they had always lived upon the banks of this equal river, in order that each curve and sweep of its waters, each pit and shallow of its mattress, each rock and stump and wallow upon its financial institution was as familiar to them as their very own mothers. And they're residing there but, I think.
not lengthy ago the queen of this tribe of hippopotamuses had a child which she named Keo, because it became so fat and round. nonetheless, that you could no longer be misled, i can say that in the hippopotamus language “Keo,” properlytranslated, way “fat and lazy” instead of fat and spherical. but, no one called the queen’s interest to this mistake, becauseher tusks have been significant long and sharp, and she concept Keo the sweetest toddler in the international.
He turned into, certainly, all proper for a hippopotamus. He rolled and performed inside the soft mud of the river bank, and waddled inland to nibble the leaves of the wild cabbage that grew there, and become satisfied and contented from morning till night time. And he was the jolliest hippopotamus that historic family had ever recognised. His little pink eyes had been forever twinkling with fun, and he laughed his merry chortle on all events, whether there has been whatever to laugh at or now not.
therefore the black those who dwelt in that vicinity known as him “Ippi”—the jolly one, although they dared no longercome anigh him due to his fierce mother, and his equally fierce uncles and aunts and cousins, who lived in a sizable colony upon the river bank.
And whilst those black human beings, who lived in little villages scattered most of the timber, dared not brazenly assaultthe royal own family of hippopotamuses, they were amazingly keen on consuming hippopotamus meat on every occasionthey might get it. This changed into no mystery to the hippopotamuses. And, again, when the blacks managed to catchthose animals alive, they'd a trick of riding them thru the jungles as if they were horses, hence decreasing them to a circumstance of slavery.
therefore, having these items in mind, each time the tribe of hippopotamuses smelled the oily odor of black people they had been accustomed to price upon them furiously, and if by means of danger they overtook one of the enemy they couldrip him with their sharp tusks or stamp him into the earth with their large ft.
It became continual warfare between the hippopotamuses and the black humans.
Gouie lived in one of the little villages of the blacks. He turned into the son of the chief’s brother and grandson of the village sorcerer, the latter being an elderly man known as the “the boneless marvel,” because he should twist himself into as many coils as a serpent and had no bones to prevent his bending his flesh into any function. This made him stroll in a wabbly fashion, however the black people had remarkable respect for him.
Gouie’s hut changed into manufactured from branches of trees caught collectively with mud, and his clothing consisted of a grass mat tied round his center. however his dating to the leader and the sorcerer gave him a certain dignity, and he became tons addicted to solitary concept. possibly it changed into herbal that these thoughts frequently turned upon his enemies, the hippopotamuses, and that he have to don't forget many approaches of capturing them.
finally he finished his plans, and set approximately digging a top notch pit in the ground, halfway between sharp curves of the river. while the pit was finished he blanketed it over with small branches of bushes, and strewed earth upon them, smoothing the surface so artfully that no person could suspect there has been a big hole underneath. Then Gouie laughed softly to himself and went domestic to supper.
That night the queen said to Keo, who become growing to be a first-rate child for his age:
“I want you’d run across the bend and ask your Uncle Nikki to come here. i have observed a extraordinary plant, and wanthim to inform me if it is right to devour.”
The jolly one laughed heartily as he started upon his errand, for he felt as vital as a boy does while he's despatched for the primary time to the nook grocery to buy a yeast cake.
“Guk-uk-united kingdom-uk! guk-united kingdom-united kingdom-uk!” changed into the way he laughed; and in case you think a hippopotamus does not laugh this way you have got but to listen to at least one and you may find i am right.
He crawled out of the dust in which he turned into wallowing and tramped away via the bushes, and the ultimate his momheard as she lay half of in and half out of the water become his musical “guk-united kingdom-united kingdom-united kingdom!” death away within the distance.
Keo was in this type of glad temper that he scarcely observed in which he stepped, so he become tons amazed whilst, in the middle of fun, the ground gave way under him, and he fell to the bottom of Gouie’s deep pit. He was now not badly hurt, however had bumped his nostril severely as he went down; so he stopped laughing and began to suppose how he need to get out once more. Then he observed the walls were higher than his head, and that he changed into a prisoner.
