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〃Say；　captain；〃　quoth　Umslopogaas；　drawing　back　his　hood　of　wolf's

hide　so　that　the　moonlight　fell　upon　his　face；　〃is　this　the　face　of

that　youth　whom　you　sought？〃



〃It　is　the　face；〃　answered　the　captain；　astonished。



〃Ay；〃　laughed　Umslopogaas；　〃it　is　the　face。　Fool！　I　knew　your　errand

and　heard　your　words；　and　thus　have　I　answered　them。〃　And　he　pointed

to　the　dead。　〃Now　choose；　and　swiftly。　Will　you　run　for　your　life

against　my　wolves？　Will　you　do　battle　for　your　life　against　these

four？〃　And　he　pointed　to　Greysnout　and　to　Blackfang；　to　Blood　and　to

Deathgrip；　who　watched　him　with　slavering　lips；　〃or　will　you　stand

face　to　face　with　me；　and　if　I　am　slain；　with　him　who　bears　the　club；

and　with　whom　I　rule　this　people　black　and　grey？〃



〃I　fear　ghosts；　but　of　men　I　have　no　fear；　though　they　be　wizards；〃

answered　the　captain。



〃Good！〃　cried　Umslopogaas；　shaking　his　spear。



Then　they　rushed　together；　and　that　fray　was　fierce。　For　presently　the

spear　of　Umslopogaas　was　broken　in　the　shield　of　the　captain　and　he

was　left　weaponless。　Now　Umslopogaas　turned　and　fled　swiftly；　bounding

over　the　dead　and　the　wolves　who　preyed　upon　them；　and　the　captain

followed　with　uplifted　spear；　and　mocked　him　as　he　came。　Galazi　also

wondered　that　Umslopogaas　should　fly　from　a　single　man。　Hither　and

thither　fled　Umslopogaas；　and　always　his　eyes　were　on　the　earth。　Of　a

sudden；　Galazi；　who　watched；　saw　him　sweep　forward　like　a　bird　and

stoop　to　the　ground。　Then　he　wheeled　round；　and　lo！　there　was　an　axe

in　his　hand。　The　captain　rushed　at　him；　and　Umslopogaas　smote　as　he

rushed；　and　the　blade　of　the　great　spear　that　was　lifted　to　pierce　him

fell　to　the　ground　hewn　from　its　haft。　Again　Umslopogaas　smote：　the

moon…shaped　axe　sank　through　the　stout　shield　deep　into　the　breast

beyond。　Then　the　captain　threw　up　his　arms　and　fell　to　the　earth。



〃Ah！〃　cried　Umslopogaas；　〃you　sought　a　youth　to　slay　him；　and　have

found　an　axe　to　be　slain　by　it！　Sleep　softly；　captain　of　Chaka。〃



Then　Umslopogaas　spoke　to　Galazi；　saying：　〃My　brother；　I　will　fight　no

more　with　the　spear；　but　with　the　axe　alone；　it　was　to　seek　an　axe

that　I　ran　to　and　fro　like　a　coward。　But　this　is　a　poor　thing！　See；

the　haft　is　split　because　of　the　greatness　of　my　stroke！　Now　this　is

my　desireto　win　that　great　axe　of　Jikiza；　which　is　called　Groan…

Maker；　of　which　we　have　heard　tell；　so　that　axe　and　club　may　stand

together　in　the　fray。〃



〃That　must　be　for　another　night；〃　said　Galazi。　〃We　have　not　done　so

ill　for　once。　Now　let　us　search　for　pots　and　corn；　of　which　we　stand

in　need；　and　then　to　the　mountain　before　dawn　finds　us。〃



Thus；　then；　did　the　Wolf…Brethren　bring　death　on　the　impi　of　Chaka；

and　this　was　but　the　first　of　many　deaths　that　they　wrought　with　the

help　of　the　wolves。　For　ever　they　ravened　through　the　land　at　night；

and；　falling　on　those　they　hated；　they　ate　them　up；　till　their　name

