Page:Swahili tales.djvu/309

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
GOSO, THE TEACHER.
289

wind, and the south wind threw down the calabash, and it struck our teacher Goso: you should not do it." And the mud wall said, "If I were the chief, should I be bored through by the rat?"

And they went and took the rat and beat it. And the rat said, "Do you beat me? what have I done?" And they said, "You, the rat, bore through the mud wall, which stops the south wind, and the south wind threw down the calabash, and it struck our teacher Goso: you should not do it." And the rat said, "If I were the chief, should I be eaten by the cat?"

And they went and looked for the cat, and took it and beat it. And the cat said, "Do you beat me? what have I done?" And they said, "You are the cat which eats the rat, and the rat bores through the mud wall, and the mud wall stops the south wind, and the south wind threw down the calabash, and it struck our teacher Goso: you should not do it." And the cat said, "If I were the chief, should I be tied by a rope?"

And they went and took the rope and beat it. And the rope said, "I am a rope, you are beating me, what have I done?" And they said, "You are the rope which ties the cat, and the cat eats the rat, and the rat bores through the mud wall, and the mud wall stops the south wind, and the south wind threw down the calabash, and it struck our teacher Goso: you should not do it." And the rope said, "If I were the chief, should I be cut by a knife?"

And they went and took the knife and beat it. And the knife said, "Do you beat me? what have I done?" And they said, "You are the knife which cuts the rope, and the rope ties the cat, and the cat eats the rat, and the rat bores through the mud wall, and the mud wall stops the south wind, and the south wind threw down the calabash, and it struck our teacher Goso: you should not do it."