The Baboon Who Became a Man: 5 Tales of Animal Spouses

There once existed a woman devoid of a husband. Many a suitor did present himself, yet the woman, possessed of an exceeding pride, refused them all, disdaining their advances.

A baboon, beholding this woman, conceived a desire to marry her; wherefore, he removed his baboon-skin and donned in its stead a man-skin, effecting a most curious transformation.

The woman, swayed by the baboon's disguise, did choose this man to be her husband, and in matrimony, they were duly joined.

He laboured assiduously, planting crops in the garden of his mother-in-law and tending the same with the utmost diligence and care.

However, his fellow baboons emerged forth from the bush and raided the garden, seizing all the victuals. Thereupon, the husband reverted to his baboon form and fled into the bush, never to return, thus dissolving the union.

There once existed a man whose wife possessed a most disagreeable temper.

He, in the end, resolved to dispatch her to dwell within a humble dwelling situated in the untamed bush.

A hyena, by a singular turn of events, elected to take up residence in the selfsame hut, partaking of the woman's provisions and consuming her water. When the hyena brought forth its young, it compelled the woman to attend to the needs of its cubs.

Upon a certain day, whilst occupied in the preparation of a stew, the woman, in a moment of audacious action, cast the juvenile hyenas into the stew-pot and fled back to her husband's abode.

When the infuriated hyena arrived, launching an assault upon the woman, her husband, in an act of gallant defence, slew the hyena with his spear.

From that juncture forward, the wife exhibited exemplary behaviour and lived thenceforth in felicitous harmony with her husband.

A gentleman, being enamoured of a certain lady, found himself, alas, destitute of worldly riches.

Thereupon, a Crow did present himself, proffering a veritable abundance of cattle, such that the lady's father, swayed by such opulence, did consent to her union with the aforementioned Crow, who then conveyed his betrothed into the depths of the forest.

Each day, the Crow absented himself, enjoining her with the words, “Await my return!” And thus, each evening, he did reappear, bearing sustenance for her.

The woman, confined to the forest throughout the daylight hours, indulged in lamentations and mournful melodies.

Her erstwhile lover, whilst traversing the forest, did overhear her distress. He hastened to her side, whereupon she recounted her plight with the Crow. “I shall dispatch him forthwith!” the man declared, with resolute purpose.

Concealing himself from view, he discharged his firearm at the Crow upon its evening return.

The man, having thus liberated the woman, escorted her to his abode, and they were at length united in matrimony.

A woman, whilst engaged in the meticulous weeding of her fields, did observe a bird of peculiar mien.

'Hither!' it exclaimed. 'I shall provide sustenance for thee.'

The aforementioned bird conducted her to a granary of considerable proportion; she did fill her basket to capacity, yet upon her return for a further consignment, the granary had, by some arcane means, vanished from sight.

Upon the subsequent day, she once more espied the avian creature. 'Attend me!' it proclaimed, taking flight with considerable alacrity. She, in turn, pursued the auditory emanations of its chirping until she arrived at a vast and desolate plain.

Thereupon, she beheld a man of comely countenance.

'I am, in sooth, the bird,' he declared. 'Consent to become my wife!'

'I find myself unable to credit thy assertion,' she retorted, her countenance betraying amusement.

Whereupon, he underwent a transformation, reverting to his avian form, and conducted her back to her abode.

She did nevermore behold the bird.

A woman, having strayed from her path within the forest, found herself enveloped by the encroaching night, wherein she discerned the roars of lions resonating through the gloom.

Thereafter, a troop of baboons chanced upon her plight and, with benevolent intent, conveyed her to their abode, affording her succour and sustenance in the form of milk and victuals.

Thus, the woman dwelt for a considerable duration amongst the baboons, acquainting herself with their peculiar tongue.

In the interim, the denizens of her village, bereft of her presence, presumed her deceased.

At length, she did return to her former domicile, yet she oft repaired to the forest under cover of darkness, engaging in discourse with the baboons.

Upon the occasion of the woman's demise, the baboons emitted cries of profound lamentation.