Page:Swahili tales.djvu/371

Rh 'We chased a gazelle, till we reached the shore, and the gazelle went into the sea, and the master and four men went into a boat and pursued it, and we came back.'

"And my father said, 'My son is lost.' And he went away to the town, and made a mourning, and was comforted.

"And we fell upon an island. There there were many birds. And we looked for fruit and ate it, and looked for water and drank. And at night we climbed into a tree and slept. In the morning we entered our boat and wandered on, and reached a second island, whereon was no one whatsoever. And we landed, and ate much fruit, and at night climbed into a tree and slept, and many savage beasts came, and made great games.

"Then in the morning we fled, and went to a third island, and we arrived and looked for fruit, and saw a tofaa tree which had borne abundantly. And we wanted to pick from it, and we heard some one forbid us, and say, 'Do not pick them, this tofaa tree is the property of the king, and I am put to watch it.' And at night many monkeys came, and they were very glad when they saw us; and they looked for fruit and brought us, and we came and ate till we were satisfied.

"And they said 'Let us make this man our Sultan.' And one said, 'These people will run away in the morning.' And they said, 'And break up their boat.' And they went and broke it.

"In the morning, when we arose to escape, and went to the shore, our boat was broken to pieces. So we returned and remained, and they brought us food, and we ate, and water, and we drank. And those monkeys loved us very much, and did not like us to go away. And we stayed many days.

"Till one day we went walking about, and we saw a