Page:Swahili tales.djvu/373

Rh great stone house, and its door had an inscription. I read how that, 'Any man who comes to this island, these monkeys will not leave him, through loving exceedingly to make him their king. And when he shall go away, he will find no way; but there is a way, it lies to the north. One follows this way, and one finds a great plain; there are lions, and leopards, and snakes; you shall fight with them; if you overcome them, you will find a way; you will go forward, you will see another plain, where are huge ants, like dogs, and their teeth like dogs, very fierce; you shall fight with them; if you overcome them you will find a way to pass.

"And we consulted together, and those my slaves said to me, Let us go, that we may die or live, and we all have our weapons.'

"And we went till we reached the first plain, and we fought, and two of my slaves died. And we went our way, and passed on and went to the second, and fought, and my two slaves died, and I escaped.

"And I wandered many days, till I came out upon a town. And I stayed there in the town, looking for work, and not finding it. And a man came out, and said to me, 'Do you want work?' And I said, 'I do.' And he said, 'Let us go our way;' and we went to his house.

"And he slaughtered a camel and took its skin, and said to me, 'I shall put you in this skin, that you may go to the top of the mountain; a bird will carry you. When you arrive, it will unfasten you; push down the precious stones, and then I will get you down.'

"And he put me into the skin, and the bird came and carried me to the top of the mountain, and was going to eat me; and I arose and scared the bird, and it flew away. And I pushed down many precious stones, and I said, 'Take me down, then.' And he answered me not a word, and went his way.