The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-25
GOOD AFRICAN STORIES.
LIEUT.. BECKER'S FABLES FROM
THE DARK CONTINENT.

mans Donkey-Advice is Cheap -
The SwindIer and the Porter.
From the Pittsbuo Dispatch.
In his remarkable book ia Vie en-
Afrioue. Lieut. Jerome Becker. the MS
torian of an expedition sent to explore LAKE
Tancanyiki and the Dark Continent gener-
alIv under Belgian auspices, gives oe1ser
view of the people inhabiting equatorial
Africa than most explorers have done.
LENT Rocker seems to have realized theim
nortance of the study of man as ne IS touno
under conditions still nearly primeval-
p,t in referring to Life in Africa" my
,,articrIar object Just now is 10 ampllfy an
aaIInSion made some time ago In this column
10 the fables current among certain African
+rihee Tieut. Becker devotes a good deal
Of snace TO the fables of the SQUALLS, or
Swahilis. as they are variously called. Inc
Swahilis are the hybrid race, partly AIap
aud partly Bantu or native AFRICAN, whl ~ u
forms the population of Zanzibar ana Tue
iina of East African coast which by the
recent Anglo German convention mas Oeeh
put under British protection.
One of Lieut. Becker's men, naneu
Moharned Maskam, was wont IN the even
ings during the long march through une
African forests to relate these scraps OF
native folk lore. They have strangely
modern and, if one may say SO, clVlIlze9u
sound. and as they constitute Cue 0I -.
literature the Dark Continent can eau lts
own, it has been thought worth while TO
relate one or two of them here.
II is curious that Joel Chandler Harris
Brer Rabbit is the popular hero OF most
of these fables.
The fable of 1.-THE Laundryman's
Donkey" is considered by Lieut.. Becker TO
be model of its kind. Here 1T is IN sub
stance. if not in the fuliness of the French
version, which is too long.
A monkey and fish once upon time
formed a friendship. From the branches OF
the great tree which overhung the river the
monkey used to throw fruit TO the fish. In
return for this politeness one day the fish
invited the monkey to dinner. The monkey
objected that the water was not his ele-
1nent, but the fish explained that he would
carry his guest so as not to wet a single mar
of him So the monkey accepted the invita-
ton and Jumped down onto the fish's back.
When they had reached the middle of the
pool the fish began the conversation by say
ing; "You are my friend and | must tell
YOU the truth. Our sultan is very sick, and
the doctor has advised him if he wishes to
recover to eat a monkeys heart. That's
why invited you.
1.-THE monkey exclaimed at, once against
alone could save him from death ne changed
his tone
ITO oblige you will certainly fetch my
heart said he.
whats thatm said the fish with surprise,
''haven't you your heart with youW
as it possible, replied the monkey, that
you are ignorant of this habit of ours.
When we go out for a walk we always leave
our hearts in the branches for fear of acct
parbars tbir1R I'm afraid and
lying-well, take me to your sultan, and
see if have not told the truth"
The fish swallowed this assertion and sci
the monkey ashore, after the latter had
promised to fetch his heart at once AS
soon as the monsey was safe in the tree
again he inquired of the fish, who was wait
ing his return in the pool below: "Do you
take me forsthe laundryman's donkey"
II don't understand you. What d'you
mean by that?"
"A donkey that has neither heart nor
ears" and then the monkey went on to tell
the history of the laundryman's donkey.
The laundryman had donkey he loved
dearly, but she was ungrateful. She ran
away into the forest and grazed at her own
sweet will. Soungourru, the rabbit
CHANGED to see her, and it struck him al
once that she would make an elegant meal
for his majesty, the lion. So the rabbit
ran at once to court and informed the lion
who was sickly and thin, of the treat ir
store for him. The lion was delighted, and
Soungourru went off to find the donkey
When he found her he said: ~ am sent tC
demand your hoof in marriage"
by whomN said the modest donkey with
blush.
by his majesty, the lion."
The donkey was mad with Joy and said
LET us go at once. | am charmed to &C
cept"
So they departed and presently came into
the lions presence. The rabbit excused
himself on the plea OF business, and left the
lion to dine off the donkey. But though
the donkey suspected nothing, she was SC
young and strong, and the hon so old and
weak, that when he made a spring at hel
she kicked up her heels and escaped
Naturally the lion was greatly cast down
but the rabbit bade him be of good cheer
and recruit his strength There was nc
need to hurry.
Some days after. when the lien had re-
covered his strength, the rabbit sought out
the donkey again and informed her that
ner royal lover desired to see her. The don.
key shook her long ears and grinned: 81 IS
SICK and sore of my royal lover still.n sh,
said. but the rabbit explained that the lion
tnough rough In his advances, was capita
fellow IN the main, and the vain donkey al
lowed herself to be persuaded to 20 to court
again.
This time the lion wasted no time bu
tore his victim in pieces at once Then The
royal beast said to the rabbit: lyon car
Jake all OF her but the heart and ears.n
but sly Soungourru $40 the heart an,
ears and concealed the rest of the carcass
Dy.and-by the lion came to get his share.
~. dlve me the heart and ears he said
Tor I'm hungry"
rabbit. LII puuen
you mean ?n s"N"' ~
Don't you know the news ?n asked tht
ia ..D, That was laundrymans donkey =
H. DO you mean to say" responded th,
non. opening his eyes very wide, "tba
taunorymen's donkeys have neither heart.
III. In truth. your majesty" replied the
s'i4o' cont understand you. To 8
sultan arrived at the age of dissertation the
Ease is sufficiently clear If that donkey
nau hao ears or a heart would she have
0o IN mere second timew
..rh ue non reflected a while before he said
WI Is some truth in that"
b =" men the monkey had finished the fable
in o sail TO the fish: You would make me :
na,t Fymans donkey. Go along Won
60 I1I catch me! Our friendship is over
.r AIolner fable related by lTohamed Mask
% Iui mas a good deal of the most deIicate
"G M IN 1t. Here it is:
1u6re was 0poa q ,,,o1