FYI: this is a childrens story. i intend to
post the entire story for you to read...
(and for tg)
its one of my favorite stories.
questions may or may not be posted following it.

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TRAVELLING TO TONDO: a tale of the nkundo of zaire

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One day in the town of Tondo, Bowane the civet cat met a beautiful feline he wanted for a wife. The cat was willing. And her father agreed to the marriage and set a certain bride price.

Bowane returned to his own animal villiage. Soon he acquired the copper bars and ornaments he needed. And early one morning, with the bridewealth in a basket, he set out to fetch his bride.

Then there was Bowane walking: ika-o, ika-o, ika-o
... traveling to Tondo.

Bowane needed attendants to go with him. So he went to the home of his friend Embenga the pigeon and called,

"Embenga, are you awake?"

Embenga peeked out of his small doorway. "Yes. I am awake."

Bowane said, "Come go with me to Tondo. There I shall marry a beautiful cat, and I need you to attend me."

"Between friends there is only goodness," said Embenga, "I shall go with you."

Then there were Bowane walking: ika-o, ika-o, ika-o
And Embenga flapping: bwa-wa, bwa-wa, bwa-wa
The two of them traveling to Tondo.

Next they went to the home of Nguma the python. Bowane called,
"Nguma, are you there?"

Nguma poked his head out of his doorway.
"Yes. I am here."

Bowane said, "Come go with us to Tondo. There I shall marry a beautiful cat. And I need you to attend me."

Nguma grumbled. "To Tondo! That's a day's journey! Why didn't you fall in love close by? But since you are my friend, I will go with you."

Then there were Bowane walking: ika-o, ika-o, ika-o
Embenga flapping: bwa-wa, bwa-wa, bwa-wa
And Nguma slithering: swe-o, swe0o, swe-o
The three of them traveling to Tondo.

Last they went to the home of Ulu the tortoise. Ulu was in his yard mending a fishing net.
Bowane said, "Ulu, come go with us to Tondo. There I shall marry a beautiful cat. And I need you to attend me."

"Oh, a wedding!" said Ulu. "I never miss a wedding. Of course I will join you."

Then there were Bowane walking: ika-o, ika-o, ika-o
Embenga flapping: bwa-wa, bwa-wa, bwa-wa
Nguma slithering: swe-o, swe-o, swe-o
And Ulu waddling: ta-ka, ta-ka, ta-ka
The four of them traveling to Tondo.

Presently the travelers came to a waterhole. The pigeon, the python, and the tortoise began to drink, a-o, a-o, a-o.
The civet cat was thirsty too. But he said, "It is taboo for me to drink water except from my own dish. Wait here. I will return home and fetch it."

His friends said, "No matter. That is all right."
So they waited at the waterhole. Bowane went back home. After a long time he returned.
"See, I have come already," he said. And he filled his dish and drank.

Then they went on--
Bowane walking: ika-o, ika-o, ika-o
Embenga flapping: bwa-wa, bwa-wa, bwa-wa
Nguma slithering: swe-o, swe-o, swe-o
And Ulu waddling: ta-ka, ta-ka, ta-ka
The four of them traveling to Tondo.

At length, they came to a palm tree that was loaded with nuts. Embenga was all aflutter, bwa-wa, bwa-wa, bwa-wa. But the palm nuts were not ripe.

Embenga said, "Stay here, my friends, until the nuts are ready to eat. You know we pigeons like nothing better than ripe palm nuts."

"No matter," said Bowane. And the others said, "It is all right."

So they stayed near the palm tree for two whole weeks while the nuts ripened, and Embenga ate them.

They went on--
Bowane walking: ika-o, ika-o, ika-o
Embenga flapping: bwa-wa, bwa-wa, bwa-wa
Nguma slithering: swe-o, swe-o, swe-o
And Ulu waddling: ta-ka, ta-ka, ta-ka
The four of them traveling to Tondo.

Farther on, Nguma caught a small antelope. He squeezed it and licked it. Then A-OOOOOH! He swallowed it all in one piece. And he said,

"My friends, when I swallow an animal, I cannot travel until the digestion is finished. We must rest here."

"No matter," said Bowane. And the others said, "It is all right."

Day after day, the travelers waited and waited and watched and watched and waited and waited, as the lump in the python grew smaller. Finally it was gone. And Nguma said,

"Arise. I can travel now."

And so they went on--
Bowane walking: ika-o, ika-o, ika-o
Embenga flapping: bwa-wa, bwa-wa, bwa-wa
Nguma slithering: swe-o, swe-o, swe-o
And Ulu waddling: ta-ka, ta-ka, ta-ka
The four of them traveling to Tondo.

At last they reached a forest that was near their destination. But there, blocking the path, was a huge fallen tree. The civet cat and the python climbed over it. The pigeon flew over it. But the tortoise scrabbled up a little way and then fell back ngo-nga. He did that again and again. Finally he gave up and said,

"My friends, I am not able to climb over this big tree trunk. We must stay here until it rots, so that I can cross."

Bowane cried, "We cannot do that! When would we ever get to Tondo?"

Nguma echoed, "We cannot do that!"

And Embenga shook his small head and said, "N-YEAH, N-YEAH!"

But Ulu protested, "I waited for all of you! Why do you complain when you have to wait for me?"

So they stayed there in the forest year after year, while the tree trunk rotted away. And one day Ulu said,

"At last! It is time to rejoice. The log has crumbled."

And pa-o, pa-o, pa-o, he climbed over the mound. Then the friends continued on their journey. And soon they emerged from the forest and entered the town of Tondo.

Straight to the home of the bride they went. He called,

"I, Bowane, have come!"

The beautiful cat Bowane had come to marry appeared at the door.

"MUH!" she cried. "How dare you show your face after all these years! Did you think I would wait forever?"

Just then two civet kittens came tumbling out of the doorway beside her,

"I married someone else," she said. "And these are my children."

"Oh," said Bowane sadly. Then he explained,

"My friends waited for me to get my dish. We waited for Embenga's palm nuts to ripen. We waited for Nguma's food to digest. And we waited for a log to rot so that Ulu could pass."

"You waited for a log to rot!" she cried.
"How could you be so foolish! Now you and your friends be gone, or I'll call my husband."

Then out from behind her came the biggest civet cat Bowane and his friends had ever seen. And he was baring his teeth. NNNNNNNNN!

Suddenly there were Bowane running: ikaoikaoikao
Embenga flying: bwawabwawabwawa
Nguma streaking: sweosweosweo
And Ulu scurrying: takatakataka --
The four of them hurrying home from Tondo.

** the moral written at the story's end **

As in this story, sometimes between friends there is too much consenting. If a thing is not wise to do, it is best to say, "N-YEH!"