Page:Swahili tales.djvu/85

Rh "Ah! good, my father, God give you mercy!" And they went in to where the bed was, and slept, it and its master. The gazelle's belly was very full that day with fodder.

In the morning, when it dawned, it said to him, "Master, I am going away to feed." He said, "Go in health and strength." So the gazelle went away; and when its master went out and went his way to the dustheap, his neighbours said of him, "Ah! poor mad fellow, perhaps he is a wizard. Was not that gazelle yesterday the one we said would never come back? How then, did it not come back yesterday evening, and sleep there inside at his place? Just now this morning this gazelle ran out and went away on the road; he is mad to cry after his gazelle. Why did he let it go again to-day? This is not for nothing; methinks he is mad, but it is hidden; it has not got to be fully evident yet." And so the neighbours went off, and the poor man went back home.

And the gazelle, when the sun had set, returned to their house, and found its master lying down chewing tobacco. When the gazelle came, it took its foot and lifted it up and laid it on his beard, and called him.

"Ah! is it nice there where you come from?" And it said, "Ah! very nice. To-day, master, I went to a place where there is fine grass, and there is shade, and there is coolness; and so when I had eaten that grass till I had had enough, there was privacy, there was a stream too, so I ate and laid down and was fanned by the wind; and I ran down to the stream and drank water, and I returned and came and laid down and was fanned by the wind. This was my employment till the time I came back. I was employed in eating, and lying down, and being fanned by the wind, and going down to the stream and drinking water, and I returned and I was fanned by the wind. So my soul speaks good things to-day because I