Outa Karel's Stories: South African Folk-Lore Tales

ckal got h

He never had any Pap-pa or Mam-ma. No one knew whe

f game, they heard a little voice calling, calling. It was not a springbokkie, it was not a tarentaal, it was not a litt

ey go and look

ice brown baby. He was lying quite still looking about him, not like a baby, baasjes, but like an old child, and sparks of li

ry me! Pick me

a fine little child! Where have your peo

them. All he said was, 'Put me in yo

n he got near he said, 'Soe! but he's hot; t

illy?' said another m

ck. 'Alla! what eyes! Fire comes out

said; 'I can easily put him in my awa-skin.' He

the red sand. 'What is this for toverij! It is like

baasjes, because they were frightened, but they wanted to see the

from his eyes, and yellow light streamed from under his arms, and-hierr, skierr-the Men of the Early Race

with their babies on their bac

that you get away from here,'

n began t

it? What di

ter. There it lies in the sand, begging one of us to pick it up and put it in his awa-skin, but as soon as we

their babies on

pag

w-how frightenness makes wings grow on people's feet, so that they seem to fly. So the Men of the Early Race, and the

sharp nose, and his stomach close to the ground. When the people had gone, he crept out to see what had made them run.

d by the men!' he said. 'Now that is really a shame

Put me in your awa-ski

e,' said Jakhals, 'but if you can

nd the little Sun caught hold of his m

want to go?'

far is,' said th

he krantz where Tante and the young Jakhalses lived. If baasjes could have seen his face! Alle wereld! he was smiling, and when Oom Jakhals smiles, it is the w

e the baby's arms went round it. The heat got worse

ied. 'Sail down a little further, b

ther down and held fast aga

Soe! Now the middle of my back burn

ing, the baby slipped a little further, and a little further, till at last he had hold of Jakhals by the tail, and then

u for this! I'll bite you! I'll gobble you up! My tail is burning! Help! Help!' And

unny thing happened, my baasjes. Yes truly, just when he was going to bite, he stopped halfway, and shivered back

aks of fire, so that Jakhals winked and blinked, and tried to make himself small in the sand. Every time he opened his eyes a little,

unish me,' s

akhals in a small, little voi

bite me,' s

ink of it.' Jakhals made himself s

bble me up,'

a yell and tried to

, trying to make his voice sweet, 'w

your krantz, you would have gobbled me up. You are toch so clever, J

go open, and he lay there staring at the baby, and the baby stared at him-so, my baasjes

he baby, 'but never, never again will you be ab

s might; his breath was like a burning flame, and Jakhals, half dead

bear the Sun, but hides away all day with shut eyes, and only at night when the Old Man with the bright ar

Outa's coining, meaning to jum