A Bushmen Tale

A Bushmen Tale

Dabè en Goa!na were a young Bushmen boy and girl who lived with their families faraway in the Kalahari. From an early stage the two loved each other, but as legend has it, Goa!na was promised by her parents as a wife to G//awana, a man with great mystical powers.                      

The day Goa!na became a woman, Dabè told her parents that he wanted her as his wife, but they refused, for they feared G//awana. When G//awana sent for Goa!na, she refused to go, and in his anger he turned her into a steenbok.

From then on the two could only meet during full moon. The steenbok ewe would lay with her head on Dabè’s lap and sometimes they would become very sad for such a burden that was placed on them.            
                                                       

One year the rains stayed away and the waterholes dried up. The Bushmen decided to divide their water among themselves to ensure that everybody got their share. Every day Dabè poured half his water in a calabash and left it in the veld where he knew Goa!na would find it. The rains stayed away and animals and plants died of thirst, and the Bushmen were forced to further cut their water rations. Dabè knew that the water was not enough for both of them to survive and he therefore decided to leave all his water for Goa!na.                                     

After many days the great rains came, but for Dabè it was too late. Goa!na did not know of Dabè’s fate, and kept searching for him, but could never find him.                                                                           

 Bushmen claim that is why steenbok seem so tame, for they are still searching for Dabè among men. And the calabash became the symbol of Dabè’s love for Goa!na.

 By W Burger