it would jump out and this continued until they got back to the farm. The cassava left the pot and went back to its plant in the ground. The woman went back and improved on the depth of the holes thinking that she hadn't dug them well the first time. Unfortunately for her the same thing happened the next time she tried. This went on until the woman died of hunger because the owner had kept medicine against theft in her cassava farm. Pfəpfəpfə, wù bwi wàyn ə̀ wù ghə̀ ə nku'ə ta bwàbwà' nkà wù bɛ ku'ə ta bwàbwà'.

17) The woman and the leaf

Once upon a time a woman went to fetch firewood. While she was busy fetching the firewood, a leaf came down from a tree and hung on her back. When she had finished, she told the leaf to descend from her back so that she could be able to put the firewood on her head. The leaf refused and told her to carry the firewood with it on her back. For that reason, the woman tried and took up the wood to her head and walked home. When they arrived, she told the leaf to descend so that she could put down the firewood from her head. The leaf said she should go ahead and put down the firewood from her head with it on her back. She 106 put down the firewood and then told the leaf to go down so that she could enter the house. The leaf again said she will only go in with it on her back. Then she went into the house and was troubled wondering how she will sit with a leaf on her back.

Finally, she decided to look for corn and prepare cornbeer.

When the cornbeer was ready she began to lick it while appreciating how nice it was. The leaf was tempted to taste so it went down from the woman's back and yoined her in drinking the cornbeer. As the leaf concentrated on the cornbeer the woman escaped and hid herself outside.

When the leaf had finished licking the cornbeer it went out, looked for a drum and was playing:

A woman deceived my ..

  Introduction ............................................................................. Table of Contents .................................................................................. Introduction to Babanki Phonology ....................................................... The Babanki Alphabet ........................................................................... Babanki Noun Classes ........................................................................... Babanki Possessive Pronouns ................................................................ Babanki Demonstratives ...................................................................... Some Numerals and 'How Many' in Babanki ....................................... Babanki Tenses .................................................................................... Negation in Babanki ............................................................................ Some Babanki Folktales.......................................................................

  basket. As she attempted to carry the basket up the bird began to sing again: Fried everything in the fire, Fried everything in the fire, Fried corn seeds, Fried beans seeds, Fried groundnut seeds Fried pumpkin seeds.

3)

  Vʉnə vəta' nə̀ məngwòlə̀ Narrator: Ntìi Audience: Mbòo Narrator: Wù ngwʉ' nə̀ nlùu lo Audience: ò Narrator: Bwì vʉnə wen la vəta' lo Audience: ò Narrator: Ə chʉ̀ əzhi' ə wutsen nə̀ Mwì'kə̀ əgə', ə̀ chʉ̀ əzhi' ə wutsen nə̀ Mpfìə̀ kətsʉ, ə̀ chʉ̀ əzhi' ə wutsen nə̀ Məngəngəŋ mə̀ afwin. Ghə̀ ə sə̀ shè'ə̀ əfozhɨvə tà she'ə zhisə vəwenə tsu, shè'ə̀ tà she'ə zhisə vəwenə tsu. əchʉ' ə nlayn ghə̀ ə pfɨ. Vəwenə mə sə dì' fəkò' fə məngwòlə̀ lùwàyn ətsen fə̀ dì' a wenə chʉ̀ ə gə. Andə ghə mpfɨ lì vəwenə mə sə jʉə kwòŋə̀ məngwòlə̀ myi pfi'ə. Və nè jʉ̀ ə̀ kù' a fəkò' yì Mpfìə̀ kətsʉ ə̀ fàŋ a nse və sə kwòŋə məngwòlə̀ myi fa fəkò' mò'ə̀ mənkumə̀ a wen ghə̀ mə boŋtə pfi'ə àndə jìə ko dì'ə ghə̀ ku'.Əchʉ' ə nlayn kətsi kətsen vəwenə njʉ̀ ntsentə nku' a fəkò' no'ə̀ vətsèm. Mu tìə məngwòlə̀ mə gà' la yì a yen vi'i a və pfɨ'ə məngwòlə̀ myi mènmə, ə mə nvì nlyomtə. Vəwenə mə ntsentə nku' a fəkò' sə kwòŋə̀ pfɨ'ə kwòŋə̀ pfɨ'ə. Sətsèn wì' yì mə nwaf vəwenə. Andə ghə wafə̀ lì, Mpfìə̀ kətsʉ nga' a yì jʉ̀ shi'ə kətsʉkə nghaŋtə a əntam ə fəkò' ghə̀ ə mpfɨ, Mwì'kə̀ əgə' nga' a yì chə' la à dì' ghɔ a wi'ə ne lɔ, əgə'ə̀ mbaykə ghə̀ ə mfəŋə mpfɨ. Məngəngəŋ mə̀ àfwin nga' a yì jʉ̀ shi'ə afwin ə kwa'kə ghə̀ ə mfəŋə mpfɨ.Məngwòlə̀ myi mə bwoŋ.

  that he started to play the xylophone just like his father. The monkeys came out in their numbers and danced as usual. When they were exhausted, they went in and sat as they always do and the boy brought them the jugs. The monkey that always tasted their wine tasted and wondered what type of palmwine it was.Each of them tasted and said that it was wine from the forest sour fruit not palmwine. Because this annoyed them they tied up the child and closed all openings on his body such that no air went in or out of him. They kept him at the entrance to the house and left. The child nearly died but his father arrived on time to save him. After rescuing the child, he explained to his father what had happened so he quickly rushed to the palm bush and tapped palmwine. He returned and started to play the xylophone for the monkeys to come and dance. As usual they came out in their numbers and danced until they got tired. They then went in to sit and drink. While they were drinking, the man carried a large bundle of grass, placed on the door and set fire on it. All the monkeys got burnt and died.

Table 1 :

 1 Table summarizes the noun class system of this language. Babanki Noun ClassesBABANKI POSSESSIVE PRONOUNSThe possessive pronoun is one of the ways used to express possession in Babanki. In this language, the possessive pronouns usually follow the noun they modify. The Table that follows shows the various forms of the possessive pronouns.

	Noun	Prefix	Example	Gloss
	Class	(Suffix,
		Class 10)
	1	ø-	nkaŋ, sù', wulɨm	cornbeer (sg.), bottle, man
	2	və-, ø-	vənkaŋ, vəsù', lʉmə	cornbeer(pl.), bottles, men
	3	ə-	əfwin, əwoŋ	leg, market
	5	ə-	əshɨ, əghoŋ	eye, spear
	6	a-	afwin, ashɨ, abùm	legs, eyes, mucus (pl.)
	6a	mə-	mənyin, məfʉ	birds, medicines
	7	kə-	kəmbò, kəbùm, kəfʉ bag, mucus (sg.), medicine
	8	ə-	əmbò	bags
	9	ø-	m̀bà', bʉ	insult (n), dog
	10	-sə	m̀bà'sə, bʉsə	insults (n), dogs
	13	tə-	təwoŋ, təghoŋ	markets, spears
	19	fə-	fənyin	bird

Table 2 :

 2 Babanki Possessive Pronouns BABANKI DEMONSTRATIVES Demonstratives in Babanki distinguish two degrees of distance, proximal and distal. A third form represents the one referred to. The various forms of the demonstratives are given in Table3.

	Noun Class	Class Affix	this/these	that/those that/those referred to
	1	ø-	(ə)ghəǹ	(ə)yì	yìa
	2	və-, ø-	(ə)və(nə)	(ə)vyi	vyia
	3	ə-	(ə)ghe(nə)	(ə)yi	(ə)yia
	5	ə-	(ə)ghe(nə)	(ə)yi	(ə)yia
	6	à-	(à)ghe(nə)	yi	yia
	6a	mə-	(ə)mèn(mə) (ə)myì(mə)	myì(m(ə))a
	7	kə-	(ə)ken(kə)	(ə)kyi(kə)	(ə)kyi(k(ə))a
	8	ə-	(ə)və(nə)	(ə)vyi	(ə)vyia
	9	ø-	(ə)ghèn	(ə)yì	yìa
	10	-sə	(ə)sen(sə)	(ə)shi(sə)	(ə)shì(s(ə))a
	13	tə-	(ə)ten(tə)	(ə)tyi(tə)	(ə)tyì(t(ə))a
	19	fə-	(ə)fen(fə)	(ə)fyi(fə)	(ə)fyì(f(ə))a

Table 3 :

 3 Babanki DemonstrativesSOME NUMERALS AND 'HOW MANY' IN BABANKIIn Babanki, only numbers below 5 exhibit noun concord. The numbers 2 to 5 are therefore presented in Table4alongside the interrogative 'how many' which also shows interrogative concord.

	Noun	Class	bò	ta'	kà'	tàn	shə'
	Class	Affix	two	three	four	five	how many?
	2	və-, ø-	vəbò	vəta'	vəkà'	vətàn	vəshə'
	6	à-	abò	ata'	àkà'	àtàn	àshə'
	6a	mə-	məmbò mənta' məǹkà' məǹtàn	əǹshə'
	8	ə-	əbò	əta'	əkà'	ətàn	əshə'
	10	-sə	səbò	səta'	səkà'	sətàn	səshə'
	13	tə-	təbò	təta'	təkà'	tətàn	təshə'

Table 4 :

 4 The Numerals 'two' to 'five' and 'how many'

Table 5 :

 5 Babanki Tenses NEGATION IN BABANKI Standard negation is expressed in Babanki by means of a pre-verbal morpheme (ko) and an optional post-verbal or clause final morpheme (bwen) irrespective of tense and aspect.

