Page:Where Animals Talk (West African folk lore tales).djvu/215

 His town was full with men and women; they were crowded. And all busy. They that worked at stakes, went to cut saplings; those that made rattan-ropes, went to cut the rattan-vine; they that shaped the bamboo for building, went to cut the bamboo-palms; they that made thatch went to gather the palm-leaves; they that set up the stakes of the house-frame went to thrust them into the ground; they who fastened the walls, fastened them; they who tied thatch on the roof, tied it; they who split the rattan vines for tying, split them.

The town was full of noise. The children of Njambu kept their father's town in motion. They rejoiced in the abundance of people and their force. They took dowries also for their sisters, and gave them in marriage to young men of other towns.

Arguments were discussed; stories about White Men were told; amusements were played; food was eaten; and the sons of Njambu married wives.

One of Njambu's sons, Upuma-mwa-penda, said to his mother, "Make me mekima," (mashed plantain). His mother asked him, "Where are you going with the mekima?" He answered, "I'm going to seek a marriage." And she said "Good!"

In the morning, he took his rolls of mashed plantains, and started to go on his journey. He said to his mother, "You must keep my house. "She replied, "It is well."

He went on, on, on, until, on the road ahead, he met with two Rats, who were fighting. He took an ukima-roll, divided it, and gave to them, saying, "Take ye and eat." They accepted, and told him, "You shall arrive at the end."

He goes on stepping quickly, quickly; and meets two Snakes fighting. He parted them. He took an ukima-roll and gave to them; they ate. They said to him, "You shall reach the end."

He goes on with his journey, until ahead were two Millepedes fighting. He said to them, "For what are you killing each other?" He parted them, and gave them an ukuma-roll. They took it and said, "You shall reach the end!"

He lay down in the forest at night. At midnight, his mother saw, in her sleep, something that said, "Go with thy two daughters in the morning, and take food for Mbuma-Tyĕtyĕ (another name for Upuma-mwa-penda).