came, the Rooster flapped his wings,—"Puk puk puk," and said,—"Who is calling Saidu?" The Wild Cat saw that day had broken, (so) he ran away to his hiding-place. In the evening they again met, so he (Wild Cat) said,—"How (was it) I came (last) night and was calling you, and did not hear you?" Then he (Rooster) said,—"Ah, I went to the bedroom. I was sleepy." So he said,—"Very well. To-day we shall talk. Do not go into the house." So he (Rooster) said,—"Very well." So he (Wild Cat) went away. When midnight came, he returned, he came, and (began) calling,—"Mabayi, Mabayi." The Rooster did not answer. He again called,—"Mabayi, Mabayi." The Rooster said,—"Who is calling Mabayi? Then the Wild Cat said,—"An angry one, an angry one" (thing of anger). Then he (Wild Cat) said,—"Are you not coming out?" He (Rooster) said,—"No, (not) until the morning." So, when dawn came, the Rooster went,—"Chikkakalike, chikkakalike, chikkakalike." In the evening again they met, and the Wild Cat said,—"How is it that I came last night and called you 'Mabayi,' and did not hear you?" Then he (Rooster) said,—"Oh, no, I certainly replied." He (Wild Cat) said,—"Very well. To-day we shall talk. Do not enter the house." He (Rooster) said,—"Very well." They were playing, and playing, and playing, when the Wild Cat squeezed him. Then he went "Kurait." Then the people of the house said,—"Who is it?" So the Wild Cat said,—"It is we. We are playing." Then the Rooster said,—"What kind of play (is this), so (fierce that) I drop dirt?" Then he (Wild Cat) said,—"May I touch this red on your head and taste it?" When the Rooster had put down his head, the Wild Cat twisted off the head and ate (it). Then the young cocks (began) saying, a little way off,—"Friendship, friendship." ^^ The Wild Cat said,—"Friendship for what?" Then he took the flesh of the Rooster's body, and took it into the bush. From that time the friendship of the Cock and the Wild Cat was ended.
A. J. N. Tremearne.
(To be continued.)
To represent the sounds of the rooster.
