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sturdier　build。　His　eyes　were　small；　and　twinkled　unceasingly　like

little　stars；　and　his　look　was　very　wild；　for　now　and　again　he

grinned；　showing　his　white　teeth。



When　I　saw　Umslopogaas；　my　father；　my　bowels　melted　within　me；　and　I

longed　to　run　to　him　and　throw　myself　upon　his　neck。　Yet　I　took

council　with　myself　and　did　notnay；　I　dropped　the　corner　of　the

kaross　I　wrote　over　my　eyes；　hiding　my　face　lest　he　should　know　me。

Presently　he　stood　before　me；　searching　me　out　with　his　keen　eyes；　for

I　drew　forward　to　greet　him。



〃Greeting；　Mouth　of　Dingaan！〃　he　said　in　a　loud　voice。　〃You　are　a

little　man　to　be　the　mouth　of　so　big　a　chief。〃



〃The　mouth　is　a　little　member；　even　of　the　body　of　a　great　king；　O

Chief　Bulalio；　ruler　of　the　People　of　the　Axe；　wizard　of　the　wolves

that　are　upon　the　Ghost　Mountain；　who　aforetime　was　named　Umslopogaas；

son　of　Mopo；　son　of　Makedama。〃



Now　when　Umslopogaas　heard　these　words　he　started　like　a　child　at　a

rustling　in　the　dark　and　stared　hard　at　me。



〃You　are　well　instructed；〃　he　said。



〃The　ears　of　the　king　are　large；　if　his　mouth　be　small；　O　Chief

Bulalio；〃　I　answered；　〃and　I；　who　am　but　the　mouth；　speak　what　the

ears　have　heard。〃



〃How　know　you　that　I　have　dwelt　with　the　wolves　upon　the　Ghost

Mountain；　O　Mouth？〃　he　asked。



〃The　eyes　of　the　king　see　far；　O　Chief　Bulalio。　Thus　last　night　they

saw　a　great　chase　and　a　merry。　It　seems　that　they　saw　a　koodoo　bull

running　at　speed；　and　after　him　countless　wolves　making　their　music；

and　with　the　wolves　two　men　clad　in　wolves'　skins；　such　men　as　you；

Bulalio；　and　he　with　the　club　who　follows　you。〃



Now　Umslopogaas　lifted　the　axe　Groan…Maker　as　though　he　would　cut　me

down；　then　let　it　fall　again；　while　Galazi　the　Wolf　glared　at　me　with

wide…opened　eyes。



〃How　know　you　that　once　I　was　named　Umslopogaas；　who　have　lost　that

name　these　many　days？　Speak；　O　Mouth；　lest　I　kill　you。〃



〃Slay　if　you　will；　Umslopogaas；〃　I　answered；　〃but　know　that　when　the

brains　are　scattered　the　mouth　is　dumb。　He　who　scatters　brains　loses

wisdom。〃



〃Answer！〃　he　said。



〃I　answer　not。　Who　are　you　that　I　should　answer　you？　I　know；　it　is

enough。　To　my　business。〃



Now　Umslopogaas　ground　his　teeth　in　anger。　〃I　am　not　wont　to　be

thwarted　here　in　my　own　kraal；〃　he　said；　〃but　do　your　business。　Speak

it；　little　Mouth。〃



〃This　is　my　business；　little　Chief。　When　the　Black　One　who　is　gone　yet

lived；　you　sent　him　a　message　by　one　Masilosuch　a　message　as　his

ears　had　never　heard；　and　that　had　been　your　death；　O　fool　puffed　up

with　pride；　but　death　came　first　upon　the　Black　One；　and　his　hand　was

stayed。　Now　Dingaan；　whose　shadow　lies　upon　the　land；　the　king　whom　I

serve；　and　who　sits　in　the　place　of　the　Black　One　who　is　gone；　speaks

to　you　by　me；　his　mouth。　He　would　know　this：　if　it　is　true　that　you

refuse　to　own　his　sovereignty；　to　pay　tribute　to　him　in　men　and　maids

and　cattle；　and　to　serve　him　in　his　wars？　Answer；　you　little　headman！

answer　in　few　words　and　short！〃



Now　Umslopogaas　gasped　for　breath　in　his　rage；　and　again　he　fingered

the　great　axe。　〃It　is　well　for　you；　O　Mouth；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　swore

