A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.
Overview
The four oribis belong to the officers of Ugungqu-kubantwana, the immense ruler at the pool. An exhausted woman has remained in the chief’s shade after drinking too much of its delicious water. When Ugungqu orders her eaten, the hyenas readily agree. The oribi officers first argue that the captive should be fattened, and then that night has come and the meal should wait until morning. Some other animals delay sleeping because they still want the woman eaten, but eventually the company falls asleep.
The four officers remain awake. Three lift the woman onto their backs, while the fourth carries her water-vessel. They run through the night, leave her at the outer border of her own village and hurry back before dawn. The text assigns these separate carrying roles; it does not make the vessel itself an animal or suggest that the captive dies and is revived. Her son-in-law later collects her and the water, completing the rescue within the same narrative.
On returning, the oribis discuss how to conceal their responsibility. They consider the predators who eat people, but reject smearing the leopard because its fierceness makes it liable to wake and rouse everyone. They instead rub the journey’s mud onto the sleeping hyenas’ legs, clean themselves and return to their former sleeping places. In the morning the animals threaten the officers because they opposed eating the captive. The oribis propose inspecting everyone’s feet and legs: mud will supposedly identify those who have taken the chief’s prey away.
Ugungqu accepts the proposed test. The animals find the planted mud on the hyenas, and the oribis accuse them of carrying off and eating the woman. The chief consumes all three accused hyenas. Their tactical delay and successful rescue therefore accompany an intentional false accusation with a fatal result. Callaway compares the mud device with other animal tales in a note, while Lydia’s complete account supplies the particular four rescuers, their carrying arrangement and the three victims.
Origins & earliest records
Lydia (Umkasetemba) is credited at the conclusion of the main bilingual narrative, printed p. 175. Callaway translates and supplies comparative notes; the rescuers’ complete sequence occupies pp. 168–170.
Records & interpretation
Complete Ugungqu-kubantwana, printed pp. 164–175, including the narrated resolution.
In the literature
“four oribes had not gone to sleep”
Ugungqu-kubantwana, printed p.168 · Henry Callaway
The four officers stay awake to rescue the woman and her water.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Nursery Tales, Traditions, and Histories of the Zulus
Ugungqu-kubantwana, pp. 164–175; contributor and editorial roles kept separate.
- 02
Nursery Tales, Traditions, and Histories of the Zulus, Volume I — Ugungqu-kubantwana and appendices
Henry Callaway, Nursery Tales, Traditions, and Histories of the Zulus, Volume I, Springvale, Natal: John A.Blair1868; selected bilingual Princeton scan. Complete main Ugungqu-kubantwana164–175 and appendicesA176/B177–178 read. Main175 credits Lydia(Umkasetemba); appendixA176 credits Lydia; appendixB credited to Lydia on printed p.178.
Family & connections
A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.
Located primary passages
Specific passages supporting details in this entry, grouped by their published witness.
Nursery Tales, Traditions, and Histories of the Zulus
Henry Callaway, Nursery Tales, Traditions, and Histories of the Zulus, Volume I, Springvale, Natal: John A.Blair1868; selected bilingual Princeton scan. Complete main Ugungqu-kubantwana164–175 and appendicesA176/B177–178 read. Main175 credits Lydia(Umkasetemba); appendixA176 credits Lydia; appendixB credited to Lydia on printed p.178.
- Ugungqu’s oribi officers first postpone eating the captive until she is fat or morning comes. Four remain awake: three carry the woman on their backs, and the fourth carries her water-vessel. They leave her outside her village and return before dawn.
- To conceal their rescue the oribi choose sleeping hyenas as safer targets than the easily awakened leopard. They wipe mud onto the hyenas and clean themselves, then advocate a limb-inspection test. The chief believes their accusation and eats the three hyenas; the grandmother is found and brought home with her water.
Specific speaking rescuers within the tale, not a species-wide behavioural claim. Callaway’s historical taxon gloss is not a verified modern identification. Their beneficial rescue and deceptive killing consequence are both retained. The false accusation is not an innocent mistake or a genuine hyena theft.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Digitized bilingual collected account with English translationHenry Callaway — Ugungqu-kubantwanaResearch access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.