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there　came　a　sore　that　would　not　be　healed；　and　in　the　sore　grew　an

abscess；　and　the　abscess　ate　inwards　till　it　came　to　the　brain。　Then

my　mother　fell　down　and　died；　and　I　cried　very　much；　for　I　loved　her；

and　it　was　dreadful　to　see　her　cold　and　stiff；　with　not　a　word　to　say

however　loudly　I　called　to　her。　Well；　they　buried　my　mother；　and　she

was　soon　forgotten。　I　only　remembered　her；　nobody　else　didnot　even

Baleka；　for　she　was　too　littleand　as　for　my　father　he　took　another

young　wife　and　was　content。　After　that　I　was　unhappy；　for　my　brothers

did　not　love　me；　because　I　was　much　cleverer　than　they；　and　had

greater　skill　with　the　assegai；　and　was　swifter　in　running；　so　they

poisoned　the　mind　of　my　father　against　me　and　he　treated　me　badly。　But

Baleka　and　I　loved　each　other；　for　we　were　both　lonely；　and　she　clung

to　me　like　a　creeper　to　the　only　tree　in　a　plain；　and　though　I　was

young；　I　learned　this：　that　to　be　wise　is　to　be　strong；　for　though　he

who　holds　the　assegai　kills；　yet　he　whose　mind　directs　the　battle　is

greater　than　he　who　kills。　Now　I　saw　that　the　witch…finders　and　the

medicine…men　were　feared　in　the　land；　and　that　everybody　looked　up　to

them；　so　that；　even　when　they　had　only　a　stick　in　their　hands；　ten　men

armed　with　spears　would　fly　before　them。　Therefore　I　determined　that　I

should　be　a　witch…doctor；　for　they　alone　can　kill　those　whom　they　hate

with　a　word。　So　I　learned　the　arts　of　the　medicine…men。　I　made

sacrifices；　I　fasted　in　the　veldt　alone；　I　did　all　those　things　of

which　you　have　heard；　and　I　learned　much；　for　there　is　wisdom　in　our

magic　as　well　as　liesand　you　know　it；　my　father；　else　you　had　not

come　here　to　ask　me　about　your　lost　oxen。



So　things　went　on　till　I　was　twenty　years　of　agea　man　full　grown。　By

now　I　had　mastered　all　I　could　learn　by　myself；　so　I　joined　myself　on

to　the　chief　medicine…man　of　our　tribe；　who　was　named　Noma。　He　was

old；　had　one　eye　only；　and　was　very　clever。　Of　him　I　learned　some

tricks　and　more　wisdom；　but　at　last　he　grew　jealous　of　me　and　set　a

trap　to　catch　me。　As　it　chanced；　a　rich　man　of　a　neighbouring　tribe

had　lost　some　cattle；　and　came　with　gifts　to　Noma　praying　him　to　smell

them　out。　Noma　tried　and　could　not　find　them；　his　vision　failed　him。

Then　the　headman　grew　angry　and　demanded　back　his　gifts；　but　Noma

would　not　give　up　that　which　he　once　had　held；　and　hot　words　passed。

The　headman　said　that　he　would　kill　Noma；　Noma　said　that　he　would

bewitch　the　headman。



〃Peace；〃　I　said；　for　I　feared　that　blood　would　be　shed。　〃Peace；　and

let　me　see　if　my　snake　will　tell　me　where　the　cattle　are。〃



〃You　are　nothing　but　a　boy；〃　answered　the　headman。　〃Can　a　boy　have

wisdom？〃



〃That　shall　soon　be　known；〃　I　said；　taking　the　bones　in　my　hand。＇1＇



＇1＇　The　Kafir　witch…doctors　use　the　knuckle…bones　of　animals　in　their

　　　　magic　rites；　throwing　them　something　as　we　throw　dice。ED。



〃Leave　the　bones　alone！〃　screamed　Noma。　〃We　will　ask　nothing　more　of

