A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.
Overview
The large fly reaches Untombi-yapansi just as she prepares to eat food offered by her brother. It repeatedly buzzes an offer to tell her something if she feeds it. She brushes it away, and after the third interruption asks Usilwane about it. He tells her to kill it and calls it deceitful, creating a direct contest over whether she will listen to the small visitor or the human host.
The interruptions recur until she gives the fly a share. After licking the food, it reveals that Usilwane has killed their sister and that the offered mixture includes her blood; it also confirms the leopard’s death. The girl then inspects the concealed body and flees. The fly is the specific speaking witness that prevents her from unknowingly eating the victim. It is not assigned her later earth-opening or rod powers and has no given personal name or modern species identification.
Origins & earliest records
The complete bilingual Untombi-yapansi narrative closes with the credit Lydia (Umkasetemba). Henry Callaway presents translation and annotations, including an alternate version whose individual contributor is not specified in these notes.
Records & interpretation
Complete main tale Untombi-yapansi, printed pp. 296–316, independently read; alternate-version notes distinguished from main narration.
In the literature
“there came a large fly to her”
Untombi-yapansi, printed p.299 · Henry Callaway
Arrival of the speaking helper before the heroine eats the concealed blood.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Nursery Tales, Traditions, and Histories of the Zulus
Untombi-yapansi, pp. 296–316; speaking fly p. 299, earth escape p. 300, imbulu pp. 303–306/315–316, summoned company pp. 307–314 and variant note 71.
- 02
Nursery Tales, Traditions, and Histories of the Zulus, Volume I — Untombi-yapansi
Henry Callaway, Nursery Tales, Traditions, and Histories of the Zulus, Volume I, Springvale, Natal: John A. Blair,1868; selected bilingual Princeton scan. Complete Untombi-yapansi pp296–316 independently read, including distinct variant notes; Lydia(Umkasetemba) closing credit onp316.
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.
Nursery Tales, Traditions, and Histories of the Zulus
Henry Callaway, Nursery Tales, Traditions, and Histories of the Zulus, Volume I, Springvale, Natal: John A. Blair,1868; selected bilingual Princeton scan. Complete Untombi-yapansi pp296–316 independently read, including distinct variant notes; Lydia(Umkasetemba) closing credit onp316.
- The large fly repeatedly asks for a share of the food and promises information. Usilwane orders its killing and claims deception, but after being fed it reveals that he murdered Usilwanekazana and that the food contains her blood. Untombi-yapansi uncovers the wounded body and escapes.
Untombi-yapansi, printed p.299; full opening context pp.296–300
- The warning initiates the heroine’s flight, earth escape and eventual recognition, but the fly no longer appears in the remainder of the complete selected tale.
Untombi-yapansi, printed pp.300–316; subsequent fate boundary
The fly is a truthful speaking helper within this tale, not identified as a god, a species or the sister’s transformed soul. Its disappearance is not narrated death, resurrection or participation in the later earth-company; no subsequent biography is invented.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Digitized bilingual primary collected narrativeCallaway — Untombi-yapansi, bilingual taleResearch access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.