not treated you as the mass of the stars, but as the 'Three-make-a- fathom ' [the native name for Orion's belt], and so I tell you about it. So I beseech you do what will render her lifeless; for if you two can kill, then my heart will be glad towards you." And when the two animals heard that, they agreed and gave him encouragement, saying, "Be of good cheer, for we will kill her, for this is just the opportunity for us to bear together the difficult and the bitter; so do you go on first, and we will follow afterwards."
But Rafara, it is said, had had a vision in sleep that some mischief was befalling her; besides which her father was a skilful diviner, and her mother was frequently inspired [to know things]. And so when she slept that night her mother was inspired; and early in the morning she spoke to her husband and daughter thus: "Alas, father and daughter! I cannot understand clearly the dream I had in the night about this lass." "What was that?" said the old man. So the wife replied, "I was inspired [lit. "pressed by something"] in the night; this lass had two big beasts set upon her by some one, and she will be killed if she does not change her home and fly." And the father was startled and said, "Where is the basket with my divining appliances?[1] that I may at one stroke work some counter-charm." So his wife handed him the basket with the divining appliances, which he took and worked. And when the result had been obtained, he was amazed, for [it showed] the two fierce animals fallen by the way; so he was astonished, for the divination also showed what his wife had seen in vision. Then he worked the oracle again, in order to know what road his daughter should take—north or south, west or east. And the north was given by the divination as favourable. So the girl was bidden by her father and mother to go. And hardly had she gone when the two fierce and big creatures came; but they missed Rafara, who had got clear away. So the beasts were astonished that they had not overtaken her, and turned northwards to scent the way which Rafara had taken; they got the scent and the two made haste to follow after her. But Rafara on her part made all speed; and as she passed the cattle-herds she sang—
"O cattle-herds yonder, O!
O cattle-herds yonder, O!
Help, help, say I,
Rafaravavimanombana,
For pursued by savage beasts!"
- ↑ Usually beans or stones together with sand.
