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  • Gumha and the Large Rooster

Gumha and the Large Rooster

Gumha and the Large Rooster


Author Country :Tanzania
Genre Type :Historical fiction
Location :Tanzania
Year of Publication :0/
Publication :African Stories For Preachers and Teachers (2005)
Sub Theme :Witchcraft/Superstition, Cultural Values, Animals, Life/
Author Name :Sukuma Ethnic Group/
Author City :
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     Gumha was a famous and powerful leader of the Bagalu
Dance Society, which used to compete with the Bagika, the other well-known dance
group in Sukumaland. They contested with each other on a regular basis and
depended on special magical medicine to ensure success in their dance
competitions. Because of his powerful medicine, Gumha was responsible for the
success of the Bagalu dancers. This made the Bagika dancers extremely jealous,
and they did everything possible to bewitch Gumha.

    As it happened Gumha had an extraordinary rooster who used
to perch on the roof of his house. When the witches approached the home of Gumha
in order to harm him, the rooster would start to crow. On hearing the rooster,
the witches would become frightened and say: "What is this? The rooster is
crowing. It must be getting light. Let us run for it or we will all be killed."
Then the witches would run away without doing any harm to Gumha. The followers
of Gumha would say in a boastful way: "Gumha has such powerful medicine that
none can harm him not even the witches."

    When Gumha finally died his disciples said: "Our master
was not bewitched, but God himself has taken him. Truly there is nobody as
powerful as God. There is no one like him. He is the one who gives us our life
and he is the one who takes our life away." From this story comes the proverb
there is only one bull in the world (that is, God is all powerful).


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