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“Mma-bolela" – "Mother - speak to me”
This was the sad and unanswered call that echoed along the palm-strewn banks of the Limpopo River as dusk settled over the still, dark depths of the hippo pool into which Lalele, the father of all crocodiles, had slowly slithered. African folklore relates how Mabalel, the carefree young daughter of the local chief, was seized by Lalele as she was drawing water from the Limpopo river. This story has been immortalised by the famous poet and naturalist Eugéne Marais in his poem “Mabalel”.
Mabalel by Éugene Marais
Mabalel by Éugene Marais
Vinnig langs die paadjie trippel Mabalel;
Vrolik klink die leidjie
Wat die klingelinge van haar enkelringe vergesel
Op die voetpad sy alleen,
Met die skadus om haar heen;
Op haar kop die kruik gelig
In gedienstig ewewig.
Glowend kleur die hemelhoog,
Stadig sterf die laaste lig,
En van verre deur die skermmure
Wenkend blink die eerste vure.
Wydgestrek in eensaam vrede
Le Rakwen, die stille, brede;
Glansend in die westerpraal,
Met ‘n ceintuur in sy diepte van koraal.
En die wit gepluimde riet
Sing ‘n treurig wiegelied,
En buigend vleg ‘n silwerstroon al om
Die diepgespieelde hemelkom.
Wag, wag, Mabalel!
Is daar niks wat jou vertel-
Is daarniks wat deur die duister
Bang en dringend in jou ore fluister
Van die vreeslike gesel
Wat jou vrolik lied beluister,
Wat jou spoor hou Mabalel?
Word jy niks gewaar
Van dreigende gevaar?
Voel jy nog nie, kil en snood,
Om jou hart die handdruk van die dood?
Ver benee die palmietstele
In die blou duister wag Lalele,
Kwintessens van alles boos,
Die wreedheid self, meedoenloos;
Met tydsaamheid wat alles kom ontbeer,
Wat tyd en toeval kan trotseer;
Wat seker as die noodlot van sy dag
Onslapend in die diepte op sy ure wag.
Deur winterkou en somergloed,
Deur blankend’ droogte en swelgend’ vloed,
Deur al die kerrende tafr’ele,
In sy diepte wag Lalele.
As die straaltjie in die sand
Deur ‘n vlam geskroeide land
Tussen walle dor en vaal
Skaars die rotse van Rakwena haal,
En die hulsels van die riet
‘n Rouband bind van swart verdriet
Om die groen bedekte kuil
Waar die laaste water skuil
En die sugtend’ wind versmag
deur ‘n woedend’ son verkrag-
Roerloos by die skeppleg hou Lalele wag!
En waneer in donker nagte
Rasend losbreek al die magte
Van geweld en storm en vloed,
En Rakwen’ omring van angsgeskreeu,
Smagtend sig nog eens te wreek,
Soos ‘n swaar geweste leeu
Swart en brullend deur die borre breek;-
Blindend uit die donker balk,-
Vlieg ‘n vlammend’ dolk,-
Wat deur strormbanke dig
‘n wereld van verwoeste loof verlig-
Ongeroer deur al die groot krakele
In sy diepte wag Lalele!
Droom sy op die kantjie, Mabalel,
Tot haar hart verlangend swel;
In haar peinse ongecleer,
Staar sy in die diepte neer,Staar sy in die blou gewelf
Met die donker reeds omsoom-
Tot sy, dromend, self
Deel word van ‘n salig’ droom;
Uit die wereld omgekeer
Lokkend lag haar beeldjie weer.
Stadig deur die rietpensele
Opwaarts uit die diepte rys Lalele.
Skud jou wakker Mabalel!
Sien jy nie die skadu opwaards wel?
Naar die hoogwal, Mabalel!
Hou jou mymering vir later-
Nooit had vyg of wilg in water
So’ n gespieelde metgesel!
Nooit ‘n skrikgebeeld uit die geholte van die nag,
Wat die dromer sug doen na die dag;
Nooit omheilige gedaante uit die diepte van die hel
Half so dringend , half so fel
As die’ skadu, Mabalel,
As die’ skadu wat benee jou
Uit die diepte opwaarts wel.
Voor jou voete, Mabale,
Deur die westergloor verhel,
Waar jy onbedagsaam staar,
Sonder ooit gedagte van gevaar,
Uit die stroomweg stadig
Dryf ‘n halfverdrinkte blaar.
