Research source

I am coming!" They all came hastily, both of Rat's people, and of Leopard's people; and there they saw Rat held…

Date of account: Published 1917
Source: Where Animals Talk: West African Folk Lore Tales
Reference: Where Animals Talk: West African Folk Lore Tales · selected passage 5
Rights: public_domain
Language: English
Record updated: 2026-08-25

Record summary

I am coming!" They all came hastily, both of Rat's people, and of Leopard's people; and there they saw Rat held fast by the hands and legs of the image

Published source text

Read the available text below. Archive transcriptions may contain OCR errors; later context is labelled separately. A recorded claim is not a finding that it happened.

Source passage

Source text · mention only

Leopard replied, "Hold fast! I am coming!" They all came hastily, both of Rat's people, and of Leopard's people; and there they saw Rat held fast by the hands and legs of the image. Leopard asked, "Where is he?" Rat, daring to the last, said, "This little man here that I am holding." Leopard said, "Now that I am here, let go of him, for I will take charge of him." Rat struggled, but in vain. Leopard several times repeated his direction to Rat, "Let go of him!" But Rat was utterly unable to withdraw his limbs from the power of the image. And he gave up the effort, in shame. Then Leopard had to help release Rat; the conferred power of the image being subservient to him. He did not strike Rat, he being his relative. But rebuked him, "Ah! Ntori! now I know it was you who made all the trouble about my meat!" And he took back all his fine bundles, and returned Rat his poor bundles.

Historical context

Contextual commentary · mention only

This material belongs to a folklore tradition. Story type, collector, community, transmission and literary editing matter when comparing it with other sources.

Modern context

Contextual commentary · mention only

Lattice compares motifs and reported features without assuming that a traditional being is a biological species or that similar stories document one external cause.

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