Kafir Stories Seven Short Stories

proudly into the enclosure, well ahead of the others, and took his station on a rock which rose up in the middle. On this he lay down, chewing his cud and surveying the sheep which lay thick

e tinder glowed, he shook out a little of it on to some dry grass, which soon blazed up, and which he then placed under the twigs. In a few minutes he had a cheerful fire, and then he untied his little three-legged pot from where it hung from one of the wattles of the roof. This pot was half full of mealies already cooked, and which he simply meant to warm for his supper. The remainder of his week's ration of meat (the skinny ribs of a g

st beast in course of time. In two or, at the outside, three months this calf would be weaned. It was a red bull with white face and feet-he knew every mark, and one might almost say every hair on the animal, having looked at it so often. It was a remarkably fine calf, but Maliwe thought it took a strangely long time in growing up. He lit his pipe, and dreamt dreams. Soon he would be no longer alone in his hut. He loved the girl Nalai, and she seemed to love him, so the future was bright. She was tall and straight, still unbent by that toil which is the portion of the female Kafir. Her teeth gleame

out of the side furthest from the point of attachment. Music is made on such an instrument by holding it so that that part of the gourd where the aperture is, is pressed against the naked breast, and then twanging on the string with a small stick. About four notes can be extracted by a skilful player.

premonition of genuine love he had seen the budding woman of today in the child of three years ago. He had worked and waited. His reward was now near, and anticipation was sweet. In imagination he saw the little b

ed from the darkness, keeping the dog at bay with his kerrie. Maliwe, seeing nothing suspicious ab

," he cried. "Do

ow you. Where are you thinking of?" [A nativ

aza, the only Fingo his father Zangalele ever made a friend of. He does n

t no offence. I do not remember you, but if

some dry mealies to roast with fat in the three-legged pot, and they talked of Maliwe'

ly received as lobola for one of his daughters from a man in the Albany district, and which were supposed to have strayed homewards. He also said, that although a Fin

gan to chew them. "It is sad to be old and have such bad teeth," said

anded down the emaciated ribs of the goat. Kalaza took

gh goat," he said, "I could no m

replied Maliwe, "bu

ome time, and then said politely that he was a servant, and had to be content with what food his master gave him. Breaking up some tobacco in his hand, he reached it over to Kalaza, asking if he cared, to s

ould not go to sleep, and then

ther's best friend die of hunger. Did I not know you had

aliwe, "I have given you all I h

hat are those animals tha

ster's

er than take a hamel from the flock of a rich, lazy boer, who never counts his sheep. Many a sheep your father and I

act. Gert Botha, after a three years' experience of Maliwe's hones

er. If you say my father stole, it may be so-but such must have happened when he w

t a coward he is giving his daughter to. In the good old days he would have sent you to show that you could steal l

ing fixedly at the speaker, w

t tempt him to return your three skinny cows, and send his daughter to my kraal across to Keiskam

pter. The one dread of Maliwe's li

wards a sound as of sheep rushing about might have been heard coming from the direction of the kraal. Kalaza heard it, and smiled. A few minutes ela

father, here

ird of the meat, selecting the choicest parts. He then buried the remainder of the carcase, with the skin, in the

e stood an immense boulder, and Maliwe spent the rest of the night sitting to lee-ward of this, Sibi, the dog, curled up at his feet, growling at i