Page:George McCall Theal, Ethnography and condition of South Africa before A.D. 1505 (2nd ed, 1919).djvu/98

74 neck of the mantis quickly joined (itself) upon the upper part of the mantis's spine. The upper part of the mantis's spine joined itself to the mantis's back. The thigh of the mantis sprang forward, it joined itself to the mantis's back. His other thigh ran forward, racing it joined itself to the other side of the mantis's back. The chest of the mantis ran forward, it joined itself to the front side of the upper part of the mantis's spine. The shoulder blade of the mantis ran forward, it joined itself on to the ribs of the mantis. The other shoulder blade of the mantis ran forward, while it felt that the ribs of the mantis had joined themselves on, when they raced.

The children still ran on; he (the mantis) arose from the ground and ran, while he chased the children,—he being whole, his head being round,—while he felt that he was a man. Therefore he was stepping along with (his) shoes, while he jogged with his shoulder blade. He saw that the children had reached home; he quickly turned about, he, jogging with his shoulder blade, descended to the river. He went along the river bed, making a noise as he stepped in the soft sand, he yonder went quickly out of the river bed. He returned, coming out at a different side of the house; he returned, passing in front of the house.

The children said: “We have been (and) seen a hartebeest which was dead. That hartebeest, it was the one which we cut up with stone knives; its flesh quivered. The hartebeest's flesh quickly snatched itself out of our hands. It by itself was placing itself nicely upon bushes which were comfortable; while the hartebeest felt that the hartebeest's head would go along whispering. While the child who sits there carried it, it talking stood behind the child's back.”

The child said to her father: “O father! dost thou seem to think that the hartebeest's head did not talk to me? For the hartebeest's head felt that it would be looking at the hole above the nape of my neck, as I went along; and then it was that the hartebeest's head told me that I should take away for him the thong from his eye. For the thong lay in front of his eye.”

Her father said to them: “Have you been and cut up the old man, the mantis, while he lay pretending to be dead in front of you?”