THE TRADITION OF RA'LOLO. 97 



He loved his son Makgeru best of all, and impressed on his 

 eldest son Malekut always to take care of him after his death. 

 Tulare died peacefully in old age. 



The next Chief was Malekut. lie made a fighting expedi- 

 tion as far as Rustenburg. When he returned he brought back 

 a great many herds of cattle.- Soon he became sick. Makgeru 

 went to see him. He said: "When you die, Matsebe (the next 

 heir) will kill me; you had better fight with him at once." Thij 

 was the first root of the fall and decadence of the mighty Bapedi/ 

 rule. Malekut agreed to this advice of Makgeru. 



Nearly all men liked Matsebe, but not Malekut. They 

 wished Malekut to die. One night all the men with Matsebe 

 went out of the kraal. One man went at the same time to steal 

 some of the Chief's grass-bundles, which were standing against 

 a tree, outside the kraal. He listened, and heard their secret 

 talk. Makgeru was present at this secret conference; and said : 

 " I protest against your plans against Malekut. I am on his 

 side; better kill me, if you wish to kill him." The hidden thief) 

 under the grass now went and told Malekut all, also that Mak- 

 geru alone was against their plan to kill him. Makgeru also 

 went and confirmed all, saying: " If you do not do what I advised 

 you. I alone shall be the enemy of them all. Motodi now left 

 Matsebe and went over to Makgeru. Malekut died. Matsebe 

 refused to bury Malekut, took his weapons, and, with his party ^ 

 went out to prevent the others from burying him. Notwith- 

 standing, the others buried Malekut. Matsebe now left alto- 

 gether, with all his party and cattle, crossed Steelpoort, and 

 camped at Mapodile (Winterveld). The war-horns were now 

 sounded across from the home-kraal. They came on and fought. 

 They killed Matsebe's younger brother Rampelane, and gained a 

 complete victory. Matsebe fled up a rock. Motodi cried out : 

 " Let him alone, he will ask for peace." But as soon as they 

 had left him, lie fled farther away to Magakal. From there his 

 men always came back in the night and murdered everyone they 

 could find. Xow Pethedi went, with a strong force, to attack 

 Matsebe across Olifants River. Magakal's and Matsebe's men 

 fled into the Draken Mountain, behind Magakal. In the night 

 they returned to kill Pethedi's men. when asleep. First they 

 came to Pasha's men. The other part of the camp, being 

 awakened by the noise, now ran to assist Pasha's men, and soon 

 drove them all away into the mountains. They then burnt 

 Magakal's kraal and took their cattle. A second attack was 

 made by Magakal. They tried to draw Pethedi's impi into a 

 narrow kloof, hoping that their large numbers would then be of 

 no avail to them. But again they were defeated. Matsebe was 

 killed. Pethedi now invited the ba-Magakal to come down and 

 make peace, which they did. 



After they left, the ba-Magakal .went out to attack the ba- 





