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Overview

Nguadi, translated as Partridge, argues with Turtle that a slow animal which can neither fly nor run will burn when fire reaches the land. Turtle replies that the bird will be the one burned. Nguadi insists that its wings provide escape, and their dispute ends without either accepting the other’s prediction. Days later the dry season arrives, fires spread through the country and the bush containing both animals is set alight.

Turtle enters an ant-hill as the flames approach. Nguadi first runs, but that fails; it then tries flying and is caught and burned. After the fires end and the hunters leave, Turtle comes out, finds the body and recalls the bird’s earlier boast. He removes a spur and plays with it while contrasting the dead owner with the surviving object. The conclusion states that Partridge burned and Turtle escaped. The spur is played by Turtle, not an independently talking remnant or a reincarnated Nguadi. Chatelain’s note expressly warns against inferring that all real turtles survive prairie fires.

Speaking partridgeBoasts of winged escapeRunning and flying both failBurned in prairie fireSpur taken by surviving Turtle
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Origins & earliest records

Jelemía dia Sabatelu contributed tale XXXVII, presented in Mbaka dialect. A precise origin locality is not supplied in its contributor note. Chatelain’s comparative turtle stories and observation of a burned specimen are separate from this particular contest.

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Records & interpretation

Complete tale XXXVII, Partridge and Turtle, bilingual pp. 214–217; English pp. 215, 217. Contributor note and notes 564–565 p. 302.

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 XXXVII, Partridge and Turtle, bilingual pp. 214–217; English pp. 215, 217. Contributor note and notes 564–565 p. 302.

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 — Nguadi of the Fire BoastResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

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