and　the　name　of　the　ghost…wolves　became　terrible　in　the　ears　of　men；

and　the　land　was　swept　clean。　But　they　found　that　the　wolves　would　not

go　abroad　to　worry　everywhere。　Thus；　on　a　certain　night；　they　set　out

to　fall　upon　the　kraals　of　the　People　of　the　Axe；　where　dwelt　the

chief　Jikiza；　who　was　named　the　Unconquered；　and　owned　the　axe　Groan…

Maker；　but　when　they　neared　the　kraal　the　wolves　turned　back　and　fled。

Then　Galazi　remembered　the　dream　that　he　had　dreamed；　in　which　the

Dead　One　in　the　cave　had　seemed　to　speak；　telling　him　that　there　only

where　the　men…eaters　had　hunted　in　the　past　might　the　wolves　hunt　to…

day。　So　they　returned　home；　but　Umslopogaas　set　himself　to　find　a　plan

to　win　the　axe。







CHAPTER　XVI



UMSLOPOGAAS　VENTURES　OUT　TO　WIN　THE　AXE



Now　many　moons　had　gone　by　since　Umslopogaas　became　a　king　of　the

wolves；　and　he　was　a　man　full　grown；　a　man　fierce　and　tall　and　keen；　a

slayer　of　men；　fleet　of　foot　and　of　valour　unequalled；　seeing　by　night

as　well　as　by　day。　But　he　was　not　yet　named　the　Slaughterer；　and　not

yet　did　he　hold　that　iron　chieftainess；　the　axe　Groan…Maker。　Still；

the　desire　to　win　the　axe　was　foremost　in　his　mind；　for　no　woman　had

entered　there；　who　when　she　enters　drives　out　all　other　desireay；　my

father；　even　that　of　good　weapons。　At　times；　indeed；　Umslopogaas　would

lurk　in　the　reeds　by　the　river　looking　at　the　kraal　of　Jikiza　the

Unconquered；　and　would　watch　the　gates　of　his　kraal；　and　once　as　he

lurked　he　saw　a　man　great；　broad　and　hairy；　who　bore　upon　his　shoulder

a　shining　axe；　hafted　with　the　horn　of　a　rhinoceros。　After　that　his

greed　for　this　axe　entered　into　Umslopogaas　more　and　more；　till　at

length　he　scarcely　could　sleep　for　thinking　of　it；　and　to　Galazi　he

spoke　of　little　else；　wearying　him　much　with　his　talk；　for　Galazi

loved　silence。　But　for　all　his　longing　he　could　find　no　means　to　win

it。



Now　it　befell　that　as　Umslopogaas　hid　one　evening　in　the　reeds；

watching　the　kraal　of　Jikiza；　he　saw　a　maiden　straight　and　fair；　whose

skin　shone　like　the　copper　anklets　on　her　limbs。　She　walked　slowly

towards　the　reeds　where　he　lay　hidden。　Nor　did　she　top　at　the　brink　of

the　reeds；　she　entered　them　and　sat　herself　down　within　a　spear's

length　of　where　Umslopogaas　was　seated；　and　at　once　began　to　weep；

speaking　to　herself　as　she　wept。



〃Would　that　the　ghost…wolves　might　fall　on　him　and　all　that　is　his；〃

she　sobbed；　〃ay；　and　on　Masilo　also！　I　would　hound　them　on；　even　if　I

myself　must　next　know　their　fangs。　Better　to　die　by　the　teeth　of　the

wolves　than　to　be　sold　to　this　fat　pig　of　a　Masilo。　Oh！　if　I　must　wed

him；　I　will　give　him　a　knife　for　the　bride's　kiss。　Oh！　that　I　were　a

lady　of　the　ghost…wolves；　there　should　be　a　picking　of　bones　in　the

kraal　of　Jikiza　before　the　moon　grows　young　again。〃



Umslopogaas　heard；　and　of　a　sudden　reared　himself　up　before　the　maid；

and　he　was　great　and　wild　to　look　on；　and　the　she…wolf's　fangs　shone

upon　his　brow。



〃The　ghost…wolves　are　at　hand；　damsel；〃　he　said。　〃They　are　ever　at

