Page:Where Animals Talk (West African folk lore tales).djvu/191

 Then he was cooked for ten times; he ate; and at once finished. The people cooked, and he ate. The plantains of his father's town were all cleared off, the entire town was left like a prairie. The father spoke to the mother, and said, "No! go away with him to your father's town."

Ngwe-lĕgĕ picked up her child, carrying him away. She with the child went on, to the town of her father.

Her father asked her, "My child! wherefore the crying, and your carrying the infant?" She replied, "My father! I know not! This one whom you see, since he was born, is not filled. He has made an end to all the plantains of his father's town, leaving the town a prairie. And his father said to me, 'Just go and take him to your father's.' So, I have brought him."

The towns-people all were laughing, "Kyĕ! kyĕ! kyĕ!" They said, "What? Really, food? No! it's something else, not food. But, enter into the house." She says, "You are talking foolishly." The child began to cry. They said, "Let us see!"

Then, at once, they began to cook; the food is ready; he eats; and finishes it. Other food was placed; he ate it at once. Food was cooked again. At once, all of it, and the dishes, and the jars, and the plates, were swallowed up by him. Food is cooked again, and he ate; and then said, "My mother! Hunger!" Food is cooked again; he ate until he finished all the pots. All the food of the town, and all the gardens were done.

Her father spoke to her saying, "My child! Just carry him to the town of your grandfather."

She then carried the child, still crying with hunger, and made her journey, and came to her grandfather's town.

The people there said, "What is it; for the crying?" She told all the whole affair to them. They inquired, "Food?" She replied, "Yes." They cooked, and he ate, and finished. They cooked again; and he finished all, even to the leaves in which the food was wrapped. They said, "Such a kind of child has never been born before!"

Suddenly, the child Savulaka ceased to be a child; and, as a man, said to his mother, "My mother! Wash me some mekima (rolls of mashed boiled plantains)." So, his mother made the mekima.