Page:Swahili tales.djvu/413

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BLESSING OR PROPERTY.

There was a man and his wife, and they prayed to God to get a child; and they got first a son and next a daughter. And their father's employment was to cut up firewood. And they remained till the children were grown up. And their father was seized by disease. And he called his children, and asked them, "Will you have blessing or property?" And the son said, "I will have property." And the daughter said, "I will have blessing." And her father gave her much blessing. And her father died.

And they kept the mourning, and when they arose their mother fell sick; and she called her children and said to them, "Will you have blessing or property?" and the son said, "I will have property." And the daughter said, "I will have blessing." And her mother gave her blessing. And their mother died.

And they kept their mourning, and when they arose the seventh day was come. And the son went and told the woman, his sister, "Put out all my father's and mother's things." And the woman put them out, without his leaving her anything. And he took them all away.

And people said to him, "Will you not leave even any little thing for this your sister?" And he said, "I shall