Even our God who gave us life,
      From heaven, his throne above,
    The great Creator of the world,
      Father, and God of love.”

When any person is sick, the priests and devout people consult their favorite spirits.  At Goumbi, in Equatorial Africa, this ceremony is quite frequent.  Once upon a time the king fell sick.  Quengueza was the name of the afflicted monarch.  Ilogo was a favorite spirit who inhabited the moon.  The time to invoke the favor of this spirit is during the full moon.  The moon, in the language of Equatorial Africa, is Ogouayli.  Well, the people gathered in front of the king’s house, and began the ceremony, which consisted chiefly in singing the following song:—­

    “Ilogo, we ask thee! 
    Tell who has bewitched the king!

    Ilogo, we ask thee,
    What shall we do to cure the king?

    The forests are thine, Ilogo! 
    The rivers are thine, Ilogo!

    The moon is thine! 
    O moon!  O moon!  O moon! 
    Thou art the house of Ilogo! 
    Shall the king die?  Ilogo! 
    O Ilogo!  O moon!  O moon!_"[97]

In African caravans or processions, there is a man chosen to go in front and sing, brandishing a stick somewhat after the manner of our band-masters.  The song is rather an indifferent howl, with little or no relevancy.  It is a position much sought after, and affords abundant opportunity for the display of the voice.  Such a person feels the dignity of the position.  The following is a sample:—­

“Shove him on!  But is he a good man?  No, I think he’s a stingy fellow; Shove him on!  Let him drop in the road, then.  No, he has a big stick:  Shove him on!  Oh, matta-bicho! matta-bicho!  Who will give me matta-bicho?”

Of this song Mr. Reade says,—­

“Matta-bicho is a bunda compound meaning kill-worm; the natives supposing that their entrails are tormented by a small worm, which it is necessary to kill with raw spirits.  From the frequency of their demand, it would seem to be the worm that ever gnaws, and that their thirst is the fire which is never quenched.”

The Griot, as we have already mentioned, sings for money.  He is a most accomplished parasite and flatterer.  He makes a study of the art.  Here is one of his songs gotten up for the occasion.

     I.

“The man who had not feared to pass the seas through a love of study and of science heard of the poor Griot.  He had him summoned.  He made him sing songs which made the echoes of the Bornou mountains, covered with palm-trees, ring louder and louder as the sounds flew over the summits of the trees.

     II.

“The songs touched the heart of the great white man, and the dew of his magnificence fell upon the Griot’s head.  Oh! how can he sing the wonderful deeds of the Toubab?  His voice and his breath would not be strong enough to sing that theme.  He must be silent, and let the lion of the forest sing his battles and his victories.

     III.