I'S^ Seiko, a tale. -^"S- ^' 



brothers alternately went a hunting, cultivated the field, 

 or attended their mother. At night they met together, 

 the hunter brought his partridges, his parrots, or his comb of 

 honey, the farmer his herbs and roots, and he who remained 

 at home had the repast ready prepared ; they supped all 

 four together, contending with each other for the pleasure 

 of waiting on their mother; and afterwards laying them- 

 ■selves down on straw, slept in quiet till the return of day. 



Selico, the youngest of the brothers went often to Sabi 

 to carry the earliest fruits as offerings of his poor family 

 to the temple of the deity : this deity, as is well known 

 was a huge serpent, of the sort csWeA fetiches, which have 

 no venom, and who devour others which are venomous j 

 they are so much revered in Juida, that any person kil- 

 Jing one would be thought guilty of a great crime ; there- 

 fore this species of snake is increased to a prodigious de- 

 gree J and, being sacred, they are found in quantities in 

 every town or village, where they eat familiarly from 

 their plates, and even lay their eggs in the beds of the 

 natives, who look upon it as the most fortunate of events^ 

 and a certain presage of their well doing. 



Selico was the handsomest, the best made, and the most 

 amiable of all the negroes of Juida ; he had seen, in the 

 temple, Berifsa, the daughter of the high priest, who surpaf- 

 sed all her companions in elegant grace and beauty. Selico 

 adored her and was happy in having his love returned. 

 Every Wednesday, sacred to religion and repose among the 

 negroes, the young lover hastened to the temple, and paf- 

 sed the day with his dear Berifsa, conversing with her of 

 his mother, his love, and the happinefs they fliould enjoy- 

 when Hymen had united them ; Berifsa did not disguise 

 lier sentiments, and the aged FaculLo her father, who ap- 

 proved of this union, promised, as he embraced them, 

 ■ihat lie would soon crown their mutual tenderncfs. 



