Page:Swahili tales.djvu/45

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SULTAN DARAI.
25

no mother; my mother there is dead; it is only you who have a mother; you are given good rice to eat; go along then to your mother." "Oh, sister, don't be angry; let us go and eat." "I shall not go there, bring me mine here where I am."

She arose and went and called her mother. She answered her, "My child, where is your sister?" She said, "I have called her and she won't come; she told me to take her her rice there where she is." She said, "Where is she?" She said, "There, behind in the yard." "Take it and carry it to her." The girl took it and went, and carried it to her. "Sister, sister, I have been given this rice to bring to you." She said, "Leave it here and I will eat." She put down the rice and took her way and went.

"Well! you have given your sister her rice?" "I have given it to her, but she has not begun to eat; she told me to put it down in the yard, and I put it down." "Very well; sit down and eat your own rice." So she ate and finished it.

"See if your sister has done eating." She went and found her bending down, and shedding tears, thinking over how she was treated by her father's wife. And she called, "My sister, don't cry so much, your head will ache; you had better eat your rice." She said, "My soul is angry, and I am thinking over my circumstances in my soul. The rice will not go down, and I am hungry." "Why so, my sister?" She said, "It is so." And she took the rice and gave it to the goat.

Just then her father came and knocked, "Hodi!" The wife answered, "Hodi, come in, master!" And she said, "What is the news by the shore?" "Good, the sun is fierce; give me a little water to drink." He was given water, and drank. He called, "Mistress." "Here, master." "Is the food done?" "Oh, it was done long ago, master, and