	Tense Example	Gloss
	P2

Table 5 :

 5 Negation in BabankiNarrato: Əchʉ' ə nlain wàyn ə wen nshi'ə nku fənyin fə wen fa njàŋsə̀ àbeì nku' ə̀ nsaŋtə a chìəchɨ. Ə ne nlu no'ə̀ əzhʉ kò lì ə̀ wen nvì ntin ə mwom fənyin fə wen fyìfə fə mfwom ə̀ ncho ghə̀ ə myetə mpfɨ'. Wàyn yì ne bwin ə̀ vì ə̀ mbəm la fənyin ə fyìfə yenə fa chìəchɨ lɔ. Lì ə̀ wen nga' a wen la ghə̀ ə yi vì ntin la yì kəə mwɔm fə nlyɨmtə ncho yì ə mpfɨ' ə̀ me. Ghə̀ ə mə nga' à lì ə̀ wen la ghə̀ a lò' fənyin fəwen fyìfə. Lì ə̀ wenə nku kəzhʉ' a wen. lò' ghɔ? lò' nyin fwom shi'ə̀ kù a njàŋ àbeì shì kwala'.' Lè ə wàyn yìə nku kəbyə' kə kəbayn ə̀ wàyn kyìkə a wen. Nku mənlyù' myì və njʉ̀ sə gà'ə̀ 'kò mənlyù' a bəba ku la yɛs vì ə̀ kù à wù.' Və nga' a ghain à bò ghə̀ ə ko bwìnsə. Və mə̀ nga' a və jʉə n ̀'sə̀ ghə̀ ə ncho mfəŋ a bam yì. Ghə̀ ə mə nga':

	SOME BABANKI FOLKTALES
	1) Wàyn nə̀ fənyin fə
	Narrator: Ntìi
	Audience: Mbòo
	Narrator: Wù ngwʉ' nə̀ nlùu lo
	Audience: ò
	Narrator: Ə bwì wàyn ə wen la mù' lo
	Audience: ò
	Ghə̀ ə nlù ə njʉ̀ a mù ə sə nshùtə̀ kəzhʉ' kəwen kyìkə kəkɨm
	kə nvì lɨmtə. Ghə̀ ə nga' à kəkɨm kə la kə a lò' kəzhʉ' kəwen kyìkə.
	Kəkɨm kyìkə nwa'tə mu ə̀ nku a wen.
	Ghə̀ ə ncho nə̀ mu sə jʉ̀ ə yen lè əwàyn ghə̀ zhisə wàyn nə̀
	mənteì. Ghə̀ ə nga' 'wù zhisə wàyn nə̀ mənteì mu wù gho mu mu?'
	Nku mu myì a wen ghə̀ ə nzhisə sə mè ghə̀ mə nga':
	'lè ə wàyn e lò' mu mwom.
	mu mwom fu ndə? fù kɨmkɨm.

kɨmkɨm lò' ghɔ̀ e? lò' zhʉ' kom. zhʉ' kom fu ndə? fù nɨnɨ. nɨnɨ wì'ə̀ ghom ghə̀ jè'ə̀ bʉnə̀ bʉǹə. Ghəŋ gha' mənlyù' ə̀ jʉ̀ kù a wen. Sətsèn ghəŋ jʉ̀ ə nku ke ghə̀ nshi'ə ghəŋə n ̀'sə wen byè'ə̀ ghə̀ jè'ə̀ bʉnə.' nɨnɨ lò' ghɔ? lò' nyin fwom shi'ə̀ kù a njàŋ àbeì shì kwala'.'

  Ghə̀ ə mbɛ mboŋ fəngù'ngù' fyì ə mbɛ ntəmə wen tsu la ghə̀ kwentə fa jì yì chʉ mu myimə. Kəfɛfɛ̀ kyì mbɛ nlyɨ tà kəlyɨlyɨ kyì mbɛ ntəmə wen tsu. Ghə̀ ə mbɛ mfəŋə mpfʉ̀ ghə̀ ə nlyɨ ncho nyoŋsə.

	5) Ngwà'ə ngəŋ nə̀ kəfɛfɛ̀ kə Kəzhɨŋ kə mbɛ mboŋ fəngù'ngù' fyì ə ntəmə wen tsu. Kəfɛfɛ̀ kə ghə̀ fəŋə̀ pfʉ,
	Narrator: Ntìi mbwinsə nlyɨ kəlyɨlyɨ ntəmə wen tsu, ghə̀ ə mbɛ mfəŋə mpfʉ̀ ghə̀ ə mà ly ̀ chò nyòŋsə,
	Audience: Mbòo nlyɨ ncho nyoŋsə. lyɨkəlyɨkə e lyɨkəlyɨkə e.
	Narrator: Wù ngwʉ' nə̀ nlùu lo Və mbɛ nla'tə nla'tə və ko yèn vəwenə mbɛ ntɨm Kəlàylày. Ghə̀ ə mbɛ mboŋ fəngù'ngù' ə ntəmə wen tsu. Kəfɛfɛ̀ kə mbwinsə
	Audience: ò Və nkə'tə vəwenə ko ku' ghə̀ ə mbɛ ntɨm ə Kəlàylày. Kəlàylày kyi nshi'ə mbɛ mbəm 'vələmə̀ vwomə shì'ə a mù a shə̀ nlyɨ kəlyɨlyɨ ntəmə wen tsu, ghə̀ ə mbɛ mfəŋə mpfʉ̀ ghə̀ ə nlyɨ
	Narrator: Wì' nlù bwì vʉnə wen la vətàyn lo Kəlàylày kə mbɛ nshi'ə mbɛ nga' 'vələmə̀ vwomə shì'ə a mù a shə̀ nshi'ə njʉ̀ fɛ?' ghə̀ ə mbɛ nga': ncho nyoŋsə.
	Audience: ò nshi'ə njʉ̀ fɛ?' Ghə̀ ə mbɛ nga': ghə̀ ly ̀ fəngù'ngù' ə təm mo tsu, Nkə' ə̀ nkə' ghə̀ ə ko yèn vi'i wen nlu ə nshi'ə a mù, nshi'ə
	Narrator: Əzhi' ə wutsenə dì' Mbàsə̀ əpfɨ'ə, əzhi' ə wutsenə dì' ghə̀ ly ̀ fəngù'ngù' ə təm mo tsu, mà lyɨ fəlyɨlyɨ təm wen tsu, nga' la 'vi'i vwomə shì'ə a mù a shə̀ nshi'ə njʉ̀ fɛ?' Kəfɛfɛ̀ kyì mə
	Kabej, əzhi' ə wutsenə dì' Kəbwe, əzhi' ə wutsenə dì' Kəlàylày, mà lyɨ fəlyɨlyɨ təm wen tsu, ghə̀ fəŋə̀ pfʉ, nzhɨmtə:
	əzhi' ə wutsenə dì' Kəzhɨŋ. Əchʉ' ə nlayn kətsi kətsen lo ghə̀ fəŋə̀ pfʉ, mà ly ̀ chò nyòŋsə, ghə̀ ly ̀ fəngù'ngù' ə təm mo tsu,
	Audience: ò mà ly ̀ chò nyòŋsə, lyɨkəlyɨkə e lyɨkəlyɨkə e. mà lyɨ fəlyɨlyɨ təm wen tsu,
		lyɨkəlyɨkə e lyɨkəlyɨkə e. ghə̀ fəŋə̀ pfʉ,
		mà ly ̀ chò nyòŋsə,
	nga':	lyɨkəlyɨkə e lyɨkəlyɨkə e.
		ghə̀ ly ̀ fəngù'ngù' ə təm mo tsu,
		mà lyɨ fəlyɨlyɨ təm wen tsu,
		ghə̀ fəŋə̀ pfʉ,
		mà ly ̀ chò nyòŋsə,
	Kəfɛfɛ̀ kə nga' fa kwìə ngù' à mù: ghə̀ ly ̀ fəngù'ngù' ə təm mo tsu, lyɨkəlyɨkə e lyɨkəlyɨkə e.
	ghə̀ ly ̀ fəngù'ngù' ə təm mo tsu, mà lyɨ fəlyɨlyɨ təm wen tsu, Lì ə̀ vəwenə mbɛ ntəmə wen nə̀ ngù' ghə̀ ə mbɛ nlyɨ fəlyɨlyɨ təm ə
	mà lyɨ fəlyɨlyɨ təm wen tsu, ghə̀ fəŋə̀ pfʉ, wen tsu ghə̀ fəŋ ə̀ pfʉ̀ ghə̀ ə mbɛ ncho nyoŋsə.
		ghə̀ fəŋə̀ pfʉ, mà ly ̀ chò nyòŋsə, Tì' ə̀ vəwenə mbɛ nla'tə mbɛ nshi'ə mbəm 'vi'i vwomə shì'ə
	mà ly ̀ chò nyòŋsə, lyɨkəlyɨkə e lyɨkəlyɨkə e. a mù a shə̀ nshi'ə njʉ̀ fɛ?' Ghə̀ ə nga':
		lyɨkəlyɨkə e lyɨkəlyɨkə e. ghə̀ ly ̀ fəngù'ngù' ə təm mo tsu,
		mà lyɨ fəlyɨlyɨ təm wen tsu,

Narrator: Ghə̀ ə ntɨm Kabej a mù la ghə̀ shi'ə̀ chʉ̀ mu. Kabej nshi'ə̀ ə sə shi'ə̀ Kəfɛfɛ̀ kə nyəŋ a ngù' à mù. Ghə̀ ə nlyɨ fəngù'ngù' ə ntəmə wen tsu la ghə̀ kwentə fa jì yì chʉ mu mə̀ wen. Kəfɛfɛ̀ kə mbwinsə nlyɨ kəlyɨlyɨ ntəmə wen tsu, ghə̀ ə mfəŋ ə mpfʉ̀ ghə̀ ə nlyɨ ncho nyoŋsə a wenə bàm.

Nla'tə nla'tə lì ə̀ vəwenə ko yèn Kabej mbɛ ntɨm Kəbwe.

