DANCING ON THE EQUATOR 



weeks before, when attending a similar dance I listened 

 to a monotonous song, the words of which, translated 

 are: — 



"The Morans have put up their standards 

 and the English have pulled them down." 



Then, as out of sheer perversity, they would ring a 

 change: — 



"The English have put up their standards 

 but the Morans have pulled them down." 



After listening to this dirge for about twenty minutes 

 I had ventured to suggest that I should like a change. I 

 was tired of this song. Could they not sing me some 

 songs of the forest? My request had met with immediate 

 response, and their first child-like effort was; — 



"Vsuri ku pandu m'begti kataka sanduku 

 V'suri ku pandu m'begu kataka sandtiku." 



Which quite literally interpreted means: — 



"It is good to plant seeds in a box 

 It is good to plant seeds in a box." 



Later their soloist let go his imagination, and improvised 

 a song which met with the heartiest response as there 

 were present many members of the Watu wa Miti (The 

 Men of the Trees) . A part of the company would join in 



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