Page:Swahili tales.djvu/401



was a Sultan who longed for a son for many years without getting one. And he had much property and many towns. And he felt, "When I die, all these possessions will be lost, by reason of my having no son."

And a demon came and made himself like a man, and said to the Sultan, "If I give you a medicine, and you get a son, what will you give me?" And he said, "I will give you half my property." And he said, "I shall not accept it." And he said, "I will give you half my towns." And he said, "I am not satisfied." And he said, "What do you want then?" And he said, "If you get two children, give me one, and take one yourself." And he said, "I have consented."

And he brought him a medicine, and said to him, "Give it to your wife and let her eat it." And he gave it to her, and she ate it and became pregnant, and bore a first child, a boy, and a second, a boy, and yet more a third, a boy.

And his friend who gave him the medicine came and said to him, "Come, let us divide them." And he said, "Not yet, these children have not yet learnt to read." And he said, "Give them to me that I may teach them." And he said, "Take them." And he went to his home