Two Brothers

In a family, values differ as much as choices of life.

In a village near a forest, there was an old land chief, Fumu Si. Among its inhabitants, a couple whose mother, Mbumba, gave birth to two sons: Mavuungu and Mabiaala. The event brought joy to the parents and grandparents, who participated in the children's upbringing: they initiated them into the mysteries beyond visible human realities - the parallel world called Nyimbi.

From childhood, signs revealed that Mavuungu, the older of the boys, was fascinated by this sacred world. From his adolescence, he disdained his parents' advice and was interested only in perfecting his initiation into mystical practices. Convinced that from his father Nzoonzi, judge and spokesperson, came the power he boasted about, soon he harbored the ambition to become Fumu Si in place of the old man who ruled over the land.

One day, to test his power, Mavuungu played a trick on his family. He went into a seed as his mother was shelling peanuts. It was pecked by Susu the hen who went near the garbage. There, Mbaku the weasel devoured it and went deep into the forest. It was spotted by Mboma the python. It swallowed her and went to digest at the foot of a tree. Three days later, the Ngaanga, seers and therapists, still could not unravel Mavuungu's disappearance. His parents thought he was dead. After the mourning that lasted three moons, the father went to the forest to gather and hunt. As he was climbing, attracted by ripe palm nuts, he saw the python sleeping at the foot of a neighboring tree:

– O Ma Mboma! O uncle Python I'm hungry, I'm going to eat you!

Title

Two Brothers

Themes

family | fate or fortune | interspecies cooperation | ancient knowledge

Emotions

joy | fascination | surprise | disappointment

Lesson

Respect for tradition and patience outweighs ambition and deception.

Animals

Antelope, Bee, Chimpanzee, Gazelle, Gorilla, Marmot, Panther, Rat, Snakes, python

Characters

Mavuungu: The older brother, obsessed with gaining mystical powers to become the tribal chief. Mabiaala: The younger brother, who respects village traditions and ultimately becomes the tribal chief. Fumu Si: The old tribal chief and father to Mavuungu and Mabiaala. Mbumba: Mother to Mavuungu and Mabiaala. Mazampuungu: A mystical being in the twelfth village who sets Mavuungu on his trials.

Special Objects

tobacco pipe, bag, machete, traps, tam-tam, boxes

Back-grounds

A rural village in the Congo, which is dominated by nature and where tradition plays a crucial role. The forest and the mystical world Nyimbi.

Source

‘Congo Tales’ Told by the People of Mbomo, written by S.R. Kovo N'Sondé, Wilfried N'Sondé published by Prestel Publishing