our　snakes　for　the　good　of　this　son　of　a　dog。〃



〃He　shall　throw　the　bones；〃　answered　the　headman。　〃If　you　try　to　stop

him；　I　will　let　sunshine　through　you　with　my　assegai。〃　And　he　lifted

his　spear。



Then　I　made　haste　to　begin；　I　threw　the　bones。　The　headman　sat　on　the

ground　before　me　and　answered　my　questions。　You　know　of　these　matters；

my　fatherhow　sometimes　the　witch…doctor　has　knowledge　of　where　the

lost　things　are；　for　our　ears　are　long；　and　sometimes　his　Ehlose　tells

him；　as　but　the　other　day　it　told　me　of　your　oxen。　Well；　in　this　case；

my　snake　stood　up。　I　knew　nothing　of　the　man's　cattle；　but　my　Spirit

was　with　me　and　soon　I　saw　them　all；　and　told　them　to　him　one　by　one；

their　colour；　their　ageeverything。　I　told　him；　too；　where　they　were；

and　how　one　of　them　had　fallen　into　a　stream　and　lay　there　on　its　back

drowned；　with　its　forefoot　caught　in　a　forked　root。　As　my　Ehlose　told

me　so　I　told　the　headman。



Now；　the　man　was　pleased；　and　said　that　if　my　sight　was　good；　and　he

found　the　cattle；　the　gifts　should　be　taken　from　Noma　and　given　to　me；

and　he　asked　the　people　who　were　sitting　round；　and　there　were　many；

if　this　was　not　just。　〃Yes；　yes；〃　they　said；　it　was　just；　and　they

would　see　that　it　was　done。　But　Noma　sat　still　and　looked　at　me

evilly。　He　knew　that　I　had　made　a　true　divination；　and　he　was　very

angry。　It　was　a　big　matter：　the　herd　of　cattle　were　many；　and；　if　they

were　found　where　I　had　said；　then　all　men　would　think　me　the　greater

wizard。　Now　it　was　late；　and　the　moon　had　not　yet　risen；　therefore　the

headman　said　that　he　would　sleep　that　night　in　our　kraal；　and　at　the

first　light　would　go　with　me　to　the　spot　where　I　said　the　cattle　were。

After　that　he　went　away。



I　too　went　into　my　hut　and　lay　down　to　sleep。　Suddenly　I　awoke；

feeling　a　weight　upon　my　breast。　I　tried　to　start　up；　but　something

cold　pricked　my　throat。　I　fell　back　again　and　looked。　The　door　of　the

hut　was　open；　the　moon　lay　low　on　the　sky　like　a　ball　of　fire　far

away。　I　could　see　it　through　the　door；　and　its　light　crept　into　the

hut。　It　fell　upon　the　face　of　Noma　the　witch…doctor。　He　was　seated

across　me；　glaring　at　me　with　his　one　eye；　and　in　his　hand　was　a

knife。　It　was　that　which　I　had　felt　prick　my　throat。



〃You　whelp　whom　I　have　bred　up　to　tear　me！〃　he　hissed　into　my　ear；

〃you　dared　to　divine　where　I　failed；　did　you？　Very　well；　now　I　will

show　you　how　I　serve　such　puppies。　First；　I　will　pierce　through　the

root　of　your　tongue；　so　that　you　cannot　squeal；　then　I　will　cut　you　to

pieces　slowly；　bit　by　bit；　and　in　the　morning　I　will　tell　the　people

that　the　spirits　did　it　because　you　lied。　Next；　I　will　take　off　your

arms　and　legs。　Yes；　yes；　I　will　make　you　like　a　stick！　Then　I　will〃

and　he　began　driving　in　the　knife　under　my　chin。



〃Mercy；　my　uncle；〃　I　said；　for　I　was　frightened　and　the　knife　hurt。

〃Have　mercy；　and　I　will　do　whatever　you　wish！〃



〃Will　you　do　this？〃　he　asked；　still　pricking　me　with　the　knife。　〃Will

