A Grammar of the Yoruba Language

water. The nut grew immediately into a tree, which had sixteen branches. As the travellers were all fatigued from their long march in the water, they were very glad of this unexpected means of relief; and soon climbed up, and rested themselves on the branches. When they had recruited their strength, they prepared again for the journey; yet not without great perplexity, not knowing in what direction they should proceed. In this situation, a certain personage, Okikisi, saw them from the region whence they set out, and reminded Okinkin, the trumpeter, of his duty; on which he sounded again, and thus reminded Ọkambí of the small piece of black cloth, as before. On opening it, some earth dropped into the water, and became a small bank; when the fowl, which was given to Ọkambí, flew upon it, and scattered it; and wherever the earth touched the water, it immediately dried up. Ọkambí then descended from the palm-tree, allowing only his servant Tẹtú, and his trumpeter, to come down with him. The other persons begged that they might be allowed to come down; but he did not comply with their request until they had promised to pay him, at certain times, a tax of 200 cowries each person.

Thus originated the kingdom of Yoruba, which was afterwards called Ifẹ̀; from whence three brothers set out for a further discovery of better countries. At their departure, they left a slave, named Adimú (which signifies “Holdfast”), to govern the country of Ifẹ̀ in their absence.

I have related this tradition with a view to show the confused idea of the Yorubans respecting both the Creation and the Flood. The Yorubans, like other nations, have always considered themselves the first people in the world; especially as the kingdom of Yoruba, in former time, extended to Benin as well as to Dahomey.

This tradition of the three brothers seems to be con-