Weeks. The Son who Tried to Outwit his Father

From Congo life and jungle stories by John H. Weeks.

This is classified as TMI Z43.5 Boy changes self to nut.

THE SON WHO TRIED TO OUTWIT HIS FATHER

A son said to his father one day: “I will hide, and you will not be able to find me.”

The father replied: “Hide wherever you like,” and then he went into his house to rest.

The son saw a three-kernel peanut, and changed himself into one of the kernels; a fowl coming along picked up the peanut and swallowed it; and a wild bush-cat caught and ate the fowl; and a dog met, chased, and ate the bushcat.

(bush-cat)

After a little time the dog was swallowed by a python, that, having eaten its meal, went to the river and was snared in a fish-trap.

The father searched for his son, and, not seeing him, went to look at his fish-trap. On pulling it to the riverside he found a large python in it.

He opened it and saw a dog inside, in which he found a bush-cat, and on opening that he discovered a fowl, from which he took the peanut, and breaking its shell he there revealed his son.

The son was so dumbfounded that he never tried again to outwit his father.