Kəbwe kə nshi'ə mbèm 'ləmə̀ ghom shì'ə a mù a shə̀ nshi'ə njʉ̀ fɛ?' Ghə̀ ə mbɛ nlyɨ fəngù'ngù' ə ntəmə wen tsu la ghə̀ kwentə fa jì yì chʉ mu myì. Kəfɛfɛ̀ kə mbwinsə nlyɨ kəlyɨlyɨ ntəmə wen tsu, ghə̀ ə mfəŋ ə mpfʉ̀ ghə̀ ə nlyɨ ncho nyoŋsə.

Lìə̀ vəwenə mbɛ nla'tə nla'tə ghə̀ ə ko yèn vəwenə, mbɛ ntɨm Kəzhɨŋ. Kəzhɨŋ kə mbɛ nshi'ə nga' 'vələmə̀ vwomə shì'ə a mùə a shə̀ nshi'ə njʉ̀ fɛ?' Ghə̀ ə mbɛ nga': Vəwenə nla'tə nla'tə və ko yèn vəwenə, lìə̀ vəwenə mbɛ nshi'ə mbɛ mbəm ta lì 'vʉnə vwomə shì'ə a mù a shə̀ nshi'ə njʉ̀ fɛ?' Ghə̀ ə mbɛ Tà àndə ghə zhɨmtə a lì nkə' yi ncho ntsɨfə wen, ntsɨfə, ntsɨfə nsaytə ghə̀ ə mpfʉ. Nkə' yi nwa'tə mu nwyetə a əchʉ ə̀ vi'i wen vyi vəwenə nlu nchʉ mu myi mbwinə nku' a ngəŋ.

  This is the end of the story.wù zhɨ ə̀ nyʉtə.' Ghə̀ ə mə nchosə wen ghə̀ ə mfʉ̀ njʉ̀ njʉ, mə nyɨŋə mpfwo tà pfwoə. Kəmbìsàdè kyìkə ne nzhɨ abu' yi nkə'ə wàyn yì ghə̀ ə ko yen, ə̀ fʉ̀ mpfwo.A sə ndì' kətsi kətsen vəwenə mbɛ nku' mbɛ ne ntsɨŋ ə nts ̀ŋ ə ntsɨŋə nts ̀ŋ, əzhʉ ə mpfwòmə ə nkwʉ', vəwenə mbɛ mpfe abu' atsɛghə. Andə və pfèə̀ lì wutsen yi mbɛ nga' nò'ə̀ à jʉ̀ yì a mù layn.Nga' ə mə bɛ̀ mfʉ̀ mpfwo tà pfwo mbɛ nwʉsə wutsen yì luwèn ghə̀ ə mbɛ sə kə'tə. Mbɛ nkə'tə nkə'tə sətsèn ghə̀ ə mbɛ mfʉ̀ sə kə'ə 'u woo awèn.' Kəmbìsàdè kyì bɛ gà'ə̀ vì 'àwèn tà àwèn tà mbuu.' Ghə̀ ə bɛ̀ bwìnsə̀ 'à dì' ghɔ a mà dzàŋə̀ wù wù gà'ə̀ lə awèn?' 'àwèn tà àwèn tà mbuu.' Ta lì sətsèn ghə̀ ə bwinə nkwen a ngəŋ. Mə sə gà' Ghə̀ kyi' əbʉ' a ghə bò'tə̀ ta kəd ̀ŋ mə kwenə. No'ə̀ kəb ̀' kə̀ kɔ̀ a ghə bò'ə, kə gà'ə̀ nəǹkwoŋ. Və gà'ə̀ à lì mə baŋsə̀ wàyn yì la kə jì ne ndì' a ghə̀ a bwìnə̀ əfʉ̀ fa tsu. Ghə̀ mə bò'ə̀ ta lì kwenə, bò'ə̀ ta lì kwenə, bò'ə̀ ta lì kwenə. Nkwenə nza'ə a kəshi a ghə tsi tsu wenə̀ wàyn yi mə nwʉ'mə. Wàyn yi nyen əchʉ ə vi'i à a ə bʉnə̀ li lɔ. Ghə̀ ə nga' à wàyn yi la sətsèn yì bʉnə̀ a ləəə̀ ə̀ kù no'ə̀ mwìmwìn ghə̀ k ̀ la yi bʉnə̀ li. Ghə̀ ə mbɛ mbwinsə mbəm a wàyn yi la nkànə̀ wen nə mbʉnə və k ̀ fa ghɔ lɔ. Ghə̀ ə nga' a sətsèn yì bʉnə a lə̀ təly ̀ tə shi'ə fà yi əchʉ̀ mu yìə lə̀ mə bʉnə.Və sə nkəŋə nyəŋmə̀ kəmbìsàdè kyì ntsu' əchɨm ə wen ə ncho nwʉ a əkù'. Ghə sə banə fa tsu ta nə̀ lam la bwùùŋ. Ghə̀ ə nlyɨ wàyn yi nyoŋsə a wenə bàm. Və sə bʉnə̀ wàyn yi ko bʉnə, zhʉtə̀ tà əshi, zhʉtə̀ tà əshii sətsèn ghə̀ ə nzì məkù. Tà àndə ghə zì məkù no'ə̀ əzhʉ əkɔ̀ wàyn yi nyə' ta nyə'ə nlù, nly ̀ kəmbuŋtə̀ nshitə nyòŋsə tà àndə ghə yi nyoŋ lì. Ncho ə nyə' tà nyə'ə nlyɨ

	wù nè kənyʉ̀ kɔ̀ kə lə̀ bòŋ a shì.'
	not there,
	Yunawoman is not there,
	Bebibesanda is not there,
	Atikwakwa should come here.
	no'ə ndzen ghà. Ghə̀ ə mə sə gà'ə:
	'o wàyn ə̀ wùndoŋ ə̀ mò e,
	tɨmə kò,
	tɨmə kò məmbɨŋlə myìə e ngə'ə yabì e
	tɨmə kò'
	Wàyn yi bɛ̀ bwìnsə:
	'o tì'ə̀ wùndoŋ ə̀ mò e,

So Atikwakwa went over and the woman cleaned her up thoroughly and gave her food to eat. From that day, she began to take excellent care of her since the other children had died.

a yì kəŋə kəfo ə chʉ̀ abu' yi tsu. Ghə̀ ə mbɛ ntɨmə a əchʉ̀ ə ngəŋ ə nga' a ghə̀ shʉ' ashə.' Ghə̀ ə sə tetə tà àndə ghə tə ntetə li zhɨə.

Sətsèn wàyn yìə nga' a yìə mə pfʉ̀ layn lə. Kə ngho'ə wen luwèn ghə̀ ə mə nga' a 'Mu ko dì' a ngəŋ lo yì jʉ̀ ə... ' Ghə̀ ə nga' a 'Wù ə ko benə a fʉ̀ layn. A ti ndì' zòyn wù tə̀ lɔptə mò ta lì ə fʉ̀ wù ə ko tə̀ bɛ̀ bwìnə̀ vì.' Wàyn yìə mə nwʉ'mə luwèn ghə̀ ə nzhɨ abu' yi me, ə nly ̀ wàyn yì wenə wen njʉ̀ njʉ̀ njʉ̀ njʉ̀ njʉ̀ njʉ̀ nkwen a kəshi a ghə tsi tsu. kù' a lə. Ghə̀ ə mə nkwo' kənyʉ̀ a ghə̀ a nè kə ncho ə wen. Sətsèn kə ngho'wàyn yì ghə̀ ə mbəm a wen la sətsèn ghə̀ bʉnə̀ və a k ̀ fa ghɔ la ghə̀ əchɨm ə wen yi fa əkù' a ghə yì tsu' ə nwʉ lì. ə sə nyə'ə tà nyə'ə bò'ə̀ əbɨ' vyi tà ndzì ndzì fʉə, bò'ə̀ tà ndzì ndzì fʉə, bò'ə̀ tà ndzì ndzì fʉə. Ne nza'ə a kə bàm kyikə mpfen no'ə̀ mwìmwìn.

Kəmbìsàdè kyì mə nkəplə nvì fa mbɨnsə mboŋ nyì sə ko'ə kəmbuŋtə̀ kyì tsu ga'ə à dì' wàyn yì a yì ko'ə. Sətsèn ghə̀ nlye ətyɨm ə wen yi ghə̀ ə ko bɛ̀ yen. Nga'ə yì pfʉ̀ li, ncho nə̀ kənyɨnkə, nyɨŋə nyɨŋə nyɨŋə nyɨŋ ə sə fʉə za'ə mu wàyn yi tɨm li mu sə ku'ə

  Wàyn yi mfʉ̀ mfʉ̀ ə jʉ̀ tà jʉ̀ ghə̀ ə ko bɛ̀ vì. Ghə̀ ə ntaŋ ə ntaŋ ə ntaŋ ghə̀ ə mbɛ ngham ghətsen yi mbɛ ntɨm la ghə̀ jʉ̀ ə̀ kùtə ngu' yì ə̀ vì. Ləmə̀ wen bɛ̀ jʉ̀ ə ntaŋ ghɔ̀ a lə̀ lɔ? Ghə̀ ə mbɛ njʉ̀ mbɛ njʉ̀ njʉ̀ tà jʉ. Ghə̀ əwʉ la mà fʉ̀ ə̀ jʉ̀ kùtə ngu'.' Andə ghə ga'ə̀ lì ə mə nwʉ'mə. No'ə̀ əzhʉ kɔ̀ a ghə nwʉ'mə̀ lì ə̀ wenə mə njaŋ a kəbəŋ nga' a 'è' no'ə mà lye la vʉn venə bɛ̀ jʉ̀ ntaŋ ghɔ̀ a lə̀ lɔ. Mà kutə ngu' yì vì nə̀

