THE RAIN-MAKER. 445 



when he sprinkled each person with a zebra's tail clipped in 

 water. 



Finding that this did not produce the desired effect, the 

 impostor had recourse to another stratagem. He well knew 

 that baboons were not very easily caught among rocky glens 

 and shelving precipices, and, therefore, in order to gain time^ 

 he informed the men that, to make rain, he must have a bab- 

 oon ; moreover, that not a hair on his body was to be want- 

 ing ; in short, the animal should be free from blemish. After 

 a long and severe pursuit, and with bodies much lacerated, a 

 band of chosen runners succeeded in capturing a young bab- 

 oon, which they brought back triumphantly and exultingly. 

 On seeing the animal, the rogue put on a countenance ex- 

 hibiting the most intense sorrow, exclaiming, "My heart is 

 rent in pieces! I am dumb with grief!" Pointing, at the 

 same time, to the ear of the baboon, that was slightly scratch- 

 ed, and the tail, which had lost some hair, he added, "Did I 

 not tell you I could not bring rain if there was one hair 

 wanting "?" 



He had often said that, if they could procure him the heart 

 of a lion, he would show them he could make rain so abund- 

 ant that a man might think himself well off to be under shel- 

 ter, as when it fell it might sweep whole towns away. He 

 had discovered that the clouds required strong medicines, and 

 that a lion's heart would do the business. To obtain this, 

 the rain-maker well knew, was no joke. One day it was an- 

 nounced that a lion had attacked one of the cattle outposts 

 not far from the town, and a party set off for the twofold 

 purpose of getting a key to the clouds and disposing of a 

 dangerous enemy. The orders were imperative, whatever the 

 consequences might be. Fortunately, the lion was shot dead 

 by a man armed with a gun. Greatly elated by their suc- 

 cess, they forthwith returned with their prize, singing the 

 conqueror's song in full chorus. The rain-maker at once set 

 about preparing his medicines, kindled his fires, and, stand- 



