--- title: Story of the Bird That Made Milk. I. — Kaffir folk-lore · full text with trees description: Story of the Bird That Made Milk. I., «Kaffir folk-lore» by George McCall Theal: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: There was once upon a time a poor man living with his wife in a certain village. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg71335/3/) [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/) / Story of the Bird That Made Milk. I. # Story of the Bird That Made Milk. I. Story of the Bird That Made Milk. I. of «Kaffir folk-lore» by George McCall Theal: the whole text, 164 sentences and 1860 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 upon a time a poor man living with his wife in a certain village.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") They had three children, two boys and a girl.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") They used to get milk from a tree.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") That milk of the tree was got by squeezing.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") It was not nice as that of a cow, and the people that drank it were always thin.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") For this reason, those people were never glossy like those who are fat.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") One day the woman went to cultivate a garden.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") She began by cutting the grass with a pick, and then putting it in a big heap.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") That was the work of the first day, and when the sun was just about to set she went home.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") When she left, there came a bird to that place, and sang this song:[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") “Weeds of this garden, Weeds of this garden, Spring up, spring up; Work of this garden, Work of this garden, Disappear, disappear.”[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") It was so.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") The next morning, when she returned and saw that, she wondered greatly.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") She again put it in order on that day, and put some sticks in the ground to mark the place.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") In the evening she went home and told that she had found the grass which she had cut growing just as it was before.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") Her husband said: “How can such a thing be?[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") You were lazy and didn’t work, and now tell me this falsehood.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") Just get out of my sight, or I’ll beat you.”[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") On the third day she went to her work with a sorrowful heart, remembering the words spoken by her husband.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") She reached the place and found the grass growing as before.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") The sticks that she stuck in the ground were there still, but she saw nothing else of her labour.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") She wondered greatly.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") She said in her heart, “I will not cut the grass off again, I will just hoe the ground as it is.”[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") She commenced.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the bird came and perched on one of the sticks.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") It sang:[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") “Citi, citi, who is this cultivating the ground of my father?[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") Pick, come off; Pick handle, break; Sods, go back to your places!”[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") All these things happened.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") The woman went home and told her husband what the bird had done.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") Then they made a plan.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") They dug a deep hole in the ground, and covered it with sticks and grass.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") The man hid himself in the hole, and put up one of his hands.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") The woman commenced to hoe the ground again.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the bird came and perched on the hand of the man, and sang:[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") “This is the ground of my father.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") Who are you, digging my father’s ground?[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") Pick, break into small pieces; Sods, return to your places.”[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") It was so.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the man tightened his fingers and caught the bird.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") He came up out of the place of concealment.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") He said to the bird: “As for you who spoil the work of this garden, you will not see the sun any more.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") With this sharp stone I will cut off your head!”[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the bird said to him: “I am not a bird that should be killed.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") I am a bird that can make milk.”