Duiker went to see his friend, Leopard. Realizing Duiker was hungry, Leopard told his wife to prepare a meal.
Leopard's wife took plantains and stewed them with fish. She also took a charm and put it into the stew, which she then served to Leopard and his guest.
Duiker immediately began to devour the stew, but instead of thanking his host, all he said was "Zam! Zam! Zam-zam-zam! Zam!"
Because Duiker was so rude, Leopard cursed him. "You ungrateful creature! From now on, "zam-zam" will be all you can say."
That is why even now you hear Duiker saying "zam-zam."
Inspired by: "How Okpweng Antelope Got His Language" in Bulu Folk-Tales (in Journal of American Folklore) by George Schwab, 1914. The Bulu are a people who live in Cameroon.
Notes: You can read the original story online. The story is told about "okwpeng," a tiny antelope, cephalophus dorsalis castaneus. The story does not explain what the charm does exactly, but since it seemed like the Duiker was a victim of some kind of magic, I made that more explicit in this story.
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