Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 1 1883.djvu/45

Rh replied, "My measurement of the wood is of no consequence, for kingship does not consist in length of arms; thou art little, therefore my son; I am great, therefore thy father." (Cf. 2 Kings xvi. 7.)

Still the southern chief was unwilling to submit, and sent a particular kind of native cloth ornamented with beads, with a request that an ox should be cut up upon it, as another sign whether he was to acknowledge the Hova king as his superior or not. This test also turned out to his own advantage; but at length Andrianimpina would have no further trifling. He sent back the cloth with a piece cut off one end of it, and a spear-hole through the middle, as a significant warning of his intentions unless immediate submission was made. The lesson was not lost upon the weaker chief; he returned a humble answer, begging that he might not be killed, saying, "While it is to-day, all day let me eat of the tender (food) of the earth, for Andrianimpòina is lord of the kingdom."

Something of a similar kind of symbolic act is related of Queen Ranavàlona I. "When she came to the throne in 1828 there was a little boy not many months old at that time, of the true seed royal, and descended from the line of the ancient kings. The Queen then announced that she had made this boy her adopted son, and that he should be her successor; even if she should have children of her own, his right to the throne should remain good. Afterwards she had a son of her own, whom she named Rakòton-dRadàma; many thought that her own son would succeed her, but the declaration in favour of the other was never rescinded, and hence arose much animosity between the two princes. When the queen became old and feeble, the subject of the succession came up, and she settled it in a singular way, substantially as follows:—She held a meeting of her officers, judges, and heads of the people, with great solemnity within the palace, when she announced her intention of making a valuable present to each of the two princes. Two fine vases or covered vessels were placed on the table, and the two young men were called in; the elder was first directed to choose which he would have. He did so, and on opening the vase it was found to contain some beautiful gems and valuable ornaments. The younger, her own son, then opened his vase, and found it contained only a handful of earth. The Queen then addressed the assembly, saying that the elder prince was to be advanced to high honour and riches in the land; but, as the land could not be divided, the younger prince, who had received from God