Then the cattle-herds answered, "We ourselves even must fly, and what can we do to help you?" Hardly had they saw this than, lo and behold, up came the savage creatures and attacked the cattle-herds, and the oxen they were tending, so that few escaped, the majority being killed; but they did not reach Rafara, for she had gone.
And after a while again, Rafara passed by the rice-weeders, and sang to them—
"I say, O rice-weeders yonder!
I say, O rice-weeders yonder!
Help, help, say I,
Rafaravavimanombana,
For pursued by savage beasts!"
Then answered the rice-weeders, "We ourselves are but women, and how can we help such a lass as you? for if that's the case we also must fly." Hardly had they said this when, behold! up came the fosa and the antamba, and attacked the women, and devoured many of them, and only a few escaped, but again they missed Rafara, who had gone some way further. Then she passed by the reapers, and sang out to them—
"I say, O reapers yonder!
I say, reapers yonder!
Help, help, say I,
Ifaravavimanombana,
For pursued by savage beasts!"
Then answered the reapers, "We ourselves, ma'am, must fly if that is the case, and how can we help you?" Then up come the fosa and antamba and attacked the reapers, and many were destroyed, and few escaped; but again Rafara was far away. Then she passed by the people dragging stones [for making a tomb] and called out—
"I say, O people dragging stones!
I say, O people dragging stones!
Help, help, say I,
Ifaravavimanombana,
For pursued by savage beasts!"
So the stone-draggers replied "Nonsense, ma'am, how can we save you from these beasts?" Then up came the savage creatures and attacked the people, and few were able to escape; but again Rafara had gone, and they did not overtake her. And after Rafara had gone
