The goblin said that he had no more cowries, and the little girl began crying, "My mother will beat me if I go home with a cowry short."
The goblin walked away, and the little girl walked after him.
"Go away," said the goblin; "turn back, for no one can enter the country in which I live."
"No," said the little girl; "wherever you go, I will follow, until you pay me my cowry."
So the little girl followed, followed a long, long way, till they came to the country where the people stand on their heads in their mortars, and pound yams with their heads.[1]
Then they went on again a long way, till they came to a river of filth. And the goblin sang:
"young palm-oil seller,
You must now turn back."
And the girl sang:
"Save I get my cowry,
I'll not leave your track."
Then the goblin sang again:
"O young palm-oil seller,
Soon will lead this track
To the bloody river,
Then you must turn back."
And she,
"I will not turn back."
And he,
"See yon gloomy forest."
And she,
"I will not turn back."
And he,
"See yon craggy mountain."
And she,
"I will not turn back;
Save I get my cowry,
I'll not leave your track."
Then they walked on again, a long, long way; and at last they arrived at the land of dead people.
The goblin gave the little girl some palm nuts with which to make palm oil, and said to her, "Eat the palm oil yourself, and give me the ha-ha."[2]
But when the palm oil was made the little girl gave it to the goblin and ate the ha-ha herself. And the goblin said, "Very well."
