Page:Where Animals Talk (West African folk lore tales).djvu/245



Differences in age as revealed by differences in taste for food.

Shrike was a blacksmith. So, all the Beasts went to the forge at his town. Each day, when they had finished at the anvil, they took all their tools and laid them on the ground (as pledges). Before they should go back to their towns, they would say to the Bird, "Show us which is the eldest, and then you give us the things, if you are able to decide our question."

He looked at and examined them; but he did not know, for they were all apparently of the same age; and they went away empty-handed, leaving their tools as a challenge. Every day it was that same way.

On another day. Tortoise being a friend of the Bird. started to go to work for him at the bellows. Also, he cooked three bundles of food; one of Civet with the entrails of a red Antelope; and one of Genet; and one of an Edubu-Snake. (Suited for different tastes and ages.) Then he blew at the bellows.

When the others were hungry at meal time, Tortoise took up the jomba-bundles; and he said, "Come ye! take up this jomba of Njâbâ with the entrails, and eat." (They were the old ones who chose to come and eat it.)

Again Tortoise said, "Come ye! take up the jomba of