for bestiary: an isitshakamana, an ugly fish that once you see it, you can never unsee it. also, it knows who all of your ancestors were and will haunt you with this information.

here is an ancient zulu tale about the isitshakamana which my zulu governess read to me every night before bed:

It happened that a man took a worm, and went to catch fish in the Tukela ; he caught an animal, the Isitshakamana ; it spoke, saying “Child of So-and-so, of So-and-so, of So-and-so.” It went on thus repeating the names of his grandfathers, until it had mentioned names up to ten names which he did not himself know. It said, “Why have you treated me so unmercifully as to take me out of the pool?I am afraid of the sun.” His eyes met the eyes of the beast; and he fled and ran home.

He said, “Put a pot on my head ; hide me; I have seen a great thing; I have seen a beast, when I went to catch fish ; its eyes are still staring at me. It is destroying me as though it was here with me.” He said, ” Take the pot off my head ; even now it is still looking at me.” They took off the pot. He said, ” Cover me with all the blankets which are in the village.” He said, ” Take them off from me ; it is still looking at me. Carry me to a corn-hole.” They put him in a little while. He said, ” Take me out; the beast is still looking at me even here ; and besides the heat is killing me.” They took him out. 

He came into the house. So he died on that account, because he saw the Isitshakamana. He said, ” I am torn to pieces by fear, when the beast calls me by the name of my father, and of my grandfather and my grandfather’s father; mentioning all people without exception and generations which were unknown both to my father and grandfather. I die on that account.” So he died.

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source: a 19th century zulu nursery tale edited by henry callaway