As the horizon of the open sea is called “the back of the water” (ǁgamiǃgãib), so the primeval past, remote as a distant horizon, is called “the back of time” (ǁäeǃgãis). In those days there were no people, the sun and moon were the earth’s inhabitants, fire lived, and all animals had human-like shapes, feelings, and actions. Within this framework, all observations of the animal world and experiences of one’s own life are processed.

In the evening, everyone gets together and takes a turn telling one of these stories preserved across the generations. Not out of superstition, but out of the mood of these happy hours themselves, the commandment has arisen to let the figures of legend (Tsũi-ǁgoab, ǁGaunab, the ǂAiǃgãmũchab) revive themselves only at night. Anyone who talks about them in daylight could conjure up the things (kxũ·na) of the past (aibe-gam) and thus cause hopless confusion. Only after sunset is it said !ho·are—⁠—“tell me!”