hand　for　those　who　need　them。〃



Now　the　maid　saw　him　and　screamed　faintly；　then　grew　silent；　wondering

at　the　greatness　and　the　fierce　eyes　of　the　man　who　spoke　to　her。



〃Who　are　you？〃　she　asked。　〃I　fear　you　not；　whoever　you　are。〃



〃There　you　are　wrong；　damsel；　for　all　men　fear　me；　and　they　have　cause

to　fear。　I　am　one　of　the　Wolf…Brethren；　whose　names　have　been　told　of；

I　am　a　wizard　of　the　Ghost　Mountain。　Take　heed；　now；　lest　I　kill　you。

It　will　be　of　little　avail　to　call　upon　your　people；　for　my　feet　are

fleeter　than　theirs。〃



〃I　have　no　wish　to　call　upon　my　people；　Wolf…Man；〃　she　answered。　〃And

for　the　rest；　I　am　too　young　to　kill。〃



〃That　is　so；　maiden；〃　answered　Umslopogaas；　looking　at　her　beauty。

〃What　were　the　words　upon　your　lips　as　to　Jikiza　and　a　certain　Masilo？

Were　they　not　fierce　words；　such　as　my　heart　likes　well？〃



〃It　seems　that　you　heard　them；〃　answered　the　girl。　〃What　need　to　waste

breath　in　speaking　them　again？〃



〃No　need；　maiden。　Now　tell　me　your　story；　perhaps　I　may　find　a　way　to

help　you。〃



〃There　is　little　to　tell；〃　she　answered。　〃It　is　a　small　tale　and　a

common。　My　name　is　Zinita；　and　Jikiza　the　Unconquered　is　my　step…

father。　He　married　my　mother；　who　is　dead；　but　none　of　his　blood　is　in

me。　Now　he　would　give　me　in　marriage　to　a　certain　Masilo；　a　fat　man

and　an　old；　whom　I　hate；　because　Masilo　offers　many　cattle　for　me。〃



〃Is　there；　then；　another　whom　you　would　wed；　maiden？〃　asked

Umslopogaas。



〃There　is　none；〃　answered　Zinita；　looking　him　in　the　eyes。



〃And　is　there　no　path　by　which　you　may　escape　from　Masilo？〃



〃There　is　only　one　path；　Wolf…Manby　death。　If　I　die；　I　shall　escape；

if　Masilo　dies；　I　shall　escape；　but　to　little　end；　for　I　shall　be

given　to　another；　but　if　Jikiza　dies；　then　it　will　be　well。　What　of

that　wolf…people　of　yours；　are　they　not　hungry；　Wolf…Man？〃



〃I　cannot　bring　them　here；〃　answered　Umslopogaas。　〃Is　there　no　other

way？〃



〃There　is　another　way；〃　said　Zinita；　〃if　one　can　be　found　to　try　it。〃

And　again　she　looked　at　him　strangely；　causing　the　blood　to　beat

within　him。　〃Hearken！　do　you　not　know　how　our　people　are　governed？

They　are　governed　by　him　who　holds　the　axe　Groan…Maker。　He　that　can

win　the　axe　in　war　from　the　hand　of　him　who　holds　it；　shall　be　our

chief。　But　if　he　who　holds　the　axe　dies　unconquered；　then　his　son

takes　his　place　and　with　it　the　axe。　It　has　been　thus；　indeed；　for

four　generations；　since　he　who　held　Groan…Maker　has　always　been

unconquerable。　But　I　have　heard　that　the　great…grandfather　of　Jikiza

won　the　axe　from　him　who　held　it　in　his　day；　he　won　it　by　fraud。　For

when　the　axe　had　fallen　on　him　but　lightly；　he　fell　over；　feigning

death。　Then　the　owner　of　the　axe　laughed；　and　turned　to　walk　away。　But

the　forefather　of　Jikiza　sprang　up　behind　him　and　pierced　him　through

with　a　spear；　and　thus　he　became　chief　of　the　People　of　the　Axe。

Therefore；　it　is　the　custom　of　Jikiza　to　hew　off　the　heads　of　those