Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 3, 1892.djvu/102

94 The guinea-fowls took their wing-feathers and gave to him, and he went on his way.

As he journeyed further he came upon people who were decorated with the leaves of the maize-plant.

They said to him, "Give us feathers, so that we may decorate ourselves."

He gave them feathers, and they decorated themselves.

When he saw that they had finished decorating themselves, he said, "Give me my feathers; the feathers which I took from the guinea-fowls which ate my millet; the millet that I took from the people who dipped their porridge on their ulcers; the people who ate my fish; the fish which I took from the men who used my net; the net that I took from the man who ate my figs, even he who was eating grass."

They gave him a goat, which he secured, and went on his way.

He then came upon a village, and he said, "I wish to sleep here." The people agreed, and pointed him to a hut. He inquired, saying, "Where shall my goat sleep?"

The people said, "There is the goat-fold, with the other goats."

The man seemed perplexed, and then said, "It would be well that my goat should remain in the cattle-fold."

They agreed, and he secured his goat in the cattle-fold.

The deceiver went to the cattle-fold during night and took his goat, and thrust a stick into it, and the goat died.

And as morning dawned, all the people arose, and saw that the goat was dead.

The deceiver said, "Give me my goat; it has been killed by your cattle."

The people took a bullock and gave him, and he went away with it.

After he had journeyed to a distant part he cut off the beast's tail, and hid the carcase in the wood. He then planted the tail in the ground, and, holding on to the end,