[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") The man said: “Make some, then.”[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") The bird made some milk in his hand.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") The man tasted it.[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") It was very nice milk.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") The man said: “Make some more milk, my bird.”[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") The bird did so.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") The man sent his wife for a milk basket.[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") When she brought it, the bird filled it with milk.[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") The man was very much pleased.[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") He said: “This pretty bird of mine is better than a cow.”[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") He took it home and put it in a jar.[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") After that he used to rise even in the night and tell the bird to make milk for him.[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") Only he and his wife drank of it.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") The children continued to drink of the milk of the tree.[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") The names of the children were Gingci, the first-born son; Lonci, his brother; and Dumangashe, his sister.[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") That man then got very fat indeed, so that his skin became shining.[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") The girl said to her brother Gingci: “Why does father get fat and we remain so thin?”[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") He replied: “I do not know.[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") Perhaps he eats in the night.”[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") They made a plan to watch.[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") They saw him rise in the middle of the night.[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") He went to the big jar and took an eating mat off it.[67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") He said: “Make milk, my bird.”[68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") He drank much.[69](69/ "tree and pragmatics") Again he said: “Make milk, my bird,” and again he drank till he was very full.[70](70/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he lay down and went to sleep.[71](71/ "tree and pragmatics") The next day the woman went to work in her garden, and the man went to visit his friend.[72](72/ "tree and pragmatics") The children remained at home, but not in the house.[73](73/ "tree and pragmatics") Their father fastened the door of the house, and told them not to enter it on any account till his return.[74](74/ "tree and pragmatics") Gingci said: “To-day we will drink of the milk that makes father fat and shining; we will not drink of the milk of the euphorbia to-day.”[75](75/ "tree and pragmatics") The girl said: “As for me, I also say let us drink of father’s milk to-day.”[76](76/ "tree and pragmatics") They entered the house.[77](77/ "tree and pragmatics") Gingci removed the eating mat from the jar, and said to the bird: “My father’s bird, make milk for me.”[78](78/ "tree and pragmatics") The bird said: “If I am your father’s bird, put me by the fireplace, and I will make milk.”[79](79/ "tree and pragmatics") The boy did so.[80](80/ "tree and pragmatics") The bird made just a little milk.[81](81/ "tree and pragmatics") The boy drank, and said: “My father’s bird, make more milk.”[82](82/ "tree and pragmatics") The bird said: “If I am your father’s bird, put me by the door, then I will make milk.”[83](83/ "tree and pragmatics") The boy did this.[84](84/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the bird made just a little milk, which the boy drank.[85](85/ "tree and pragmatics") The girl said: “My father’s bird, make milk for me.”[86](86/ "tree and pragmatics") The bird said: “If I am your father’s bird, just put me in the sunlight, and I will make milk.”[87](87/ "tree and pragmatics") The girl did so.[88](88/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the bird made a jar full of milk.[89](89/ "tree and pragmatics") After that the bird sang:[90](90/ "tree and pragmatics") “The father of Dumangashe came, he came, He came unnoticed by me.[91](91/ "tree and pragmatics") He found great fault with me.[92](92/ "tree and pragmatics") The little fellows have met together.[93](93/ "tree and pragmatics") Gingci the brother of Lonci.[94](94/ "tree and pragmatics") The Umkomanzi cannot be crossed, It is crossed by swallows Whose wings are long.”[95](95/ "tree and pragmatics") When it finished its song it lifted up its wings and flew away.[96](96/ "tree and pragmatics") But the girl was still drinking milk.[97](97/ "tree and pragmatics") The children called it, and said: “Return, bird of our father,” but it did not come back.[98](98/ "tree and pragmatics") They said, “We shall be killed to-day.”[99](99/ "tree and pragmatics") They followed the bird.[100](100/ "tree and pragmatics") They came to a tree where there were many birds.[101](101/ "tree and pragmatics") The boy caught one, and said to it: “My father’s bird, make milk.”[102](102/ "tree and pragmatics") It bled.[103](103/ "tree and pragmatics") They said: “This is not our father’s bird.”[104](104/ "tree and pragmatics") This bird bled very much; the blood ran like a river.[105](105/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the boy released it, and it flew away.[106](106/ "tree and pragmatics") The children were seized with fear.