	11) Ngəŋ ə̀ ngù' a əsɨm wen no'ə̀ mwìmwìn ə nwye a ngù' yì. Tà àndə ghə wye lì mənlyuŋ
	Narrator: Ntìi ə mfʉ. Ghə̀ ə mbɛ ngisə nyastə mbɛ nwye mənlyuŋ mbɛ mfʉ̀ fa
	Audience: Mbòo ngù' yì. Tà àndə mə fʉ̀ lì vi' vyi mə nvì ntsentə ta kəshi yì a ghə
	Narrator: Wù ngwʉ' nə̀ nlùu lo wen vəghəŋ kaŋtə b ̀ba zhɨ kəbayn kəǹ tsu.' ghomə̀ fəmpfəm fyi tsu mənlyuŋ ə mfʉ̀ fa tsu lì. ə mə sə ta'ə mə
	Audience: ò Tà àndə lì ə̀ wen ga'ə̀ lì ə njàŋ a kəbəŋ. Njàŋ tà njàŋə a ta'ə mə ta'ə mə ta'ə. Ne nta' a ləə̀ ngù' yi nka'sə mbàsmə. tà àndə
	Narrator: Əsɨmə tsɛghə ndì' a və nshè'ə̀ a ly ̀mə̀ fòyn lo kəbəŋ ngəŋ yi mbwinsə nka'kə a ngù'. Andə ghə mbwinsə nka'kə a ghə bàsmə lì və nyen kəmbìsàdè kyì tsu nshisə nzhwi nlyɨ lùwàyn
	Audience: əŋ ngù' lì wàyn yi nyɨŋ ə̀ nkwen a əchʉəkwen. Lì ə̀ wen nyɨŋ ə njʉ̀ yì wenə̀ vʉnə wen vyi nə̀ wù fənyìawʉ yì njʉ̀ nə̀ wen a ntu', nlyɨ ə
	Narrator: Ngù'ə tsen dì' a ly ̀mə̀ fòyn ayì. Və nè jʉ̀ shè' a əsɨm a sə wenə̀ vʉn vətsɛvə vyi njʉ̀ nshə'tə a əlo' yi la à dì' kənyʉ̀ a kə dì'ə. shə ntu'ə tsɛghə nku à vəwenə vəwenə sə so'ə fòyn mə bɛ so'ə
	Wàyn yi nyəŋmə a əchʉəkwen ə sə sù'ə̀ sù'tə̀ kəmbìsàdè kyìkə kə əshiə ə tsɛghə. Vi'i əlo' vyi mə mbwoŋ.
	bɛ̀ gà' 'à dì' tà ntì'sə a sə dì'ə̀ a kəkwen a shə̀ layn a?' Ghə̀ la'tə
	là'tə là'tə ghə̀ ə bɛ̀ sù'tə. Tà ndə ghə sù'tə̀ lì sətsèn kəmbìsàdè Pfəpfəpfə, wù bwi wàyn ə̀ wù ghə̀ ə nku'ə ta bwàbwà' nkà wù bɛ
	kyìkə nlu nshi'ə nka'tə wen fa əchʉəkwen. Ə sə kà'tə̀ nyen à dì' ku'ə ta bwàbwà'.
	wàynə̀ vətubù yì. Ghə̀ ə nsu'ə wen luwèn ə nshisə ə nzhwi wen ə
	mpfi'.
	Lì ə̀ vəwenə mə yì jʉ̀ nshə'tə a əlo' vəwenə mə nkayn no'ə̀
	kənyʉ̀ a və a nè. Kətsi kə nkʉ' vi'i mfʉ̀ nə̀ no'ə̀ kaynə̀ ghɔ̀ ayì a və
	nə nta'ə̀ ngù'sə tsu: Ndzàmsə, vəhamà. Və mfʉ̀ nə̀ vəwevə fa əlo'
	no'ə̀ vətsèm nvì a ly ̀mə̀ fòyn yì la və a vì ə ta'ə ngù' yi sàstə. Nvì
	nzhʉsə sə ta'ə ngù' yi ko pfʉə, ghə̀ kə'ə̀ ta lə, tà kəshi kə ko tumə
	tsu. Sə kəplə̀ fənyìawʉ fətsen fə vìə̀ nə̀ vi'i a wenə bàm. Mə gəǹə̀ vì
	nə̀ vətubù a wenə awʉ. Tà àndə ghə viə lì mu ghə chwayn li
	ə mbɛ nla'tə nla'tə nla'tə mbɛ nga'à à wàyn ətsen à yì ntìntìn a fəmpfèm ə ngha' a wenə kəvu ngha' fəmpfèm fyì və sə vìə̀ vi'i mə
	ndì'ə̀ wàynə̀ vətubù la ghə̀ fʉtə jʉ̀ lyeə la vi' vènə bɛ̀ tàŋ ghɔ̀ a lə̀ gà'ə̀ 'e e yɛs vì nzhʉsə a shə̀ kətsi kə mpfen yɛ̀ ko nè kənyʉ̀ wù ə
	sə nyènə̀ vì nə̀ awʉ wu luwèn nə̀ fəmpfèm fə à wu kəvu la wù mə̀
	zì wù ne ghɔ̀ lɔ?' Ghə̀ ə nyin vi'i ncho ta choə njʉ̀ nyastə əẁen ə

ndì' a əzhʉ a əẁʉ ə vìə̀ ngù' yì kà'kə a ngəŋ. Lùwàyn ətsen nlù mfʉ̀ kətsi kətsen wenə̀ vʉnə wen mfʉ̀ nkwen a əsɨm. Və sə shè'ə̀ jʉ, shè'ə̀ jʉ̀ əẁʉ ne nzi a mə̀ vì. Tà àndə əẁʉ yi zi a mə̀ vì lì ngù' yì nka'kə a ngəŋ lùwàyn yì lyɨ vʉnə wen wenə̀ vəwenə nyɨŋ ə̀ jʉ̀ byə̀ əẁʉ ayi tsu. Vəwenə nkwen a ngəŋ yì nyen kəmbìsàdè tsu.

Əchʉ ə vi'i dì' a əkù' a və tanə nka'. Lùwàyn yì nkwo' no'ə̀ kənyʉ̀ a ghə̀ a nè. Wenə̀ vʉnə wen vyi sə nwʉ' nwʉ' nwʉ' sətsèn ngu'ə nlu.

Ghə̀ ə nga' à wàyn ə̀ wenə tsen la 'fʉə lo ə̀ jʉ̀ kùtə ngu' ə̀ vì yuwù kaŋtə ə̀ ə̀ vəghəŋ zhɨ kəbayn kəǹkə tsu.' Lùwàyn yì sə gà' a lì myi'ə ashɨ à wàynə̀ wen la ghə̀ fʉ̀ ə̀ jʉ̀ kə ghə̀ benə̀ a vì. lɔ. La vəwenə zaŋsə̀ kùtə ngu' yì vì nə̀ wen. Wàyn yi nga'à 'màmi à dì' ghɔ a wù gà'ə̀ lə? vətubù vwomə zafə mò wù tɨmə mò a chì à

  ne sə ngùfə̀ ghə̀ ə nwʉsə wen. Nzenə mbàsə̀ nwʉ àndə ghə̀ ə ne zhʉsə bwi kɛ ghə̀ tɨmə̀ pfwoə ghə̀ ə nzhɨ tsu. Nwʉ mbàsə̀ yì mə nlù njʉ̀ ə sə shè'ə̀ shè'ə̀ shè'ə, kəzhələ kə ne njə'ə sə vì nyen lùwàyn yì mə nkwen ə nwʉ'mə nse tsu sə tsi wenə̀ wen. Tà àndə ghə tsi lì mbàsə̀ yì a və yì wʉ̀ la lùwàyn yì ne bwi nzhɨ tsu lì.

