MEN OF TPiE TREES 



been given credit by the people for successfully combin- 

 ing the offices of physician, detective, priest and rain 

 bringer. One day, after a prolonged drought, when all 

 the streams were dried up and food was very short, the 

 Elders and Chiefs of the people came to Munyai to re- 

 quest him to use his power to bring rain. Munyai lis- 

 tened to their request, and agreed to pray for rain and 

 ordered the sacrifice to be brought. The fatted ox was 

 slain and Munyai stood with hands outstretched towards 

 the great mountain and prayed to N'gai. Soon dark 

 clouds gathered and even while the sacrifice to N'gai 

 was being made, the heavens opened and the rain came 

 down in torrents. Thereupon Munyai dismissed the 

 Chiefs and Elders and ordered them to return at once 

 to their homes. This they did, in spite of the torrential 

 downpour. 



After they had all departed Munyai again prayed 

 and then slept. In the middle of the night he had a 

 dream which so moved him that in the early morning, 

 before it was light, he arose and sent messengers to 

 fetch back his visitors of the previous day. About noon 

 they started to arrive and he took them on to a little 

 hill under the shade of a great tree, and when they had 

 all seated themselves on their stools in a circle around 

 him, he began to talk and said as follows. 



"You all know me well, for I am an old man now. 

 Was I not also known to your fathers before you? If 

 any man present has anything against me, let him speak 



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