Kabube the Spider

Overview

Kabube is the named spider whose woven cord connects heaven and earth in Chatelain’s Mbaka marriage tale. The water-carriers of Sun and Moon use the cobweb when returning from the earthly well to the celestial household. Mainu the Frog takes advantage of this regular journey by hiding inside their water jugs. The spider’s work therefore underlies the messenger’s successful movement even while the household remains unaware that anyone is carrying the suitor’s letters.

Near the conclusion, Sun specifically orders Spider to weave a large cobweb down to earth because his daughter is to be taken there that day. Spider completes the work. The household lowers the daughter to the well, where Mainu restores her eyes and escorts her to her intended husband. Kabube supplies the traversable link rather than delivering the letters or causing the blindness. Chatelain’s note 438 explains Ka-bube and Ka-zundu as personal names derived from the corresponding animal nouns; his comparative discussion of other sky-web stories remains separate from this spider’s narrated actions.

Origins & earliest records

Tale XIII is attributed to Jelemía dia Sabatelu, identified elsewhere in Chatelain’s contributor notes as Jeremias Alvares da Costa. Both its dialect and origin are labelled Mbaka. Chatelain prints the Ki-mbundu text with a facing literal English translation; the 1894 publication date is not a date for the tale’s first circulation.

Records & interpretation

Complete tale XIII, The Son of Kimanaueze and the Daughter of Sun and Moon, bilingual pp. 130–141, English pp. 131, 133, 135, 137, 139 and conclusion p. 141; contributor note XIII pp. 287–288 and notes 437–445 p. 288.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   Folk-Tales of Angola

   Héli Chatelain, collector, editor and literal English translator; named contributor in origin · 1894

   Complete tale XIII, The Son of Kimanaueze and the Daughter of Sun and Moon, bilingual pp. 130–141, English pp. 131, 133, 135, 137, 139 and conclusion p. 141; contributor note XIII pp. 287–288 and notes 437–445 p. 288.

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.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

1. Collected Ki-mbundu text with facing English translation and contributor notesChatelain 1894 — Kabube the SpiderResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.