	12) Wù shʉsə̀ kəlàm nə̀ kəzhələ kə Andə ghə gà'ə̀ lì wùshè' a ghə yi nshè'ə̀ wenə̀ bà'a yì nga' a ghə̀ wen ghə̀ ə nchò nkwen a ngəŋ, ntomtə əfo mə̀ nshi'ə nwʉ'mə sə
	Narrator: Ntìi zhʉ kənyʉ̀ a fənyin fə gà' a. Ghə̀ ə nga' a kə ghə̀ bɛ gà', ghə̀ ə ga'ə yì zhʉtə. bà'a yì nshi'sə ndzàm yì tà ndzindzi nses a wen ə
	Audience: Mbòo nshè'ə̀ əshie' yenə ghə̀ zhʉtə̀ ghɔ̀ lɔ. Fənyin fyìə mbɛ mbwinsə ntìntìn kəchʉ. Ghə̀ ə ntɨmə mfʉ̀ sə zɨmə diə jʉə:
	Narrator: Wù ngwʉ' nə̀ nlùu lo nzhɨmtə o mà zhɨ minkan o
	Audience: ò lùwàyn zhʉsə̀ bwi à ntɨŋ wù yèn nɨ ̀ mu wù yèn bo à?
	Narrator: Ə lam wì ə wen lo kəzhələ kə sə nyàblə̀ nə̀ wen à ntɨlɨŋ mà zhɨ minkan o
	Audience: əŋ lùwàyn zhʉsə̀ bwi à ntɨŋ ə̀ nyɨŋ ə njʉ̀ luwèn mə njʉ̀ nse a wenə gə.
	Narrator: A dì' wì' a ghə jʉ̀ shè'ə̀ ne kyesə no'ə kəshi kə kəghaf. Wì kəzhələ kə sə nyàblə̀ nə̀ wen à ntɨlɨŋ bà'a yì ne nwʉ'mə nkwo' la yìə kemə a ly ̀ə ndzàmə̀ əshiè'ə̀
	bà'a yì nzhʉ luwèn nkwofə əfo əshè'ə wen nzɨ' a kəmbò ncho nə̀ kəŋɨŋ kə̀ nyɨŋ tà nyɨŋə nyɨŋ tà nyɨŋə nvì nkwen a ngəŋ. ə sə vì kwen mu kəzhələ kyìkə yì sə fʉ̀ fa ngəŋ nly ̀ mpfʉ̀ nchuŋ a əfwin ə̀ lùwàyn yì nchuŋ a wenə nkù' la lùwàyn yi ne sə n ̀'sə̀ əwen ə wen ə ly ̀ kəfo ə zhɨ ə yì zhʉ yì a yen ə̀ vì ghà' la kə ghə̀ zhɨ kəfo akyì. yì yen fa fɛ luwèn lɔ. Nlu kətsi kətsen njʉ̀ njʉ̀ njʉ̀ njʉ̀ ə nkwen. Sə jʉ̀ ghə̀ dì' mu kəchʉ kəwen kə ku' li a lə̀ nku'. Ghə̀ ə mə nga' 'hee àwèn kəchʉ kyə̀ kù' no'ə lə̀ kò wù ə nkomə la kə ne a lɛ?' Ghə̀ ə mə nga' ' kəchʉ kom ku' mà gà'ə̀ no'ə ndə̀ la ghə̀ kom ghə̀ chenə ta chenə. Ghə̀ ə nga' 'ɛɛ̀ chʉlə mà kom.' ghə̀ ə nlyɨ mu nchʉlə kəchʉ ə wen yi Lùwàyn yi bwi no'ə̀ əzhʉ ə̀ kɔ̀ kəzhələ kyìə nlyɨ mbàsə̀ yì ə sə pfèə̀ Kə nə nchuŋə ta lì kə mə̀ njʉ̀ laŋtə sə shè'ə̀ a əsɨm. Lɨmə wen nvì kəwen kyìkə tsu. Ghə̀ ə mə nlyɨ əshio' ə sə komə kəchʉ kyìkə tsu
	ghə̀ bà'tə əbo əwèn ə wen ghə̀ kù à lùwàyn yì ghə̀ ə sə zhɨ tsu nkà luwèn nzasə mpfʉ̀ yì tà ndzìndzì nku mu lùwàyn yi nshʉ əwen ə komə komə sətsèn ghə̀ ə sə mbo'sə a ntìntìnə̀ kəchʉ sə jʉə n ̀'sə̀
	wen zhɨ a mbàsə̀ yì. Lùwàyn yi sə zhɨ kəbayn ta lùlù fʉ'tə mà'ə̀ njə̀ wen tsu ghə̀ ə mpfe əfozhɨvə lùwàyn yi nzhɨ. Ghə̀ ə mbəmtə a wen ghə̀ gà'a 'sìì eìy'. bà'a yì ngà'a 'ə' ə̀ à dì'ə̀ njə̀ əshyo' a ghə jʉ̀
	yì ghə̀ ə bɛ̀ kəǹkə ə̀ bəm la à dì' ghɔ a ghə mà'ə̀ lɔ. Lùwàyn yi bɛ̀ ghə̀ ə nshə'tə no'ə̀ nkayn, nji' kəshi a ghə nə mpfwo ghə̀ nwʉ'mə nkumsə.' Ghə̀ gà'ə̀ ta lì sətsèn ghə̀ ə sə nla'tə myètə̀ ngha'ə ngufə
	gà'a 'aìy à dì' kəshi kəwèn ə̀ mò a ma komtə.' ta lì lùwàyn yi nzɨm tsu. Wùlɨm yì nly ̀ ndzàm ə nyʉ' ghə̀ ə mbaŋ no'ə nkàyn ghə̀ ə ndzàm ə̀ wen yì no'ə̀ mwìmwìn. Wù ə njʉ̀ mfəŋ ə mpfʉ. Ghə̀ ə
	a lə̀ nzɨm tà àndə ghə bwiə̀ lì ghə̀ ə ko kyi' kəfo kəjuŋə kə ə zhɨ. nwye əkyekye əzhi' tsu nku'ə nwʉ'mə a əkaŋ a kəshi a ghə̀ nə nvì nyɨŋ ə njʉ̀ nə̀ ndzàm ə̀ wen yì.
	Fənyin fə ne nvì nyen no'ə̀ əzhʉ ə̀ kɔ̀ njʉə, njʉə̀ mbvɨ a kwìə fəkò' nwʉ' tsu lì.
	a kəshi a lɨmə lùwàyn yì shè'ə̀ tsu mə nzhɨmtə: ghə̀ ə ne nvì ntɨmə ta əchʉəngəŋ nga' 'mò'ə wàyn yì a fì ə̀ Pfəpfəpfə, wù bwi wàyn ə̀ wù ghə̀ ə nku'ə ta bwàbwà' nkà wù bɛ
	lùwàyn zhʉsə̀ bwi à ntɨŋ chò vì shìsə nkù' yèn.' tà kəkesə lùwàyn yi ko kwè a jì a ghə̀ tìə ku'ə ta bwàbwà'.
	kəzhələ kə sə nyàblə̀ nə̀ wen à ntɨlɨŋ nvì gà'ə̀ tà ga'a lùwàyn yi zàŋsə̀ mò' wàyn yì ghə̀ chò jʉ̀ shi. Ghə̀ ə
	lùwàyn zhʉsə̀ bwi à ntɨŋ nga'ə nza'ə aghayn àbò lùwàyn yì ko kwè. Ghə̀ ə nga'ə 'hee wù
	kəzhələ kə sə nyàblə̀ nə̀ wen à ntɨlɨŋ yèn nɨ ̀ mu wù yèn bo à?' tà kəkesə lùwàyn yi ko kwè kə ngho'ə

  ' à fəchwi la yì zì yì nyɨŋ ə̀ chò wen. Fəchwi fə nkyi li wen tyin ə wen fwi. Ghə̀ bəm la wù kə'ə̀ ko ndì' a wù zì wù ne no'ə̀ kənyʉ̀ kətsen nga' a wù zì wù nyɨŋ ə̀ chò mò lɔ. Tà àndə Tòlòkyi nkyi' ətof no'ə̀ nànto lì ghə̀ ə mbyɨmə li a wen la yì zì yì nyɨŋ ə̀ chò wen. Tyinə̀ fəchwi fə mfwi li ghə̀ ga'ə və wʉ tà kətsi kə kənyɨŋ a kyìkə. Fəchwi fə mə gà'ə̀ k ̀ byè'ə̀ ghə̀ kɨ kəẁʉ kə kənyɨŋ no'ə̀ nkàyn. wù sə̀ dì' a shə̀ à mbì mà bo bu lɔ?' Kənyʉ̀ kyikə ncho wen ghə̀ ə mbɛ mbyi'tə ashɨ wen yi mbɛ nzitə sə chòə njʉ̀ Tòlòkyi tsen yì mbɛ nchə' mbwinə sə vì wen. Ghə̀ ə mbɛ nlyɨ kənyɨŋ nlyɨ kənyɨŋ asaŋ ə wen yi və vəwenə bvʉ̀ ə̀ lam ə̀ zhɨ. Ghə̀ ə nè sə ku' a əsɨm no'ə̀ əzhʉ əkɔ̀ ghə̀ yèn tà mu və yi shwàyn asaŋ mba'tə mbvʉ nlam ə̀ nzhɨ. Kə chò wen la kəǹ kənyʉ̀ kə dì' la à nèə̀ ghɔ̀ lɔ.Ghə̀ ə nkwo'tə nkwo'tə sətsèn ghə̀ ə nlyɨ sh ̀ nchuŋtə mənkwònkwòŋ tsu nchuŋtə nchuŋtə nchuŋtə nchuŋtə nchuŋtə njʉə nkwen a əsɨm ə kàsa yì. Tà àndə ghə nchuŋtə njʉ̀ nkwen lì ə mə nchuŋ kàsa mbwinə nvì nə̀ wen a ngəŋ nvì mpfe ghə̀ ə mbi mbi mbi. Ghə̀ ə mbɛ sə bò'tə̀ lye la ghə̀ ə kwʉ'ə̀ li a məzhɨ lɔ ntòyn yi mbɛ ntso'ə nshi'ə fa chɨ mbɛ sə nyɨŋə jʉ̀ lùwàyn yi mə kɨ la ghə̀ a ntso'ə̀ a fənkwòŋ yì jìə ko a ndì'ə ghə̀ fʉ̀ yì gha' tsu bwìnə̀ vì zhɨ.Ghə̀ ə ne sə ntsò' lùwàyn yi sə jʉə̀ za'ə mu ghə̀ ə bɛ tɨmə mfʉ. Ghə̀ ə tsò'ə̀ ta lì jʉə̀ tà jʉə. Tsò'ə̀ luə jʉə̀ tà jʉə. Tsò'ə̀ jʉə̀ tà jʉə. Ghə̀ ə ntso'ə̀ njʉ̀ njʉə mbɛ mbwinə njʉ̀ nkwen a əsɨm yi mbɛ mbwinə mfʉ̀ fa ntòyn ə mbɛ ntitə a chì əsɨm.Lùwàyn yi mbɛ mbwinsə nga' a yi ko yì chùŋtə mənkwònkwòŋ myì a nkàyn mbɛ mbwinsə nshitə nchuŋtə nchuŋtə nchuŋtə nchuŋtə mbɛ njʉə nchuŋ kàsa yi mbɛ nvì mpfè. Kàsa yi mbɛ ne sə mbi vì ghə̀ ə mbɛ bò'tə̀ la yì lye la ghə̀ ə bi li lɔ ntòyn yi mbɛ ntso' fa chɨ sə tsò'ə̀ a nkwòŋ ghə̀ ə bɛ̀ chò tà choə, tsò'ə̀ ghə̀ ə bɛ̀ chò tà choə, tsò'ə̀ ghə̀ ə bɛ̀ chò tà choə, mbɛ njʉ̀ nkwen ta lì a əsɨm mbɛ mbwinsə nlù ntitə a ətɨtɨ.