So he laughed a touch at his own misfortune, and the laughter soothed him to sleep, so that he snored throughout the night time until daytime came.
while Gouie peered over the brink of the pit subsequent morning he exclaimed:
“Why, ’tis Ippi—the Jolly One!”
Keo identified the fragrance of a black man and attempted to elevate his head high sufficient to chunk him. Seeing which Gouie spoke in the hippopotamus language, which he had found out from his grandfather, the sorcerer.
“Have peace, toddler; you're my captive.”
“yes; i can have a chunk of your leg, if i will reach it,” retorted Keo; after which he laughed at his personal shaggy dog story: “Guk-united kingdom-united kingdom-united kingdom!”
but Gouie, being a thoughtful black man, went away with out further talk, and did no longer return till the subsequentmorning. while he again leaned over the pit Keo changed into so weak from starvation that he could rarely chuckle in any respect.
“Do you surrender?” requested Gouie, “or do you still wish to combat?”
“what is going to occur if I surrender?” inquired Keo.
The black guy scratched his woolly head in perplexity.
“it's miles hard to say, Ippi. you're too younger to work, and if I kill you for food I shall lose your tusks, which aren't yetgrown. Why, O Jolly One, did you fall into my hollow? I desired to trap your mother or certainly one of your uncles.”
“Guk-uk-united kingdom-uk!” laughed Keo. “You should let me pass, in any case, black guy; for i'm of little need to you!”
“That i can no longer do,” declared Gouie; “except,” he brought, as an afterthought, “you will make a good deal with me.”
“let me listen approximately the good deal, black one, for i'm hungry,” said Keo.
“i will let your cross if you swear by the tusks of your grandfather that you'll go back to me in a year and a day and end upmy prisoner once more.”
The youthful hippopotamus paused to suppose, for he knew it turned into a solemn thing to swear with the aid of the tusks of his grandfather; but he was incredibly hungry, and a 12 months and a day seemed an extended day off; so he stated, with any other careless snigger:
“very well; if you'll now allow me move I swear by the tusks of my grandfather to go back to you in a yr and an afternoonand grow to be your prisoner.”
Gouie was a whole lot pleased, for he knew that in a 12 months and a day Keo might be nearly complete grown. So he started digging away one cease of the pit and filling it up with the earth till he had made an incline which would permit the hippopotamus to climb out.
Keo was so pleased whilst he determined himself upon the surface of the earth again that he indulged in a merry fit of laughter, after which he stated:
“appropriate-with the aid of, Gouie; in a 12 months and an afternoon you may see me again.”
Then he waddled away toward the river to see his mom and get his breakfast, and Gouie returned to his village.
for the duration of the months that accompanied, because the black guy lay in his hut or hunted inside the forest, he heard at times the faraway “Guk-united kingdom-uk-uk!” of the guffawing hippopotamus. but he best smiled to himself and concept: “A 12 months and an afternoon will quickly skip away!”
Now when Keo returned to his mother safe and well every member of his tribe changed into full of pleasure, for the Jolly One changed into a preferred favourite. however when he told them that during a yr and a day he need to once morecome to be the slave of the black man, they began to wail and weep, and so many were their tears that the river rose several inches.
Of direction Keo only laughed at their sorrow; but a top notch meeting of the tribe changed into known as and the mattermentioned seriously.
“Having sworn by way of the tusks of his grandfather,” stated Uncle Nikki, “he need to hold his promise. but it is our obligation to try in a few manner to rescue him from death or a life of slavery.”
To this all agreed, however nobody should consider any technique of saving Keo from his fate. So months passed away, at some stage in which all the royal hippopotamuses were unhappy and gloomy besides the Jolly One himself.
sooner or later but a week of freedom remained to Keo, and his mom, the queen, became so frightened and concernedthat every other assembly of the tribe changed into referred to as. with the aid of this time the guffawing hippopotamus had grown to considerable size, and measured nearly fifteen ft long and 6 feet high, while his sharp tusks had been whiter and tougher than those of an elephant.
