Vesongo is the name of the leaves of a plant called mose-seni; plural, mese-seni. Mose-seni grows to a height of about three metres. The branches spread horizontally and bear more branches as they spread. Mose-seni has unique hard leaves. Bakweri traditional baskets for carrying farm products are woven by crossing stripes of mese-seni over and under each other.
Esongo = singular of vesongo.
Lisee-ngi is a kind of tree that grows to a height of about ten metres or more.
kumba = honour/respect/fame; pride.
mooko = stunted; slow growth.
mwaana juume = imp.
molonjo = a valley.
li-ngoole = to roll.
limise/li-limise = to erase; to extinguish.
Woli-nyama = all animals; the Animal World.
Ikule/Ikula Nyame = a tortoise.
foo = far away.
Foo = the Bakweri ancestral name for the town of Victoria presently known as Limbe.
Yasi nanu:
The friends, Lisee-ngi and Mose-seni were born at the same time. They lived close to each other on the steep bank of a stream.
Lisee-ngi developed into a tall tree, while Mose-seni, grew slowly under the branches of Lisee-ngi to its natural height of about three metres. Liseengi bears numerous fruit that contain hundreds of little seeds that are as tiny as the grains of sand on the beach in the sea town of Foo. A sound that is very pleasing to the ears of Wolinyama and hunters is produced When Liseengi seeds in their hundreds drop on of Vesongo, the on the leaves of Moseseni.
On one occasion when Lisengi and Moseseni had a disagreement,
Lisee-ngi, with cutlass in hand told Moseseni:
"Ono mwaana mooko mo juume;
imele, no saasa njambi nange;
si, no toongo wase-wase;
nu-wi-ngoole, anga tena molonjo;
na limise lii-na lango;
lisi tuvave fe".
(You this imp.
I will cut you into pieces, uproot you and then rock and roll you into that valley and have your name completely erased from the World of Plants and Animals).
Responding, Moseseni laughed at Liseengi scornfully and said:
"Wafe gbwe-ya te enge ekoke eya,
we-fusane lii-na."
(I hope you will carry out your threat and create a newsworthy event).
Ikula Nyame rebuked Lisee-ngi for threatening to destroy Mose-seni. Ikule then warned Lisee-ngi:
"Vesongo foni veyondi, ve-yo mbgweli e-kumba"
(You should understand that you derive your popularity from Vesongo)
You are famous because Wolinyama love the melody that is produced when your seeds drop in hundreds on top of Vesongo, that is, on top of the leaves of Mose-seni. There is no other plant in this forest that can concert with you to produce that well loved melody. Mose-seni cannot grow taller than what he is, so he can never be a threat to your height. Besides, since Mose-seni surrounds you he services you as a natural bodyguard.
There could be no honey without bees. You must realize that your seeds could make no music, without Vesongo the wonderful leaves that only Mose-seni produces. If you destroy Vesongo the melody that pleases Wolinyama will no longer be heard when your seeds drop. You will no longer be popular. Furthermore you will become vulnerable to enemy attacks when Moseseni who now serves you as your bodyguard ceases to exist. It is in your best interests to reconcile your differences with Mose-seni.
"Nanu ndi ese eveli" (This is how the world is)
Vesongo ndi ve-mbgweli Liseengi e-kumba.
Literally:
Power to govern is derived from the bottom. Office holders cannot therefore afford to despise the grass roots.
Oma nanu.
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