	13) Tòlòkyi nə̀ Fəchwi fə 14) Wù shè'ə̀ təsɨm nə̀ məbɨ' à baŋ ghɔ a kəchʉ 15) Tsòŋ ə̀ kàsa
	Narrator: Ntìi Narrator: Ntìi chwi i i' Narrator: Ntìi
	Audience: Mbòo Audience: Mbòo Nzhɨm ə nlu mfʉ. Wutsen mbɛ sə nwʉ' sətsèn ghə̀ ə mbɛ sə kyi'ə Audience: Mbòo
	Narrator: Tòlòkyi nlùu lo mbɛ sə za'ə a kəshi kətsen mbɛ nyenə wen. Ghə̀ ə nga' a yì ko kɨ la Narrator: Wù ngwʉ' nə̀ nlùu lo mbɛ nyen. Mbɛ nzhɨmtə: Narrator: Wù ngwʉ' nə̀ nlùu lo
	Audience: ò à bɛ̀ dì' yi lɔ. Ghə̀ ə mbɛ nkwʉ'sə awʉ ə kənyɨŋə wen. Mbɛ sə jʉ̀ a Audience: ò à baŋ ghɔ a kəchʉ ə̀ kətòchʉs a Audience: ò
	Narrator: Mə kyi' ətof no'ə̀ nànto. əchʉ' ə layn ghə̀ jʉ̀ kwetə kəshi kətsen ghə̀ bɛ dì'. Ta lì fəchwi fə ne nyɨŋ nànto mbwa' ə Narrator: Ə ku'ə̀ shè'ə̀ əsɨm ə wen a əku lo à baŋ ghɔ a kəchʉ ə̀ kətòchʉs a Narrator: Ə shè'ə̀ əsɨm ə kàsa ə wen. əsɨm ə kàsa ə wen yi bɔ sə dì'
	nga' la kəkyè ne tɨmə a shə, kəkyè tɨmə a fà, kəkye tɨmə a kəshi mfəŋ ə mpfʉ. Tòlòkyi mbwinə nvì sə chə'ə wen. Pfəpfəpfə, wù bwi wàyn ə̀ wù ghə̀ ə nku'ə ta bwàbwà' nkà wù bɛ ku'ə ta bwàbwà'. 13) Tortoise and Deer One day Tortoise who was very wise got up and went to meet Deer. He told Deer that he could run faster than Deer. Deer was so Audience: əŋ mə ly ̀ə Ghə̀ ə nwye əzhi' a əchɨ no'ə̀ nkàyn. Nkò'ə mbi nkyekə ghə̀ ə nlyɨ à baŋ ghɔ a kəchʉ əchʉ' ə lə̀ làyn a ngwʉ'ə tsen j ̀ŋ ku. Tà àndə j ̀ŋ kuə̀ lì lùwàyn fəchwi ə̀ gàAndə Tòlòkyi nkyi' ətof lì ghə̀ ə njʉ̀ mpfʉtə vələmə̀ və wen Narrator: Ə ne mpfi asaŋ ə wen nwʉ a əku məbɨ'ə ne sə vì luwen chwi i i' ətsen mə nkwò' no'ə̀ kəfo a ghə̀ a zhɨ ghə̀ ə ko kɨ. Ghə̀ ə nlu luwèn
	kətsen kyì. Nwʉ ə jʉ̀ ta lì nza'ə a kəshi a kənyɨŋ ne jʉ̀ mè tsu. Mu annoyed and asked Tortoise how he could run whereas he is so əkyekye vyi nwye a kəbàs kə kəghen nku'ə nwʉ'mə a əkaŋ Pfəpfəpfə, wù bwi wàyn ə̀ wù ghə̀ ə nku'ə ta bwàbwà' nkà wù bɛ
	wenə̀ fəchwi fə mə yì gà' nwʉ kəshi a və ne njʉ̀ ə bùmtə̀ tsu. La və slow. Tortoise challenged him to a contest. With all the confidence nzhomtə təlyəŋ tə əkaŋ mə nwʉ'mə tsu. Sətsèn mbì wì'ə nvì mbɨ'ə ku'ə ta bwàbwà'. Tà àndə ghə titə̀ lì lùwàyn yi mbɛ mbwinə nvì nylɨ ntòyn ə̀
	nè lù fa shə̀ ə t ̀mə a kəshi kə kəkyè, ə t ̀mə a kəshi kə kəkyè ə mə that Deer had in his running skill he told Tortoise to just set a day əbəm ə wen no'ə̀ mwìmwin vətsɛvə vyi ntsentə nkwen ə mbɛ wen mbɛ njʉ̀ mbwinsə nchuŋ kàsa yì mbɛ nvì mpfe. Ghə̀ ə sə fù'ə̀
	kwen. for the competition. They therefore agreed on a date. nwʉ'mə. Tà àndə və kwenə̀ fòyn yìə nshi'ə nwʉ'ə a kəshi a ghə̀ nə fa chɨ fù'ə̀ fù'ə̀ fù'ə̀ ghə̀ ə mbɛ sə bò'tə̀ la yì lye la ghə̀ ə kwʉ'ə̀ li a
	Əchʉ' ə layn vəwenə mə nzi kənyʉ kə kənyɨŋ kyì. No'ə̀ əzhʉ As wise as Tortoise was he went around and pleaded with nwʉ' tsu mu kəchʉ kə wen kə ku' li no'ə̀ mwìmwin. Wì' yì nlyɨ 14) The farmer and the monkeys məzhɨ lɔ ntòyn yì mbɛ mfʉ̀ ta lì mbɛ sə nyɨŋə jʉ̀ nyɨŋə jʉ̀ ghə̀ bɛ
	əkɔ̀ a və zì a mənyɨŋ, fəchwi fə byì'tə ashɨ ə wen byè'ə fəchwi fə his brothers to help him win the race especially because they all kəkyekye kə əzhi' nshi'sə mmo' a wenə kəchʉ tà ndzìndzì. Kə sə Once upon a time a man owned a farm in the forest area. He nyɨŋə fa yìə bàm. Ghə̀ ə mbɛ nyɨŋə njʉ̀ jʉ̀ nkwen ta əsɨm yì mbɛ
	nə nzisə ŋɨŋə fə byì'tə ashɨ ə wen ghə̀ ə mə sə nyɨŋə no'ə nkàyn. look alike and cannot be differentiated from one another. He fwiə shi'ə̀ vəwenə ko yenə, fwiə shi'ə̀ vəwenə ko yenə sətsèn mbì planted and eventually harvested much corn, which he kept in his mfʉ̀ fa ntòyn yi mbɛ mbwinsə ntitə a ətɨtɨ a tyì əsɨm.
	Andə ghə byi'tə ashɨ ə wen mə nzitə ə sə lù a Tòlòkyi ntɨmə mə placed them at different stop points along the running tract up to wì' ə nyen mə nga': farm house. Each time he went there he would find that someone Lùwàyn yi nylɨ ntòynə̀ wen luwèn nvì nkwen a ngəŋ
	the finish line. à baŋ ghɔ a kəchʉ ə̀ kətòchʉs a had ground his corn, cooked it and ate. He wondered who was
	à baŋ ghɔ a kəchʉ ə̀ kətòchʉs a stealing from him until one day he decided to find out. He could

nchə'. Nga' a 'kəngu kə kəfo, ghə̀ ə ko kyi' ətof'. Fəchwi fə ne sə jʉ̀ fʉ̀ a mbì kəshì mu ləmə̀ ə̀ Tòlòkyi yì sə̀ dì' tsu. Fəchwi fə nga' a 'a a'a əchʉ' ə nlan kətsi kətsen ghə̀ ə mə nga' a yì a yen no'ə̀ kənà' kə kənyʉ̀ kəǹkə. Ə nlu luwèn nku'ə njʉ̀ nyen ji a vəwenə vìə̀ nwʉ' fa tsu. Kəshi kətsenkə dì' a chì ə̀ ngəŋ ayì mu kə bisə li no'ə̀ nkàyn.

Mbɛ nzhɨm ə nlu mfʉ. Sətsèn vi'i mə nzì sə kyi'ə. No'ə̀ ndəə lì lù ghə̀ zhɨmtə ta lì ghə̀ fʉ. Mpfenə̀ fòynə̀ vəwenə yì ghə̀ ə ko kɨə kənyʉ̀ a vəwenə gà'ə. Nga' ta lì nga' ta lì, sətsèn bà'a yì nyen la vəwenə sə fʉə̀ gho'ə ghə̀ ə ntsentə əzhi' yi nshʉ' a wenə kəchʉ no'ə̀ ətsèm. Vəwenə mfʉə̀ nyɨnkə luwèn fòynə̀ vəwenə yì mfwi ə mpfɨ asaŋ ə bà'a yi mbwoŋ ghə̀ ə ko bɛ̀ kəŋə kəfo kəwen nə̀ nlù. ə̀ njʉ̀ ə̀ yèn əsɨm ə kàsa yi. Tà àndə ghə yenə̀ lì mə̀ nchùŋ kàsa fa tsu. Sə chuŋ kàsa yì mu wì' yi chɨ'ə̀ li əsɨm ə kàsa ə wen. No'ə̀ əzhʉ ə̀ kɔ̀ ghə̀ ə nchuŋ kàsa yì nviə mpfe a ntòyn ghə̀ ə mbi. Ghə̀ ə nè sə bò'tə̀ la yì lye la ghə̀ ə kwʉ'ə̀ li a məzhɨ lɔ ntòyn ə ntso' ə mfʉ̀ fa chɨ sə nyɨŋə jʉ̀ nyɨŋə jʉ̀ lùwàyn jʉə̀ fa yìə bàm. Ghə̀ nyɨŋə jʉ̀ lùwàyn nyɨŋə fa yìə bàm. Ghə̀ ə nyɨŋə jʉ̀ tà àndə nyɨŋə jʉ̀ lì njʉ̀ nkwen ta əsɨm yì mbɛ mfʉ̀ fa ntòyn yi nkwen a əsɨm yi mbɛ mbwinsə ntitə a tyì əsɨm. nkwo'tə no'ə̀ kənyʉ̀ a ghə̀ a nè ghə̀ ə ko kɨ, j ̀ŋ mə dì' a wen əwèn.

