nada the lily-第21章

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forest。　Here；　on　the　edge　of　the　forest；　I　rested　awhile；　and　ate　a

little　food　that　I　had　brought　with　me　in　the　bag；　for　now　I　must

gather　up　my　strength　to　meet　the　ghosts；　if　ghosts　there　were。　Then　I

rose　and　plunged　into　the　forest。　The　trees　were　great　that　grow

there；　stranger；　and　their　leaves　are　so　think　that　in　certain　places

the　light　is　as　that　of　night　when　the　moon　is　young。　Still；　I　wended

on；　often　losing　my　path。　But　from　time　to　time　between　the　tops　of

the　trees　I　saw　the　figure　of　the　grey　stone　woman　who　sits　on　the　top

of　Ghost　Mountain；　and　shaped　my　course　towards　her　knees。　My　heart

beat　as　I　travelled　through　the　forest　in　dark　and　loneliness　like

that　of　the　night；　and　ever　I　looked　round　searching　for　the　eyes　of

the　Amatongo。　But　I　saw　no　spirits；　though　at　times　great　spotted

snakes　crept　from　before　my　feet；　and　perhaps　these　were　the　Amatongo。

At　times；　also；　I　caught　glimpses　of　some　grey　wolf　as　he　slunk　from

tree　to　tree　watching　me；　and　always　high　above　my　head　the　wind

sighed　in　the　great　boughs　with　a　sound　like　the　sighing　of　women。



〃Still；　I　went　on；　singing　to　myself　as　I　went；　that　my　heart　might

not　be　faint　with　fear；　and　at　length；　towards　the　end　of　the　second

hour；　the　trees　grew　fewer；　the　ground　sloped　upwards；　and　the　light

poured　down　from　the　heavens　again。　But；　stranger；　you　are　weary；　and

the　night　wears　on；　sleep　now；　and　to…morrow　I　will　end　the　tale。　Say；

first；　how　are　you　named？〃



〃I　am　named　Umslopogaas；　son　of　Mopo；〃　he　answered；　〃and　my　tale　shall

be　told　when　yours　is　done；　let　us　sleep！〃



Now　when　Galazi　heard　this　name　he　started　and　was　troubled；　but　said

nothing。　So　they　laid　them　down　to　sleep；　and　Galazi　wrapped

Umslopogaas　with　the　skins　of　bucks。



But　Galazi　the　Wolf　was　so　hardy　that　he　lay　on　the　bare　ground　and

had　no　covering。　So　they　slept；　and　without　the　door　of　the　cave　the

wolves　howled；　scenting　the　blood　of　men。







CHAPTER　XIII



GALAZI　BECOMES　KING　OF　THE　WOLVES



On　the　morrow　Umslopogaas　awoke；　and　knew　that　strength　was　growing　on

him　fast。　Still；　all　that　day　he　rested　in　the　cave；　while　Galazi　went

out　to　hunt。　In　the　evening　he　returned；　bearing　a　buck　upon　his

shoulders；　and　they　skinned　the　buck　and　ate　of　it　as　they　sat　by　the

fire。　And　when　the　sun　was　down　Galazi　took　up　his　tale。



〃Now　Umslopogaas；　son　of　Mopo；　hear！　I　had　passed　the　forest；　and　had

come；　as　it　were；　to　the　legs　of　the　old　stone　Witch　who　sits　up　aloft

there　forever　waiting　for　the　world　to　die。　Here　the　sun　shone

merrily；　here　lizards　ran　and　birds　flew　to　and　fro；　and　though　it

grew　towards　the　eveningfor　I　had　wandered　long　in　the　forestI　was

afraid　no　more。　So　I　climbed　up　the　steep　rock；　where　little　bushes

grow　like　hair　on　the　arms　of　a　man；　till　at　last　I　came　to　the　knees

of　the　stone　Witch；　which　are　the　space　before　the　cave。　I　lifted　by

head　over　the　brink　of　the　rock　and　looked；　and　I　tell　you；

Umslopogaas；　my　blood　ran　cold　and　my　heart　turned　to　water；　for

there；　before　the　cave；　rolled　wolves；　many　and　great。　Some　slept　and

growled　in　their　sleep；　some　gnawed　at　the　skulls　of　dead　game；　some

sat　up　like　dogs　and　their　tongues　hung　from　their　grinning　jaws。　I

looked；　I　saw；　and　beyond　I　discovered　the　mouth　of　the　cave；　where

the　bones　of　the　boy　should　be。　But　I　had　no　wish　to　come　there；　being

afraid　of　the　wolves；　for　now　I　knew　that　these　were　the　ghosts　who

live　upon　the　mountain。　So　I　bethought　me　that　I　would　fly；　and　turned

to　go。　And；　Umslopogaas；　even　as　I　turned；　the　great　club　Watcher　of

