Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 48.djvu/105

Rh Then Spider became more vexed, and said, "What sort of manners are these? I was so polite as to come and shake thy hand, and now thou dost hold my hand and will not leave it." He put forth his left hand to the something, and the left hand became fastened also. "Well, well," said Spider, "what is it that thou wishest me to do? Thou hast caught my two hands. Dost want me to embrace thee?" He put his face to the shoulder of the something, and it remained fixed there so that he could not draw it back. He kicked with his two feet at the sticks, and they also were caught and held.

In this wise Spider remained all that day and until the morning of the next day, when the plantation owner came there and saw Spider fastened to the something. And the farmer said: "Hallo, Father Spider, and is it thou who hast been coming to take my cassava all this time? At last I have found thee out!"

Spider's wife and Spider's son Kwaku Tyom knew that Spider had gone to the farm, because they had not seen him in the house all the night.

The farmer said to Spider, "I have lost about two hundred and fifty cassavas from my farm since this began, and unless thou payest me thou wilt not go from here." Then Spider begged for pardon, and prayed the man to release him, saying that he would pay for all, and the farmer released him.

Then Spider said to the man that he must return home with him, and they went together; and when they arrived at Spider's house, they met there Spider's wife and son. The farmer said to Spider's wife: "I saw Spider in my farm this morning, quite fastened up, and, as I have lost about two hundred and fifty cassavas from my farm, I asked Spider concerning them, and he confessed it was he who had taken them, and said he would pay me, so I have come hither with him to receive payment."

Then Spider's son spake to Spider and said: "Father, I told thee not to go to the farm. My mother has told me that, when I was sleeping one night, thou didst put some ashes into my bag, and picked a hole in the bag; but I knew not when I was going next morning that the ashes were falling along the road. Now, father, how art thou going to pay for so much?" Spider answered softly, "Never mind, my son, I will pay him up in the roof."

Then Spider made an excuse to the farmer that he wanted to go into his sleeping room, but the farmer said: "No, I will not let thee do so, for thou art too tricky." But Spider begged the farmer, saying that he only wanted to go into the room to get the money wherewith to pay him, and that he would return at once; and at last, after much talking, the farmer left Spider.

Then, when Spider had moved about three steps from where