[Note: the two names in the title are significant, Chilubwelubwe meaning roughly ‘The-One-Hopelessly-Lost’ and Shichinongomunuma ‘The-Ogre-with-the-Big-Pot-at-the-Back.’]
A certain man had five children. He said to them, “My children, don’t walk to the west, every day go east!” And so his children always went to the east. One day the eldest said, “Why does our father refuse to let us go west?” So early in the morning he set out with his five dogs. He caught some little animals, small meerkats and mungooses; he tied them together by their heads and hung them up. At another place he caught some cane-rats. Then he went on. When he had gone some distance, he came upon a honey-guide. He followed it up. Then suddenly he came to a tree of bee-hives. The bees were everywhere. Then Chilubwelubwe greeted him, “Peace, friend!” And he said, “Peace to you!” Then he showed him to a house, which he entered. He cooked him some porridge with fly-relish; but he ate the porridge only. When night came, the (ogre) began to call to him, “Friend are you asleep?” He replied, “I am awake, friend.” Again later on it asked him, “Friend, are you asleep?” He didn’t reply. Then the ogre went and caught him, and ate him and his dogs as well.
When day dawned, the father said, “My children, I forbid you to go to the west!” That morning the younger brother went out with his dogs, and set off right for the west. When he had gone a fair distance, he came upon a bundle of meerkats, and a little further on a bundle of cane-rats; still further and there was a honey-guide. So he followed it up. When he drew near, he heard the humming of bees, and then he reached the tree. When he looked round he saw his brother’s weapons; then he knew that it was here that his brother was killed. Then Chilubwelubwe broke in saying, “Peace, friend!” And he said, “Peace, sir!” Then he showed him to a house, which he entered, and cooked him some porridge with flies for relish. When night came, he called to him, “Are you asleep, friend?” He answered, “I am awake, friend!” And again he called; he heard no answer. So Chilubwelubwe came out and ate him and his dogs.
The next day another brother set out in the very same direction that his brothers had taken. He reached a certain place, and found a bundle of meerkats; and when he had gone a little further he found a bundle of cane-rats. Further on still and he came to a honey-guide. Then off he went with the honey-guide; and drew near to the tree of bees. A humming, and he reaches it. When he looked round he saw his brothers’ weapons, and he knew that this was where his brothers died. Then Mr. Chilubwelubwe greeted him, and he responded, “Peace to you!” He was shown to a house, and porridge was cooked for him, and flies. The flies he threw away, the porridge he ate. When it was night, the (ogre) called to him, “Are you asleep, friend?” He replied, “I am awake, friend.” When he called again he heard no answer. He went in and ate him.
So there were two remaining at the village. One of those went out early in the morning with his dogs. He went right over towards where his brothers had died. At one place he found a bundle of meerkats and another of cane-rats. Then comes the self-same honey-guide. So he follows it up. When he had finished following it, he came to the tree of bees, they were everywhere. He came and stood still. When he looked round, he saw the weapons and axes of his brothers, and he knew that this (the ogre had meanwhile appeared) was what ate people. Then he was shown to a house, porridge was cooked and flies. When night came on, it asked him, “Are you asleep, friend?” And he answered, “I am awake, friend!” He was asked again, “Are you asleep, friend?” There was silence. Then it ate him and his dogs.
The next morning the father said to the son who remained with him, “You children of mine are foolish, because I forbade you to go westward; over to the west are Chilubwelubwe and Shichinongomunuma, the very ones who have made an end of human beings!” The son made reply, “Father, why didn’t you warn us of this while we were all here? Why have you hidden it from us? You merely spoke!” Then that youngest son arose and went right out westward. When he had gone some distance, he came upon a bundle of meerkats, then to a bundle of cane-rats. The honey-guide appeared; and then he reached the place where the bees were everywhere. When he looked round he saw his brothers’ axes. Mr. Chilubwelubwe greeted him, “Peace friend,” and he returned, “Peace, my friend.” He showed him to a house, and cooked him porridge; but he gave it to his dogs. When night had fallen, he asked him, “Friend, are you asleep?” He answered, “I am awake, friend!” Again he asked him, “Are you asleep?” He said, “I am awake, friend!” Then again in the middle of the night he asked him, “Are you asleep?” He answered, “I am awake, friend!” Mr. Chilubwelubwe said, “Don’t you ever sleep, then?” He answered, “I do sleep!” Then Mr. Chilubwelubwe said, “You’re a cute one!” He said, “No, I’m not, friend!” Mr. Chilubwelubwe waited one hour, then again he asked him, “Friend, are you asleep?” He said, “I am awake!” Mr. Chilubwelubwe himself went to sleep.
When day dawned he (the ogre) said to him, “Truly you’ve saved yourself from me, but when you go back home Shichinongomunuma will eat you!” He said, “Let him eat me!” Then Chilubwelubwe took a bell, stopped the mouth, and gave it to him, saying, “Go now! If you hear Shichinongomunuma coming, unstop this!” So then off he went. When he had gone some distance he heard a noise as of wind whistling in the trees. Then came Shichinongomunuma; he unstopped (the bell), and out jumped two little creatures, and fought with Shichinongomunuma. Mr. Shichinongomunuma fainted, and the big pot at his back broke. Then the little creatures went back, reached their owner, and he caught them. Then where Shichinongomunuma was, he recovered and fitted himself together, and rushed forward, the pot boiling behind him. The man heard him coming; and let the little (creatures) out again. They arrived, and pierced him through the heart. Ha! Shichinongomunuma dies.
Then the man went on, his little creatures having come back, and came to a path, then to a village. On arrival he said, “Whose village is this here?” Only women came out, a vast crowd of them, and said, “Mr. Shichinongomunuma’s.” He said, “Show me to a house!” Then the women said, “Hide him! Don’t let Mr. Shichinongomunuma find him!” Then indeed did they hide him. A little while after this he said, “Mr. Shichinongomunuma is dead!” The women denied saying, “No, there is no one in this country who could kill Mr. Shichinongomunuma. If you have killed Shichinongomunuma, this village is yours!” And he said, “It is true that I have killed him today!” In that way did he receive his village.