Nada the Lily
Encyclopedia
Nada the Lily is an historical novel by English writer H. Rider Haggard
, written in 1892
. It is said to be inspired by Haggard's time in South Africa (1875–1882).
The novel tells the tale of the hero Umslopogaas, the illegitimate son of the great Zulu
king and general Chaka, and his love for "the most beautiful of Zulu women", Nada the Lily. Nada the Lily is unusual for a Victorian novel in that its entire cast of characters is South African and black.
, the Zulu
king, around whom much of the action turns, but essentially the book is the story of Umslopogaas, and of "his love for Nada, the most beautiful of Zulu women." They have been brought up as brother and sister but Umslopogaas is really Chaka's son. It is narrated by Mopo the father of Nada and doctor to Chaka, who has a claim on Chaka because he saved the life of Chaka and his mother when they were outcast wanderers.
During the course of the novel Umslopogaas teams up with Galazi the Wolf, who lives on Ghost Mountain and has power over the resident wolf pack. The story ends tragically when Nada, fleeing the wrath of Dingaan following the assassination of Chaka, takes refuge in a cave on the mountain. Galazi dies in her defence but the cave proves her tomb as she is unable to open the stone door she has closed behind her. (Umslopogaas appears again in Haggard's She and Allan
and in Allan Quatermain
he is an old man and dies heroically.)
Parts of the story are closely based on actual historical events and on folktales recorded by Bishop Henry Callaway
and others. 'Mopo' is based in part on a man called Mbopa who was involved in the assassination of Shaka. But Umslopogaas, Galazi and Nada are wholly invented.
drops in the morning and, as such, a poetic metaphor for the concept of generosity
, another possible translation of the same word.
It's also probable that the name is a reference to the Portuguese word meaning "nothing" because Haggard was introduced to that idiom while living in South Africa. After a final scramble we ended up sitting on her head while Mdluli told me what he knew of the mountain, its history & the Zulu meaning of Tshaneni. "But why Nada the Lily?" he asked me. "Nada is not a Zulu name." No it's not. It's Portuguese. Nada's grandfather was a white man, "a Portuguese from the coast."
H. Rider Haggard
Sir Henry Rider Haggard, KBE was an English writer of adventure novels set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa, and a founder of the Lost World literary genre. He was also involved in agricultural reform around the British Empire...
, written in 1892
1892 in literature
The year 1892 in literature involved some significant new books.-Events:*Shadows Uplifted by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper becomes the second novel by an African-American woman published in the United States-New books:...
. It is said to be inspired by Haggard's time in South Africa (1875–1882).
The novel tells the tale of the hero Umslopogaas, the illegitimate son of the great Zulu
Zulu Kingdom
The Zulu Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Zulu Empire or, rather imprecisely, Zululand, was a monarchy in Southern Africa that extended along the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Tugela River in the south to Pongola River in the north....
king and general Chaka, and his love for "the most beautiful of Zulu women", Nada the Lily. Nada the Lily is unusual for a Victorian novel in that its entire cast of characters is South African and black.
Plot outline
Nada the Lily is set at the time of ChakaShaka
Shaka kaSenzangakhona , also known as Shaka Zulu , was the most influential leader of the Zulu Kingdom....
, the Zulu
Zulu Kingdom
The Zulu Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Zulu Empire or, rather imprecisely, Zululand, was a monarchy in Southern Africa that extended along the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Tugela River in the south to Pongola River in the north....
king, around whom much of the action turns, but essentially the book is the story of Umslopogaas, and of "his love for Nada, the most beautiful of Zulu women." They have been brought up as brother and sister but Umslopogaas is really Chaka's son. It is narrated by Mopo the father of Nada and doctor to Chaka, who has a claim on Chaka because he saved the life of Chaka and his mother when they were outcast wanderers.
During the course of the novel Umslopogaas teams up with Galazi the Wolf, who lives on Ghost Mountain and has power over the resident wolf pack. The story ends tragically when Nada, fleeing the wrath of Dingaan following the assassination of Chaka, takes refuge in a cave on the mountain. Galazi dies in her defence but the cave proves her tomb as she is unable to open the stone door she has closed behind her. (Umslopogaas appears again in Haggard's She and Allan
She and Allan
She and Allan is a novel by H. Rider Haggard, first published in 1921. It brought together his two most popular characters, Ayesha from She , and Allan Quatermain from King Solomon's Mines....
and in Allan Quatermain
Allan Quatermain
Allan Quatermain is the protagonist of H. Rider Haggard's 1885 novel King Solomon's Mines and its various prequels and sequels. Allan Quatermain was also the title of a book in this sequence.- History :...
he is an old man and dies heroically.)
Parts of the story are closely based on actual historical events and on folktales recorded by Bishop Henry Callaway
Henry Callaway
Henry Callaway was a missionary for the Church of England and a bishop of St. John's, Kaffraria, in the Church of the Province of Southern Africa .- Pre-missionary life :Henry Callaway was the son of a bootmaker...
and others. 'Mopo' is based in part on a man called Mbopa who was involved in the assassination of Shaka. But Umslopogaas, Galazi and Nada are wholly invented.
Cultural influence
The name "nada"is an Arabic word for the dewDew
[Image:Dew on a flower.jpg|right|220px|thumb|Some dew on an iris in Sequoia National Park]]Dew is water in the form of droplets that appears on thin, exposed objects in the morning or evening...
drops in the morning and, as such, a poetic metaphor for the concept of generosity
Generosity
Generosity is the habit of giving freely without expecting anything in return. It can involve offering time, assets or talents to aid someone in need...
, another possible translation of the same word.
It's also probable that the name is a reference to the Portuguese word meaning "nothing" because Haggard was introduced to that idiom while living in South Africa. After a final scramble we ended up sitting on her head while Mdluli told me what he knew of the mountain, its history & the Zulu meaning of Tshaneni. "But why Nada the Lily?" he asked me. "Nada is not a Zulu name." No it's not. It's Portuguese. Nada's grandfather was a white man, "a Portuguese from the coast."