There was a man who married two wives. Both wives gave birth to a daughter each. The first wife called her daughter Kalisanga, whereas the second wife called hers, Kaliteyo. These step-sisters were born at almost the same time. They grew up together and were very fond of each other. Of these two, Kalisanga was the more beautiful.
After a period of ten years Kalisanga's mother died, leaving her daughter under the care of her co-wife. As the girls matured they became even more fond of one another. When they went collecting firewood, they went together: when they went to fetch water from the stream, they were always together: when they went to bathe, they went together: when they ground grain, they did it together. In fact, they even shared a common boy friend!
But despite the great love the two sisters had for each other their mother hated Kalisanga and strove to find a way of destroying her.
One day, with the intention of separating them, she assigned them different tasks to do at the same time. This she did so as to be able to carry out her plan for Kalisanga. Kaliteyo was asked to fetch water from the stream while Kalisanga was to remain at home and grind grain. As was their habit, the girls begged their mother to allow them to perform these two duties together, but she demanded that they do as she asked them to. Out of respect they obeyed her and did as she requested.
When Kaliteyo took a water pot and left for the stream her mother called Kalisanga, who was grinding, into the house and stuffed her into a large drum. She then carried this away and threw it into a nearby lake. She then hurried back home and tried to appear calm as if nothing had happened.
When Kaliteyo returned from the stream and found her beloved sister missing, she asked her mother to tell her where Kalisanga had gone. The mother answered by saying she too had no idea. Immediately, Kaliteyo became uneasy and impatient. She went to her grandmother's place but did not find her sister. From there she went to each of her relatives but did not find Kalisanga. On her way home, she checked at their boy friend's home and she was told Kalisanga had not been there. Kaliteyo did not know what to think as she returned to her home. Once again she asked whether Kalisanga had shown up while she was away, but was told they hadn't seen her yet, although their father too had looked for her everywhere. Kaliteyo felt very heart-broken and in distress, refused to eat any meals. She began to mourn the loss of her beloved sister who was her companion and with whom she worked.
One day she left home and went to the lake shore. She began to sing as follows:
Oh Kalisanga, Oh Kalisanga
My mother's child, Kalisanga
With whom will you grind?
With whom will you walk?
With whom will you collect firewood?
My mother's child, Kalisanga.
Kaliteyo sang that mournful song for some time. When she paused she heard a voice that sounded like that of a sick person, singing from the direction of the lake. She listened carefully and heard the voice sing:
Oh Kaliteyo, Oh Kaliteyo
My mother's child Kaliteyo
With your mother you will grind
With your mother you will walk, Kaliteyo
My mother's child Kaliteyo.
The song in answer to hers disturbed Kaliteyo very much. She repeated it again.
When she kept quiet again, she heard the voice answering her. Kaliteyo was convinced that the voice was her sister's and ran home to call her father. Their relatives and neighbours accompanied them to the lakeside. Again Kaliteyo began to sing as previously and Kalisanga too answered her as she had done earlier, with an even fainter voice which showed that she was nearing death as a result of hunger. Their boy friend sang too and the drum in which Kalisanga was stuffed floated close to the shore and was removed from the water. It was opened up and Kalisanga was removed. One of her sides was virtually rotten. When Kaliteyo saw her sister so emaciated to the point of death she ran home and brought back sour milk together with porridge which she helped Kalisanga drink.
So the two girls refused to go back to their home but instead accompanied their boy friend to his home and got married. Kaliteyo together with their husband carefully nursed Kalisanga until she healed. From then on they lived together in perfect love.
After a period of ten years Kalisanga's mother died, leaving her daughter under the care of her co-wife. As the girls matured they became even more fond of one another. When they went collecting firewood, they went together: when they went to fetch water from the stream, they were always together: when they went to bathe, they went together: when they ground grain, they did it together. In fact, they even shared a common boy friend!
But despite the great love the two sisters had for each other their mother hated Kalisanga and strove to find a way of destroying her.
One day, with the intention of separating them, she assigned them different tasks to do at the same time. This she did so as to be able to carry out her plan for Kalisanga. Kaliteyo was asked to fetch water from the stream while Kalisanga was to remain at home and grind grain. As was their habit, the girls begged their mother to allow them to perform these two duties together, but she demanded that they do as she asked them to. Out of respect they obeyed her and did as she requested.
When Kaliteyo took a water pot and left for the stream her mother called Kalisanga, who was grinding, into the house and stuffed her into a large drum. She then carried this away and threw it into a nearby lake. She then hurried back home and tried to appear calm as if nothing had happened.
When Kaliteyo returned from the stream and found her beloved sister missing, she asked her mother to tell her where Kalisanga had gone. The mother answered by saying she too had no idea. Immediately, Kaliteyo became uneasy and impatient. She went to her grandmother's place but did not find her sister. From there she went to each of her relatives but did not find Kalisanga. On her way home, she checked at their boy friend's home and she was told Kalisanga had not been there. Kaliteyo did not know what to think as she returned to her home. Once again she asked whether Kalisanga had shown up while she was away, but was told they hadn't seen her yet, although their father too had looked for her everywhere. Kaliteyo felt very heart-broken and in distress, refused to eat any meals. She began to mourn the loss of her beloved sister who was her companion and with whom she worked.
One day she left home and went to the lake shore. She began to sing as follows:
Oh Kalisanga, Oh Kalisanga
My mother's child, Kalisanga
With whom will you grind?
With whom will you walk?
With whom will you collect firewood?
My mother's child, Kalisanga.
Kaliteyo sang that mournful song for some time. When she paused she heard a voice that sounded like that of a sick person, singing from the direction of the lake. She listened carefully and heard the voice sing:
Oh Kaliteyo, Oh Kaliteyo
My mother's child Kaliteyo
With your mother you will grind
With your mother you will walk, Kaliteyo
My mother's child Kaliteyo.
The song in answer to hers disturbed Kaliteyo very much. She repeated it again.
When she kept quiet again, she heard the voice answering her. Kaliteyo was convinced that the voice was her sister's and ran home to call her father. Their relatives and neighbours accompanied them to the lakeside. Again Kaliteyo began to sing as previously and Kalisanga too answered her as she had done earlier, with an even fainter voice which showed that she was nearing death as a result of hunger. Their boy friend sang too and the drum in which Kalisanga was stuffed floated close to the shore and was removed from the water. It was opened up and Kalisanga was removed. One of her sides was virtually rotten. When Kaliteyo saw her sister so emaciated to the point of death she ran home and brought back sour milk together with porridge which she helped Kalisanga drink.
So the two girls refused to go back to their home but instead accompanied their boy friend to his home and got married. Kaliteyo together with their husband carefully nursed Kalisanga until she healed. From then on they lived together in perfect love.
