Page:Swahili tales.djvu/141

Rh The gazelle said, "Is it for me that this gruel is to be made, and did the master himself tell you?"

"Now could I tell you a lie, father? And the master told me himself, and his wife was there, and even his wife disputed with the master because he treated the gazelle so, and the mistress got abused because she strove for you."

The gazelle said, "The elders said, 'One that does good like a mother,' and I have done him good, and I have got this that the elders said."

And he said, "Mother, go again up to the master; do not weary of what I send you to do, and tell the master the gazelle is very ill, and the mtama which you told me to make gruel of for him, he has not drunk it."

And the old woman went up-stairs, and found the master and mistress sitting in the window, drinking coffee. And when the master cast his eyes behind him, he sees the old woman. And he said, "What is the matter with you, old woman?" And she said, "I am sent, master, by the gazelle; the mtama that you told me to make him gruel of, he has not drunk, and the gazelle is very ill indeed."

And he said, "Eh! Ssht! hold your tongue, and stay your feet, and close your eyes, and stop up your ears with wax; and if the gazelle tells you to come up-stairs, tell it, I cannot mount the stairs, my legs are bent; and if it tells you to listen, tell it, my ears do not hear your words, they are stopped up with wax; and if it tells you, look at me, tell it my eyes have blinders put upon them, such as they tie on camels; and if it says to you, come, let us talk; tell it my tongue has a hook put in it, I cannot talk with you."

The old woman stared at being told such words, and because, when she saw the gazelle come to that town, it came to sell its life to buy wealth; but it got both its life and wealth: and now to-day she sees that it has no honour