Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 4).djvu/428



NCE upon a time, when the fairies were still in this land, and the black man had not been driven inland away from the sea-shore, a mighty King called all his chiefs together to witness a contest between the four strongest, bravest, and handsomest of the young men of all his subjects. The prize was the King's youngest daughter—the black-eyed Lala—and the one of these four who should throw the assegai the furthest should win her for his bride.

Many princes and chiefs and their followers assembled at the King's village by the sea, and many days went by in feasting and in choosing four from all that host, who were at the same time the strongest, bravest, and most handsome there.

At last these four were chosen. Three of them were sons of great chieftains, but the fourth was only a poor herdsman. Yet the Princess Lala, who stood at her father's hut, thought him the best of them all. A sandy plain that stretched between the mountains was chosen, and the four champions stood in a row ready to throw. The first threw his assegai so well that it fell upright into an anthill far, far away. The second assegai stood quivering in the bark of a young fir tree many paces beyond the ant-hill.

The spear of the third pierced the breast of a gold and green sugar-bird that was fluttering over a tall aloe blossom still further away. But the herdsman, who was fourth, threw his assegai so vigorously that it flew like a flash of lightning up into the heavens, and struck a hawk that was soaring there in search of prey.

Loud were the acclamations of the people, and they adjudged the fourth the winner. The Princess wept for joy, but the great King, who did not wish his daughter to wed a humble herdsman, said:—

"Let them throw again with spears that I shall give them. This man's weapon was surely bewitched."

So on the morrow the King sent for fresh spears of gold. And to the princes were given splendid, equally-balanced ones; but the herdsman's was clumsy and untrue. Again they threw, and again the herdsman's assegai out-distanced those of the others. This time it flew into the clouds, and was lost to sight in their whiteness.

But the King was unjust, and said: "Not till you have found the spear, and bring it to my feet, shall you win my daughter, the beautiful Lala. Go!"

The Princess clung to her father and wept, saying she loved this gallant herdsman; but the King took her arms from round his neck, and bade her go. To disobey the King meant death, and the girl went.

Thus Zandilli, the herdsman, set out in search of the royal assegai. He wandered