Page:Where Animals Talk (West African folk lore tales).djvu/224

 Another one was coming, and, as they met together, again the shout of derision, "O! O! O! A! O! O! O! A! O! O! O! A!" But, at one fling, Mbuma-tyĕtyĕ cast him into the pit. "Iwâ" was repeated.

The sister of him who was thrown thus into the pit began to cry. The people rebuked her, "Mbâbâ! mbâbâ! Join in the singing!"

Another one was coming; Mbuma-tyĕtyĕ advanced; and as they came together, he lifted him, holding him by the foot. The singers, to encourage their man, said responsively, "Dikubwe! Dikubwe! Fear not an elephant with his tusks! Take off! take off! "Mbuma-tyĕtyĕ lifted him, and promptly pushed him down into the pit, with a thud, 'kodom'!

The people began to call out anxiously, "Wĕ-e! wĕ-e! O! They are overcome! They are overcome! O! Some one must go hastily, and call Ekwamekwa, and tell him that people are being destroyed in the town, and he must come quickly."

Some one got up, and ran to call Ekwamekwa, wailing as he went, "Iyâ! Iyâ! Iyâ! Ekwamekwa, iyâ-O! Come! People are exterminated in the town!"

He heard with one ear (i. e. at once). He snatched up his machete and axe, saying, "What is it?" The messenger repeated, "Come! a being from above has destroyed many a one in the town!"

The man Ekwamekwa, full of boasting, said, "Is it possible there is no man in the town?" He came, already shaking the muscles of his chest, pwâ! pwâ (a custom with native wrestlers, as a lion his mane). His muscles were quivering with rage, nyâ! nyâ! nyâ!

The drums, both the elimbi-telegraph and the common, were being beaten, and were sounding without intermission. The singers were shouting; the wrestlers' bodies had perspiration flowing from them. The noise of the people, of the telegraph drums and other drums, and sticks (sticks beating time) were rattling kwa! kwa! kwa!

As Ekwamekwa appeared, the women and children raised their shrill voices. The shouters yelled, "Â! lâ! lâ! lâ! â!"

Mbuma-tyĕtyĕ advanced at once. He and Ekwamekwa laid hold of one another, and alternately pressed each other backward and forward. The one tried tricks to trip the