Page:Where Animals Talk (West African folk lore tales).djvu/216

 Early in the morning, she awoke her two daughters, and said, "Come! let us go to follow after your brother; he is still on his way."

They started, on, on, on, until they found him sitting down in the path. They brought out the food from their traveling-bag, and they said, "We have come to give you food." They prepared the meal, and they ate. And they slept that night in the forest.

Next morning, they started again, and they walked on, on, on, with their journey. As they came on their way, they listened ahead, and they heard something, saying, "Eh! fellows, eh! eh! fellows eh! Nobody shall pass! Nobody shall pass here!"

When they drew near, they met an immense quantity of Red stinging Ants spread from the ground up to the tree-tops, entirely closing the way. Mbuma-tyĕtyĕ and his company said, "Ah! these are they who were shouting here!" He advanced to the fight, and called to his younger sister, "Come on!"

She lifted her foot just to tread upon the Ants; and they instantly entirely covered her. He and his company tried in vain to draw her back. The Ants shouted, to strengthen themselves. "Eh! fellows, eh!"

He, still fighting, called to the elder sister, "On ahead!" Just as she lifted her foot, there came all the Tribe of Red Ants, and would have covered her up. The woman jumped to one side vigorously, and stood there in that spot, fanning away the sweat of her exertions, pĕ, pĕ, pĕ. She returned again to the Ants; and they met. She called out, "Ngalo! hot water!" and it appeared. She took it, and dashed it ait the Red Ants. But they all went into their holes; and came out at another opening, again closing the path. She still stood there ready to fight; but they covered her, and dragged her behind them.

The Ants shouted over their victory, "Eh! fellows, eh! Today no person passes here!"

The son called to his mother, "Mother! come on!" His mother said, "My child! I am unable." He called, "Ngalo! Fire!" Fire at once appeared. Having drawn back the corpses of his sisters, he seized the fire, and thrust it into the nests of the Ants. He thrust it also among the trees. The