Page:Where Animals Talk (West African folk lore tales).djvu/202

 large fruitage. The great produce could not be gathered for abundance.

Then came Chameleon to the village of Wild-Rat, and he said to him, "Chum, Ko! this harvest is a great thing!" Rat said, "Don't speak about it!"

Not long afterward, Mankind laid their snares, and the hunters prepared their bows. For, beasts and birds had come in crowds to eat of the abundance; and Man had overhead them speaking of it. Gunners came; the shots resounded; bows were twanged; the snares caught.

Rat fell into one of the traps. Chameleon seeing him, and desiring to justify himself, reminded Rat that Rat himself had told him not to let others know of the great abundance, and that he himself had obeyed; that therefore he was not the cause of Rat's misfortune. So, Chameleon said, "I did not speak of it."

Chameleons move very slowly. This story is given as a reason why, even if one is small in body, he should not be despised, as though he had no strength, or as though he could with impunity be deprived of his rights, e. g., in a race or in wrestling, or in any other circumstances.

Leopard and Chameleon lived apart. This one had his village, and that one his. This one did his own business;