“until something is accomplished to save my child,” stated the mom, “I shall die of grief.”
Then some of her members of the family started out to make silly hints; however presently Uncle Nep, a sensible and really massive hippopotamus, said:
“We need to visit Glinkomok and implore his aid.”
Then all were silent, for it changed into a ambitious thing to stand the powerful Glinkomok. but the mother’s love become equal to any heroism.
“i will myself visit him, if Uncle Nep will accompany me,” she said, quick.
Uncle Nep thoughtfully patted the tender dust together with his fore foot and wagged his brief tail leisurely backward and forward.
“we have constantly been obedient to Glinkomok, and shown him splendid respect,” said he. “consequently I worry no risk in going through him. i'm able to go together with you.”
all of the others snorted approval, being very satisfied they have been no longer known as upon to go themselves.
So the queen and Uncle Nep, with Keo swimming between them, set out upon their adventure. They swam up the river all that day and all the subsequent, till they came at sundown to a high, rocky wall, under which changed into the cave where the may Glinkomok dwelt.
This anxious creature was component beast, element man, component chook and component fish. It had lived for the reason that world started out. via years of wisdom it had end up element sorcerer, component wizard, componentmagician and component fairy. Mankind knew it no longer, however the ancient beasts knew and feared it.
The 3 hippopotamuses paused earlier than the cave, with their the front toes upon the financial institution and their our bodies in the water, and referred to as in chorus a greeting to Glinkomok. instantly thereafter the mouth of the cave darkened and the creature glided silently closer to them.
The hippopotamuses had been afraid to look upon it, and bowed their heads between their legs.
“We come, O Glinkomok, to implore your mercy and friendly assistance!” commenced Uncle Nep; after which he instructed the story of Keo’s seize, and the way he had promised to return to the black guy.
“He need to preserve his promise,” stated the creature, in a voice that seemed like a sigh.
The mom hippopotamus groaned aloud.
“but i'm able to prepare him to conquer the black man, and to regain his liberty,” endured Glinkomok.
Keo laughed.
“elevate your right paw,” commanded Glinkomok. Keo obeyed, and the creature touched it with its long, furry tongue. Then it held four thin hands over Keo’s bowed head and mumbled some words in a language unknown to man or beast or bird or fish. After this it spoke once more in hippopotamese:
“Your skin has now emerge as so tough that no man can hurt you. Your electricity is more than that of ten elephants. Your foot is so quick that you can distance the wind. Your wit is sharper than the bulthorn. let the person fear, but power worryfrom your personal breast forever; for of all of your race you are the mightiest!”
Then the terrible Glinkomok leaned over, and Keo felt its fiery breath scorch him because it whispered some similarlyinstructions in his ear. the next moment it glided again into its cave, followed with the aid of the loud thanks of the threehippopotamuses, who slid into the water and without delay started their journey domestic.
The mother’s coronary heart become complete of pleasure; Uncle Nep shivered once or twice as he remembered a glimpse he had stuck of Glinkomok; but Keo changed into as jolly as viable, and, now not content to swim together with his dignified elders, he dived underneath their bodies, raced all around them and laughed merrily every inch of the manner domestic.
Then all the tribe held excessive jinks and praised the amazing Glinkomok for befriending their queen’s son. And whilst the day got here for the Jolly One to provide himself as much as the black guy all of them kissed him desirable-by means ofwith out a unmarried fear for his protection.
Keo went away in appropriate spirits, and they might pay attention his giggling “guk-united kingdom-united kingdom-united kingdom!” long after he became misplaced in sight in the jungle.
Gouie had counted the days and knew while to assume Keo; however he became astonished on the immense length to which his captive had grown, and congratulated himself on the smart good deal he had made. And Keo was so fats that Gouie determined to devour him—that is, all of him he probably may want to, and the remainder of the carcass he wouldtrade off to his fellow villagers.
So he took a knife and attempted to stick it into the hippopotamus, but the pores and skin become so hard the knife wasblunted towards it. Then he tried different way; however Keo remained unhurt.
