748 Proceedings of the Royal Society 
until he came to a tree which was visibly growing, and the top of 
which had almost passed out of sight. At the rat’s bidding he 
climbed the tree, and the honey bird kept him company and 
encouraged him. As he climbed higher so the tree grew, till at 
leugth far above the clouds he landed in the spirit world. The 
spirits asked him what he required, and he begged for his wife, who 
was given -him as a reward for his perseverance, and they descended 
the tree together. Then he rewarded the rat and the honey bird. 
Some time afterwards the chief went to look for the tree, but it had 
vanished. 
3. One night a man was returning to his home from a feast, at 
which he had eaten largely and drunk much mwengi. He was very 
tired and sat down to rest ; he fell asleep, and when he awoke he 
found that his torch had gone out, and it being very dark he could 
not find his way. As he wandered hither and thither in the forest 
a jackal met him, and asked him where he was going. “I am 
trying to find my way home,” said he. The jackal offered to run 
on before and show him the right path ; he accepted the offer, and 
they went a considerable distance together. The man then asked 
the jackal if he were near home. “ Yes,” was the reply ; “ you will 
soon be home ; you have feasted, and now we will feast.” Having 
said this he called out “Lion! lion!” and with a loud roar a lion 
sprang on the man and killed him ; so the lion and the jackal got a 
good meal. 
4. Two men once had a dispute as to which was the most 
successful liar. The one proposed that they should each tell lies,, 
and that the one who told the best should be acknowledged by the? 
other as the most clever. His friend agreed, and asked him to begin. 
So he told a number of outrageous lies, and then said to his 
friend, “How how do you propose to beat me 1 ?” “ Easily,” said he; 
“ everything that you have said is true; now that is the biggest lie.” 
Then they both burst out laughing. 
5. Some driver ants once invaded a man’s hut. He was so 
angry that he killed a great number by setting some grass on fire. 
The ants went away, but held a council of war, and their leader 
addressed them, and said, “ A man, because of his great size, injures 
us, for he thinks that we are small ; he is cruel, so we must punish 
him.” Messengers were then sent by the ants far and wide, and at 
