Page:Where Animals Talk (West African folk lore tales).djvu/25

 built their booths for sleeping-places; and rested another day; and then built their arala (drying frames) over their fire-places for smoke-drying the meat that they hoped to obtain. Next day, they prepared their guns, and started out on the hunt. On that very first day, they met game, and, ku! (bang) went their guns, killing an Elephant, and, ku! a wild Ox. Then Leopard said, "Ntori! child! we are successful! Let us begin the work of cutting up!"

After all the carcasses had been cut up, came the time to divide the meat between the two companies. So, Leopard said, "As I am your Uncle, I precede; I will choose first, and will give you the remainder." So Leopard chose, taking out all the best pieces. When Rat saw that most of the meat was going to Leopard's side, he thought it time to begin to get his share. But when Rat laid hold of a nice piece, Leopard would say, "No! child! do not take the best: that belongs to your Uncle"—and Leopard would claim the piece, and hand it over to his women. So it went on in the same way; to every nice piece that Rat chose. Leopard objected that it belonged to him. After Leopard had taken all he wanted, there were left only the bowels and the heads and legs for Rat.

Then they each went to their own camping-place, to spread the meat on their arala, and to cook their dinner. But, all the while that Rat was spreading bones and bowels on his oralaarala [sic], he was vexed; for, there was very little meat on those bones; while Leopard's people's arala were full of meat, and savory portions were simmering on their fires tied in bundles (agĕwu) of plantain leaves. At the noon meal. Leopard sat down with his family, and Rat with his. But Rat had only poor food; while Leopard and his people were rejoicing with rich meat.

The second day was very much the same as the first. It was Rat who did most of the hunting. With him it was, ku! (bang!), and some beast was down; and, ku! and some other beast was down. Whenever Rat fired. Leopard would shout out, "Ntori! child! what have you got?" And it was Rat who would shout in reply, "Nyare" (ox), or "Njâku" (elephant), or "Nkambi!" (antelope), or whatever the game might be. And it was Leopard who offensively patronized him, saying, "That is a good boy, Tata! (Little Father);