The Lion On The Path - Mbira Tale

I was not there, but once there was a farmer named Kwasi (KWAH-see) who lived happily with his wife Kumaa (Koo-MAH). Except for one thing: Kumaa came from a large family in another village. And she often felt lonesome for her relatives.

One day, Kwasi and Kumaa were working in the field where they grew yams. They were both hoeing and weeding out in the hot, hot sun, until Kumaa thought she could not stand it any longer. Then she said, "Kwasi, I want to go off and visit my relatives."

"What, again?" he said. "You went just last week."

"I know," she said, "but I feel tired and lonely. Please, let me go."

"Alright," said Kwasi. "Go then, if you must. I will stay and do the work for both of us. But listen to what I tell you: You must not go by the path that runs below the village. I know this is the shorter way, and the way we always go. But I hear there is a lion on that path which has attacked people. Go, instead, by the path that runs above the village. It is the longer way, but at least you will be safe from the lion.

"Oh, Kwasi," she said, "I know the way." But she really wasn't listening. She put down her hoe and took off.

Kwasi continued to hoe for a little time. But he had a funny feeling inside his middle. "I bet she took the wrong path," he thought. So he threw down his hoe and ran to the edge of the village. Ahhh! Sure enough, his wife's tracks led to the path below the village, where the lion was. He ran down the path until he came to a place where the path curved around a very large rock

As he went around the rock, he saw his wife Kumaa standing in the path face to face with a huge lion. Oh! The lion was getting ready to pounce. Kwasi thought fast, and grabbed his mbira, which he always carried at his side, hanging from his belt. And he began to play.

The lion heard the music and turned his attention to Kwasi. He became hypnotized by the rhythm and the melody. Kwasi whispered to his wife, "Kumaa! Back up around the rock and as soon as you are out of sight, run for your life. And do not look back.

Slowly she backed up, step by step, until she was out of sight. And then she took off running. She ran for her life. And she didn't look back. And the lion didn't move. He heard only the music of Kwasi's mbira and his eyes were fixed on him.

So, Kwasi had saved his wife, but now, he had to save himself. As long as he continued to play, the lion was at bay. But if he stopped, the spell would be broken and the lion surely would attack him. He thought, "If I can back up slowly, I may be able to get around the rock, where he can not see me. Then I can run for it."

So, he started backing up one step at a time. But every time he stepped back, the lion stepped forward. At this rate, Kwasi would never get away. And sooner or later, he would become too tired to continue playing. On and on he played, until he thought his thumbs would fall off. The lion kept listening with his eyes fixed on Kwasi.

When Kwasi was about to give up hope, he heard a sound: "Psst. ... Psst." He looked down and saw a rabbit standing at his feet. The rabbit said, "That's a nice mbira you have there. I've always wanted one of those."

"Well," said Kwasi, "I'd gladly give it to you, but I'm using it just now."

"Right," said the rabbit. "If you give it to me, 1'11 play it so you can get away from the lion the same way your wife did."

"Gladly," said Kwasi. He reached down, without stopping, and handed the mbira to the rabbit, who picked up the melody and continued to play. The lion now fixed his gaze on the rabbit, listening to the music. Kwasi slowly backed up, around the big rock. And when he was out of sight, he took off and ran for his life. And he didn't look back.

Now, the rabbit had a problem. How would he get away? He started to hop backwards one hop at a time. Every time he hopped back, the lion stepped forward. But he was not troubled. He hopped backwards until he got to his rabbit hole. And then he hopped right down into it and was safe from the lion.

The lion shook his head and said, "I thought I saw a woman, then a man, then a rabbit. But now, I see only this mbira. I can't eat that." So the lion went to find a meal on another path.

And the rabbit? Well, I saw him on my way here, smiling and playing his mbira.

Now, this is my story, which I have told you. Whether it is sweet or whether it is not sweet, take a bit of it and keep the rest under your pillow.

This is the way I tell this story, which is found in The Story Vine, by Anne Pellowski

For the story on Richard Crandell, see

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98953837