just accident . . . Goare go shuioa go elui ruri—(when men die they depart for ever—)they hadn't seen him fall . . hunting, one watches the hunt . . . a stray arrow . . . Konombju at her feet . . .
preparations for the funeral feast ... the seven wives of Konombju went to the new chief's hut . . . Mrabo . . . one . . two . . three . . he counted . . . no Sahdji . . .six . .seven . . no Sahdji. . .
the funeral procession filed past the door . . . and Mrabo. . . Mrabo went too . . the drums beat their boom . . boom. . . deep pulsing heart-quivering boom . . . and the reeds added their weird dirge . . . the procession moved on . . .on to Konombju's hut . . . boom . . b-o-o-m. . . . .
there from the doorway stepped Sahdji . . . painted in the funeral red . . . the flames from the ground are already catching the branches . . . slowly to the funeral drums she swayed . . . danced. . . leading Konombju to his grave . . . her grave . . . their grave.
they laid the body in the funeral hut . . . Goa shoa motho go sale motho)))(when a man dies a man remains)—Sahdji danced slowly . . . sadly . . . looked at Mrabo and smiled . . . slowly triumphantly . . . and to the wails of the wives . . . boom-boom of the drums . . . gave herself again to Konombju . . . the grass-strewn couch of Konombju. . .
Mrabo stood unflinching . . . but Numbo, silly Numbo had made an old . . old man of Mrabo.
