Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 22, 1911.djvu/255

 Collectanea. 221

could I get (any), Gimbia?" They went to sleep. The leper went to the other (one) side, and roused her son, and he ate the food. She went and returned (to her) house, and ground up (some) kolas, and brought a lot of the water.^ She returned and caught hold of the girl's hand, and poured (on it) kola water, (and) she washed the boy's hands. She went to the wall where the girl had flicked the soup, and poured kola water (there). When day broke the house was opened. She was saying, — " He has eaten corn. Open the door." When the room had been opened and much kola water had been found on the wall, she (girl) saw (it), and said after all it was not corn but kola. (So) he was her husband. He took her, and they went to their house. So he sent the news to his father. When he heard he remained silent. Then he made an alliance with the pagans. They came and surrounded the son's city. The son was inside the house (when) he saw the pagans had surrounded the town. So he arose and found the Ant's daughter, and said, — "See, my father has come to make war on me " (brought me war). She said, — " Had you not better go to the daughter of the King of the Thicket ? " So he went to the daughter of the King of the Thicket, and said, — " See, my father has come to make war on me, and I do not know what I shall do." She said, — " Will you not go to the daughter of the King of the Heavens ? " He went and knelt,^ and said, — "What shall I do now (to-day)? See, my father has come to make war." She said, — " (Is it) your father who gave you being?" He said, — " Yes." She said, — " Go to the daughter of the King of Agaddas, will you not ? " He started and went. The daughter of the King of Agaddas was sitting in a chair. He said, — " Gimbia, may your life be prolonged." He said, — " See, my father has come to make war on me. He has allied (himself) with the pagans." She flicked the perspiration from her brow, and said, — "Conquer them, the useless pagans." He said, — "But not my father and the son of the Minister." ^ They all died, all these

® In which they were soaked.

1 He must have felt in a fix to have done this, for the opposite is usually the case.

do in tales), and the boy and his bride to have inherited the land.
 * The Sa(r)rikin Agaddas seems to have retired or died (as they conveniently