THE WOMAN AND THE CROCODILE.
Once upon a time there was a certain old woman who was crossing a stream, and was carried away by a crocodile. The beast had its hole by the river-side, and there he carried the old lady; and placing her there he watched her well lest she should be still living, and then went away; but returning again gave her a bite, while she did not stir, but pretended to be dead.
So the crocodile went off to seek more prey, leaving his prize to become corrupt before eating (for that, they say, is its custom), and went to fetch its companions to share in the spoil. But towards evening, there happened to be some bulls fighting just above the hole; and the earth covering it gave way, so that the foot of one of the animals came through into the crocodile's den. So the old lady grasped it fast and kept hold while the bull drew it out, and so came safely into daylight. And upon that she laid a curse upon all her descendants never to eat beef from henceforth. And there certainly were people to the eastward (among the Bézànozàno) who abstained from beef; and it is said there are still those who do so up to the present day.[1]
THE HEDGEHOG AND THE RAT.
Once upon a time they say that the hedgehog and the rat chanced to be amusing themselves at the foot of a rock; and the rat, it is said, gave advice to the hedgehog thus: "I perceive, Mr. Hedgehog, that you are mother's brother's son, so I don't deceive you, but tell you the truth. There up in the tree are some good things to eat." The hedgehog answered, "I knew that long ago, but that belongs to the birds, and I'm afraid of them." The rat answered again, "When the birds come, then jump down." But the hedgehog declined, and would not consent.
And another day these two chanced to meet; so the rat led the hedgehog climbing up a very high rock; but he was exhausted through the heat of the sun; so the hedgehog died there, and was devoured by the rat. Then the rat, they say, wept, but made a jest of him, saying: "A hedgehog climbing a rock and can't get halfway."
- ↑ On the semi-sacred character of the ox, see my The Great African Island, p. 271; and Folk-Lore Record, vol. ii. p. 23.
