Ghost
Jogger Mythology
3. THE FASTEST MAN IN THE WORLD - ZAMBIA
In the southern part of what we call today Zambia, people tell the story of
a man called Muyenge.
According to the legend Muyenge was well known throughout the Kingdom, because
he could run huge distances faster than any other man or woman.
Thus Muyenge was entrusted to run with important messages and costly gifts
to the King and the most powerful men in the country.
Unfortunately Muyenge's success and wealth made him arrogant and superior.
He even lost respect for his gods and forefathers.
One early morning at a cross-roads Muyenge met the God of Justice, Nshima.
The god was disguised as an old man.
Nshima asked Muyenge who he was and Muyenge replied with great surprise: -
Don't you know me?
I am Muyenge the fastest man in the world.
The old man laughed loudly and replied that no man could know such thing with
certainty.
Muyenge got very upset and dared the old man to find a man who's faster than
him.
Nshima laughed again and said that even he could out run Muyenge.
He suggested that they make a bet.
He who could reach the King's village first would win.
The village was a two day walk away.
If Muyenge won the bet he could marry any one of the old man's beautiful daughters
and get a bag full of money.
If Nshima on the other hand won, Muyenge would forever run errands for him.
Muyenge happily accepted the bet.
He ran faster than he had ever done and reached the King's village that same
afternoon.
Upon his arrival he was certain of victory, but to his great dismay he found
the old man waiting for him.
Muyenge accused the old man of cheating.
Nshima responded to this accusation by disclosing his true identity.
Muyenge was struck with terror and he begged the God for mercy and forgiveness.
But Nshima stood by his word.
Muyenge ran errands for Nshima the rest of his earthly life. It is said that
you can still see him in the woods or in the streets of the cities running
errands for his divine master.
According to a South Indian legend an English boy fell in love with an Indian girl.
The girl's father worked as a servant in the English boy's house, so the two had ample opportunity to play together.
Their feelings were mutual and they swore to each other eternal love at a young age.
As the two lovers grew up together their love bloomed in secrecy and they became closer to each other every day.
One day the boy, who had now become a young man, had to go to England to finish his medical studies.
Before he left for the long journey he promised his loved one that he would remain faithful to her and that they would marry as soon as he returned to India.
The young man's father was against the two young lovers' engagement. Without disclosing his knowledge of their relationship he did everything in his power to interfere and destroy their communication.
The young man's long stay in England provided the father with ample opportunities to do his evil deeds.
He tore up letters that were sent to the young woman by his son and spread malicious rumours about his son's activities in England.
The young woman's faith was gradually broken down.
She rarely received letters.
She kept her faith for years because of the occasional letter that managed to seep through the boy's fathers' hands.
One day she heard that her betrothed had married in England.
Her heart gave way to total despair.
She felt betrayed and hurt. She packed her few belongings and fled the house and town and never returned.
Shortly after that her lover returned to India with the sole purpose of marrying his loved one.
When he found that the young woman had left he was crushed.
But when he heard of the evil rumours that his father had spread his despair turned into determination.
He was going to find her and nothing could stop him.
He started by walking around his home town in search of his loved one.
He walked further and further on his quest to find his betrothed.
In his growing desperation and anger he started running and he ran further and further away looking for his loved one.
He was gone from his home for longer and longer periods, until one day he was gone for good.
The young man and his sad and romantic story both became well-known throughout the region.
The story of the two young lovers has become a local legend.
On my many travels to this region I have met innumerable people who say that they have seen the young man running in search of his loved one. Everyone describes him the same way. He is slightly translucent an runs with a low, moaning sound.
Links:
http://www.mythic-consciousness.org/ (Association for Cultural Mythology)
http://www.mythology.org/ (Foundation for Mythological Studies)
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/2341/index.htm (Circassians)
http://home.worldonline.dk/~nbc/ (Arctic Cyber Anthropology)
http://www.nmnh.si.edu/anthro/laexped/opener1.htm (Smithsonian Research in Latin America)
http://www.mythinglinks.org/ (Mythinglinks)
http://www.indiana.edu/~wanthro/museum.htm (Museum of Weird Consumer Culture)
http://www.wsu.edu:8001/vcwsu/commons/topics/culture/culture-index.html (What is Culture?)
http://www.ilstu.edu/class/anth273-foodways/foodbib.html (Food Habits)
http://www.oakland.edu/~dow/personal/papers/langmap1/index.html (Mexican Languges)
http://www.umanitoba.ca/anthropology/kintitle.html (Kinship and Social organization)