And now indeed the Jolly One laughed his most gleeful chortle, until all the wooded area echoed the “guk-united kingdom-united kingdom-united kingdom-united kingdom!” And Gouie decided not to kill him, on the grounds that that become not possible, however to use him for a beast of burden. He hooked up upon Keo’s lower back and commanded him to march. So Keo trotted rapidly via the village, his little eyes twinkling with merriment.
the other blacks have been thrilled with Gouie’s captive, and begged permission to trip upon the Jolly One’s back. So Gouie bargained with them for bracelets and shell necklaces and little gold embellishes, till he had acquired quite a heap of trinkets. Then a dozen black men climbed upon Keo’s lower back to experience a ride, and the only nearest his nosecried out:
“Run, mud-dog—run!”
And Keo ran. quick as the wind he strode, faraway from the village, thru the wooded area and directly up the river financial institution. The black men howled with fear; the Jolly One roared with laughter; and on, on, on they rushed!
Then earlier than them, on the alternative side of the river, regarded the black mouth of Glinkomok’s cave. Keo dashed into the water, dived to the bottom and left the black human beings struggling to swim out. but Glinkomok had heard the laughter of Keo and knew what to do. while the Jolly One rose to the surface and blew the water from his throat there has been no black guy to be seen.
Keo again on my own to the village, and Gouie requested, with surprise:
“in which are my brothers:”
“I do now not recognize,” responded Keo. “I took them far away, and that they remained where I left them.”
Gouie would have asked more questions then, but any other crowd of black guys impatiently waited to journey at theagain of the guffawing hippopotamus. so they paid the rate and climbed to their seats, and then the foremost stated:
“Run, dust-wallower—run!”
And Keo ran as earlier than and carried them to the mouth of Glinkomok’s cave, and back by myself.
but now Gouie became traumatic to realize the destiny of his fellows, for he become the best black man left in his village. So he set up the hippopotamus and cried:
“Run, river-hog—run!”
Keo laughed his jolly “guk-uk-uk-uk!” and ran with the speed of the wind. but this time he made immediately for the river financial institution where his own tribe lived, and while he reached it he waded into the river, dived to the lowest and left Gouie floating inside the center of the flow.
The black guy started out swimming towards the proper financial institution, however there he saw Uncle Nep and half of the royal tribe ready to stamp him into the gentle dust. So he became toward the left financial institution, and there stood the queen mom and Uncle Nikki, pink-eyed and angry, ready to rip him with their tusks.
Then Gouie uttered loud screams of terror, and, spying the Jolly One, who swam near him, he cried:
“keep me, Keo! store me, and i'm able to release you from slavery!”
“That is not enough,” laughed Keo.
“i can serve you all my existence!” screamed Gouie; “i can do everything you bid me!”
“Will you come back to me in a 12 months and a day and come to be my captive, if I let you escape?” asked Keo.
“i can! i will! i can!” cried Gouie.
“Swear it by way of the bones of your grandfather!” commanded Keo, remembering that black men haven't any tusks to swear by way of.
And Gouie swore it by using the bones of his grandfather.
Then Keo swam to the black one, who clambered upon his returned once more. on this fashion they came to the financial institution, where Keo informed his mom and all of the tribe of the bargain he had made with Gouie, who was to go backin a year and a day and come to be his slave.
therefore the black guy become accepted to leave in peace, and over again the Jolly One lived with his personal peopleand became happy.
whilst a 12 months and an afternoon had surpassed Keo commenced watching for the return of Gouie; however he did now not come, then or ever afterwards.
For the black guy had made a package of his bracelets and shell necklaces and little gold embellishes and had traveled many miles into any other country, where the historic and royal tribe of hippopotamuses become unknown. And he installation for a extremely good chief, due to his riches, and people bowed down before him.
by day he became proud and swaggering. but at night time he tumbled and tossed upon his mattress and couldn't sleep. His conscience stricken him.
For he had sworn by way of the bones of his grandfather; and his grandfather had no bones.
No comments:
Post a Comment