Page:Swahili tales.djvu/251

Rh even one, and we are come, you are the knife, and we are the animals, whatever you will, do it to us?" And he said, "Very good, let us go."

And they went to their father, and they found him sitting in the inner porch. And they saluted him, without his replying. And his wife arose and said, "Master, when your children salute you, reply to them, for your anger is deadly poison to them, and your joy is the beauty of their countenances; so, when you do thus to them, you grieve your children, with whom you can do anything. Now, you have no need to hurt them or to be angry with them, and do not be bitter against them." "Well, then, my wife, cut them a kisuto, and give them a kisuto and a head-cloth, for these young men are become women, they are no good to a man in this world while he is alive, and will they be any good to him in the next? But as for myself, I have nothing more to do with them."

And they waited while months passed, and the date-tree bore, and when it left bearing it swayed down. Anyone who saw the little dates while they were very young, if the man saw them at a distance, he would say they were full grown, so plump were the dates, so flourishing was the date-tree, and so vigorous the dates, and every bunch was well filled.

And the head-man walked over to his master's, and met with his mistress. And said to her, "Mistress, where is the master?" And she said, "He is inside, wait." In no time he came out from within, and said, "Well! Head-man, what news from the plantation?" And he said, "At the plantation it is beautiful, at the plantation it is good; and the news of the plantation, master, is that the date-tree has borne vastly, and then the dates are plump; if you see them there, while they are very young, a man would say they were full grown, and if he was told they