the　Fords　swung　round　and　smote　me　on　the　back　with　such　a　blow　as　a

man　smites　upon　a　coward。　Now　whether　this　was　by　chance　or　whether

the　Watcher　would　shame　him　who　bore　it；　say　you；　for　I　do　not　know。

At　the　least；　shame　entered　into　me。　Should　I　go　back　to　be　mocked　by

the　people　of　the　kraal　and　by　the　old　woman？　And　if　I　wished　to　go；

should　I　not　be　killed　by　the　ghosts　at　night　in　the　forest？　Nay；　it

was　better　to　die　in　the　jaws　of　the　wolves；　and　at　once。



〃Thus　I　thought　in　my　heart；　then；　tarrying　not；　lest　fear　should　come

upon　me　again；　I　swung　up　the　Watcher；　and　crying　aloud　the　war…cry　of

the　Halakazi；　I　sprang　over　the　brink　of　the　rock　and　rushed　upon　the

wolves。　They；　too；　sprang　up　and　stood　howling；　with　bristling　hides

and　fiery　eyes；　and　the　smell　of　them　came　into　my　nostrils。　Yet　when

they　saw　it　was　a　man　that　rushed　upon　them；　they　were　seized　with

sudden　fear　and　fled　this　way　and　that；　leaping　by　great　bounds　from

the　place　of　rock；　which　is　the　knees　of　the　stone　Witch；　so　that

presently　I　stood　alone　in　front　of　the　cave。　Now；　having　conquered

the　wolf　ghosts　and　no　blow　struck；　my　heart　swelled　within　me；　and　I

walked　to　the　mouth　of　the　cave　proudly；　as　a　cock　walks　upon　a　roof；

and　looked　in　through　the　opening。　As　it　chanced；　the　sinking　sun

shone　at　this　hour　full　into　the　cave；　so　that　all　its　darkness　was

made　red　with　light。　Then；　once　more；　Umslopogaas；　I　grew　afraid

indeed；　for　I　could　see　the　end　of　the　cave。



〃Look　now！　There　is　a　hole　in　the　wall　of　the　cave；　where　the

firelight　falls　below　the　shadow　of　the　roof；　twice　the　height　of　a

man　from　the　floor。　It　is　a　narrow　hole　and　a　high；　is　it　not？as

though　one　had　cut　it　with　iron；　and　a　man　might　sit　in　it；　his　legs

hanging　towards　the　floor　of　the　cave。　Ay；　Umslopogaas；　a　man　might

sit　in　it；　might　he　not？　And　there　a　man　sat；　or　that　which　had　been　a

man。　There　sat　the　bones　of　a　man；　and　the　black　skin　had　withered　on

his　bones；　holding　them　together；　and　making　him　awful　to　see。　His

hands　were　open　beside　him；　he　leaned　upon　them；　and　in　the　right　hand

was　a　piece　of　hide　from　his　moocha。　It　was　half　eaten；　Umslopogaas；

he　had　eaten　it　before　he　died。　His　eyes　also　were　bound　round　with　a

band　of　leather；　as　though　to　hide　something　from　their　gaze；　one　foot

was　gone；　one　hung　over　the　edge　of　the　niche　towards　the　floor；　and

beneath　it　on　the　floor；　red　with　rust；　lay　the　blade　of　a　broken

spear。



〃Now　come　hither；　Umslopogaas；　place　your　hand　upon　the　wall　of　the

cave；　just　here；　it　is　smooth；　is　it　not？smooth　as　the　stones　on

which　women　grind　their　corn。　'What　made　it　so　smooth？'　you　ask。　I

will　tell　you。



〃When　I　peered　through　the　door　of　the　cave　I　saw　this：　on　the　floor

of　the　cave　lay　a　she…wolf　panting；　as　though　she　had　galloped　many　a

mile；　she　was　great　and　fierce。　Near　to　her　was　another　wolfhe　was　a

dogold　and　black；　bigger　than　any　I　have　seen；　a　very　father　of

wolves；　and　all　his　head　and　flanks　were　streaked　with　grey。　But　this

wolf　was　on　his　feet。　As　I　watched　he　drew　back　nearly　to　the　mouth　of

the　cave；　then　of　a　sudden　he　ran　forward　and　bounded　high　into　the

air　towards　the　withered　foot　of　that　which　hung　from　the　cleft　of　the

rock。　His　pads　struck　upon　the　rock　here　where　it　is　smooth；　and　there

for　a　second　he　seemed　to　cling；　while　his　great　jaws　closed　with　a

clash　but　a　spear's　breadth　beneath　the　dead　man's　foot。　Then　he　fell

back　with　a　howl　of　rage；　and　drew　slowly　down　the　cave。　Again　he　ran

and　leaped；　again　the　great　jaws　closed；　again　he　fell　down　howling。

Then　the　she…wolf　rose；　and　they　sprang　together；　striving　to　pull

