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FOLKLORE The Bushman related many stories or legends which reflected their daily way of life. One such legend is the story of where fire came from. It is said that the mantis is the "spirit of the Bushman's creation" - his praying posture with head cocked to one side, is interpreted as the mantis intently listening to the prayers and requests of the Bushman. So it was told, that one day, mantis was observing ostrich cooking meat on an open fire. His curiosity was great, since he had never before seen fire. When finished with his cooking and eating, ostrich picked up the fire and put it under his wing and went on his way. Mantis reflected the entire night on how he too could get fire and came up with a plan. The next day, he invited ostrich to accompany him to a tree covered in juicy ripe, yellow plums - he knew that ostrich loved yellow plums - and so ostrich went with him to this tree. Mantis encouraged ostrich to pick of the tree first and kept urging him to reach higher up for better fruit. Finally reaching to the very top of the tree, ostrich dropped the fire from underneath his wing - just as mantis had planned it - and mantis grabbed some of it and ran off to give some to the Bushman to roast meat, light the darkness and warm themselves. Ostrich, feeling tricked, blamed himself for being so foolish and vowed never to raise his wings again, and that is why, till this day, ostrich keeps his wings close to his sides. |