Demane and Demazana
Zulu folktale · izinganekwane
Kwesukasukela. Demane and Demazana were a brother and sister, orphans left alone in the world. To keep themselves safe from the cannibals, the amazimu, who roamed the land seeking human flesh, Demane found a cave with a strong door of stone or wood that could be opened only by a song, and there he hid his sister while he went out to hunt.
Demane taught Demazana never to open the door to anyone but himself, and to know him by the sound of his voice singing the secret song. But a cunning cannibal listened and learned the tune, and one day, while Demane was away, the im/zimu came and sang at the door. At first its voice was rough and harsh and Demazana would not open; the creature went away and did something to sweeten its voice, then returned and sang again so smoothly that the girl was deceived and opened the door.
The cannibal seized Demazana and carried her off, hiding her in a sack or a bag to take her home and eat her. But Demane, returning and finding his sister gone, tracked the cannibal by cunning, and through his quick wits rescued Demazana and turned the cannibal's own trap or fire against it, destroying the man-eater. The brother and sister were reunited, safe once more in their hidden cave. Cosu cosu, iyaphela.
The lesson: Caution and obedience guard against deceit; a clever and devoted protector can undo the harm that a single moment of trust admitted.