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UC-NRLF B M D17 M7M ^1^ . tU USA J'Ai.^L. Da. m,)l\i*H t CANON EOBINSOMc GIFT OF HORACE W« CARPENTEER MAGANxV HAUSA. BY THE SAME AUTHOR. A Dictionary of the Hausa Language. Vol. 8I.vo.Ha1u2ss.a-nEent.gliVsohl.. IIN.ewEngalnidshr-eHvaiussead.edDietimony.SvoD.emOsy. net. (Cambridge University Press.) Hausa Grammar; with Exercises, Readings, and Vocabularies. By C. H. Robinson and J. A. BURDON. Revised edition, 5s. net. (Kegan Paul, Triibner.) Specimens of Hausa Literature. Cousisting ofpoemsandhistoricalextractsreproducedinfacsimile in the original character, together with translation, transliteration, andnotes. Small 4to. 10s. net. (Cam- bridgeUniversityPress.) Hausaland or. Fifteen Hundred Miles ; through the Sudan. Third Popular Edition. Illus- trated. 2s. 6iZ. (Sampson Low & Co.) Nigeria: Our Latest Protectorate. With Mapandnumerous Illustrations. 5s. (Horace Marshall &Co.) MohWiatmhmspeecdiaalnriefsermenc:e toHtahse priotspeactnsyofFMuothaumrmee-? danismin Hausaland. Is. Crf. (Wells Gardner& Co.) MAGANA HAU8A. HAUSA STORIES AND FABLES. collectp:d by J. F. 8CH6n, D.D. KE-EDITED BY CHARLES H. ROBINSON, M.A., i-Et"rL"Ki:r, in hal>.4 ix cambridc;e vsiver.sitv, Hon. casox ok niryx, EDITOIUAL SECRfTAKV OK S.P.O. LONDON: SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE, NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, W.C. 1906. I'RINTED KV WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, LONDON AND BECCLBS. PREFACE. The stories contained in this volume were collected by Dr. J. F. Schon and published by the S.P.C.K. in 1885. They have proved so useful to English students beginning the study of the Hausa language, that it has been decided to reissue them. In preparing the new edition for the press I have thought it undesirable to perpetuate the extremely elaborate system of transliteration and the arrangements of dots and points above and below the various letters which Dr. Schon devised, and which have un- fortunately prevented the book from obtaining as wide a circulation as it deserved. According to the system of transliteration now adopted, (which is that generally accepted), all conso- nants are to be pronounced as in English, and all vowels as in Italian. I have not attempted to distinguish between the difterent sounds represented by /., d, or h. For an account of the sounds represented by these letters the student is referred to the Hausa Grammar. 493749 VI PREFACE. Whilst correcting a certain number of obvious errors, I have left unaltered a large number of more or less incorrect forms and expressions, many of which represent local and dialectical My idioms. desire has been to alter Dr. Schon's work as little as possible. The fact that the greater part of this book was taken down by dictation in the Roman character, and that, as neither Dorugu nor Abega could write, it could not be checked by reference to the written Hausa character, accounts for the irregular insertion of several forms and specially of the genitival connective n or r. Thus Dr. Schon writes /tore itacJie for furen itache, hazimu for hazinmu, tagiasa for tagiarsa, etc. Dorugu, the account of whose travels forms the first part of the book, was originally a Hausa slave, and was brought to England in 1856 by Dr. Bartli on his return from his explorations in West Africa. The account of his travels was dictated by him to Dr. Schon in 185(3, though it was not published till 1885. It will interest the readers of this book to know that Dorugu is still living (1906), and is employed by the English government officials as a teacher of Hausa at Zungeru in Northern Nigeria. Abega, to whom frequent reference is made, and who was also a slave brought to England by Dr. Barth,