Page:Where Animals Talk (West African folk lore tales).djvu/74

 apparently, he immediately returned, and took another sip and leaped back into the grass; and, apparently, immediately returned again. And apparently—(They were his companions who had come one by one to help him!) Thus the barrelful of firewater was rapidly sipped away.

King Gorilla announced Telinga as the winner of the prize.

What the young woman thought of the loss of her graceful lovers, the Antelopes and others, is not known. For, when Telinga advanced to take her, Leopard and others dashed at him, shouting, "You miserable little snip of a fellow! You've won her; but if we can't have her you shan't. There! take that! and that! and that!" as they began to beat and kick and bite him.

In terror, he jumped into the trees, abandoning his bride.

And he and his tribe have remained in the trees ever since, afraid to come down to the ground.

Leopards can swim if compelled to, but they do not like to enter water, or wet their feet in any way.