Page:Where Animals Talk (West African folk lore tales).djvu/199

 After this, Tortoise said, "I'm going to find my own place." So, he went and built in a place which he called Malĕndĕ-ma-Kudu. The fame of it was spread abroad, people talking about "Malĕndĕ-ma-Kudu." Leopard arose, came to the town of Tortoise, and said, "I have come to build here." Tortoise consented, "You may build." Leopard said, "I'm going to build at the end of the path, and by the spring." And he built there.

One day, a child of Tortoise was passing by near the spring; and Leopard seized him, ku!

Another day, another one was passing; Leopard seized him, also, ku!

Then Tortoise said, "This is an evil place, I'm going to move from here." So he went and built another town called Jamba. Leopard came also, saying, "Kudu! I'm coming to build!" Then Tortoise said, "Really! what have your affairs to do with me? Nevertheless, come and build." And Leopard built at the end, by the spring.

When the children of Tortoise were passing by the spring. Leopard constantly killed them.

Tortoise wondered, "This thing which is destroying my children, what is it?"

Thus day by day. Leopard was killing the children of Tortoise.

Tortoise prepared again to remove, saying that he would go away and build another town to be called Dang. He went there. And the fame of it was spread around, people saying, "Dang, the town of Kudu!" Everybody was saying, "We are going to the town of Kudu; Dang, the town of Kudu!"

Leopard comes again, and says, "I also have come to build here." Tortoise said to him, "Wait! really; why did you leave the other people?" However, Tortoise said to him, "Build." And Leopard built as usual. Also, when the children of Tortoise were passing to the spring, they were missing. And Tortoise felt sure that Leopard had seized them.

Thereupon Tortoise made a plan for himself. He called Wild-Rat privately, saying, "I have heard that you know how to dig holes." Wild-Rat replied, "It is my work." Tortoise said, "But, I want you to dig me a tunnel from this