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The Story of an African Farm
by Olive Schreiner （Ralph Iron）
Preface。
I have to thank cordially the public and my critics for the reception they
have given this little book。
Dealing with a subject that is far removed from the round of English daily
life； it of necessity lacks the charm that hangs about the ideal
representation of familiar things； and its reception has therefore been the
more kindly。
A word of explanation is necessary。 Two strangers appear on the scene； and
some have fancied that in the second they have again the first； who returns
in a new guise。 Why this should be we cannot tell； unless there is a
feeling that a man should not appear upon the scene； and then disappear；
leaving behind him no more substantial trace than a mere book； that he
should return later on as husband or lover； to fill some more important
part than that of the mere stimulator of thought。
Human life may be painted according to two methods。 There is the stage
method。 According to that each character is duly marshalled at first； and
ticketed； we know with an immutable certainty that at the right crises each
one will reappear and act his part； and； when the curtain falls； all will
stand before it bowing。 There is a sense of satisfaction in this； and of
completeness。 But there is another methodthe method of the life we all
lead。 Here nothing can be prophesied。 There is a strange coming and going
of feet。 Men appear； act and re…act upon each other； and pass away。 When
the crisis comes the man who would fit it does not return。 When the
curtain falls no one is ready。 When the footlights are brightest they are
blown out； and what the name of the play is no one knows。 If there sits a
spectator who knows； he sits so high that the players in the gaslight
cannot hear his breathing。 Life may be painted according to either method；
but the methods are different。 The canons of criticism that bear upon the
one cut cruelly upon the other。
It has been suggested by a kind critic that he would better have liked the
little book if it had been a history of wild adventure； of cattle driven
into inaccessible kranzes by Bushmen； 〃of encounters with ravening lions；
and hair…breadth escapes。〃 This could not be。 Such works are best written
in Piccadilly or in the Strand： there the gifts of the creative
imagination； untrammelled by contact with any fact； may spread their wings。
But； should one sit down to paint the scenes among which he has grown； he
will find that the facts creep in upon him。 Those brilliant phases and
shapes which the imagination sees in far…off lands are not for him to
portray。 Sadly he must squeeze the colour from his brush； and dip it into
the gray pigments around him。 He must paint what lies before him。
R。 Iron。
。。。
〃We must see the first images which the external world casts upon the dark
mirror of his mind； or must hear the first words which awaken the sleeping
powers of thought； and stand by his earliest efforts； if we would
understand the prejudices； the habits； and the passions that will rule his
life。 The entire man is； so to speak； to be found in the cradle of the
child。〃
Alexis de Tocqueville。
。。。
Glossary。
Several Dutch and Colonial words occurring in this work； the subjoined
Glossary is given； explaining the principal。
Alle wereld！ … Gosh！
Aasvogels … Vultures。
Benauwdheid … Indigestion。
Brakje … A little cur of low degree。
Bultong … Dried meat。
Coop … Hide and Seek。
Inspan … To harness。
Kapje … A sun…bonnet。
Karoo … The wide sandy plains in some parts of South Africa。
Karoo…bushes … The bushes that take the place of grass on these plains。
Kartel … The wooden…bed fastened in an ox…wagon。
Kloof … A ravine。
Kopje … A small hillock； or 〃little head。〃
Kraal … The space surrounded by a stone wall or hedged with thorn branches；
into which sheep or cattle are driven at night。
Mealies … Indian corn。
Meerkat … A small weazel…like animal。
Meiboss … Preserved and dried apricots。
Nachtmaal … The Lord's Supper。
Oom … Uncle。
Outspan … To unharness； or a place in the field where one unharnesses。
Pap … Porridge。
Predikant … Parson。
Riem … Leather rope。
Sarsarties … Food。
Sleg … Bad。
Sloot … A dry watercourse。
Spook … To haunt； a ghost。
