BANTU NEGROES 605 



"Who are you?" said the big animal. "I'm a hare." " Where are you going ? " 

 "Are you blind that you haven't seen my comrades passing? However, I've no 

 time to talk." The elephant, affected by the air of mystery, became uneasy, and 

 thought it time to be off. When the hare came round for the last time he saw 

 nothing but the wagging of the elephant's tail in the distance. So he screamed 

 out, "There he is! there he is! After him! after him 1" and laughed uproariously 

 as he heard the big brute crashing through the woods. He then went quietly 

 back alone to his feast, chuckling as he thought of the splendid success of his 

 stratagem. 



(6) The Bird mid the Elephant. — Just as the season for sowing grain was drawing 

 near, the bird and the elephant met, and became involved in an argument as to 

 who had the bigger voice. The dispute getting heated, they decided to lay the 

 question before the big assembly. "We have come," piped the little bird, "to have 

 the question settled as to who has the bigger voice, my friend the elephant or 

 myself?" "Yes," grunted the elephant, "this insignificant little tiling has the 

 impudence to say his little squeak is more powerful than my trumpeting." " Well," 

 said the little bird, "our homes are two hours away. Do you think that, if you 

 bawled your loudest, your people would hear you call from here ? " " Of course," 

 sneered the elephant; "but what do you think you are going to do, you puny little 

 thing?" "Now, don't get angry," chirped the bird. "To-morrow morning we will 

 meet at dawn, and both call to our friends to have our dinner ready ; but, as you 

 sneered at me, we will make the stakes ten cows, to be paid by the loser to the 

 winner." " Right you are ! " chuckled the elephant. "I want some more cattle. 

 Good-bye, you little fool!" and went off laughing. The bet was confirmed by the 

 "baraza." The cunning bird at once made arrangements. He got his mates to perch 

 within hearing distance of each other along the line to his house. " Now we will 

 see," said he, "how wit can triumph over brute force." At dawn the next morning 

 they met as agreed. The elephant was given " first try," and bawled four times in 

 his loudest voice. "Have you quite done?" chirped the little bird. "Yes,'' 

 sneered the elephant; "squeak away." The little bird gave his orders, and they 

 tramped off together. They decided that the elephant being the bigger, they would 

 visit his home first. As they drew near, the elephant became uneasy at the quiet that 

 reigned, and was extremely angry to find not a soul about. One was away getting 

 food, another drawing water, another gathering firewood, and the rest, not expecting 

 anything to occur, were also out. " Now," said the bird, " we will try my luck." 

 As they approached they heard great sounds of bustling; the pathways were clean, 

 the courtyard swept, the bird's friends were all neatly arranged in lines to do honour 

 to the guest; mats were laid down in the house, and an abundant feast was 

 prepared. "Ah. my friend," piped the little bird, "do not ba down-hearted. Be 

 thankful you have learnt at so small a cost not to despise a rival, however small 

 he may be. So now let us 'eat, drink, and lie merry.'" Next day the elephant 

 handed over the cattle to the bird. 



Miscellaneous Stories. 



At the beginning of Kabarega's reign there was a man called Muguta, who 

 refused to obey any of the orders of the king. Any messengers sent for taxes, or 

 to call him for labour even for the king, were always met with the same answer : 

 "I will obey no man. Wait till 1 call my servants, the lions." Mugtita was all- 

 powerful. If he wanted anything— whether food, cattle, or any other thing— he 