[107](107/ "tree and pragmatics") They said to themselves: “If our father finds us, he will kill us to-day.”[108](108/ "tree and pragmatics") In the evening the man came home.[109](109/ "tree and pragmatics") When he was yet far off, he saw that the door had been opened.[110](110/ "tree and pragmatics") He said: “I did not shut the door that way.”[111](111/ "tree and pragmatics") He called his children, but only Lonci replied.[112](112/ "tree and pragmatics") He asked for the others.[113](113/ "tree and pragmatics") Lonci said: “I went to the river to drink; when I returned they were gone.”[114](114/ "tree and pragmatics") He searched for them, and found the girl under the ashes and the boy behind a stone.[115](115/ "tree and pragmatics") He inquired at once about his bird.[116](116/ "tree and pragmatics") They were compelled to tell the truth concerning it.[117](117/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the man took a riem and hung those two children on a tree that projected over the river.[118](118/ "tree and pragmatics") He went away, leaving them there.[119](119/ "tree and pragmatics") Their mother besought their father, saying that they should be released; but the man refused.[120](120/ "tree and pragmatics") After he was gone, the boy tried to escape.[121](121/ "tree and pragmatics") He climbed up the riem and held on to the tree; then he went up and loosened the riem that was tied to his sister.[122](122/ "tree and pragmatics") After that they climbed up the tree, and then went away from their home.[123](123/ "tree and pragmatics") They slept three times on the road.[124](124/ "tree and pragmatics") They came to a big rock.[125](125/ "tree and pragmatics") The boy said: “We have no father and no mother; rock, be our house.”[126](126/ "tree and pragmatics") The rock opened, and they went inside.[127](127/ "tree and pragmatics") After that they lived there in that place.[128](128/ "tree and pragmatics") They obtained food by hunting animals,—they were hunted by the boy.[129](129/ "tree and pragmatics") When they were already in that place a long time, the girl grew to be big.[130](130/ "tree and pragmatics") There were no people in that place.[131](131/ "tree and pragmatics") A bird came one day with a child, and left it there by their house.[132](132/ "tree and pragmatics") The bird said: “So have I done to all the people.”[133](133/ "tree and pragmatics") After that a crocodile came to that place.[134](134/ "tree and pragmatics") The boy was just going to kill it, but it said: “I am a crocodile; I am not to be killed; I am your friend.”[135](135/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the boy went with the crocodile to the house of the crocodile, in a deep hole under the water.[136](136/ "tree and pragmatics") The crocodile had many cattle and (much) millet.[137](137/ "tree and pragmatics") He gave the boy ten cows and ten baskets of millet.[138](138/ "tree and pragmatics") The crocodile said to the boy: “You must send your sister for the purpose of being married to me.”[139](139/ "tree and pragmatics") The boy made a fold to keep his cattle in; his sister made a garden and planted millet.[140](140/ "tree and pragmatics") The crocodile sent more cattle.[141](141/ "tree and pragmatics") The boy made a very big fold, and it was full of cattle.[142](142/ "tree and pragmatics") At this time there came a bird.[143](143/ "tree and pragmatics") The bird said: “Your sister has performed the custom, and as for you, you should enter manhood.”[144](144/ "tree and pragmatics") The crocodile gave one of his daughters to be the wife of the young man.[145](145/ "tree and pragmatics") The young woman went to the village of the crocodile, she went to be a bride.[146](146/ "tree and pragmatics") They said to her: “Whom do you choose to be your husband?”[147](147/ "tree and pragmatics") The girl replied: “I choose Crocodile.”[148](148/ "tree and pragmatics") Her husband said to her: “Lick my face.”[149](149/ "tree and pragmatics") She did so.[150](150/ "tree and pragmatics") The crocodile cast off its skin, and arose a man of great strength and fine appearance.[151](151/ "tree and pragmatics") He said: “The enemies of my father’s house did that; you, my wife, are stronger than they.”[152](152/ "tree and pragmatics") After this there was a great famine, and the mother of those people came to their village.[153](153/ "tree and pragmatics") She did not recognise her children, but they knew her and gave her food.[154](154/ "tree and pragmatics") She went away, and then their father came.[155](155/ "tree and pragmatics") He did not recognise them either, but they knew him.[156](156/ "tree and pragmatics") They asked him what he wanted.[157](157/ "tree and pragmatics") He told them that his village was devoured by famine.[158](158/ "tree and pragmatics") They gave him food, and he went away.[159](159/ "tree and pragmatics") He returned again.[160](160/ "tree and pragmatics") The young man said: “You thought we would die when you hung us in the tree.”[161](161/ "tree and pragmatics") He was astonished, and said: “Are you indeed my child?”[162](162/ "tree and pragmatics") Crocodile then gave them (the parents) three baskets of corn, and told them to go and build on the mountains.[163](163/ "tree and pragmatics") He (the man) did so and died there on the mountains.[164](164/ "tree and pragmatics") - ← previous: [Introductory Chapter Regarding the Kaffirs.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg71335/2/) - next →: [The Story of the Bird That Made Milk. II.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg71335/4/) - ↑ back to [Kaffir folk-lore](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg71335/)