The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-11-17

seeks" and | showed them the dead
child. Take it to him, if you will"
THAT is not the kings word, Mopo,'
they answered. His word is that you
should stand before him"
And how dared | go before the Lion
bearing his living child hidden on my
back? Yet to disobey was to be lost!
''Good! come" answered, and we
walked to the gate of the Intunkulu
1t was shutdown Chaka was sitting
in the little courtyard in front of his
hut went down on my knees before
him and gave the royal salute, Byete,
and so staid.
''Rise. son of Makedama!" he said.
81 cannot rise, Lion of the Zulu" 1
answered II cannot rise, having royal
blood on my hands, till the king has
pardoned me"
"What is it?" he asked.
pointed to the mat in my hand
LET ne look at it.
Then undid the mat, and he looked
on the child and laughed aloud.
HE might have been king" he said.
as he babe councillor take it away.
''Mopo. thou hast slain one who might
have been king Art thou not
afraid.'
NO, Black One" answered: 1.-THE
child is slain by order OF one who is a
king.
sit down and let us talk, said Chaka.
for his mood was idle. Tomorrow
thou shall have tive oxen for this deed.
thou small choose them from the royal
herd
1.-The king is good: he sees that my
belt is drawn tight. he satisfies my hun,
&c Will the king suffer that go:
My wife is in labor and would Wis:
her.
May. stay awhile; say how it is with
Baleka, my sister and thiney''
sit is we'll"
did she weep when you took the babe
from her?'
"Nay, she wept not. She said, My
lords will is my will :"
Good! Had she wept she had been
slain also. Who was with her?'
"The Mother of the Heavens"
The brow of Chaka darkened. '.Unan-
di, my mother, what did she there? By
myself swear, though she is my mother,
if thought and he ceased.
There was silence, then he spoke
again. Say, what is in that mat?" and
he pointed with his little assegai at the
bundle on my shoulders.
Medicine, king"
"Thou dost carry enough to doctor an
impi. Undo the mat and let me look
at it"
Now, if undid the mat feared he
must see the child and then
cit is tagati-it is bewitched, o king.
1t is not we'll to look on medicine"
"Opent'' he answered angrily. What!
may not look at that which am forced
to swallow, who am the first of doc
tors?"
death is the kings medicine" an
swered, lifting the bundle and laying it
as far from him in the shadow of the
fence as dared. Then | bent over it,
slowly undolng the rimpis with which it
was tied, while the sweat of terror ran
down my face Inside were the brown
leaves and roots of medicine; beneath
them was the senseless babe wrapped in
dead moss.
"Ugly stuff! said the king, taking
snuff. "And now begone! Take my
advice; kill thy children, as kill mine
lest they live to worry thee"
did up the bundle fast, saluted the
king and passed from before him.
Scarcely was | outside when the babe
began to squeak in the bundle. If it
had been one minute before!
"What," said soldier as passed,
"have you got puppy hidden under
your moocha (girdle composed of skin
and tails Of oxen), Mopo?"
made no answer, but hurried on to
my huts.
81 have recovered the child, women. :
said.
Anadi took him and looked at him.
1.-THE boy seems bigger than he was,
she said
'The breath of life has come into him
and pulled him out, answered.
His eyes are not as his eyes were;;'
she said again. "Now they are big and
black. like the eyes of the king"
"My spirit looked upon his eyes and
made them beautiful" answered.
"This child has birthmark on his
thigh she said third time. THAT
which gave you had no mark" s
81 laid my medicine there" ! an
swered
cit is not the same child" she sale
sullenly "It is founding, who viii
lay i'll luck at our DOORS"
''Peace, witchv' cried. "How dare
you to speak thus from a lying heart
Do you wish to draw down curse upor
our roof? Would you make us all fooc
for the kings spear? Say such words
again and you shall sit within the circle
the Ingomboco shall know you for 8
witch!"
So stormed on, till at length she fell
at my feet praying for mercy.
CHAPTER VI.
| THE INGOMBoCO.
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