Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 15, 1904.djvu/285

Rh cattle down towards the lands where Tebogo and her father's maidens worked, and many happy days were spent while the love of Tsiu and of Tebogo grew greater even as they themselves grew older.

When the time came for Tsiu to take a wife he went to his father and asked that Tebogo might be given him. Gladly the fathers consented, and preparations were made for the marriage.

Now Tebogo had another lover upon whom she looked with scorn, but who had sworn that never should she be the wife of Tsiu; so he consulted a witch-doctor, who promised to help him. Imagine his joy when, before the marriage feast had begun, he heard that Tsiu had disappeared. "Now," thought he, "Tebogo shall be my wife," but the maiden turned from him with anger in her heart, nor would her parents listen to him. Meanwhile the spirit of desolation hung over the home of the Chief Mopeli. "My son, my son," cried the unhappy father; but no voice replied, no son came back to gladden his father's heart.

When the moon had again grown great in the heavens an old man came to the village of Mopeli and called the chief to him. Long they talked and greatly the people wondered. At length they stood up and, saluting each other, parted at the door of the chief's dwelling. Mopeli then set out for the village of Chief Khosi, where he remained all night. The next day he returned to his own village and ordered his people to prepare a great feast.

In the village of Chief Khosi also much wonder filled the people, for they also were commanded to make ready a marriage feast for the chief's daughter; the lovely Tebogo was to be married, but people knew not to whom. Chief Khosi called his daughter and said, "My child, your lover Tsiu has been taken away, so it is my wish that you should marry one who has pleased my eyes."