Appendix 2: The Story of N'ga and Sufa

When Ramalah was ruler of a great kingdom, his wife Chakula 
conceived twin sons.  They were the brothers N'ga and Sufa of whom 
many stories are told.  So bold were N'ga and Sufa that even 
within their mother's body they would struggle, and she would eat 
herbs to dull the discomfort.

When time came for her to give birth, she called them N'ga and 
Sufa after the sun and moon, for they would chase each other as 
the sun chases the moon.  Though they often fought each other, 
their hearts were good and they walked with Aiheu.  Queen Chakula 
consulted the shamans about them, and was very happy and sad at 
once.  For they all agreed N'ga and Sufa would live happy yet 
short lives.  From that moment she was afraid to leave them with 
anyone but her sister Alba for she worried about them constantly.

Once when the Queen was aprowl, Alba took the cubs to her cave to 
sleep.  And that night the earth shook, and the entrance of the 
cave was sealed.  When Chakula returned, she found the rubble and 
tried to dig them out.  But all her efforts and all her mother's 
love was not enough to clear the entrance.  So the other lionesses 
took turns digging, and the work went on as the moon rose and the 
sun rose.  One, two, three days, then four days passed and still 
the cubs were beyond reach.  All hope had gone, and Chakula was 
left alone to dig, but she was faithful and kept working into the 
fifth day that she might see their bodies one last time.  She was 
sure this was the fulfillment of the prophesy.

On the fifth day, she opened a passage to the inside of the cave.  
And N'ga and Sufa emerged weak and unhurt.  Chakula wept with joy, 
and gave thanks to Aiheu.  But when she looked inside, her sister 
Alba lay dead.  Alba, who was not in her milk, had opened the deep 
veins of her arm and nursed the cubs with her own blood so they 
might survive.

Alba's body was dragged to the fields, but along the way where 
each drop of blood fell there grew a beautiful red flower which to 
this day is called Alba in her memory.  There is a medicine made 
from this plant called "the blood of mercy," and it has great 
power to heal and instill gentleness.

N'ga and Sufa grew in power and size until one day they were ready 
to take a mate.  It was at this time a white lioness named 
Minshasa came into their kingdom, and N'ga and Sufa were both 
smitten with her great beauty and the powers she possessed.  
Because they were both strong and determined, they fought for five 
days and nights without sleep or food.  On the fifth day, they 
both collapsed in a deep sleep, and  while they were unaware, 
Minshasa left to find Mano whom she eventually married and 
fathered a great people.  And when N'ga and Sufa awoke, they felt 
sore and foolish and swore to end their days of fighting forever.