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Overview

Mutelembe and Ngunga are the two dogs of the younger hunter in a tale contributed by Jelemía dia Sabatelu. The brothers spend a month hunting, but only the younger succeeds in shooting game. As they start home, the elder fears the shame of returning unsuccessful and kills his brother. He offers the dead man’s entrails first to Mutelembe and then to Ngunga. Both smell the offering and refuse. Looking at their murdered master, they begin a song that identifies the brothers and praises the dogs for rejecting the entrails.

The elder sets down his basket and kills one dog because he expects it to report him at home. As he resumes the road, the killed animal comes back singing. He then kills both dogs, digs a grave and covers them up. They return together and repeat the disclosure. The sequence explicitly includes killing followed by return, and then joint killing and burial followed by another return. Neither dog is replaced by a bird, mushroom or speaking bone from one of the collector’s comparative tales.

Near the village the elder dresses and enters the house. Asked why his companion is absent, he claims the younger brother has gone to his own country. The dogs arrive immediately afterwards, enter their master’s house and sing again. The people understand their witness, accuse the elder of murder and begin mourning. The printed conclusion establishes exposure of the crime, without supplying a further trial or execution. Chatelain’s note explains the names as a small and large bell and interprets the returning witnesses as conscience; those editorial observations remain separate from their actual refusal, repeated returns and public disclosure.

Two named hunting dogsReject murdered master’s entrailsReturn after killingReturn after burialSing public disclosure
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Origins & earliest records

Chatelain credits Jelemía dia Sabatelu as contributor, identifies the dialect as Mbaka and the tale’s origin as Mbamba. The printed bilingual text and literal English translation are his editorial presentation. Comparative bird, mushroom and conscience explanations in the note are not substitutions for the two named dogs.

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Records & interpretation

Complete tale XII, Mutelembe and Ngunga, bilingual pp. 126–129; English opening p. 127 and complete return/disclosure p. 129. Contributor note XII p. 287; notes 432–434 p. 287.

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 XII, Mutelembe and Ngunga, bilingual pp. 126–129; English opening p. 127 and complete return/disclosure p. 129. Contributor note XII p. 287; notes 432–434 p. 287.

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 — Mutelembe and NgungaResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

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

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