Page:Swahili tales.djvu/51

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SULTAN DARAI.
31

up." The woman went, and went into the kitchen, and served up three plates: one plate for her husband, one plate for her husband's child, and one plate for her own child. And two of the plates were of good rice, her husband's plate and her own child's plate; and into her husband's child's plate she had put the dried skin of the rice and what was scorched, and the head of the fish—this was what she gave her. Her husband had rice brought him, and her child took her rice, and her husband's child took the dried part that was scorched; and the man's soul was grieved because he could not eat out of one dish along with his child, but he did not dare to speak to the woman.

And he said, "Mistress, have the children eaten?" And she said, "I have given them their shares; they have eaten, she and her sister." And he said, "Well then, give me some water that I may wash;" and the husband washed his hands, and went out.

And his child there, where she was behind, had not eaten that rice, crying and sorrowing to see her companion having good rice and she eating dry stuff. And she left the dry stuff, and went as far as to her mother's grave; and she went grieving very much and crying very much.

And going round behind the grave she saw a tango plant, and she looked down and saw tangos, and plucked two, eating one and taking the other to make a doll of it. Till when she reached home,—"Where did you get that tango?" And she said, "I plucked it in people's shambas [gardens]." And she said, "Bring me the tango." And she took it away from her, and gave it to her own daughter. And she sat down and cried.

When her father came out and found the girl crying—"Halloo! mother, what are you crying about?" And she said, "There is nothing the matter with me." "Are you crying for nothing? you have something on your mind;