Mbaxi a Koka

Overview

Mbaxi a Koka is caught in the bush by Man of Lubi la Suku and carried to a village whose people intend to kill it. Asked how, they successively propose hatchets, stones, fire and knives. The turtle answers each suggestion with a claim that it cannot hurt him. His answer about fire compares his back to stone. These are persuasive declarations in an escape attempt: when stones are proposed, the narrator explicitly reports fear and an inward expectation of death before the turtle outwardly denies danger.

When the people propose throwing him into deep water, Mbaxi reverses the performance and announces apparent terror. They think they have finally found an effective method, carry him to the river and cast him in. He dives, surfaces and swims while singing that water is his home. The villagers recognize that their attempted execution has saved him. The conclusion explains his dwelling in water through this successful deception. Chatelain’s name gloss links Koka to dragging and gives additional wordplay around turtle and hatchet; it is separate from the sequence actually performed, which ends in escape rather than a demonstrated resistance to every weapon.

Origins & earliest records

Jelemía dia Sabatelu contributed tale XVII, identified by Chatelain as Mbaka in origin and dialect. The turtle is a named speaking character. Comparative stories from other regions in the collector’s note are not silently treated as the same individual.

Records & interpretation

Complete tale XVII, Man and Turtle, bilingual pp. 152–155; English pp. 153, 155. Contributor note XVII and notes 470–471 p. 291.

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 XVII, Man and Turtle, bilingual pp. 152–155; English pp. 153, 155. Contributor note XVII and notes 470–471 p. 291.

Family & connections

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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 — Mbaxi a KokaResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

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