Page:Swahili tales.djvu/119

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SULTAN DARAI.
99

And the old woman was very glad when she saw the gazelle sneeze, and she fanned it, and put water on it, and turned it this way and that, till the gazelle got up.

The mistress said, "Ah, my grandson; gently, my son; and I did not think you could be a match for him." And it said, "Mother, I told you before, 'I have not seen things that were praised as wonders, I foresee it for myself.'" And she said, "True, my son;" and she said, "for I have seen it."

And it said, "Good, tell me the news." And she said, "Of what, my son?" And it said, "There is no one to interfere before us." And she said, "It is clear before and clear behind; I don't know as to God." "Well, then, I want you to show me this house from the beginning to the end, from bottom to top, from inside to out." And she said, "All right, father." And it said, "First, let us pass on into the court." And she said, "I will lead you, father, and go and show you the secret and the open, all that is stored up." And it said, "Good, my mother; good things don't spoil." And she said, "True, my son."

So then she showed it storerooms full of goods, and showed it chambers where was put food of price, and she showed it rooms where were put handsome people, who had been long imprisoned, and she took it up to the upper rooms, and showed it all that was in them, slaves and goods. "These are your goods, master." And it said, "Do you keep these goods till I call my master—he is the owner of these goods."

And the gazelle was very glad. The house pleased it much, and when he shall come, with his father-in-law, and his wife, and the people in their company, every one that shall come, when he sees this house will say this is a house, for there in their town there is no house half as