It is said that Nomhoyi, the goddess of destruction, which is one of the three aspects of the great Earth Mother, was very hungry and invaded the Earth. She started eating all the animals and human beings she could lay her hands on. She ate for several months, feasting until her belly was distended. She ate most of the world´s animals, leaving only a few survivors, among which was a wildebeest.
The wildebeest decided to set the animals in the goddess´s belly free by tricking her. He bewitched Nomhoyi so that she fell in love with him and, when the goddess wanted the inkonkoni to make love to her, he refused, saying he could not make love to someone whose belly was so big. He tricked the lovelorn Nomhoyi into having her belly sliced open so that some of the animals she had eaten could be set free.
After this, however, the wildebeest still protested that her belly was too full. He cast a spell over her so that she became unconscious and then he sliced her belly open, releasing all the animals. The inkonkoni, assisted by the baboons and other animals, filled the space with great rocks.
When the goddess regained consciousness, she realized that she had been tricked and vented her rage on the wildebeest by devouring him and leaving only his tail, which she threw angrily into the bush. The other animals recovered the wildebeest´s tail and used it to bring him back to life. And we are told that from that day on, the wildebeest´s tail was possessed of magical powers.
(Source: Isilwane, the animal (Credo Mutwa))

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