The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-07-16

When the princess had bloomed into
beautiful maiden the grandmother had
become so old that the events of long ago
appeared to her to be like SO many
dreams; but she still worshipped her
child's child, cooked for her, waited
upon her, and wove new grass mats for
her bed, and fine grass cloths for her
dress, and every night before she retired
she washed her dainty feet.
'sThen one day, before her ears were
quite closed and her limb s became too weak
to bear her about, the parrot who brought
the child to her, came and rested upon
branch near her door, and after piping
and whistiing its greeting, cried out,
'The time has come; Gumbi's daughter
must depart and seek her father. Furnish
her with little drum, teach her a song
to sing while she beats it, and send her
forth
''Then the granny purchased for her
tiny drum and taught her song, and
when she had been fully instructed she
prepared new canoe with food-from the
bananas in the grove, and the plot of sa-
gar cane, and she made cushions from
grass cloth bags, stuffed with silk cotton
floss, for her to rest upon. When all was
ready she embraced her granddaughter
and with many tears she sent her away
down the river with four women SER
wants.
river bank watching the little canoe dis
appear with the current, then she turned
and entered the doorway, and sitting
down closed her eyes and began to think
of the pleasant life she had enjoyed while
serving Miami's child; and while so do
ing she was SO pleased that she smiled,
and as she smiled she slept and never
woke again.
s'But the princess as she fioated down
nd f,ad ho1 bar xvh1
smarted with her grief, began to think of
all that granny had taught her. and be-
gan to sing in huJy voice, as she beat
her tiny drum:
"'List all you men
To the song l sing:
lam Gumbis child,
Brought up in the wild,
And home 1 return.
AS you all will learn
When this my little drum
Tells Gumbi have come, come, come
ssThe sound of her drum attracted the
attention OF the fishermen who were en-
gagged with their nets, and seeing a
strange canoe with only five women
aboard floating down the river, they
drew near her, and when they saw how
beautiful she was. and her graceful, 1.-THE
figure clad in robes of fine grass cloth,
they were inclined to lay their hands
upon her. But she sang again
II am Gumbis child,
Make way for me;
am homeWard bound,
Make way for me-
ssThen the fishermen were afraid and
did not modest her. But one DESTROYS OF
being the first to carry the news to the
king and obtain favor and reward for
it, hastened away to tell him that his
daughter was coming to visit him.
1.-THE news plunged King Gumbi into O
state of wonder, for he had taken such
pains TO destroy all female children; he
could not imagine how he could be the
! father of a daughter.
''Then he sent quick-footed and con-
/ fdential slave to inquire, who soon re-
turned and assured him that the girl who
was coming to him was his own true
daughter.
NThen he sent man who had grown
up with him, who knew all that had hap
pened in his court; and ne also returned
and confirmed all that the slave had said.
upon this he resolved to go himself,
and when he met her he asked:
So Who art thou, child?'
tAnd she replied: Il am the only
daughter of Gumbi,
"And who is Gumbi?''
90 He is the king of-this country she
replied.
q Well, but am Gumbi myself, and
how can you be my daughter?' he asked
Il am the child of thy wife, Miami
and after l was born she hid me that
might not be cast into the river. l have
been living with grandmamma, who
nursed me, and by the number of banana
stalks in her garden you may tell tn,
number OF seasons that have passed sine,
my birth. One day she told me that tn,
time had come and she sent me to seel
my father, and / embarked in the cano,
with four servants, and the river bore m,
to this land.'
+" We'll. said Gumbi, when return
home | shall question Miami, and | shall
soon discover the truth of thy story: bu
meantime what must do for thee?'
'''My grandmamma said that thol
must sacrifice a goat to the meeting o
the daughter with the father, she re
piled.
''Then the king requested her to ste,
on the shore, and when he saw the f1asi
of her yellow feet, and sa w the CLEANS O
her body, which were like shining brigh
gum, and gaZed of the clear, smooth
features, and looked into the wondrou
black eyes, Gumbi's heart melted and h
was filled with pride that such surpass
, ing creature should be his own daughter
but she refused to set her feet on tn
shore until another goat has been sacri
feed, for her grandmother had said il
} luck would befall her if these ceremonie
were neglected.
Therefore the king commanded tina