--- title: Xxxi.--chief Kekong’s Daughter ’ndere Who Married a Python… — Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria · full text with trees · page 2 description: Xxxi.--chief Kekong’s Daughter ’ndere Who Married a Python., part 2, «Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria» by Elphinstone Dayrell: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: This was done for two days, and on the third day ’Ndere said she would like to --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg70959/25/page/2/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Ikom folk stories from Southern Nigeria](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg70959/) / Xxxi.--chief Kekong’s Daughter ’ndere… # Xxxi.--chief Kekong’s Daughter ’ndere Who Married a Python., part 2 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg70959/25/) **2** Aictor then perched himself on the chief’s shoulder, and called out in the Ingor language, “Agbor Adam, Agbor Adam, you have broken the law made by Chief Akum Alobi between hunting-men and fishing-women, and you know that whoever breaks this law will be killed.”[47](../../47/ "tree and pragmatics") Aictor shouted so loud that the men, who had never heard a bird talking in their hunting camp before, began to ask among themselves what he was saying, but as they did not understand Ingor, they could not tell one another.[48](../../48/ "tree and pragmatics") They could only hear Agbor Adam’s name being called out.[49](../../49/ "tree and pragmatics") They therefore went to the chief and asked him to tell them what the bird was saying, but even the chief himself was unable to explain, and told the men not to trouble about what the bird said, but to continue with their hunting, and that when they returned to the town he would call upon the lot caster for an explanation.[50](../../50/ "tree and pragmatics") The men then went out hunting again, but all day long Aictor followed them, calling out Agbor Adam’s name, and saying he had broken the law.[51](../../51/ "tree and pragmatics") When the hunters returned to the camp in the evening, they cut up the animals which had been killed during the day, and placed the meat in the smoke of the fires to dry.[52](../../52/ "tree and pragmatics") The skins were pegged out on the ground, and covered with wood ashes.[53](../../53/ "tree and pragmatics") Later in the evening, the chief called Agbor Adam to him, and asked him if he could explain what the bird had been saying, but he could not do so, and said he would like the lot caster to be consulted when they returned to Okuni.[54](../../54/ "tree and pragmatics") The chief agreed, and said that they would all go back in three days’ time.[55](../../55/ "tree and pragmatics") Early the next morning, Aictor perched himself on the topmost branch of the highest tree in the hunting camp, and started to call Agbor Adam’s name as loudly as he could.[56](../../56/ "tree and pragmatics") This so frightened Agbor Adam that, while the other men were hunting, he withdrew himself quietly from the party, and, having found his wife, told her that the whole of the previous day the bird had called his name and had started to call him again that morning.[57](../../57/ "tree and pragmatics") Agbor also said he was so frightened that he had come to ask her to run home with him, and he would then consult the lot caster as to what should be done before the chief arrived, as he felt certain the bird must have seen what they had done and would tell everybody.[58](../../58/ "tree and pragmatics") His wife then began to pack up her smoked fish, but, before she had finished Aictor came and sat on a tree near to where they were standing, and called out “Agbor Adam\![59](../../59/ "tree and pragmatics") Agbor Adam\![60](../../60/ "tree and pragmatics") Yesterday I caught you breaking the chief’s hunting law by eating fish, and now I find you running away from the hunting party.”[61](../../61/ "tree and pragmatics") Although Agbor Adam could not understand what the bird said, he suspected something of the truth, so, having fitted an arrow to his bow, he aimed at the bird, thinking that if he could only kill him the trouble would be finished, but Aictor flew away.[62](../../62/ "tree and pragmatics") When Iza Kakem had packed the fish into a load for carrying, her husband helped her to place the load on her head, and they started off with the woman in front, Agbor Adam following close behind.[63](../../63/ "tree and pragmatics") They walked on for some distance, until they arrived at a stream called “Keruba Ketor” (“deep hole, near the town,” a place where women wash their bodies) and then Agbor suggested that they should rest for a while and wash.[64](../../64/ "tree and pragmatics") The woman placed her load in the forked branches of a tree near the stream, and, stepping into the pool, commenced to drink out of her hands.[65](../../65/ "tree and pragmatics") She had not finished drinking when they heard the bird calling out, “Agbor Adam\![66](../../66/ "tree and pragmatics") Agbor Adam\![67](../../67/ "tree and pragmatics") You are running away, but you will be found out.”[68](../../68/ "tree and pragmatics") When Agbor heard the now familiar voice of the bird, he looked round everywhere, but, as he could not see Aictor, he was frightened, and told his wife to pick up her load at once.[69](../../69/ "tree and pragmatics") Then they waded across the stream and began to run.[70](../../70/ "tree and pragmatics") They continued to run until they reached the second water, called “Ogboga Kedegha” (“the water with deep places”).[71](../../71/ "tree and pragmatics") Here the woman said she was going to wash, as she was so hot and tired.[72](../../72/ "tree and pragmatics") Aigbor also said he would wash, so they took off their cloths and stepped into the water, but they had only just started to wash themselves when the bird called out again, “Agbor Adam\![73](../../73/ "tree and pragmatics") Agbor Adam\![74](../../74/ "tree and pragmatics") Now you are half-way home, and, if you do not kill me, you will be found out.”[75](../../75/ "tree and pragmatics") Both Agbor and his wife were now thoroughly frightened, and, jumping out of the water, snatched up their cloths, and ran naked along the path until they reached the shade of a large tree, where they stopped and tied their cloths on.[76](../../76/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the woman began to abuse her husband, saying, “You have been the cause of all this running and trouble,” but Agbor told her that when he eat the fish and broke the hunting law he never thought he would be found out.[77](../../77/ "tree and pragmatics") They then started off again, and walked as far as the third water, called “Ofat elikatt,” (“the slippery water”; so called because the stream runs so fast over the stepping-stones that it causes a person’s foot to slip).[78](../../78/ "tree and pragmatics") Having rested for a little while, they started off again, but had only gone a few steps when the bird once more attracted their attention by calling Agbor’s name.[79](../../79/ "tree and pragmatics") This time Aictor was saying, “Turn round and look at the little stream as it will be for the last time.”[80](../../80/ "tree and pragmatics") As they did not understand what the bird said, they started off to run again, and did not stop until they reached the small stream quite close to the town, which is called “Ezi Ifom” (“the water where the cows drink”).[81](../../81/ "tree and pragmatics") \[11\][82](../../82/ "tree and pragmatics") Here at last they managed to wash without any interruption from the bird, and when they were ready they walked on into the town, which they found almost deserted, as all the men and women were absent hunting and fishing.[83](../../83/ "tree and pragmatics") When they arrived at their house, however, they found that Aictor had got there before them, for they saw him sitting on the top of a palm-tree, and when they came near they could hear him calling out, “Agbor Adam\![84](../../84/ "tree and pragmatics") Agbor Adam\![85](../../85/ "tree and pragmatics") Here shall I stay in the town until Chief Alobi and the hunters return, when I will tell them that you have broken their hunting law and you will be killed.”[86](../../86/ "tree and pragmatics") Agbor and his wife then ran into their house and shut the door carefully behind them.[87](../../87/ "tree and pragmatics") Agbor told his wife that when night came he would go and get a supply of food, but that she was not to let anyone in and not to answer anybody who called.[88](../../88/ "tree and pragmatics") He also said that when he got food he would return, and that if there was no one about outside trying to catch him, he would knock at the door and she could then let him in.[89](../../89/ "tree and pragmatics") During the next two nights, Agbor went out as soon as it was dark and got as much food as he could into the house and then fastened himself securely in.[90](../../90/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg70959/25/) **2** - ← previous: [page 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