Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 1 1883.djvu/243

Rh So Ifàra took the things and set off; but she put a plantain-tree stem instead of herself in her bed, and locked up the house. Presently Itrìmobé came home from the fields, bringing with him a spear for killing Ifàra, and a cooking-pot; so he knocked at the door, but no one opened. Said he, "Dear me, Ifàra's got so fat she can't move." So he broke open the door, and coming up to the bed thrust his spear through the mat, so that it stuck fast in the plantain-tree stem. Then he said, "Oh dear, Ifàra's so fat the spear sticks fast into her." So he struck it in again and licked the spear. "Why," said he, "Ifàra must be fat, for her blood has no taste!" But when he had opened the mat to take her for cooking, lo and behold, the plantain-tree stem! "Oho! the worthless wench has run off!" said he.

Then he snuffed the air to the east, but there was nothing there; he snuffed to the north, nothing there; he snuffed to the west, nothing there; he snuffed to the south, "Ah, there she is!" Off he sets, runs after her with all speed, and at last overtakes her; "I've got you, Ifàra!" So Ifàra threw down her broom, saying, "By my sacred father and mother, let this become a dense thicket which Itrìmobé cannot pass through." Then a very dense thicket grew up. But Itrìmobé took his tail and cut away perseveringly at the thicket until it was all cleared off. "I've got you now, Ifara!"

Then Ifàra put down her egg, saying, "By my sacred father and mother, let this egg become a great pool of water." Then a great pool appeared. But Itrìmobé began to drink up the water and kept pouring it into the river. At last the water was dried up. "I've got you now, Ifàra!"

Then Ifàra put down her small cane, saying, "By my sacred father and mother, let this cane become a dense forest." Then a dense impassable forest grew up. But Itrìmobé with his tail hewed down the forest, and kept at work until the whole was felled. " I've got you now, Ifàra!"

Then Ifàra put down her smooth round stone, and said, "By my sacred father and mother, let this become an inaccessible precipice which Itrìmobé cannot climb." So it became an immense precipice. Then Itrìmobé cut away with his tail incessantly, but at last his tail became so blunt he could do nothing more. He attempted to climb, but was unable. Then he called out, "Pull me up, Ifàra, for I won't harm you." But Ifàra replied, "I won't take hold of you until you have stuck your spear in the ground." So Itrìmobé stuck the spear in