A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.
Overview
Mbulukazi receives a young ox from her father when she leaves to marry Broad Breast. Her jealous co-wife receives an older, poorer animal. After the co-wife lures Mbulukazi onto a cliff and pushes her into a deep pool, the young ox runs to the settlement and attracts attention by lowing. It tears down the rival wife’s ruined house with its horns. The men interpret this purposeful disturbance as a sign and follow the animal to the water rather than dismissing it as ordinary damage.
At the cliff the ox smells the rock, jumps into the pool and brings out Mbulukazi’s body. It then licks her until life returns. Once she has recovered enough strength to speak, she reports the attack. The community returns home with her and informs Broad Breast, who sends away the guilty wife. The ox is both an investigator guiding human witnesses and the agent of recovery after an explicitly narrated drowning. Its activity belongs to this individual wedding gift; the other wife’s ox is not credited with the same power.
Origins & earliest records
Theal identifies Xhosa contributors for the main collection. His preface says contributors narrated, wrote down and collectively revised the tales, while he directed collection and supplied notes. The selected episode’s individual narrator is not named.
Records & interpretation
Complete selected episode independently read: The Story of Mbulukazi, pp. 148–154; wedding oxen p. 152, drowning p. 153, retrieval and revival pp. 153–154.
In the literature
“The ox licked her till her life came back”
Complete THE STORY OF MBULUKAZI., printed pp.148–154 · Individual English translator not identified for this episode
Mbulukazi and Mahlunguluza marry Broad Breast and receive different oxen. Jealous Mahlunguluza pushes her half-sister into a pool, where she drowns. The drowned wife’s ox destroys the rival’s house, leads observers to the pool, retrieves her body and explicitly restores her life by licking. Mahlunguluza is sent back to her father; Mbulukazi remains the chief’s great wife, not an executed-rival ending.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Kaffir Folk-Lore, second edition
The Story of Mbulukazi, pp. 148–154; wedding oxen p. 152, drowning p. 153, retrieval and revival pp. 153–154.; preface and introductory chapter for contributor roles.
- 02
Kaffir Folk-Lore — Reviving Ox of Mbulukazi complete selected episode
Actual1886 second edition, London Swan Sonnenschein, Le Bas & Lowrey, title independently read; preface datedJan1882 retained from earlier work. Collection director Theal distinguishes native telling/copying/revision from his explanatory notes; no individually named episode teller/translator in inspected passages.
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.
Kaffir Folk-Lore, second edition
Actual1886 second edition, London Swan Sonnenschein, Le Bas & Lowrey, title independently read; preface datedJan1882 retained from earlier work. Collection director Theal distinguishes native telling/copying/revision from his explanatory notes; no individually named episode teller/translator in inspected passages.
- Mbulukazi and Mahlunguluza marry Broad Breast and receive different oxen. Jealous Mahlunguluza pushes her half-sister into a pool, where she drowns. The drowned wife’s ox destroys the rival’s house, leads observers to the pool, retrieves her body and explicitly restores her life by licking. Mahlunguluza is sent back to her father; Mbulukazi remains the chief’s great wife, not an executed-rival ending.
No whole collection/introduction or separate original oral account reviewed. Historical colonial labels and judgments are not endorsed; individual narrators and translation contributors remain unidentified.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Collected primary narrative; digitized public-domain second editionTheal 1886 — Reviving Ox of MbulukaziResearch access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.