70 THE MONKEYFOLK OF SOUTH AFRICA 



each other just because a few of your leaders grow jealous 

 of each other, or have a private quarrel. Even the very 

 microbes wage war upon each other. Why ! even for food 

 we eat up each other. Our folk devour the poor innocent 

 scorpions and centipedes, who but seek to lead humble 

 lives under stones, or in decaying wood. You humanfolk 

 rear animals and then kill them, and eat their flesh. I 

 suppose there will come a time when we shall understand 

 the reasons for all these things. 



HOW WE OUTWIT THE HUMANFOLK 



We are quite aware that the humanfolk are constantly 

 planning and scheming to outwit us, so we do the same. 

 We hold committee meetings, and talk over ways and means. 

 The clan to which I am attached is a large one. We have 

 learned a great deal by bitter experience or by the misfortunes 

 of our neighbours. We now know it is far too risky to 

 invade a mealie garden all in a body, because, if we happen 

 to be outflanked, a good number of us would be killed or 

 wounded. Besides, even if we were warned by our sentries 

 in time, the distance is usually too great for us to make 

 off with an armful of mealie cobs, so we are obliged to drop 

 them and run full speed, for the humanfolk often are 

 mounted on swift horses, and we baboonfolk are very 

 awkward on level ground, and can easily be overtaken. 

 When we are amongst the rocks then we defy both dogs and 

 men, as we can travel at a great rate, and have ample 

 shelter when the humanfolk start to shoot at us. 



After much thought and meditation a brilliant idea 

 occurred to me. I am the leader of my clan, so I summoned 

 the wise men of the tribe and we sat in solemn conclave. 

 Sitting upon a rock, I addressed them as follows : " Gentle- 

 men of the Baboonfolk Parliament,— -You are aware that 

 the humanfolk are a race of no mean order. They are 