down　him　who　sat　above。　But　it　was　all　in　vain；　they　could　never　come

nearer　than　within　a　spear's　breadth　of　the　dead　man's　foot。　And　now；

Umslopogaas；　you　know　why　the　rock　is　smooth　and　shines。　From　month　to

month　and　year　to　year　the　wolves　had　ravened　there；　seeking　to　devour

the　bones　of　him　who　sat　above。　Night　upon　night　they　had　leaped　thus

against　the　wall　of　the　cave；　but　never　might　their　clashing　jaws

close　upon　his　foot。　One　foot　they　had；　indeed；　but　the　other　they

could　not　come　by。



〃Now　as　I　watched；　filled　with　fear　and　wonder；　the　she…wolf；　her

tongue　lolling　from　her　jaws；　made　so　mighty　a　bound　that　she　almost

reached　the　hanging　foot；　and　yet　not　quite。　She　fell　back；　and　then　I

saw　that　the　leap　was　her　last　for　that　time；　for　she　had　oversprung

herself；　and　lay　there　howling；　the　black　blood　flowing　from　her

mouth。　The　wolf　saw　also：　he　drew　near；　sniffed　at　her；　then；　knowing

that　she　was　hurt；　seized　her　by　the　throat　and　worried　her。　Now　all

the　place　was　filled　with　groans　and　choking　howls；　as　the　wolves

rolled　over　and　over　beneath　him　who　sat　above；　and　in　the　blood…red

light　of　the　dying　sun　the　sight　and　sounds　were　so　horrid　that　I

trembled　like　a　child。　The　she…wolf　grew　faint；　for　the　fangs　of　her

mate　were　buried　in　her　throat。　Then　I　saw　that　now　was　the　time　to

smite　him；　lest　when　he　had　killed　her　he　should　kill　me　also。　So　I

lifted　the　Watcher　and　sprang　into　the　cave；　having　it　in　my　mind　to

slay　the　wolf　before　he　lifted　up　his　head。　But　he　heard　my　footsteps；

or　perhaps　my　shadow　fell　upon　him。　Loosing　his　grip；　he　looked　up；

this　father　of　wolves；　then；　making　no　sound；　he　sprang　straight　at　my

throat。



〃I　saw　him；　and　whirling　the　Watcher　aloft；　I　smote　with　all　my

strength。　The　blow　met　him　in　mid…air；　it　fell　full　on　his　chest　and

struck　him　backwards　to　the　earth。　But　there　he　would　not　say；　for；

rising　before　I　could　smite　again；　once　more　he　sprang　at　me。　This

time　I　leaped　aside　and　struck　downwards；　and　the　blow　fell　upon　his

right　leg　and　broke　it；　so　that　he　could　spring　no　more。　Yet　he　ran　at

me　on　three　feet；　and；　though　the　club　fell　on　his　side；　he　seized　me

with　his　teeth；　biting　through　that　leather　bag；　which　was　wound　about

my　middle；　into　the　flesh　behind。　Then　I　yelled　with　pain　and　rage；

and　lifting　the　Watcher　endways；　drove　it　down　with　both　hands；　as　a

man　drives　a　stake　into　the　earth；　and　that　with　so　great　a　stroke

that　the　skull　of　the　wolf　was　shattered　like　a　pot；　and　he　fell　dead；

dragging　me　with　him。　Presently　I　sat　up　on　the　ground；　and；　placing

the　handle　of　the　Watcher　between　his　jaws；　I　forced　them　open；

freeing　my　flesh　from　the　grip　of　his　teeth。　Then　I　looked　at　my

wounds；　they　were　not　deep；　for　the　leather　bag　had　saved　me；　yet　I

feel　them　to　this　hour；　for　there　is　poison　in　the　mouth　of　a　wolf。

Presently　I　glanced　up；　and　saw　that　the　she…wolf　had　found　her　feet

again；　and　stood　as　though　unhurt；　for　this　is　the　nature　of　these

ghosts；　Umslopogaas；　that；　though　they　fight　continually；　they　cannot

destroy　each　other。　They　may　be　killed　by　man　alone；　and　that　hardly。

There　she　stood；　and　yet　she　did　not　look　at　me　or　on　her　dead　mate；

but　at　him　who　sat　above。　I　saw；　and　crept　softly　behind　her；　then；

lifting　the　Watcher；　I　dashed　him　down　with　all　my　strength。　The　blow

fell　on　her　neck　and　broke　it；　so　that　she　rolled　over　and　at　once　was

dead。



〃Now　I　rested　awhile；　then　went　to　the　mouth　of　the　cave　and　looked

out。　The　sun　was　sinking：　all　the　depth　of　the　forest　was　black；　but

the　light　still　shone　on　the　face　of　the　stone　woman　who　sits　forever

on　the　mountain。　Here；　then；　I　must　bide　this