safe　conduct　to　you；　else　you　had　not　gone　henceelse　you　had　been

served　as　I　served　certain　soldiers　who　in　bygone　years　were　sent　to

search　out　one　Umslopogaas。　Yet　I　answer　you　in　few　words　and　short。

Look　on　those　spearsthey　are　but　a　fourth　part　of　the　number　I　can

muster：　that　is　my　answer。　Look　now　on　yonder　mountain；　the　mountain

of　ghosts　and　wolvesunknown；　impassable；　save　to　me　and　one　other：

that　is　my　answer。　Spears　and　mountains　shall　come　togetherthe

mountain　shall　be　alive　with　spears　and　with　the　fangs　of　beasts。　Let

Dingaan　seek　his　tribute　there！　I　have　spoken！〃



Now　I　laughed　shrilly；　desiring　to　try　the　heart　of　Umslopogaas；　my

fosterling；　yet　further。



〃Fool！〃　I　said。　〃Boy　with　the　brain　of　a　monkey；　for　every　spear　you

have　Dingaan；　whom　I　serve；　can　send　a　hundred；　and　your　mountain

shall　be　stamped　flat；　and　for　your　ghosts　and　wolves；　see；　with　the

mouth　of　Dingaan　I　spit　upon　them！〃　and　I　spat　upon　the　ground。



Now　Umslopogaas　shook　in　his　rage；　and　the　great　axe　glimmered　as　he

shook。　He　turned　to　the　captain　who　was　behind　him；　and　said：　〃Say；

Galazi　the　Wolf；　shall　we　kill　this　man　and　those　with　him？〃



〃Nay；〃　answered　the　Wolf；　grinning；　〃do　not　kill　them；　you　have　given

them　safe　conduct。　Moreover；　let　them　go　back　to　their　dog　of　a　king；

that　he　may　send　out　his　puppies　to　do　battle　with　our　wolves。　It　will

be　a　pretty　fight。〃



〃Get　you　gone；　O　Mouth；〃　said　Umslopogaas；　〃get　you　gone　swiftly；　lest

mischief　befall　you！　Without　my　gates　you　shall　find　food　to　satisfy

your　hunger。　Eat　of　it　and　begone；　for　if　to…morrow　at　the　noon　you

are　found　within　a　spear's　throw　of　this　kraal；　you　and　those　with　you

shall　bide　there　forever；　O　Mouth　of　Dingaan　the　king！〃



Now　I　made　as　though　I　would　depart；　then；　turning　suddenly；　I　spoke

once　more；　saying：



〃There　were　words　in　your　message　to　the　Black　One　who　is　dead　of　a

certain　mannay；　how　was　he　named？of　a　certain　Mopo。〃



Now　Umslopogaas　started　as　one　starts　who　is　wounded　by　a　spear；　and

stared　at　me。



〃Mopo！　What　of　Mopo；　O　Mouth；　whose　eyes　are　veiled？　Mopo　is　dead；

whose　son　I　was！〃



〃Ah！〃　I　said；　〃yes；　Mopo　is　deadthat　is；　the　Black　One　who　is　gone

killed　a　certain　Mopo。　How　came　it；　O　Bulalio；　that　you　were　his　son？〃



〃Mopo　is　dead；〃　quoth　Umslopogaas　again；　〃he　is　dead　with　all　his

house；　his　kraal　is　stamped　flat；　and　that　is　why　I　hated　the　Black

One；　and　therefore　I　hate　Dingaan；　his　brother；　and　will　be　as　are

Mopo　and　the　house　of　Mopo　before　I　pay　him　tribute　of　a　single　ox。〃



All　this　while　I　had　spoken　to　Umslopogaas　in　a　feigned　voice；　my

father；　but　now　I　spoke　again　and　in　my　own　voice；　saying：



〃So！　Now　you　speak　from　your　heart；　young　man；　and　by　digging　I　have

reached　the　root　of　the　matter。　It　is　because　of　this　dead　dog　of　a

Mopo　that　you　defy　the　king。〃



