--- title: The Story of the Cannibal Mother and Her Children. — Kaffir folk-lore · full text with trees description: The Story of the Cannibal Mother and Her Children., «Kaffir folk-lore» by George McCall Theal: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: There was once a man and a woman who had two children, a son and a daughter. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg71335/15/) [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/) / [Kaffir folk-lore](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg71335/) / The Story of the Cannibal Mother and H… # The Story of the Cannibal Mother and Her Children. The Story of the Cannibal Mother and Her Children. of «Kaffir folk-lore» by George McCall Theal: the whole text, 82 sentences and 1141 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. There was once a man and a woman who had two children, a son and a daughter.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") These children lived with their grandfather.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") Their mother was a cannibal, but not their father.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") One day they said to their grandfather: “We have been long with you, we should like very much to go and see our parents.”[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") Their grandfather said: “Ho! will you be able to come back?[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") Don’t you know your mother is a cannibal?”[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") After a time he consented.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") He said: “You must leave at such a time that you may arrive there in the evening, so that your mother may not see you, only your father.”[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") The boy’s name was Hinazinci.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") He said: “Let us go now, my sister.”[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") They started when the sun was set.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") When they arrived at their father’s house, they listened outside to find out if their mother was there.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") They heard the voice of their father only, so they called to him.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") He came out, and when he saw them he was sorry, and said: “Why did you come here, my dear children?[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") Don’t you know your mother is a cannibal?”[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") Just then they heard a noise like thunder.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") It was the coming of their mother.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") Their father took them inside and put them in a dark corner, where he covered them with skins.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") Their mother came in with an animal and the body of a man.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") She stood and said: “There’s something here.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") What a nice smell it has!”[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") She said to her husband: “Sohinazinci, what have you to tell me about this nice smell that is in my house?[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") You must tell me whether my children are here.”[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") Her husband answered: “What are you dreaming about?[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") They are not here.”[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") She went to the corner where they were, and took the skins away.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") When she saw them, she said: “My children, I am very sorry that you are here, because I must eat people.”[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") She cooked for them and their father the animal she had brought home, and the dead man for herself.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") After they had eaten, she went out.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") Then their father said to them: “When we lie down to sleep, you must be watchful.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") You will hear a dancing of people, a roaring of wild beasts, and a barking of dogs in your mother’s stomach.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") You will know by that she is sleeping, and you must then rise at once and get away.”[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") They lay down, but the man and the children only pretended to go to sleep.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") They were listening for those sounds.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") After a while they heard a dancing of people, a roaring of wild beasts, and a barking of dogs.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") Then their father shook them, and said they must go while their mother was sleeping.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") They bade their father farewell, and crept out quietly, that their mother might not hear them.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") At midnight the woman woke up, and when she found the children were gone, she took her axe and went after them.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") They were already a long way on their journey, when they saw her following them.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") They were so tired that they could not run.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") When she was near them, the boy said to the girl: “My sister, sing your melodious song; perhaps when she hears it she will be sorry, and go home without hurting us.”[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") The girl replied: “She will not listen to anything now, because she is in want of meat.”[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") Hinazinci said: “Try, my sister; it may not be in vain.”[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") So she sang her song, and when the cannibal heard it, she ran backwards to her own house.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") There she fell upon her husband, and wanted to cut him with the axe.[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") Her husband caught hold of her arm, and said: “Ho! if you put me to death who will be your husband?”[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") Then she left him, and ran after the children again.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") They were near their grandfather’s village, and were very weak when their mother overtook them.[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") The girl fell down, and the cannibal caught her and swallowed her.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") She then ran after the boy.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") He fell just at the entrance of his grandfather’s house, and she picked him up and swallowed him also.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") She found only the old people and the children of the village at home, all the others being at work in the gardens.[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") She ate all the people that were at home and also all the cattle that were there.[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") Towards evening she left to go to her own home.[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") There was a deep valley in the way, and when she came to it she saw a very beautiful bird.[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") As she approached it, the bird got bigger and bigger, until at last when she was very near it, it was as big as a house (i.e., a native hut).[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the bird began to sing its song.[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") The woman looked at it, and said to herself: “I shall take this bird home to my husband.”[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") The bird continued its song, and sang:[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") “I am a pretty bird of the valley, You come to make a disturbance at my place.”[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") The bird came slowly towards her, still singing its song.[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") When they met, the bird took the axe from the woman, and still sang the same song.[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") The cannibal began to be afraid.[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") She said to the bird: “Give me my axe; I do not wish for your flesh now.”[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") The bird tore one of her arms off.[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") She said: “I am going away now; give me what is mine.”[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") The bird would not listen to her, but continued its song.[67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") She said again: “Give me my axe and let me go.[68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") My husband at home is very hungry; I want to go and cook food for him.”[69](69/ "tree and pragmatics") The bird sang more loudly than before, and tore one of her legs off.[70](70/ "tree and pragmatics") She fell down and cried out: “My master, I am in a hurry to go home.[71](71/ "tree and pragmatics") I do not want anything that is yours.”[72](72/ "tree and pragmatics") She saw that she was in danger.[73](73/ "tree and pragmatics") She said to the bird again: “You don’t know how to sing your song nicely; let me go, and I will sing it for you.”[74](74/ "tree and pragmatics") The bird opened its wings wide, and tore open her stomach.[75](75/ "tree and pragmatics") Many people came forth, most of them alive, but some were dead.[76](76/ "tree and pragmatics") As they came forth she caught them and swallowed them again.[77](77/ "tree and pragmatics") The two children were alive, and they ran away.[78](78/ "tree and pragmatics") At last the woman died.[79](79/ "tree and pragmatics") There was great rejoicing in that country.[80](80/ "tree and pragmatics") The children returned to their grandfather, and the people came there and made them rulers of the country, because it was through them the cannibal was brought to death.[81](81/ "tree and pragmatics") The girl was afterwards married to a son of the great chief, and Hinazinci had for his wife the daughter of that great one.[82](82/ "tree and pragmatics") - ← previous: [Story of the Cannibal’s Wonderful Bird.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg71335/14/) - next →: [Story of the Girl and the Mbulu.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg71335/16/) - ↑ back to [Kaffir folk-lore](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg71335/)