Most of these spirits/animals live in a sacred place or are connected to certain places as in Lake Fundudzi.
Fruit may not be harvest before the spirits have been notified to taste the fruits first. In the olden days the people did know about the spirits but didn't know how they looked like. It was also said that to look upon these beings would mean instant death. Then one day a man came upon someone laying in a pit. On investigating he found a zwidudwane. He was afraid and turned to flee. The spirit asked the man to help him out and he would spare the man his live. But if the man tell anyone what he saw instant death would befall him. For many years the man kept his secret until his deathbed, when he told everyone that the spirits who lives beneath the waters of the lake only have one eye, leg and arm.
According to the legends when there were sick and/or old people in the village the lake will rise and fetch the people from their home. On seeing this, the people will move out to higher ground and the lake will swallow up the village and take the old and sick with it as it retreats to the lake. There would remain no sign of the lake having swelled up to the village.
The Phyton god.
Phytons lives near reeds and water are thus associated with lakes, rivers and rain. It is taboo for a Phyton to be killed in the rainy season. Phytons skins may not be pegged out to cure, but must be spread out in a snakes shape and left to dry. The head and tails are buried in the cattle kraal to ensure fertility to the cattle. The carcass of the Phyton are thrown back into the river to ensure the rain will fall. Barren woman tied Phytons skins around their waist to induce pregnancy.
In the olden days the Phyton lived on land. He had a beautiful pattern skinned. He married two wives, and old wife and a young wive. The old wive new their husband was a Phyton. He came to their huts in the dark at night, and the early mornings when they were out hoeing. When he came to the young wife at night she felt something cold and was very afraid. The Phyton told the older wife to give the younger wife a necklace to comfort her.
The young wive was very curios about her husband, but was told not to bother so much.
They had to hoe the land during the day and may not return home until sunset. In the evenings on nearing the kraal they would sing a certain song which would warn the Phyton that they were coming.
One day as the two wives walked to the fields the young wife who couldn't contain her curiosity any longer said she must go back to the house to fetch her snuff box she had forgotten. but the older wife wouldn't let her go, but went instead in her place. This also happened the second day. On the 3 day the younger wife ran back to the kraal. there she found the Phyton in the kgoro catching flies.
The young wife was so shocked she ran back to the older woman screaming. The Phyton fled to the lake and never returned. All the rivers and streams dried up. the rain stayed away and every-one cried out for water. The only place were there was eater was in lake Fundudzi were the Phyton lived. The older wife knew why the waters dried up and told he people. The chief ordered them to brew beer to offer it to the Phyton. The young wife was made understand the only way to save all the people was for her to offer the beer to the Phyton.
On the appointed day the young wife took the beer and with the people walked to the lake. The she walked into the lake with the beer while she sang a farewell song to her family. as she flung herself into the depths the water of all the rivers and streams began to rise immediately and the people were joyful again.
One day the young wife decided to break the rule and stole back to the hut. She peeped in through y the window and saw her husband was a Phyton - the god of fertility.
There are a few versions of the story. In one the Phyton had two wives