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24 The children turned and saw him, and fled from him as they had done the day before. But the jungle boy ran too, and followed them for a time, though they, having run first, were able to escape him, and he perforce went back alone to his mother again. But the children ran in fear to their homes, and cried to their people, "Ah who is it that throws spears at us and chases us as we play? We cannot play there again, for he will slay us."

Then said the father of one, (and it chanced that he was the uncle of the jungle boy,) "Ye shall play there to-morrow, and I will hide and watch for your enemy, and deliver you from him." So that was what they did. The man hid in the long grass, and they played as was their wont. Then came the jungle boy and tried to join their game. But as the little dart left his hand, the man who was hiding sprang out and held him tightly.

"Tell me, child," quoth he, "who art thou?"

Then said the jungle boy, "I am the son of Garawada, who is in the fig tree. She ate of the figs and a witch caused the boughs to hold her so that she cannot escape. There was I born, and afterwards I lay upon the ground and sucked the shoots of dabedabe which grew near, and waxed strong. But my mother is still in the tree. And this is my pari which she taught me."

Then he sang,