Page:Where Animals Talk (West African folk lore tales).djvu/220

 about to pick up another, when the Gourd warned him, "I! I!" So, he left the nuts.

He came on in his journey, and found in abundance wild Mangoes. He took one, split it, and bit out a piece; and was about to add another, when the warning came, "I! I!" So, he left the Mangoes; yet his belly felt full. Still on his journey, thirst for water seized him at a stream. He took his cup, plunged it into the water, filled it, drank, and was about to take more, when the warning said, "I! I!" And he left the water. Yet his belly felt full.

On his journey still, till he came to a large river. There he stood, and listened, as he heard a boat-song, "Âyĕhĕ! âhĕ! âyĕhĕ! ĕ!' There passed by the sound of paddles, wom'! wom'! but he saw no person; nor did he see any canoe. Gourd said to him, "Call!" Then he called out, "Who are these? Bring me a canoe!" A voice replied, "Who are you?" He answered, "I!" The canoe came nearer, its crew singing, singing, until it grounded on the beach. He saw what seemed only a great log! Gourd said to him, "Embark!" He got in. The crew also (apparently) got in again; for, the sound of paddles was again heard, worom'! worom'!

Instead of going straight across the river, they pulled far up stream, and then came all the way down again on the other side. As they came, they were constantly keeping up the song, until they grounded at the landing-place at that other side. Still he saw nothing of the invisible boatmen, when he landed.

Ascending the bank of the stream, he saw a strange new town. He entered its public reception-house, and sat down. As he was looking for some one to come, a Horn came and sat on his lap, and then moved away. A Bundle of Medicine came, sat, and moved away. A Bowl came and sat. A Spear came and sat. All these Things saluted him. Behold! they were the People of that Town (in disguise); but he saw none of them.

Gourd said to him, "Come and escort me into the backyard." He at once stepped out; and, when in the backyard, It said. "Put me down." (It had been carried suspended from his shoulder.) He put It down, standing It at the foot of a plantain-stalk. Gourd making a leaf funnel,