Page:Swahili tales.djvu/285

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SULTAN MAJNÚN.
265

be Sultan, and I descend and be your man; you giving me only food and clothing; and do not go into the forest, my son." And he said to them, "Good-bye, father, I go; what you say I hear not."

And he went into the forest and wilderness, and he went and met with an elephant, asleep at noon in a shady place. And he said to his slaves, "To-day we have found the nunda." And they said, "Very good, master, where is it?" And he said, "In the shade yonder, look well at it." And they said, "Well, master, shall we not approach where it is?" And he said, "If we approach its face, if it is looking this way as we are coming, will it not come against us? And if it comes against us, it will kill us all. But now let us take counsel, and send one man, and let him see which way its face is turned, and come and tell us." And they said, "Very good; it is a good plan, master; and for the rest of us, let our guns be ready."

And one of his slaves went on, whose name was Kiroboto [a flea], and crept on his knees through the forest, until he reached where it was; and he found it asleep, and its face was turned in another direction.

And he returned on his knees in the same way, till he reached where his master was. "Well, give us the news." And he said, "Good news, master." And he said, "Is it the nunda?" And he said, "I, for myself, do not know it, master; but that this is the nunda, master, there is no doubt. It is broad, with a great head; and, master, I saw its ears very large." And he said, "This is the nunda, master."

"Come then, let us eat, that we may go after it." And they took out their bumundas, and they took out their ladus, and they took out their cakes and ate, and ate much, till they were filled.