Page:Swahili tales.djvu/257

Rh flew with the youth, till it reached a great height with him. And the bird said, "O son of Adam, have you followed me even here, where I am arrived? If you fall here, you will be dead long before you reach the ground. So leave me to go my way, I will leave you to go yours." The youth said, "I shall not leave you here to-day; wherever you go I will go with you." And it said, "I have not eaten your dates, leave me to go my way." And he said, "I shall not leave you this day, I shall be to you to-day like a tick to a cow's tail." And it said, "Leave me to go my way, it is dawning." And he said, "Do you not not hear what I told you of myself to-day? I will not leave you here; possibly you may kill me." And he said, "My six brothers are hateful to my father because of you, coming and eating the dates; why, then, should I leave you to-day? To-day my father shall see you, and my six brothers shall see you, and my mother shall see you, and all the people who are in our town shall see you, great and small, slaves and free, women and men; they shall all see you to-day, that is what will rejoice my father's soul this day."

And it said, "Leave me, it is dawning, and I have not eaten your dates to-day; so you will be gracious and will leave me to go my way, and you go yours." And he said, "To-day I shall not leave you, perhaps you may kill me." And it said, "Well, you will not leave me, I will throw you off, and now I will take you far away."

And it flew with him very high, till when the lad looked on the earth he saw it like a star. And it said, "Well, do you see your home?" And he said, "I see it like a star." "If I throw you from here, will any of you be left?" And he said, "I had rather you let me go and I die, than leave you to-day. I will not leave you at all, even if you fly till you reach heaven, I will not leave you this day."