820 TRANSFORMATION. 



it was transferred to some crone, who carefully preserved it 

 as a much-prized amulet. 



During his journeyings in Great Namaqua-land, Sir James 

 Alexander was told by the natives that the Bushwomen have 

 it in their power to change their forms into lions, hyaenas, 

 and other beasts of prey. The following legend illustrates 

 this superstition : 



" Once on a time, a certain Namaqua was traveling in 

 company with a Bush woman carrying a child on her back. 

 They had proceeded some distance on their journey, when 

 a troop of wild horses (zebras) appeared, and the man said 

 to the woman, ' I am hungry ; and as I know you can turn 

 yourself into a lion, do so now, and catch us a wild horse, 

 that we may eat.' 



" The woman answered, ' You'll be afraid.' 



" ' No, no,' said the man. ' I am afraid of dying of hun- 

 ger, but not of you.' 



"While he was speaking, hair began to appear at the 

 back of the woman's neck, her nails assumed the appearance 

 of claws, and her features altered. She set down the child. 



" The man, alarmed at the change, climbed a tree close by, 

 while the woman glared at him fearfully ; and, going to one 

 side, she threw off her skin petticoat, when a perfect lion 

 rushed out into the plain. It bounded and crept among the 

 bushes toward the wild horses ; and, springing on one of 

 them, it fell, and the lion lapped its blood. The lion then 

 came back to where the child was crying, and the man called 

 from the tree, ' Enough ! enough ! Don't hurt me. Put 

 off your lion's shape. I'll never ask to see this again.' 



" The lion looked at him and growled. ' I'll remain here 

 till I die,' exclaimed the man, * if you don't become a woman 

 again.' The mane and tail began to disappear, the lion went 

 toward the bush where the skin petticoat lay : it was slipped 

 on, and the woman, in her proper shape, took up the child. 

 The man descended, partook of the horse's flesh, but never 

 again asked the woman to catch game for him." 



