Page:Swahili tales.djvu/127

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SULTAN DARAI.
107

And those gentlefolks loved the gazelle with a very great love, such as had no like. And those their slaves looked upon the gazelle as the apple of their eye, they loved it so, and they thought it so sweet.

And it asked the gentry, "Have you had enough?" And they said, "Here as we are, even breath we see to be little to us." And it asked, "You my fellow-servants, men and women, if anybody is hungry, don't hide it from me." And they said, "We are not hungry." And it said, "Come then, gentlefolk, let us go our way." And they arose and went until five o'clock was past, and it told the gentry, "There is no travelling in the night." And it said, "Let us stay here," and they sat down. And food was brought, and they ate, gentry and slaves, and were filled, gentry and slaves, and were glad, gentry and slaves, for the honour they received from the gazelle. And they looked upon it as very great, although it was a gazelle, and they thought more of it than of its master, Sultan Darai. And it began from the beginning to the end, the gentry in their place, the great in his place, and the small in his place, and the slaves in their place. And then it returned, and came and slept till the first cock crowed. And it arose, and spoke to its master, and it said, "Master." And he said, "Here, father;" and he answered, "here, my loved one, here, putter on of my clothes, tell me what you have to say, father." And it said, "Here where we are, and the house where we are going, as I think, I for myself should like that we leave this early." And he said, "Very good." "Then I will wake up the gentry, that they may open their mouths early, so that we may go on our way." And it said, "Noon will not come before we shall see the town." And he said, "Very good."

And it awoke them, "Gentry! gentry!" And they answered, "Here." And it said, "Get up and wash your