Page:Swahili tales.djvu/41

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SULTAN DARAI.
21

to eat, and when they had done they washed their hands and got up.

And he said, "Wife, bring me the tambuu (betel leaf, &c.). Why is there no tobacco in it? Uncover the end of the bedstead, I remember putting away some tobacco yesterday, so look and bring it me." The woman went and uncovered the end of the bedstead, without finding the tobacco. She said, "Master." He said, "Yes, mistress." "What is the good of uncovering the bedstead? I have not found any tobacco." And he said, "Look carefully and gently; if you look in a hurry you will find nothing." "Eh! master, I do look gently, and I see no tobacco." He said, "Look about the feet." The woman uncovered the bedstead without seeing the tobacco. He said, "Eh, you mistress, I daresay you went to the bedstead there in a hurry. I think you have thrown the tobacco down." She said, "It has not fallen down, master. If you don't believe it, I will take a lamp and show a light here under the bedstead, and if your tobacco is there I shall see it." "Well, show a light quickly. I have folded up the tambuu already, I am only waiting for this tobacco; you are all day looking for it as if it had been a needle, so you don't see it; you would much sooner see this tobacco; it was a whole twist, not a little bit." "Ah, master, I can't; come and look yourself along with me here." "I am not coming, I am tired; take off all the mats and look. Where can this tobacco be gone to? Eh! eh! my wife, I forgot; it is inside the side piece of the little bedstead." "Ah! now you, you wanted to give me trouble, and you know where you put the tobacco. You wanted to give me trouble, me, the child of your equal." And taking the tobacco from under the side piece, she brought it to him. "Take hold of your tobacco; you are not in your senses, before one's food has got down into one's stomach, to begin to worry one." "Ah, wife, I am tired, and I had