02.04.2015
THE GREAT STAR, !GAUNU, WHICH, SINGING, NAMED THE STARS.
!gaunu,[1] he was formerly a great Star; therefore, his name is !gaunu; while he feels that he was the one who formerly spoke (lit. "called") the Stars' names; while he feels that he is a great one. Therefore, he called the Stars' names. Therefore, the Stars possess their names; while they feel that !gaunuwas the one who called their names. He formerly sang, while he uttered the Stars' names. He said "||Xwahai"[2] to (some) Stars which are very small; they are those of which he made ||Xwhai; their small, fine ones are those which are ||Xwhai.Therefore, the porcupine, when these Stars have, sitting, turned back, he will not remain on the hunting ground; for, he knows that it is dawn, when||Xwhai has, lying, turned back. He returns home; for, he is used to look at these Stars; they are those which he watches; while he feels that he knows that the dawn's Stars they are.
[1. My (paternal) grandfather, |Xugen-ddi, was the one who told me star's stories."
2. The stars ||Xwahai |aiti and ||Xwhai-@pua were identified as "Altair" or "Alpha Aquilae", and "Gamma Aquilae", respectively, by the late Mr. George Maclear and Mr. Finlay of the Royal Observatory, on October 10, 1873, at Mowbray. ||Xwhai gwai was behind a tree and too low to be distinguished.]
Source: Specimens of Bushman Folklore, W.H.I Bleek and L. C. Loyd, 1911
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