76 THE MONKEYFOLK OF SOUTH AFRICA 



I must be the baby's mother. I must nurse, guard, and 

 protect him, while he and the other men were away in the 

 fields. He went away, and busied himself feeding the 

 fowls, and doing odd jobs about the house, ever and anon 

 casting an anxious glance in my direction. He need have 

 had no fear, for my maternal instincts had been aroused, 

 and my heart had gone out to that dear, chubby black 

 baby. I hugged him to my breast, and crooned over him, 

 and played with and amused him when he began to cry. 

 1 was allowed to keep the baby for three hours. He was 

 then taken away and fed with a sucking bottle containing 

 cow's milk diluted with one-third water. Then he was 

 handed back to me. When my master found I could be 

 trusted, he gave me the baby to look after, except when he 

 required it to feed. He made a nice cosy bed for me in 

 his room, where I slept with my little foster-child in my 

 arms. He was six months old when I first took charge of 

 him. Now he is a big, chubby fellow of three years. We 

 still love each other dearly. In fact, if he went away and 

 I thought I shouldn't see him again, I am sure I should die 

 of grief. We still sleep together in the same little bed, 

 and I look after him still, when my master is out working 

 in the fields, although there is a lady in the house now, 

 for my master got married a year ago. His wife is a dear, 

 sweet lady, and knows I can be trusted, so she doesn't 

 interfere. 



I HAVE FAULTS 



Of course I have faults, so have you, every one of you. 

 I try to overcome mine, and I hope you do also. My chief 

 weakness is getting angry when I am made fun of and ridi- 

 culed. Now, my master's wife is a great tease. She does 

 it all for fun I know, but she makes me very angry sometimes. 

 She imitates the way I talk, raises her brows, and grimaces 



