Page:Swahili tales.djvu/49

Rh that a man who goes out should ask his wife, 'Now then, mistress, have you cooked?' 'Now then, mistress, have the children eaten?' 'Now then, mistress, did what you gave them suffice them?

"Well, and I the wife am the one to answer you, 'Ah, master, the children have had food enough.' This is how people live with their wives in great houses, and this is exactly what people marry for; that when they go out they should not ask a slave, or ask a child; it is the wife who is in the house who is to be asked, she it is who manages the house; this is what people marry wives for, because they want when they come (home) to find everything ready. And if anything shall be wanting in the house, that they may not ask a slave, or a child. You should ask me, your wife, who am in the house. If you want to beat me, if you want to tie me up, if you want to abuse me, you are my husband, and you can do what you like if I have done wrong."

"Well, my wife, forgive me what I have done, and I will not do so again; so wash yourself, and let us go to sleep."

Then in the morning, when it dawned, her husband, getting up, said to her, "Mistress, to-day I am not going to work, I feel my back aching all over, but I will just get up and go to a neighbour's, and play at Bao. So when the food is done, send a child to go and call me." She said, "Very well, my husband."

The woman went to the cooking-place, and broke a cocoa-nut. And when she had finished cooking the rice, the sun had reached nine o'clock. Her husband had not stayed long enough to be called, he had come home of himself. "Eh! wife, why have you been so long cooking?" "Me, master, I have done cooking, but I am washing the plates, and I wanted to send a child to call you. Well then, master, shall I dish up?" "If you are ready, dish