Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review Volumes 32 and 33.djvu/528

218 Sebina's Stadt. Banyatsan gave birth to two male children. I attended the birth. The two children were born alive. They cried. They were in good health. The accused Chelelo arrived the day after the birth. Chelelo is the mother of the younger accused. Chelelo was not pleased with the twins because it is not the custom in their tribe. On the fourth day Mayoka returned home, and asked me before she left to grind some snuff. I went outside to the yard where the Kaffir corn is thrashed, and when I returned I found Chelelo holding the twins down on the ground, one with each hand.

I asked her what she was doing, and Chelelo replied, "I have done it." I went and looked at the babies and found them both dead. I think Chelelo choked them with her hands on account of the blood from the nose of each. I went outside and sat under a tree. I was frightened. Chelelo sat outside the door of the hut. Banyatsan was still in the hut. Mayoka returned soon after this and asked me if I had tended the children. I told her the children were dead.

Mayoka asked Chelelo if it was true and that she had killed them. Chelelo said she could not allow her daughter to have twins, and so she killed them. Banyatsan was inside the hut when the children were killed. Banyatsan went to the burial. Banyatsan never expressed any dissatisfaction at the killing of the twins.

I pointed out the grave of the children to Dr. Strachan, and I identified the bodies as those of the children of the accused Banyatsan. I had no part in the killing of the twins.

By the Court.

Mayoka reported the matter to Sebina. Banyatsan was not lying in bed at the time.

By Mr. Attorney Rice.

I have never seen twins killed before. My daughter had twins born dead. Mbaioa is speaking the truth when she (? he) says that it is the custom to kill twins when they are born.

I did not get any fat or oil. No! I did not pour oil down the throats of the twins. No! we were not all there talking together about killing the twins. No! the father of the twins would not die if the twins were allowed to live.