Page:Where Animals Talk (West African folk lore tales).djvu/232

 The children excitedly cried out shrilly, "Â! lâ! lâ!" They went back quickly to the town, saying, "Come ye! see the wife of Njâ!" The town emptied itself to go and see her. And they inquired of her, "Who is it who has married you?" She answered, "Is it not Njâ?" And the shrill cry of surprise rose again, "Â! lâ! lâ! lâ!"

When they reached the town, Njâ rose in anger from his house, picked up his spear, stood facing them, and threatened with his spear, "This is it!"

He passed by them into the back-yard, and changed his body to that of a new kind of beast, with spots all over his skin. At once he stooped low on four legs; and thrust out his claws; and begun a fight with the people of the town, as a Leopard. Then he went, leaping off into the Forest.

From there, he kept the name "Njâ," and has continued his fight with Mankind. The hatred between leopards and mankind dates from that time. Some of the people of that country had said to Mbuma-Tyĕtyĕ that he would not be able to marry at the town of the Spirits, and had tried to hinder him. But he did go, and succeeded in marrying a daughter of Njambu-ya-Mekuku; while Njâ, attempting to do the same, and not waiting for advice from his brother, and treating with disrespect the Spirits on the way, failed.

Bokeli was like a snake. When a snake changes and throws off his old skin, that slough, when it is left lying at any place, is almost as fearful to see, as the snake itself.