Page:Where Animals Talk (West African folk lore tales).djvu/43

 there! What makes it so big?" Leopard, in the stomach, heard; but he did not believe that Tortoise meant it, and thought to himself, "What a fool is this Ekaga, in pretending to inform on me, by directing attention to the stomach!" Tortoise ordered, "All you, take your spears, and stick that stomach! For the one who killed Goat is in it!" And they all got their spears ready.

Leopard did not speak or move; for, he still thought Tortoise was only joking. Tortoise began with his spear, and the others all thrust in. And Leopard holding the heart, was seen dying! All shouted, "Ah! Njĕgâ killed our Goat! Ah! he's the one who killed it." Tortoise taunted Leopard, "Asai! (shame for you) you took my wife; and now you are dead!" Leopard died. They divided the Goat, and returned to town. Tortoise took again his wife and all his goods, now that Leopard was dead. And he was satisfied that his artifice had surpassed Leopard's strength.

African natives are sensitive about questions of equality and seniority. A certain term, "Mwĕra" (chum) may be addressed to other than an equal, only at risk of a quarrel.

A story of the trick by which Tortoise apparently proved himself the equal of both Elephant and Hippopotamus.

Observe the preposterous size of Elephant's trunk! But everything, to the native African mind, was enormous in the pre-historic times.