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MYTHOLOGY AMONG THE HOTTENTOTS.
283
Thou, oh Tsui-goa, Thou Father of Fathers, Thou art (our) Father! Let stream the thunder-cloud ! Let our flocks live, please! Let us also live! I am very weak indeed From thirst, From hunger. Oh, that I may eat the fruits of the field ! Art thou then not our Father, The Father of Fathers, Thou, Tsui.goa ! Oh, that we may praise thee, That we may give thee in return, Thou Father of Fathers, Thou, oh Lord,
Thou, oh Tsui-goa. After this we shall be better able to understand the original character of this Hottentot Indra or Zeus, and be able to interpret without difficulty some at least of the acounts given both of his doings and of his misdoings. Dr. Hahn records the following conversation which he had with an old Namaqua :
Very heavy thunder-clouds (he writes p. 64), were towering above the horizon. We both looked with great enjoyment towards the clouds, calculating that in a few hours' time the whole country ought to swim in water. "Ah,' he said, 'there comes Tsui-goab in his old manner, as he used to do in the times of my grandfathers. You will see to-day rain, and very soon the country will be covered by 'Tusib.' I asked him what he meant by 'Tusib.' He answered: When the first green grass and herbs come after the rain, and in the morning you see that green shining colour spread over the country, we say: Tusib covers the earth.
This reminded us of 2 Samuel xxiii. 4: And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a
