Page:Where Animals Talk (West African folk lore tales).djvu/161

 Next day, Leopard said to his people, "I'm going to visit Kudu." So he went, and entered into the house of the wife of Tortoise. There he saw much dried wild meat. He exclaimed, "O! Kudu! you told me falsely! You and I living in the same town, can't you let me know what happens?"

Then Leopard went back to his house. That evening he said to his children, "Go to the house of Kudu. If you see a hunting-bag hanging there, take hold of it; with a knife pierce holes in the bottom; and fill the bag with ashes." They did so, putting in much ashes. They returned to their father, and told him what they had done. He replied, "Very good!"

That night. Tortoise said to his wife, "Tomorrow, I shall not go out hunting." But, she said, "Yes! Go! and kill me some animal." So, he consented.

Then day began to break. Tortoise went into the entrance-room; thence he took his hunting-bag; but, in the dark of the morning, he saw nothing wrong about it. And he went on his way.

Soon, also, Leopard came out of his house; and, going to the house of Tortoise, he inquired, "Kudu is in the house?" The wife of Tortoise from her bed-room, replied, "Kudu is not here." Then Leopard went into the entrance-room of Tortoise; and looking about, he saw that the bag was not there. So, he followed after Tortoise; and, as he walked, he looked out for marks of the ashes. He followed, and he followed; and finally overtook Tortoise.

Tortoise, as soon as he saw Leopard coming, said to him, "I'm going back to town!" Leopard asked, "Why? Don't go! Why do you go?" Tortoise, remembering his having said he was "a great man," answered, "Because you are proud." But, Leopard insisted, "No! go on where you were going." So, Tortoise consented, "Well, let us go!"

They went, and came to the town of Men. And they found that the men were gone off into the forest. Tortoise observed that the house was closed and locked. Leopard said to him, "Open the house!" But Tortoise replied, "You, Njâ you open the house!" But, Leopard said, "I am a stranger here; you travel here continually; you know the way!" So, Tortoise opened the house; and they both entered.

Leopard saw the bodies of many wild animals drying in the