HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
43 
to resist. The translation of this fable is furnished by 
Mr. Baker. 
On a certain occasion, it is said, the birds, having no king, 
assembled to inquire who should be elected sovereign: 
when the land-fowl and the water-fowl first discussed the 
question, the land-fowls inquired of the water-fowls “ Shall 
a sovereign be sought from amongst us, or you ?” “ Amongst 
you,” replied the latter, “ will we seek a suitable king; for 
with us there is none good.” “ We agree,” said the land- 
fowl : “ gather yourselves together to select your sovereign, 
and we will pass one by one through your assembly, that 
you may see who is most suitable.” To this the water-fowl 
assented. 
Then the water-fowl came on land to the foot of a hill, 
and the land-fowl assembled at the top of it. The water- 
fowl then sent the Asirity to ascertain if all the land-fowl 
were assembled; when all being arranged, the latter sent first 
of all the tararaka, to pass through the assembly; but when 
he was passing in review, the water-fowl exclaimed, “ Who 
would make this contemptible tararaka sovereign, a rave¬ 
nous bird, forsooth, that sleeps by day ?” So when they 
refused to accept of the tararaka, he stood on the opposite 
side; and after a while the papango (kite) was sent, and 
whilst he stood amidst the water-fowl, some of the land-fowl 
said, “ Come, let us make this sovereign ;” but some of the 
water-fowl exclaimed, “ Who would make this sovereign ? 
he eats rats !” So they would not agree; they then sent the 
voromahery (hawk,) and some said, “Let us make this the 
king.” Others rejoined, “This, indeed, we will make 
supreme.” Some, however, objected, “Make this sove¬ 
reign ! he steals and eats chickens, and there is not much 
difference between chickens and some other birds; who 
would make him sovereign ?” So he was rejected. 
