The Elephant Means Too Far

Excuse me, sir! I seem to be a little bit lost. A little bit? Well... I haven’t seen a road for forty minutes. Then you are very good at being lost. I came walking down from the railway line With a paper map from nineteen-sixty-nine I said, “My friend, can you show me the way? I’m looking for the market before midday” Sawubona, mnumzane Idolobha likuphi? Exactly! That’s what I’m asking you! No, that is what you just asked me. Hamba uqonde, bese ujika kwesobunxele Pass the old tree where the children play Uma ubona indlovu, usudlule kakhulu If you see the elephant, you’ve gone too far away The elephant. Got it. No, no. The elephant means too far. Yes. Walk toward the elephant. Hhayi bo... Hamba kancane, lalela kahle Slow down, listen to the words I say Hamba kancane, bheka indlela One small joke can send you miles away Hamba kancane, lalela kahle Don’t let confidence confuse your brain The elephant means you have gone too far It does not mean “follow it across the plain” He has a map. Yebo! He has a compass. Yebo! He has no idea where he is. Yebo! I walked through the grass with my head held high Looking for an elephant passing by I crossed three hills and a riverbed Then I met one goat with a bucket on its head Excuse me, are you the elephant? I’ll take that as a no. Lo mnumzane uyashesha, kodwa akalaleli He moves very fast, but he never hears Akukho ngonyama, akukho ndlovu Just an angry little goat putting fire in his fears Then he came running from the dusty plain With one missing shoe and a broken chain He said, “Your elephant nearly broke my knee” That was a goat. Well, it was very confident for its size. Hamba kancane, lalela kahle Slow down, listen to the words I say Hamba kancane, bheka indlela One small joke can send you miles away Hamba kancane, lalela kahle Sometimes wisdom wears a smiling face The elephant means you have gone too far And the market is directly across this place Across the road? Yebo. Across the road. Why didn’t you say that before? You never asked where the market was. Yes, I did! No. You asked where the town was. And where is the town? Behind you. Hamba kancane, lalela kahle Slow down, listen before you stray Hamba kancane, bheka indlela A clever answer needs a clever ear today Hamba kancane, lalela kahle Laugh when all your careful plans fall through The elephant means you have gone too far And sometimes the lost man’s map is wrong too Hamba kahle, mnumzane! Thank you! I’ll follow the elephant! No! No elephant!