  This is the end of the story. Narrator: Əzhi' ə wutsenə dì' Jon əzhi' ə wutsenə dì' Mèri. Əchʉ' ə ne nlayn kətsi kətsen ghə̀ ə mpfè ntòyn ə̀ ràìs ntom a ngəŋ, ntɨm Mèri wenə̀ Jon. Nga' la vəwenə jʉ̀ ə̀ jʉ̀ kəŋ flawà ə̀ vì nə̀ wen mimbu zhɨ ràìs ayì. Wì' a ghə̀ ə ne kəŋ flawà jùŋə vì nə̀ wen ghə̀ ə ne zhɨ ntòyn ə̀ ràìs ayì no'ə̀ tsèm. Mèri wenə̀ Jon ə nlu njʉ̀ a əto' luwèn njʉ̀ a kəŋə̀ flawà yì. Njʉ̀ Mèri nkəŋ flawà jùŋə, Jon nkəŋ flawà a ghə̀ ə ko bòŋ. Vəwenə mbwinə sə nvì Jon nkwo'tə kənyʉ̀ a ghə zì ghə̀ ne tɨ jʉ̀ zhɨ ntòyn ə̀ ràìs yì tà wenə nyɨŋ. ə zhwi Mèri ə̀ mma'ə a əto'. ə nlyɨ flawà wen yì njʉ̀ nə̀ wen a ngəŋ, nkwen ə nzhɨ ntòyn ə̀ ràìs yi no'ə̀ tsèm tà wenə nyɨŋ. Lì ə̀ wenə sə bəmə̀ 'ləmə̀ wù ye? ghəŋ yì jʉ̀ vəbò a nvì tà wù wutsen ye lɔ?' Ghə̀ ə nga' la ghə̀ bɔ vìə. Tà àndə ghə gà'ə̀ ta lì kə ngho' lì ə̀ wen ghə̀ ə mə nwʉ' ghə̀ ə ko k ̀ kəshi a Mèri dì'ə̀ tsu. sə dì' dì' dì' əchʉ' ə ne nlayn kətsi kətsen wùbum ə sə jə'ə̀ bumə bumə bumə, ə ne sə jʉ̀ ə za'ə a chi ə fəkò' yì a əkwoŋ ə Mèri dì'ə̀ tsu lì əkwoŋ vyi nzhɨmtəL hunter man hunter man, don't touch my bone, 101 don't touch my bone, my brother killed me in the bush and take my flower go, o tin màlinda tin màlinda tin tin tin. my brother killed me in the bush and take my flower go, o tin màlinda tin màlinda tin tin tin. Wùbum yì mboŋtə əkwoŋ ə Mèri vyi nwye a wenə kəmbò nlu njʉ̀ a vəwenə gə, nku à lì ə̀ wen, nga' la à dì' kənyʉ̀ a yi sə nchòə̀ fa əto' əbum əkwoŋ ə Mèri zhɨmtə. Ghə̀ ə mə nga' la ghə̀ wʉ və zhɨmtə yì zhʉ. Wùbum yì nshisə əkwoŋ vyi nwʉ və nzhɨmtə: hunter man hunter man, don't touch my bone, don't touch my bone, my brother killed me in the bush and take my flower go, o tin màlinda tin màlinda tin tin tin. Tà àndə və zhɨmtə a lì lì ə̀ Mèri nzhʉ və mbɛ nlyɨ ləmə̀ wen ə Jon yì mbɛ nzhwi. Wì' yi nzhʉ ndzàŋ yì ghə̀ ə mboŋ a wen ghə̀ ə mbɛ nlu sə benə vì bɛ benə vì. Ghə̀ ə nyenə wen no'ə̀ əzhʉ ə̀ kɔ̀ mə mbɛ nyɨŋə njʉ̀ nghaŋtə a wenə dzəm. Ghə̀ ə mə nse nə̀ əfʉ̀ ə fəkò' yi a wenə dzəm.

	16) Jon zhwi Mèri ly ̀m ntswoŋ
	Narrator: Ntìi pfè lì fəmbù' fə nkaŋ
	Audience: Mbòo ly ̀m ntswoŋ
	Narrator: Wù ngwʉ' nə̀ nlùu lo Wùbum yì ə nzhʉtə mbɛ nkwentə njʉtə və mbɛ bwinsə nzhɨmtə tà pfè lì fəmbù' fə nkaŋ
	Audience: ò zhɨmtə: ly ̀m ntswoŋ
	Narrator: Ə bwì vʉnə wen la vəbò lo hunter man hunter man,
	Audience: ò don't touch my bone,
	don't touch my bone,
	Pfəpfəpfə, wù bwi wàyn ə̀ wù ghə̀ ə nku'ə ta bwàbwà' nkà wù bɛ
	ku'ə ta bwàbwà'.
	100

  Very sweet A woman deceived my ... Very sweet Cooked a pot of cornbeer ... Very sweet Cooked a pot of cornbeer ... Very sweet The woman heard the song and it pleased her so much that she got out of her hiding and began to dance. When the leaf saw her, it flew and landed on her back again and she remained with it. Narrator: Vəwenə sə̀ dì' əchʉ' ə nlayn ghə̀ ə mpfe ràìs ə nwʉ a ntòyn vəwenə mə nlù ngəsə. Tà àndə və lu ngəsə lì ghə̀ ə nga' la wì' nè vì kə ghə̀ à kùmə̀ ntòyn ə̀ ràìs yèn. Vəwenə ne nzhʉsə nvìə̀ Jon ə nzhɨ ntòyn ə̀ ràìs yì no'ə̀ tsèm nlyɨ nshi'ə a mù nshi'ə nshʉ ntòyn ayì nshʉ ə nshʉ ə nshʉ. Nlyɨ kəsese nshʉ ə̀ nwye tsu. Nku' a ngəŋ nchi'tə. Tà àndə ghə ku' nchi'tə lì lì ə̀ vəwenə ne mbwinə nvì mə ncho mbo'tə ntòyn ə̀ ràìs yì mbəm à Jon la à yì zhɨ ndə nzhɨ ràìs yèn lɔ. Jon ə nga' la yìə ko yì zhɨ ràìs. Ghə̀ ə mbɛ mbəm à Mèri la à yì zhɨ ndə nzhɨ ràìs fa ntòyn a shə̀ lɔ. Mèri mbɛ mmo la yìə ko yì zh ̀ ràìs. Tà àndə vəwenə moə̀ lì lì ə̀ vəwenə mə nga' a və a jʉ̀ a mù ə jʉə zhɨmtə ndzàŋ yèn tsu sətsèn və ga' luwèn wì' a mu na ku' ə chi' wen ə ly ̀ə wen à dì' wì' a ghə zhɨə̀ ràìs ayì. Və mə nlù njʉ̀ nkwen a mù. Mèri nkwen a mù ə mə nzhɨmtə: Narrator: Kənjʉ̀ kə ndì' wenə̀ Ənshen. Kənjʉ̀ kə ndì' kəfo a kə ndì' a mù. Ənshen ə dì' kəfo a kə ne ndì' a əto'. əchʉ' ə nlayn Fəkonti fə nlù njʉ̀ nyen Kənjʉ̀ a mù nga' a 'wù a dì' tsi ta mù lə̀ mu wù zì wù gufə mpf ̀ a àwèn?' Tyin ə̀ Kənjʉ̀ kə mfwi ghə̀ ə mbəm la ghə̀ dì' ghɔ ayì a ghə̀ zì ghə̀ gufə mpf ̀ wenə wen lɔ. Fəkonti fə nga' la ghə̀ ə ko kwʉ' ə wenə wen gufə mpf ̀ no'ə̀ fampfen. Tyin ə̀ Kənjʉ̀ mfwi ghə̀ ə mwi'sə wen əwen la mu ku'ə ly ̀ wen fa bàm ə̀ shì'sə a tyì à mù Fəkonti fyìfə nsa' mu myìə ko kùmə̀ wen. Ghə̀ ə nga' la layn dì'ə və wʉ kətsi kə mpf ̀ akyì a və ne gùf lì ghə̀ yen la ghə̀ zì ghə̀ gufə mpf ̀ wenə wen lɔ. Fəkonti fyi ncho mbɛ njʉ̀ nyenə Ənshen nga' a 'àwèn wù kə'ə̀ a kəməm lə̀ mu wù zì wù gufə mpf ̀ yuwù à?' Tyin ə̀ Ənshen yì ə mfwi, ghə̀ ə mbəm la ghə̀ dì' ghɔ a wenə wen zì və gufə mpf ̀ lɔ ghə̀ wʉ tà kətsi kyikə. Vəwenə nwʉ kətsi à dì' tà d ̀ndɨŋə̀ kətsì a wenə̀ Kənjʉ̀ kə yì wʉ lì. Ghə̀ ə mbwinə nvì luwèn nvì nkəŋə mpf ̀ nshitə mbotə mpf ̀ no'ə nkàyn nshitə. Əchʉ' ə nlayn kətsi kənyɨŋ kyi nkwʉ' ghə̀ ə nlu njʉ̀ nyen Kənjʉ̀ ə nwʉsə əchʉ̀ ə kəs ̀m a wenə nwì nga' a wen la yì a jʉ̀ ə wyesə fa əchʉ̀ a fà à yì kəndòŋ. Mə mbɛ ncho luwèn njʉ̀ wyesə fa əchʉ̀ a fà a nwìə Ənshen nga' a yì a djʉ̀ ə wyesə fa əchʉ̀ yì a ghə yì wyèsə à Kənjʉ̀ kə lì. Ənshen ə ko kɨ

	18) Joyn nə̀ ntòyn ə̀ ràìs 19) Gùfə mpf ̀
	Narrator: Ntìi Narrator: Ntìi
	Audience: Mbòo Audience: Mbòo
	Narrator: Wù ngwʉ' nə̀ nlùu lo Narrator: Wù ngwʉ' nə̀ nlùu lo
	Audience: ò Audience: ò
	Narrator: Ə bwi vʉnə wen la vəbò lo
	Audience: ò
	This is the end of the story.
	If na me chop da rice,
	If na me chop da rice,
	Oh mami water go swallow me,
	Oh cover pot go cover me.
	Chah tum chah tum.
	107

Cock was annoyed and pecked Crocodile to death. After that Cock carried water and sprinkled on all his people who regained consciousness, carried the water and then went home. This is the end of the story.

