THE MONKEYFOLK OF SOUTH AFRICA 7 



THOSE TERRIBLE SNAKES 



We baboonfolk have an enemy which we fear with a 

 mortal fear. He is known as the python, or South African 

 Rock Snake. He Hes invisible and silent amongst the 

 rocks, and when any of our tribe come near, his head 

 shoots out like a bullet from a gun, and before there is 

 even time to wink, his monstrous coils are thrown around 

 his victim, and with a few squeezes his body is crushed 

 into a shapeless mass. Sometimes the python will lie along 

 the branch of a tree, and when a baboon happens to walk 

 underneath, the python just drops down on him, and then 

 there is no hope for him. I went with i friend one day 

 to a clump of thorny acacia trees to gather and eat the gum 

 which oozes out of their trunks and branches. When we 

 were busy picking off the gum and storing it as fast as we 

 could in our mouth-pouches, a huge brown streak shot 

 down past my eyes, and next instant I heard a gasp, and 

 saw my friend in the coils of a monster python. I was so 

 terrified I couldn't even run. I just sat and screamed. 

 I never wish to see such a sight again. My poor friend's 

 ribs were crushed up, and with a hollow groan, he died. 

 Then the python began to uncoil, and I saw the body 

 of my friend lying all limp and crushed. His body 

 seemed ever so much longer, and like a great sausage. 

 Then the python gaped his jaws and began swallowing his 

 victim whole. The spell, which had rooted me to the 

 ground, seemed to snap suddenly, and I fled in mortal 

 terror, my hair standing erect all along my neck and back. 



HOW WE KILLED A PYTHON 



One day a python captured one of our womenfolk when 

 she went down to a pool amongst the rocks to drink. When 



