Page:Where Animals Talk (West African folk lore tales).djvu/164

 threw it into the water; and it floated away. Finally it came ashore at the landing-place of Crocodile's town.

Crocodile saw it, and said, "Go, and seek the person who made this thing." His children went to seek. They journeyed, and found Tortoise, and took him. They brought him to their father, and told him, "This is the person." Crocodile asked Tortoise, "You made this Thing?" Tortoise said "Yes!" Then Crocodile told him, "Make me many of these Things." So Tortoise told him, "Bring me here a great many plantains; and arrange the house in order." Crocodile arranged all the house nicely. Tortoise entered it, and was given an inside room. He remained there in that room all by himself with the plantains.

At last, one day he emerged. And he said to Crocodile, "Send me in company with one of your people across the river." Crocodile told him, "You yourself name the person who shall go with you." Tortoise said he wanted Crocodile's cousin Igwana, who was living there with Crocodile's people.

So Igwana and Tortoise got into a canoe, and started to cross the river. Crocodile then entered the room where Tortoise had been. Searching there, he did not find any of the Things which Tortoise had promised to make. So Crocodile shouted after Tortoise, whose canoe had not yet crossed the river, to come back. Tortoise heard; and he asked Igwana, "Do you hear how Crocodile is calling to you?" Don't you know what he is saying?" (Natives believe the Igwana to be deaf.) Igwana answered, "No! what does he say?" Tortoise said, "He tells you to paddle faster! Don't be so slow!" So, Igwana paddled rapidly; and soon his work was finished; and they reached the other side. There, Tortoise got out of the canoe; and he told Igwana to go back. Igwana did so. And Tortoise went on his way.

After a while, a child of Leopard met with Tortoise on the path. The child asked him, "Is not this Kudu?" Tortoise replied, "Yes, I am he." Then the child of Leopard said to him, "You killed my father! I shall also kill you!" So, he killed Tortoise.