Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-17
THE TOPICAL TAlKER.
Fables From the Dark Contineni--Drer Rab.
bit MS the swahills Know Him-Lieut.
Becker's Ebonv K.op-The Laundry.

people ihhabiting equatorial Africa than mos
explorers have done. Lieutenant Becker
seems to have realized the Importance OF the
study Of man as he Ia found under conditions
still nearly pfihievAi,
hut In referring TO "Iifs IN Affieau my par
tiealaf object Just now is to amplify an siiusioH
made shms time ago IN this eeumh TO the
fables current among certain African tribes
Lieutenant tieekef dev6tes good desi Of space
10 the fables Of the SQUALLS, or bwahiis, ~ they
are vaFieusly called, The bwahiils are the by,
bfid race, partly Arab and partly Bahtu or ha.
i've African, which forms the population of
zaRBibaf ana tho iiBa Of East African coast
which by the recent Angle.aerman eenvsn,
lion has been put under British protection,
6RH Of Lieutenant teehers men, named
Mohamsd MaAham, was wont In the even.
ings during tho long march through the Affi.
eAn forests 10 relate theae scraps Of native
folk lore, They have q strangely modern AMI,
II 0ne may say ~, civilized sound, and 40 they
constitute the only literature ths Dark Con.
tinent can call iIa own, IL has bean thought
worth while 10 relate ona or two Of them here
" 10 curious that Joel Chandler Harris BFeF
Rabbit IL tho popular hero OF most OF these
fables,
| THE fable OF "The Laundryman's Donkey"
IL considered by Lieutenant Becker TO be
model of It's kind. Here II IL In substance, II
not in the fullness Of the French version, which
10 too l0ngi
| A monkey and q ish once upon o time
| formed q friendship. From the branches of
the great tree which oVerhung the river the
monkey used to throw fruit to the fish, In re,
turn for this politeness one day the fi,h invited
the monkey to dinner. The monkey objected
that the water was not his element,
but the f,h explained that he would
| a q mt tn yVa n ul IN m
him. So the monkey accepted the invitation
and jumped down onto the fish's back. When
they had reached the middle of the pool the
fish began the conversation by saying; "You
are my friend and must tell you the truth.
Our. sultan is very sick, and the doctor has ad-
visA him If he wishes to recover to eat
monkeys heart That's why invited you."
The monkey exclaimed at once against such
perfidy. but rejecting that cunning alone could
save him from death lie changed his tone.
ITO oblige you will certainly fetch my
heart" said he.
"What's that?' said the fish with surprise,
| haven't you your heart with your
"1s 1t 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 accident. Perhaps
you think Pm afraid and lylng-well, take mo
to your sultan, and see If I have not told the
| truth"
The fish swallowed this assertion and set the
monkey ashore. after the latter had prom
sed to fetch his heart at once. As soon as the
monkey was safe in the tree again he inquired
of the fish, who was awaiting his return In the
pool below: "Do you take me for the laundry
mans donkeyT'
II don't understand you. What d'you mean
by thatY'
"a donkey that has neither heart nor ears"
and then the monkey went on to tell the his
tory 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,
chanced to see her, and it struck him at 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 in store for him. The lion was
delighted, and Soungourru went off to find the
donkey. When he found her he said: ~ am
sent to demand your hoof in marriage"
"By whom ~ said the modest donkey with
blush.
by bis majesty, the lion."
The donkey was mad with Joy and said "Let
US go at once. 1 am charmed to accept"
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 so young and
strong. and the lion so old and weak that when
he made spring at her 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 no need 10 hurry.
COME days after. when the lion had recovered
his strength, the rabbit sought out tho
donkey again and Informed her that her royal
lover desired to see her. The donkey shook her
long ears and grinned II am sick and sore Of
my royal lover STILL" she said, but the rabbit
explained that the lion, though rough In bis
advances, was q capital fellow In the main, an ID
tho vain donkey allowed herself 10 be per.
suadsd 20 go 20 court again.
This time the lion wasted no time but tore
his Victim IN pieces NJ once. Then the royal
beast said 10 the rabbit "You can take Ali OF
her but the heart and ears"
Hut eiy kOuBRourru ate tho heart and ears
and concealed the rest Of thu carcass. By.and.
by tho lion came 20 got his share.
"dive mo tho hsart and ears" no said, "for
I'm hungry"
"wbers are tbeyT asked tho impudsnt
rabbit
"How's thatT growlsd the lion, "what do
you meRR7
"pbht you know the neWsW asked the
rabbit, "thatwas . iaupdrymap's donkeyP
"po you mean to say" responded the lion
opening his eyes very wide, shat Iaundrymsn's
uonAefA hhVo heither neaitS nor earsT
IN TRUTH your majesty" replied the rabbit,
u don't understand you. To sultan arrived !
~ the age OF discretion the case 10 sufficiently
clear II that donkey had had ears or heart
would she nave come here second timeT
me non renected q while before he said;
"There IS some truth In that"
When the monkey had finished the fable he
sald 70 the hsl' iou "ouid make me laun'
drymans donkey 20 along, you can't catch |
me! Our friendship Is over goodbyT
+
A MOTHER fable related by Mohamed Maskam |
has good deal OF the most delicate humor |
IN II. dere Nis:
There was once man, a swindier, who came |
often to market he always bought some |
thing but when the time Tor settling came he |