Among many types of characters that appear in Hausa folklore tales, tricksters seem to be one of the most intriguing ones. Tricksters are usually depicted as weak and without power, influence or any other significant advantages. Instead, they survive learning the rules and weaknesses of others, talking much and behaving in ways that trick and mislead their opponents.
Gizzo, the Spider, is such a trickster. In the story “The Spider, the Hippopotamus, and the Elephant”, he is portrayed as a character that uses the flaws of others to gain benefit for himself. Gizzo is also small in size and has to find ways to protect himself from enemies that are much stronger than him. As usual for tricksters, he survives due to his wits and ability to control the flow of conversation.
The story of Gizzo, the Spider, was recorded early in the twentieth century and published in “Folk-Lore” in 1910. Later, in 1914, it was included in “Hausa Folk-Tales” by A. J. N. Tremearne.
Gizzo’s main rivals in the story are Dorina (the Hippopotamus) and Giwa (the Elephant). Both of them are giants, even bigger than Gizzo’s usual enemies in the other stories. Physically, Gizzo has almost no chance to compete with them, which limits his opportunities to survive. Yet he uses the knowledge of their flaws and his cleverness to set them against each other.
Gizzo tells Dorina that Giwa believes she is stronger than the Hippopotamus. Dorina gets offended and challenges the Elephant to a contest to determine who is stronger. Gizzo tells the same to Giwa, claiming that Dorina said that she is stronger than the Elephant. Again, Giwa gets offended and agrees to the contest. Gizzo managed to get both of them to start preparing for the contest, even though he did not say anything meaningful himself. He only carried words from one to another and made them believe that their pride is insulted.
Gizzo prepared a leather thong, to which both the Elephant and the Hippopotamus had to tie themselves. The Spider wanted to see if the rumour about the strength of the Elephant and Hippopotamus was true. Again, the size difference between Gizzo and his opponents was hilarious. The Spider was tiny, while the two animals were the biggest in the story. Eventually, the contest began and both the Hippopotamus and the Elephant pulled the thong to try to prove their strength.
Neither of them knew that the third party, Gizzo, was the one who made them start the contest. Both of them believed that they were the strongest and that their opponents offended their honour. Gizzo took advantage of the situation and pulled the thong from the opposite side, making the animals believe that he participated in the contest. Eventually, both of them got tired of pulling and stopped. Dorina and Giwa got angry that they were tricked, but Gizzo managed to trick them again.
Eventually, Gizzo was caught cheating. Both the Hippopotamus and the Elephant understood that they were tricked as they knew about the rumours that Gizzo spread. The Spider was their opponent, but his tricks made him their enemy. The trickster set them against each other and made them waste their energy in a contest that did not even happen. Once they understood the trick, Dorina and Giwa started looking for Gizzo to punish him for his words. The Spider, however, was not ready to give up.
One of the main characteristics of tricksters is that they are persistent and resourceful. Once the initial plan fails, they do not give up but instead try to use the situation to their advantage. Gizzo was caught cheating, but he had to change his plan again as the Elephant and the Hippopotamus had enough of the Spider’s antics. The trickster pulled an old oribi skin over himself to hide his identity. The same tricksters’ strategy could be called masking, as Gizzo used disguise to save himself.
Eventually, the Elephant found Gizzo, but she was deceived by the disguise once again. The Elephant believed that Gizzo was oribi, not the Spider, and asked how he was feeling. Gizzo continued to lie and told about the situation in which he was, but the Elephant did not understand that she was deceived. The same fate awaited the Hippopotamus, and eventually, both of them left the trickster alone.
Gizzo’s plan was to get rid of the Elephant and the Hippopotamus by making them fight each other. He did so twice, but eventually, the strong animals caught him. The trickster had to change his plan once again as he saw no way to escape.
As he was escaping, Gizzo showed that his initial plan was not the only option he had. He showed that he had enough cunning to avoid the two giants. The first time he managed to escape because the Elephant and the Hippopotamus were fighting each other. The second time, he hid in the oribi skin and convinced the Elephant that she saw an oribi. The same trick worked with the Hippopotamus, but eventually, the Elephant found Gizzo. He could have avoided the situation if he ran, but he wanted to stay in control.
From a different perspective, the story depicts Gizzo as a trickster from Hausa tales. He does not always behave like a trickster, but his nature is to lie, spread rumors, cheat and protect himself when accused of rumors. The same characteristics are often found in tricksters from other cultures.
The main trickster character is usually depicted as a poor but cunning character. His intelligence does not allow him to be caught, while his lies and cunning nature give him a chance to survive in a harsh world. Gizzo is the protagonist in the story “The Spider, the Hippopotamus, and the Elephant”, and he represents such characters. He tricks the Elephant and the Hippopotamus to make them fight each other. He hides in the oribi skin to escape from the Hippopotamus and the Elephant. He survives because of his cunning nature and the ability to quickly change his plans. Even though the trickster falls under the influence of rumors, they make him even stronger. Eventually, the rumors cause his problems, but Gizzo is able to escape due to the same reason.
Gizzo’s strength is also in his ability to make strong animals such as the Hippopotamus and the Elephant fight each other. He knows that their pride and sense of honor are stronger than any other characteristics. He does not have to rely on his own power as he has an advantage over the animals.
Using animals in the story allows the author to depict human characteristics and flaws without focusing on them directly. This way, the story can be easily understood by people from different backgrounds. The flaws of humans, such as the love for honors and pride, can be shown through the actions and adventures of animals. The story teaches a lesson without accusing people of being rude or deceptive.
There are several reasons why the story has remained memorable. The main one is that it shows the struggle of the smallest and weakest creature against the biggest and strongest. The conflict between the Elephant, the Hippopotamus, and Gizzo is the most memorable part of the story. The battle between the big and the tiny causes emotions, while the outcome of the fight makes the reader wonder about the strength of such creatures. The outcome of the fight surprises the audience as the smallest character wins.
Gizzo wins due to his ability to control the flow of the battle. While the Elephant and the Hippopotamus fight each other, Gizzo hides and waits for the right moment to escape. He knows how to use his surroundings to protect himself. The same tactics work for the second time, but eventually, Gizzo is caught. He escapes because he knows how to avoid the enemies, but the outcome of the battle makes it obvious that they were stronger.
The story remains valuable because it shows that cleverness, wit, and intelligence can be powerful. Gizzo has these abilities, which allow him to fight stronger opponents. The trickster survives because he knows how to change tactics when necessary and what to do to reach his goals. He has these abilities, while his opponents are too proud to admit their flaws and weaknesses.
Gizzo, the Spider, the Hippopotamus and the Elephant remain memorable because of their deeds and personalities. Gizzo is a trickster, while the Hippopotamus and the Elephant represent strong and honorable opponents. Gizzo survives due to his intelligence and cunning nature. The story shows the outcome of rumors and the behavior of strong animals that refuse to admit their flaws. It also shows that the smallest creature can be the strongest if it knows how to use the surroundings to protect itself.