you　get　up；　go　to　find　the　dog's　cattle　and　drive　them　to　a　certain

place；　and　hide　them　there？〃　And　he　named　a　secret　valley　that　was

known　to　very　few。　〃If　you　do　that；　I　will　spare　you　and　give　you

three　of　the　cows。　If　you　refuse　or　play　my　false；　then；　by　my

father's　spirit；　I　will　find　a　way　to　kill　you！〃



〃Certainly　I　will　do　it；　my　uncle；〃　I　answered。　〃Why　did　you　not　trust

me　before？　Had　I　known　that　you　wanted　to　keep　the　cattle；　I　would

never　have　smelt　them　out。　I　only　did　so　fearing　lest　you　should　lose

the　presents。〃



〃You　are　not　so　wicked　as　I　thought；〃　he　growled。　〃Get　up；　then；　and

do　my　bidding。　You　can　be　back　here　two　hours　after　dawn。〃



So　I　got　up；　thinking　all　the　while　whether　I　should　try　to　spring　on

him。　But　I　was　without　arms；　and　he　had　the　knife；　also　if；　by　chance；

I　prevailed　and　killed　him；　it　would　have　been　thought　that　I　had

murdered　him；　and　I　should　have　tasted　the　assegai。　So　I　made　another

plan。　I　would　go　and　find　the　cattle　in　the　valley　where　I　had　smelt

them　out；　but　I　would　not　bring　them　to　the　secret　hiding…place。　No；　I

would　drive　them　straight　to　the　kraal；　and　denounce　Noma　before　the

chief；　my　father；　and　all　the　people。　But　I　was　young　in　those　days；

and　did　not　know　the　heart　of　Noma。　He　had　not　been　a　witch…doctor

till　he　grew　old　for　nothing。　Oh！　he　was　evil！he　was　cunning　as　a

jackal；　and　fierce　like　a　lion。。　He　had　planted　me　by　him　like　a　tree；

but　he　meant　to　keep　me　clipped　like　a　bush。　Now　I　had　grown　tall　and

overshadowed　him；　therefore　he　would　root　me　up。



I　went　to　the　corner　of　my　hut；　Noma　watching　me　all　the　while；　and

took　a　kerrie　and　my　small　shield。　Then　I　started　through　the

moonlight。　Till　I　was　past　the　kraal　I　glided　along　quietly　as　a

shadow。　After　that；　I　began　to　run；　singing　to　myself　as　I　went；　to

frighten　away　the　ghosts；　my　father。



For　an　hour　I　travelled　swiftly　over　the　plain；　till　I　came　to　the

hillside　where　the　bush　began。　Here　it　was　very　dark　under　the　shade

of　the　trees；　and　I　sang　louder　than　ever。　At　last　I　found　the　little

buffalo　path　I　sought；　and　turned　along　it。　Presently　I　came　to　an

open　place；　where　the　moonlight　crept　in　between　the　trees。　I　knelt

down　and　looked。　Yes！　my　snake　had　not　lied　to　me；　there　was　the　spoor

of　the　cattle。　Then　I　went　on　gladly　till　I　reached　a　dell　through

which　the　water　ran　softly；　sometimes　whispering　and　sometimes　talking

out　loud。　Here　the　trail　of　the　cattle　was　broad：　they　had　broken　down

the　ferns　with　their　feet　and　trampled　the　grass。　Presently　I　came　to

a　pool。　I　knew　itit　was　the　pool　my　snake　had　shown　me。　And　there　at

the　edge　of　the　pool　floated　the　drowned　ox；　its　foot　caught　in　a

forked　root。　All　was　just　as　I　had　seen　it　in　my　heart。



I　stepped　forward　and　looked　round。　My　eye　caught　something；　it　was

the　faint　grey　light　of　the　dawn　glinted　on　the　cattle's　horns。　As　I

looked；　one　of　them　snorted；　rose　and　shook　the　dew　from　his　hide。　He

seemed　big　as　an　elephant　in　t