The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-07-16
Kilg Clndi and His Lost DalgltGr.
By HENRY STANLEY, OF Africa"
hzE 5snrzA Sauer
Copyright, 1893, by He

In the first dark hours we were all
gathered about the fire as usual, when
Safeni, the sage coxswain, exclaimed:
See here, boys. Do you not think that
for once in while it would be well to
hear some legend connected with men and
women? 1 vote that one of you who has
amused us with tales of lions and leopards
should search his memory and tell the
company a brave story about some son of
Adam. Come, you Katembo, have the
Manyema no legends?'
''Well, yes, we have; but my ears have
been so open heretofore that my tongue
has almost forgotten its uses, and 1 fear
that after the smooth and delightful sales
of Kadu you will not think me expert in
speech. However, if you care to hear OF
it, can give you the legend of Gumbi,
one of our kings in long past days, and
his daughter"
ssSpeak, speak, Katembo,'' cried the
company; 'flet us hear Manyema legend
tonight.''
Katembo, after this general invitation,
cleared his throat. brought the soles OF his
feet nearer the fire, and amid respectful
silence spoke as follows:
1t was believed in the olden time that
If a kings daughter had the misfortune
TO be guilty OF ten mistakes she should
suffer for half of them and her father
would be punished Tor the resi-. Now,
King Gumbi had lately married ten wives
and now all at once this old belief of the
elders about troubles with daughters
came into his head and he issued a COM
mand, which was TO be obeyeG upon pain
OF death, that If any female children
should be born to him they should be
thrown into the Lualaba and drowned,
Tor. said he, the dead are beyond temp
tation to err and l shall escape mis-
chief.''
ITO avoid the reproaches of his wives,
on account of MS cruel order, the king
thought he would absent himself, and he
took large following with him and went
to visit other towns of his country. With
In a few days after his departure there
were born 10 him five sons and five
daughters. Four of the infant females
were at once disposed of according TO the
kings command, but when the fifth
daughter was born she was so beautiful
and had such great eyes, and her color
was so mellow, like a banana, that the
chief nurse hesitated, and when the
mother pleaded so hard for her child S
life, she made up her mind that the little
infant should be saved. When the mother
was able to rise the nurse fastened her
away secretly by night.
sin the morning the queen found her
self in dark forest, ana being alone she
began to talk TO herself, as people gen.
orally do, and gray parrot, with beau
tiful red tail, came flying along and
asked: SsWhat is it you are saying, oh
Marml2''
.sShe answered and said: sAh, beauti-
fui little parrot, tell me how l can save
my sweet child, for Gumbi threatens to
destroy i5?'
ssThe parrot replied, 81 grieve for you
greatly, but l do not know. Ask the
next one you see,' and he few away.
ssA second parrot still more beautiful
came flying toward her, whistling and
screeching merrily, and the queen lifted
her voice and cried;
80 sAh, little parrot stop bit, and tell
me how l can save my sweet child's life,
for cruel Gumbi, her father, wants to kill
sAh, mistress, may not tell; but
there is one comes behind me who knows:
ask him., and he few TO his days haunts
'sThen the third parrot was seen to fly
toward her, and he made the forest ring
with his happy whistling.
8 oh, stay, little parrot, and tell me
in what way | can save my sweet child
for Gumbi, her father, VOWS he will xii
it?'
a. Deliver it to me- answered the par,
rot. But first let me put small banana
Sta.k ana TWO pieces OF sugar cane VIII
it ID then 1 shall carry it safely to it
grandmamma.'
1.-The parrot relieved the queen of he
child, and few through the air screechins
merrier than before, and in short time
laid the little princess, her banana stall
and two pieces OF sugar cane IN the lap O
the grandmamma, who was sitting at thu
door OF her house, and said:
g This bundle contains gilt from
your daughter, wife of Gumbi. She bid
YOU be careful of it, and let none of you
own family see it, lest she should be slair
by the king; and to remember this da.
she requests you to plant the banana stall
in your garden at one end, and at til
other end the two pieces of sugar cane
for you may need BOTH
.''Your words are good and wise, ,
answered granny.
son opening the bundle the oil
woman discovered a female child, ex
ceedingly pretty, plump, and yellow as
ripe banana, with large black eyes, an
such smiles on its bright face that tn
grandmother's heart glowed with affec
ton for it.
MANY seasons came and went by. n
stranger came round to ask questions
The banana hourished and grew into
grove, and each sprcut marked the pas
sage Of the season. and the sugar can
throve prodigiously as year after yea
passed; and the infant grew into girlhooc