A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.
Overview
|Khau announces his intention to pass through named mountain gaps. He attempts to spring through a narrow opening, but the mountains close upon him, squeezing and breaking his body in two. The narrator demonstrates the action with the first two fingers of his left hand, first forked and nearly upright, then brought together. The bodily explanation is part of the telling: the forepart falls over and stands as one mountain, while the hind part falls and stands as another. The account does not end with an escape or a restored living body.
An explanatory note identifies him as formerly a man of the early race and now a lizard, historically assigned by the edition to the genus Agama. A contributor drawing depicts the mountains associated with the two body sections. His destination, however, is offered as interpretation: |han#kass’o repeatedly says he thinks the traveller intended to reach shallow pools among red sand hills, describing a possible route along a valley, hillside and river bed. That conjectural itinerary is distinct from the narrated crushing and transformation. The episode combines a former human identity, animal association and named landscape, without providing a secure modern species identification or mapped coordinates.
Origins & earliest records
Bleek and Lloyd, Specimens of Bushman Folklore (1911), V.—72, The Death of the Lizard, complete pp. 214–217 and adjacent contributor illustration. Heading credits July 1878 |han#kass’o, who heard it from his mother |xabbi-an.
Records & interpretation
Complete short account and preceding/continuing notes read through the destination remarks on p. 217. Narrator hand demonstration, two mountain-forming body sections and tentative route are distinguished. The historical genus assignment is source terminology, not a verified species-level identification.
In the literature
“He broke (in twain)”
V.—72, The Death of the |Khau/Lizard; complete pp. 214–217, narrator remarks and captions; excerpt printed p. 217 · Bleek–Lloyd original English translation; Lucy C. Lloyd, editor
A lizard intends to pass between mountains. The pass squeezes and breaks him; front and hind portions become two named mountains. The narrator demonstrates the break with his fingers. Later route, red-hill and pool explanations repeatedly use tentative wording and are not treated as definite geography.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Specimens of Bushman Folklore
V.—72, complete pp. 214–217, narrator remarks and adjacent mountain/lizard illustration captions.
- 02
Specimens of Bushman Folklore — V.—72, The Death of the |Khau/Lizard; complete pp. 214–217, narrator remarks and captions
London: George Allen & Company, 1911; original bilingual edition. Title-page OCR and live UNC/Internet Archive catalogue agree. Printed pages distinguished from manuscript marginal numbers and access-image indices.
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.
Specimens of Bushman Folklore
London: George Allen & Company, 1911; original bilingual edition. Title-page OCR and live UNC/Internet Archive catalogue agree. Printed pages distinguished from manuscript marginal numbers and access-image indices.
- A lizard intends to pass between mountains. The pass squeezes and breaks him; front and hind portions become two named mountains. The narrator demonstrates the break with his fingers. Later route, red-hill and pool explanations repeatedly use tentative wording and are not treated as definite geography.
V.—72, The Death of the |Khau/Lizard; complete pp. 214–217, narrator remarks and captions
No entire volume or independent performance/manuscript archive read. Bilingual original retained, but no independent |Xam translation claimed. OCR name glyphs unreliable; contributor headings checked visually. No lyrics, prayers, formulas or practical treatment copied.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Primary collected narrative, contributor remarks and illustrationOriginal 1911 bilingual edition: The Death of the LizardResearch access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.