Umslopogaas　heard　the　voice；　and　trembled　no　more　with　anger；　but

rather　with　fear　and　wonder。　He　looked　at　me　hard；　answering　nothing。



〃Have　you　a　hut　near　by；　O　Chief　Bulalio；　foe　of　Dingaan　the　king；

where　I；　the　mouth　of　the　king；　may　speak　with　you　a　while　apart；　for

I　would　learn　your　message　word　by　word　that　I　may　deliver　it　without

fault。　Fear　not；　Slaughterer；　to　sit　alone　with　me　in　an　empty　hut！　I

am　unarmed　and　old；　and　there　is　that　in　your　hand　which　I　should

fear；〃　and　I　pointed　to　the　axe。



Now　Umslopogaas；　still　shaking　in　his　limbs；　answered　〃Follow　me；　O

Mouth；　and　you；　Galazi；　stay　with　these　men。〃



So　I　followed　Umslopogaas；　and　presently　we　came　to　a　large　hut。　He

pointed　to　the　doorway；　and　I　crept　through　it　and　he　followed　after

me。　Now　for　a　while　it　seemed　dark　in　the　hut；　for　the　sun　was　sinking

without　and　the　place　was　full　of　shadow；　so　I　waited　while　a　man

might　count　fifty；　till　our　eyes　could　search　the　darkness。　Then　of　a

sudden　I　threw　the　blanket　from　my　face　and　looked　into　the　yes　of

Umslopogaas。



〃Look　on　me　now；　O　Chief　Bulalio；　O　Slaughterer；　who　once　was　named

Umslopogaaslook　on　me　and　say　who　am　I？〃　Then　he　looked　at　me　and

his　jaw　fell。



〃Either　you　are　Mopo　my　father　grown　oldMopo；　who　is　dead；　or　the

Ghost　of　Mopo；〃　he　answered　in　a　low　voice。



〃I　am　Mopo；　your　father；　Umslopogaas；〃　I　said。　〃You　have　been　long　in

knowing　me；　who　knew　you　from　the　first。〃



Then　Umslopogaas　cried　aloud；　but　yet　softly；　and　letting　fall　the　axe

Groan…Maker；　he　flung　himself　upon　my　breast　and　wept　there。　And　I

wept　also。



〃Oh！　my　father；〃　he　said；　〃I　thought　that　you　were　dead　with　the

others；　and　now　you　have　come　back　to　me；　and　I；　I　would　have　lifted

the　axe　against　you　in　my　folly。　Oh；　it　is　well　that　I　have　lived；　and

not　died；　since　once　more　I　look　upon　your　facethe　face　that　I

thought　dead；　but　which　yet　lives；　though　it　be　sorely　changed；　as

though　by　grief　and　years。〃



〃Peace；　Umslopogaas；　my　son；〃　I　said。　〃I　also　deemed　you　dead　in　the

lion's　mouth；　though　in　truth　it　seemed　strange　to　me　that　any　other

man　than　Umslopogaas　could　have　wrought　the　deeds　which　I　have　heard

of　as　done　by　Bulalio；　Chief　of　the　People　of　the　Axeay；　and　thrown

defiance　in　the　teeth　of　Chaka。　But　you　are　not　dead；　and　I；　I　am　not

dead。　It　was　another　Mopo　whom　Chaka　killed；　I　slew　Chaka；　Chaka　did

not　slay　me。〃



〃And　of　Nada；　what　of　Nada；　my　sister？〃　he　said。



〃Macropha；　your　mother；　and　Nada；　your　sister；　are　dead；　Umslopogaas。

They　are　dead　at　the　hands　of　the　people　of　the　Halakazi；　who　dwell　in

Swaziland。〃



〃I　have　heard　of　that　people；〃　he　answered　presently；　〃and　so　has

Galazi　the　Wolf；　yonder。　He　has　a　hate　to　satisfy　against　themthey

murdered　his　father；　now　I　have　two；　for　they　have　murdered　my　mother

and　my　sister。　Ah；　Nada；　my　sister！　Nada；　my　sister！〃　and　the　great

man