The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-12-01
CHAPTER XVIII.
Mopo BARGAINS WITH THE PRINCES.

Eight and twenty days went by, my
father, and on the nine and twentieth it
befell that Chaka, having dreamed a
dream in his troubled sleep, summoned
before him certain women of the kraal
to the plumber of seventy and three
Some of these were his women, whom
he named his sisters" and some were
maldens not yet given in marriage; but
all were young and fair. Now, what
this dream OF Chaka's may have been /
do not know, or have forgotten, for in
those days he dreamed many dreams.
and all his dreams led to one end, the
death of men He sat in front of his
hut scowling, and was with him To
the left of him were gathered the girls
and women and their knees were weak
with fear. One by one they were led
before him. and stood before him with
bowed heads Then he would bid them
be OF good cheer and speak softly to
them. and in the end would ask them
this question, Hast thou. my sister. a
cat in thy hutg
Now some would say that they had d
cat, and some would say they had none.
and some would stand still and make no
answer. being dumb with fear But
whatever they said the end was the
same, for the king would sigh gently
and say Fare the we'll, my sister: it is
unfortunate for thee that there is cat
IN thy hut or that there is no cat in
thy hut" or that thou canst not tell
me whether there be cat in thy hut or
no."
Then the women would be taken by
the slayers. dragged without the kraal
and their end was swift So it went on
for the most part of that day, till sixty
and two women and girls had been
slaughtered. But at last maiden was
brought before the king, and to this one
her snake had given ready wit. for
when Chaka asked whether or no there
was a cat in her hut she answered, say
ing she did not know. but that there
was half cat upon her" and she point
ed to cats skin which was bound about
her loins.
Then the king laughed and clapped
his hands, saying that at length his
dream was ans wered; and he killed no
more that day nor ever again-save once
only
That evening my heart was heavy
within me, and wandered out from The
kraal to the great cleft in the mountains
yonder, and sat down upon rock up in
the cleft, SO that could see the wide
lands rolling to the north and south, to
my right and to my left. Now the day
was drawing toward the night, and the
air was very still, for the heat was great
and tempest was gathering, as L. who
am Heaven Herd, knew well. The sun
sank redly flooding the land with blood;
it was as though all the blood that
Chaka had shed flowed about the land
which Chaka ruled. Then great shapes
of cloud rose up and in their hearts
the lightning quivered like blood of
fire.
Now of a sudden, my father. a bright
star fell from the height of heaven and
lit upon the crest of the storm and as it
lit the storm burst Then an icy breath
burst from the lips ct the tempest and
rushed across the earth. 1t caught the
falling star and drove it on toward me
and as it came the star grew and took
shape, and the shape that it took was
that of woman knew her now. my
father, while she was yet far off knew
her-the lnkosazana who came as she
had promised, riding down the storm
Now she was at the mouth of the pass.