Gouldsbury, Cullen (1911) The Great Plateau of Northern Rhodesia, p. 282-283
... mythical monster which was said to have once inhabited the lake. This monster, [the kapopo] according to the story-teller, an old Bisa man named Chiwawa, used to come out of the lake and make periodic descents upon villages by night. Its body was as large as seven oxen, and its neck was long and sinuous like that of a python. From its head projected one horn, from underneath which glared a fierce, lidless eye. When it emerged on land the earth shook, and when it roared the sound was heard all over the lake. This blatant beast would make a sudden descent upon a village, and, inserting its long neck through the narrow doorways, would peer round and drag out and devour the unfortunate inmates one by one. It had a special penchant for chiefs and their offspring ... one remembers the veracious native tales about the famous chibekwe, or water rhinoceros, with three horns, which used to devour the hippopotamus on Lake Bangweolo.
Comments
Post a Comment