Stamp…block … A wooden block； hollowed out； in which mealies are placed to
be pounded before being cooked。
Stoep … Porch。
Tant or Tante … Aunt。
Upsitting … In Boer courtship the man and girl are supposed to sit up
together the whole night。
Veld … Open country。
Velschoen … Shoes of undressed leather。
Vrijer … Available man。
Contents。
Part I。
Chapter 1。I。 Shadows From Child Life。
Chapter 1。II。 Plans and Bushman Paintings。
Chapter 1。III。 I Was A Stranger； and Ye Took Me In。
Chapter 1。IV。 Blessed is He That Believeth。
Chapter 1。V。 Sunday Services。
Chapter 1。VI。 Bonaparte Blenkins Makes His Nest。
Chapter 1。VII。 He Sets His Trap。
Chapter 1。VIII。 He Catches the Old Bird。
Chapter 1。IX。 He Sees A Ghost。
Chapter 1。X。 He Shows His Teeth。
Chapter 1。XI。 He Snaps。
Chapter 1。XII。 He Bites。
Chapter 1。XIII。 He Makes Love。
Part II。
Chapter 2。I。 Times and Seasons。
Chapter 2。II。 Waldo's Stranger。
Chapter 2。III。 Gregory Rose Finds His Affinity。
Chapter 2。IV。 Lyndall。
Chapter 2。V。 Tant Sannie Holds An Upsitting； and Gregory Writes A Letter。
Chapter 2。VI。 A Boer…wedding。
Chapter 2。VII。 Waldo Goes Out to Taste Life； and Em Stays At Home and
Tastes It。
Chapter 2。VIII。 The Kopje。
Chapter 2。IX。 Lyndall's Stranger。
Chapter 2。X。 Gregory Rose Has An Idea。
Chapter 2。XI。 An Unfinished Letter。
Chapter 2。XII。 Gregory's Womanhood。
Chapter 2。XIII。 Dreams。
Chapter 2。XIV。 Waldo Goes Out to Sit in the Sunshine。
THE STORY OF AN AFRICAN FARM
Part I。
Chapter 1。I。 Shadows From Child…Life。
。。。
The Watch。
The full African moon poured down its light from the blue sky into the
wide； lonely plain。 The dry； sandy earth； with its coating of stunted
karoo bushes a few inches high； the low hills that skirted the plain； the
milk…bushes with their long finger…like leaves； all were touched by a weird
and an almost oppressive beauty as they lay in the white light。
In one spot only was the solemn monotony of the plain broken。 Near the
centre a small solitary kopje rose。 Alone it lay there； a heap of round
ironstones piled one upon another； as over some giant's grave。 Here and
there a few tufts of grass or small succulent plants had sprung up among
its stones； and on the very summit a clump of prickly…pears lifted their
thorny arms； and reflected； as from mirrors； the moonlight on their broad
fleshy leaves。 At the foot of the kopje lay the homestead。 First； the
stone…walled sheep kraals and Kaffer huts； beyond them the dwelling…house
a square； red…brick building with thatched roof。 Even on its bare red
walls； and the wooden ladder that led up to the loft； the moonlight cast a
kind of dreamy beauty； and quite etherealized the low brick wall that ran
before the house； and which inclosed a bare patch of sand and two
straggling sunflowers。 On the zinc roof of the great open wagon…house； on
the roofs of the outbuildings that jutted from its side； the moonlight
glinted with a quite peculiar brightness； till it seemed that every rib in
the metal was of burnished silver。
Sleep ruled everywhere； and the homestead was not less quiet than the
solitary plain。
In the farmhouse； on her great wooden bedstead； Tant Sannie； the Boer…
woman； rolled heavily in her sleep。
She had gone to bed； as she always did； in her clothes； and the night was
warm and the room close； and she dreamed bad dreams。 Not of the ghosts and
devils that so haunted her waking thoughts； not of her second husband the
consumptive Englishman； whose grave lay away beyond the ostrich…camps； nor
of her first； the young Boer； but only of the sheep's trotters she had
eaten for supper that night。 She dreamed that one stuck fast in her
throat； and she rolled her huge form from side to side； and snorted
horribly。
In the next room； where the maid had forgotten to close the shutter； the
white moonlight fell in in a flood； and made it light as day。 There were
two small beds against the wall。 In one lay a yellow…haired child； with a
low forehead and a face of freckles； but the loving moonlight hid defects
here as elsewhere； and showed only the innocent face of a child in its
first sweet sleep。
The figure in the companion bed belonged of right to the moonlight； for it
was of quite elfin…like beauty。 The child had dropped her cover on the
floor； and the moonlight looked in at the naked little limbs。 Present
