The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-07-29


thought was born in my heart. While
life was in Inc, might be revenged
upon him who had wrought me this
woe. Time to die when the voice of
Chaka spoke my doom. Not yet would
l taste of that medicine of mine.
So lived on and the soldiers led me
back to the kraal of Chaka. Now, when
we came to the kraal it was night.
Still, as charge had been given him, the
captain of those who watched me went in
before the king and told him that 1 lay
without in bonds. And the king said,
Let him be brought in before me who
was my physician, that may tell him
how have dOctOred those of his house"
SO they led me through the doorway
of the great Int.
At the door of the hut certain of the
councillors seized me and dragged me
toward the fire. But Chaka said, Let
him be, would talk with my servant"
Then sat down on the floor of the hut
over against the king. and we talked
through the fire.
Tell me of the cattle that l sent thee
forth to number, MopO. son of Makeda-
ma, +" said I aka. Have my servants
dealt honestly with my cattle2'
They have dealt honestly, o king"
answered.
Tell me, then, of the number of the
cattle and of their markings, Mopo, for
getting none"
So sat and told him.
so" said the king, lit goes well.
There are yet honest men left in the land.
Knowest thou, Mopo, that sorrow has
come upon thy house while thou vast
about my businessY'
Il have heard it, o kingT' / answered.
Yes, Mopo, sorrow has come upon
thy house. the curse of heaven has fallen
upon thy kraal. They tell me. Mopo,
that the fire from above ran briskly
through thy huts.
Il have heard it, o kingT
They tell me, Mopo, that those within
thy gates grew mad at the sight of the
fire, and dreaming there was no escape
they stabbed themselves With assegais
or leaped into the flames"
II have heard it. . king! What of It?
Amy river is deep enough to drown q
foolP'
Thou hast heard it. Mopo. but thou
hast not yet heard all. Knowest thou,
Mopo, that among those who died in thy
kraaI was she who bore me, she who
was named Mother of the Heavens!'
Then | walled aloud as though in
utter grief. =
Spare my ears, Black Onev' walled.
Tell eIilot that she who bore thee is
dead, 0Lion of the Zulu. For the others,
what is it? 1t is breath Of wind, it is
drop of water; bat this trouble is as
the gale or as the sea-"
Cease, my servant, ceaser' said the
mocking voice Of Chaka; but know
this: thou hast done well to grieve aloud
because the Mother of the Heavens is no
more, and i'll wouldst thou have done to
grieve because the fire from above has
kissed thy gates. For hadst thou done
this last thing or left the first undone,
by now thou wouldst have wept indeed
tears of blood. Mopo."
Now saw the greatness of the pit that
Chaka had dug for me, and blessed my
Ehlose, who had put into my heart these
words which should answer.
"Knowest thou. Mopo," said the king.
that as my mother died in yonder flames
of thy kraal, she cried out that thou
Mopo, and thy sister Baleka, and thy
wives had conspired together to give a
child to me who would be childless.
Tell me now, Mopo, where are those chill
dren that thou ledest from my kraal,
the boy with the lion eyes who is named
Umslopogaas, and the girl who is named
NadaY'
"Umslopogaas is dead by the lions
mouth, o king" answered, "and NADIA
sits in the Swat caves" and told him
Of the death of Umslopogaas and of how
had divorced Macropha, my wife.
The boy with the lion eyes to the
lions MOUTH said Chaka. Enough of
him; he is gone. NADIA may yet be
sought for with the assegai in the Swat
caves; enough of her. Let us speak of
this song that my mother sang through
the flames. Tell me, was it true tale?"
MAY, o king; surely the Mother of
the Heavens was maddened by the heav-
ems when she sang that song" l all
swered. Il know naught of it, o king"
. Thou knowest naught of it, MOpo?"
said the king. Thou knowest naught
of it, Mopo? Surely thou art a-cold; thy
hands shake with cold. Nay, man, fear
not-warm them, warm them, MOpo!
See, now, plunge that hand of thine into
the heart of the faner and he pointed
with his little assegai, the assegai han
died with the royal wood, to where the
fire glowed reddest-aye, he pointed and
laughed.
Then, my father, grew cold indeed.
Chaka would put me to the trial by fire.
For a moment l sat silent, thinking.
Then the king spoke again in a great
voice: NAY, MOpo, be not so backward;
shall sit warm and see thee suffer cold!
What, my councillors, rise, take the
hand of Mopo and hold it in the fame,
that his heart may rejoice in the
warmth"
There is little need for that, O king"
| answered. 81 thank the king for his
graciousness and ! will warm me at the
fire. Speak on, o king, while warm
me at the fire, and thou shalt hear true
words" said boldly.
Then, my father, stretched out my
left hand and plunged it into the fire
not into the hottest of the fire, but
where the smoke leaped from the flame.
Now my flesh was wet with the sweat
of fear, and for little moment the
flames curled around it and did not
burn it,
EOE d SNORT "nll6 Sndka WdICneu
me, smiling. Then he spoke slowly,
that the fire might find time to do its
work:
Say, then, Mopo, thou knowest moth
ing OF this matter Of the birth Of son
to thy sister Baleka?"
Il know this only, o king" an
swered, that a son was born in past
years to thy wife, Baleka, that 1 killed
the child according to thy word, and
laid its body before thee"
Then the king spoke again. "Dost
thou swear by my head, MOpo, that no
son Of mine was sucked in thy kraalsy'
Il swear it, o kingl l swear it by thy
head, answered
"Ah" Chaka said at length, Il see
that thou growest warm, MopO. With
draw thy hand from the flame. / am
answered; thou hast passed the trial;
thy heart is clean
at is well. o kingi" said calmly. !
Fire has no power of hurt on those
whose heart is pure"
But as l spoke looked at my left |
hand. 1t was black. Look at it now,