Page:Swahili tales.djvu/467

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STORY OF LIONGO.
447

him, "Very well, go on, play." And he said, "Let one take the horn, and one take the cymbals, and one take the upato." And they said, "How shall we play them?" And he tanght them to play, and they played.

And he himself there, where he was inside, sang, till when the music was in full swing, he took a file and cut his fetters. When the music dropped, he too left off and sang, and when they played he cut his fetters.

And the people knew nothing of what was going on inside till the fetters were divided, and he cut the chains till they were divided. And the people knew nothing of it through their delight in the music. When they looked up, he had broken the door and come out to them outside. And they threw their instruments away to run, without being quick enough; and he caught them and knocked their heads together and killed them. And he went outside the town, and took leave of his mother, "to see one another again."

And he went away into the forest, and stayed many days, harassing people as before, and killing people.

And they sent crafty men, and told them, "Go and make him your friend, so as to kill him." And they went fearingly. And when they arrived they made a friendship with him. Till one day they said to him, "Sultan, let us entertain one another." And Liongo answered them—

"Hila kikoa halipani nikatamno?"

Which means, "If I eat of an entertainment, what shall I give in return, I who am excessively poor?" And they said to him, "Let us entertain one another with koma fruit." And he asked them, "How shall we eat them?" And they said, "One shall climb into the koma tree, and throw them down for us to eat. When we have done, let