Page:Where Animals Talk (West African folk lore tales).djvu/110

 And they separated, to go to their houses for sleep.

Soon the night passed, and day broke.

Leopard went to the forest and killed an Antelope. He and Igwana and their families spent four days in eating it.

On another day. Leopard went to the forest and killed a Gazelle. It also was finished in four days.

And again, Leopard went to the forest, and killed a Red Antelope. They were occupied in eating it also four days.

So, they continued all the two months. Then Leopard said, "Ngâmbi! it is your time to begin the food." Igwana replied, "I have no wild meat, only vegetables."

On the following day, Igwana got ready his food and sent word for Leopard to come to eat. He came and ate, there being on the table only vegetables and salt. Then the day darkened; and, in the evening they all came together in one place, as usual. Leopard said to Igwana, "I began my turn with meats in my house, and you ate them. I cannot eat only vegetables and salt." Igwana explained, "I do not know the arts for killing beasts." Leopard told him, "Begin now to try the art of how to catch beasts." Igwana replied, "If I begin a plan for catching Beasts, that plan will be a dreadful one." Leopard exclaimed, "Good! begin!"

Igwana promised, "Tomorrow I will begin."

And they all went to their houses to sleep their sleep. The night passed, and day broke.

Igwana started out very early in the morning. On the way, he came to a big tree. He stood at its base, and, with a cord, he loosely tied his own hands and feet around the tree. Then he began to squeak as if in pain, "Hwa! hwa! hwa!" three times.

At that same time, a child of Leopard had gone wandering out into the forest. He found Igwana tied to the tree and crying. Igwâna said to him, "Ah! my child! come near me, and untie me."

The child of Leopard came near to him; and then Igwana thrust his forked tongue into the nostrils of young leopard, and pulled his brains out, so that the child died. Then Igwana untied himself, skinned the young leopard, divided it, tied the pieces in a big bundle of leaves, and took them and the skin to the village. There he gave the meat to his