Had jy spiere van ‘n tier,
Of die vlerke van ‘n gier,
Meidjie, niks so dit jou baat,
Want te lank het jy gewag – te laat!
Uit die spieelvlak omhoog
Baars ‘n skuimend waterboog;
Oor Rakwena, kalm en breed,
Galm ‘n enkel angsvol ‘kreet;
En dan saggies weer
Oor alles sak die stilte neer.
Winkend deur die skermmure
Helder blink die voornag vure
Uit die donker stilte skel,
Klink geroep na Mabalel
En die rotse antwoord weer;
Maar terugkom sal sy …nimmermeer
Stadig deur die rietpensele
Naar die diepte sak Lalele.
English Version
English Version
Translated from Eugene Marais by Jeanne Heywood
Translated from Eugene Marais by Jeanne Heywood
Swiftly down the footpath tripples Mabalel;
Gaily now her singing
Mingling with the ringing
Of her jingle-jangle ankle bangle.
All alone she goes,
As the shadows round her close;
A water jar of clay so red
Poised securely on her head.
Waves of colour surf the skies
As the daylight softly dies.
From behind a shelt’ring wall
Far-off winking fires call.
Wide and silent, still and cool
Lies Rakwen, Lalele’s pool.
Gleaming in the western glow
Coral depths reflections show.
And the reeds stirred by the wind
Sing lullaby of saddest sound.
Wait, wait, oh Mabalel!
Is there nothing there to tell,
Is there nothing whisp’ring darkly
Through the dusk that falls so starkly –
Does nothing give you warning
That round your cheerful song is dawning
A danger coming coldly
A danger following boldly?
Don’t you feel with every breath
The cold threatening hand of death?
Deep amongst the palmiet reed
In the blue depth waits Lalele.
Quintessential evil force,
Compassionless on cruel course
With patience that all want can suffer
Awaiting that which time or chance may offer,
He waits as surely as does Judgment Day.
Sleepless in his depths he marks his prey.
When water trickles through the sand
In a parched and barren land,
The dusty banks are dull and bleached:
Rakwena’s rocks are barely reached.
Here the blackened sheaths of reed
Weave a band of darkest grief
Round the green-encrusted shallows
Where the river lies in hollows
Here the water must be drawn.
Here Lalele bides his time.
When in deepest dark of night
At last the storm asserts its might.
With mighty roar like wounded lion
Thunder, lightning, raging wind,
Stripping trees of branch and leaf .
The swirling waters flood Rakwena.
Undeterred by Nature’s writhing
Lalele waits in darkness hiding
Through winter cold and summer heat,
Though drought and flood their themes repeat.
Through all the pageant of the seasons
In his deepness waits Lalele.
Though the flames may char the land,
The blackened earth a mourning band,
And the land is raped and bare,
Lalele lies within his lair.
On the banks with heart o’erflowing
See Mabalel now softly dreaming,
Her maiden thoughts so sweet and true,
Her eyes intent on depths of blue.
As the darkness now surrounds her
So her dreaming self enfolds her,
Breathing in the gentle silence
As her precious dream absorbs her.
Her image, mirrored in the water
Beckons yet with softest laughter.
Slowly from the reedbeds silent
Lalele through the dark depth rises.
Wake up, wake up, oh Mabalel!
Don’t you see the shadow upwards well?
To the high ground, Mabalel!
Keep your darling dream for later.
Never willow tree in water had
Reflections of such danger!
Never image of such terror from the darkest pit of night
Overcame the dreamer with such urgent need for light.
Never was unholier creature spawned,
Risen from the depths of hell;
None so threat’ning, none so fell.
As this shadow, Mabalel.
As the shadow that beneath you
From the darkness upwards wells.
Watch your footsteps, Mabalel!
Darkly glowing shades of hell
As you stand absorbed and staring,
No dark thought of danger rising,
That thing in the moving stream
Just a drowning leaf would seem.
Had you muscles of a tiger
Or the wing strength of an eagle,
Maiden, nothing saves you from your fate-
You’ve tarried here too long, too late!
From the mirror surface burst
A great foaming water spurt.
O’er Rakwena, calm and wide
Sounds a single anguished cry.
Then softly as a feather’s fall
Sinks the silence over all.
Light from beck'ning fire calls
Twinkling through the sheltering walls.
Through surrounding darkness fell
Hark the calls for Mabalel.
Hark the echo as before –
Return she will not, nevermore.
The water surface bears no mark
As Lalele sinks to silence dark.
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