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Lines 117 - 126
117 |
- Zwa mapfura zwi a :
Fats look for each other:
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117a |
- Zwa madzanga zwi a :
Beautiful things seek each other's company:
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118 |
- Musuku wo motobvu.
Copper looks for lead.
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This refers to sexual union: copper, being red = woman; lead, being white = man (see also mulayo No. 11). The following three lines have the same meaning.
119 |
- Lusunzi lwo luma tswaroni:
An ant has bitten the inside of the thighs:
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119a |
- Ni edze tsunzi mulindini:
Imitate the ants that go into their holes:
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120 |
- ndi u fhe mazhana.
Lie on your back, so that I may give you baby bees, still in the honeycomb.
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121 |
- Tshimange tsho tswuka malofha.
The cat became red with blood (referring to menstruation).
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122 |
- Ndo vhofhela tshihule nnyoni.
I tied up a bundle of cut grass in my crutch (referring to the appearance of pubic hair - makuse).
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123 |
- Ndi fula nga lutanda.
I pick the small late fruit with a long stick.
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Lutanda refers metaphorically to the penis, but literally both to a long stick and also to the strong fermented drink made from 'marula' fruit.
124 |
- Gadabi govha milenzhe. Gadabi,
The river which runs through the valley of the legs.
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125 |
- Gangali wa govha milenzhe:
What's the use of shouting about your sexual prowess,
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126 |
- u konwa nga khofhe.
When you are overcome by sleep before you have finished?
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The sexual symbolism of line 124 is obvious: Gadabi is a river near the ancient capital of Dzata (van Warmelo 1940:34, 37, 137 and 140). I have given a free translation of lines 125 and 126.
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