Sə nzhɨmtə̀ ləmə̀ lì ə̀ wen yì nzhʉ nshitə ntɨmə ə nshitə nzhʉtə no'ə nkàyn. Ghə̀ ə nzhɨmtə ndzàŋ yì ghə̀ ə nzhʉtə. A kətsi ayì ghə̀ ə mə nkɨ la à dì' wàyn ə̀ ləmə̀ yi. Və ne mpfwo fa əsɨm a kətsi ayì mə nkwitə sə pfè əfozhɨvə ə̀ shìtə̀ wye əfozhɨvə əwen bɛ̀ wyèə mbàsə̀ à yi ben ghə̀ ə zhɨ no'ə nkàyn. Fa kətsi ayì və ko bɛ̀ nyàblə̀ nə̀ wen.

Pfəpfəpfə, wù bwi wàyn ə̀ wù ghə̀ ə nku'ə ta bwàbwà' nkà wù bɛ ku'ə ta bwàbwà'.

8) The maltreated orphan

Once upon a time a woman had a lone child with whom she lived until her death. Before she died she planted egusi and told the child to follow the direction the plant will grow to. She told the child that the house to which the plant will go is her sister's house and so the child should follow it and go there.

The egusi plant started to grow and move while the child was following. Finally, they entered the child's aunt's house. The aunt didn't know the child and so never knew that they were related. Therefore, she wasn't treating the child well. When she would cook cornfufu she will give the pestle to the child to lick what is on it and when she would cook the vegetable she will give the cooking spoon to the child to lick whatever particles were hanging there. The others will eat the food and the child will boy. Before it got right out the child had already crossed a stream and was far off. The animal began to sing: Oh, my friend's child, stand and take.

Stand and take your balls.

Stand and take.

The child would reply: Oh, my friend's father you did something terrible.

You did something terrible.

After crossing each bridge the child will destroy it such that when the animal got there it was hard to cross and before it finally crossed the boy would have gone farther again. They continued to run that way until the animal was exhausted and died. The child then ran to safety. This is the end of the story.

On the day of the competition, they met at the starting point and began. As soon as they took off Deer closed his eyes and began to speed off as fast as he could. As soon as Deer closed his eyes the way he always does when running, Tortoise just stood there and was laughing at him for being so stupid and finally disappeared into the bush. Deer ran to the first stop but to his greatest surprise he met Tortoise who had been standing there.

Deer knew that he was the same Tortoise he started off with and so he wondered how possible it was that Tortoise had run faster than him. When Deer took off he again closed his eyes and increased his speed while Tortoise laughed and went his way. Surprisingly again Deer met Tortoise at the next stop a thing which stunned him seriously. At every stop, Deer met Tortoise and when he passed he increased his speed but finally he ran himself to death and Tortoise returned and laughed. This is the end of the story. see the spots the thieves usually sit on and so he made a very big fire and carried some coal, went up into the barn and sat there to wait and see. He also made space between the bamboos in the barn through which he could pass the coal. Soon after, a monkey came and played its stomach like a drum and other monkeys assembled. They went into the house as usual took their sitting positions and their chief sat on its special spot. Because the chief's hair was over grown the man lowered some of the coal into the hair without them noticing. It began to burn down to its head gradually until one of them saw it and sang: What is red on chief's head?

What is so red?

Then he stepped out. The next person soon saw the coal burning down the chief's hair and also sang:

What is red on chief's head?

What is so red?

Then he left too. When each of them would discover it, they will sing the same and leave but the chief himself couldn't see it and didn't notice what was going on. When the man noticed that most of them had left he poured the rest of the coal on the chief's head and it burnt him to death. From the day, they never stole his corn again. This is the end of the story.

16) John kills Mary

Once upon a time a woman had two children, one named John and the other Mary. One day she cooked a pot of rice and kept in the house then asked the two children to go and look for flowers and bring before they could eat the rice. In fact, the person with the best flower would eat the whole pot of rice. Tà àndə ghə zhɨmtə̀ ta lì mu myì nku' ə chi' wen.

Mèri wenə̀ lì ə̀ wen nlù nvì a ngəŋ mu njʉ̀ nə̀ Jon byì àndə à yì zhɨə wen nzhɨ ntòynə̀ ràìs yì.

Pfəpfəpfə, wù bwi wàyn ə̀ wù ghə̀ ə nku'ə ta bwàbwà' nkà wù bɛ ku'ə ta bwàbwà'.

18) John and the pot of rice

Once upon a time a woman had two children. One day she cooked a pot of rice and left at home for the family to eat when they return in the evening. She warned the children not to touch the rice. During the day, John ate all the rice, carried the pot to the stream and filled it with sand. He took it back home and kept it where the rice was.

When their mother returned, and found that the rice had been eaten she asked John but he denied having touched it. She also asked Mary who said she didn't know anything about the rice. She therefore told them that they will go to the stream and sing a song and the person who ate the rice will be carried away by water.

They took off to the stream and when they got there Mary got into the water and began to sing:

If I am the one who ate the rice, If I am the one who ate the rice, Then the pot's lid will cover me.

Then the water mermaid should swallow me.

As Mary sang the water level went down to the bottom. She came out and John went in to sing:

If I am the one who ate the rice, If I am the one who ate the rice, Then the pot's lid will cover me.

Then the water mermaid should swallow me.

Even before he could finish singing the water level increased, covered him completely and he drowned since he was the one who ate the rice. Mary went home with her mother. This is where the story ends. la à kəŋə gùf wenə̀ Kənjʉ̀ ə gùfə mpf ̀, Kənjʉ̀ kə ko kɨ la à kəŋə gùf wɛǹ Ənshen ə gùfə mpf ̀ yì.

Ghə̀ ə sə lù fà vəwenə ben nga' la no'ə̀ əzhʉ əkɔ̀ a yì na n ̀'ə mpf ̀ yì vəwenə mə zìtə̀ ngùfə. Ghə̀ ə njʉ̀ nku' a kwìə fəkò' nkəŋ ə ngu ngha'ə mpf ̀ yì nnɨ' no'ə̀ mwìmwìn. Kənjʉ̀ kə sə mwì'sə̀ əẁen ə wen luwèn fa mù ghə̀ gùfə mpf ̀ yì, Ənshen ə bɛ̀ mwì'sə̀ ghə wen fa fà ghə̀ ə bɛ̀ gùf. Vəwenə nzhʉsə ta lì nzhʉsə ta lì nzhʉsə ta lì, ghə̀ dì' a kwìə fəkò' nyàŋtə̀ lyè vəwenə chə'ə la yen vi'i a və gà'a və zì və gùfə mpf ̀ yuwù vəwenə a. Vəwenə ne nzhʉsə yenə ngə' ta lì.

Ne sə za'ə fa mpfwòmə vəwenə mpfʉkə.

Ghə̀ ə nshi'ə fa kwìə fəkò' yì ntulə təbəm tə vəwenə nshìsə àbè mpfɨ', nga' la yì kyì'ə ətof chò vəwenə.

Pfəpfəpfə, wù bwi wàyn ə̀ wù ghə̀ ə nku'ə ta bwàbwà' nkà wù bɛ ku'ə ta bwàbwà'. Hare then went and met Elephant and asked him 'My friend you are just big for nothing. Can you challenge me in a tug of war? Elephant was shocked and so annoyed that he asked Hare to just set a day for the tug of war. Hare chose the same day he had arranged with Hippopotamus.

19) The tug of war

He then went home, looked for a very solid long rope and arranged it properly. On that faithful day, he went to Hippopotamus and put one end of the rope on his neck. Then Hare told Hippopotamus that he was going to wear the other part of the rope at the other end so that they will begin pulling. He also said that when he will shake the rope then the tug of war will begin. Then he went over and met Elephant and wore the other end of the rope on his neck then told him that he will go over and wear it on his own neck at the other end. Hare also told Elephant that when he will shake the rope then the tug of war will begin. This way Hippopotamus and Elephant did not know they will be the ones to compete in the tug of war.

Hare then took a hook and climbed up a tree half way between the two animals. He used the hook to shake the rope and the two began to pull. The two animals pulled and pulled thinking that Hare was on one end of the rope whereas Hare was on top of a tree stretching his neck up and seeing them struggling. He mocked at them for thinking they could defeat him in the tug of war. Hippopotamus and Elephant pulled for the whole day and by evening they were exhausted and died. Hare then descended from the tree, went over to each of them, opened their stomach, removed the liver and ate, saying that he is more intelligent than both. This is where the story ends.