Black Tales for White Children Part 24

So the man said, "Then eat of the elephant."

So Paka stayed with the man and ate of the elephant, while he was cutting out the tusks.

When the man had finished cutting out the tusks he wended his way home, and came to his village.

Now that man had two wives, and the one he loved and the other he loved not.

So he came first to the house of her whom he loved not, that he might stay a short time, and go to the house of her whom he loved.

So he came there and greeted the wife whom he loved not, and straightway went on to the house of her whom he loved.

When he had come there he said to her, "Oh, my wife whom I love, I have done this on purpose.

"I came first to the house of the other one, that I might come straightway to you whom I love, and remain with you a long time."

Now the woman was angry, in that he had gone first to the house of the other, and she said to him, "What you say is false!"

So she came up to him and struck him--pah!

That man did not do anything; he turned round and left the hut.

Then thought Paka, "Now, even this one is not the manly one. Why does he go away? He who is the man is the woman."

So she went up to the woman and said to her, "Good morning."

The woman said, "And who are you?"

"It is I--Paka."

"What do you want?"

"I want to follow you about, that you may give me food."

So the woman said to her, "Very good. Sit here in my house."

Now this is the story of Paka the cat, which comes from long ago, and this is the reason why a cat will leave a man and follow a woman.

XXVI

THE TALE OF THE MERCHANT AND HIS BAG OF GOLD

Once upon a time there was a merchant, and he resolved to go on a journey to a far country to trade, that he might return with profit.

Now this merchant took money needful for his journey, and of what he had left he was afraid that in his absence it might be stolen.

So he thought to himself, "If I leave this bag of gold in my house it may be stolen, and if I give it to a friend to keep for me he may use it for his own purposes."

So he bethought himself of a stratagem.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Standing camel]

He poured all his gold into the bottom of a large leather skin. When he had done this he took oil of coco-nuts and filled the skin with it and fastened it securely at the mouth.

Then he took the skin of oil to a neighbour, who was a friend of his, and said to him, "Oh, my friend, I have resolved to go on a journey, and wish to leave this skin of coco-nut oil with you. Will you keep it safely for me, that I may find it on my return?"

So the friend agreed, and he set out on his journey, and he journeyed to a very far country.

So the friend kept the skin of coco-nut oil for the first year and for the second year.

In the third year, however, he said to himself, "Surely my friend has met with some evil happening on his journey and will come back no more.

It were better, then, that I open this skin and use the oil therein."

So he opened the skin and used the oil for many months, till one day, when he had nearly emptied the skin, he perceived that there was some matter other than oil in the skin.

He emptied out the remainder of the oil and behold, the bottom was full of golden dinars.

So he rejoiced exceedingly, and took the money and put it in a secret place, and the skin he left there in his house.

Now shortly after this the merchant, who had been delayed by unfavourable winds, returned from his journey.

He had been to many far countries and made traffic in merchandise, and after many hardships and troubles he was enabled to return.

Now when his friend heard of his return he was exceedingly troubled in his heart.

For he thought to himself, "What shall I do that I may keep all these monies?" and he said to himself, "Now my friend did not say that he was entrusting me with a skin of dinars, he said only that he had left a skin of oil."

So he went to the bazaar and sought for coco-nut oil and brought it to his house, and he filled up the skin with the oil he had brought, and he fastened it securely, after the same manner in which it had been done up formerly.

Now when the merchant had rested awhile he set off straightway to the house of his friend, and he saluted him. His friend bade him draw nigh, and he asked him for the news of his journey.

So they conversed awhile, and then the merchant said, "The night is closing in; I must with your permission now return to my house."

As he took leave of him he feigned to have suddenly remembered the skin which he had left in his house, and he said to him, "My friend, have you that skin of oil I left with you?"

So his friend said, "I had forgotten about it, but perhaps it will be in my store, where it has lain since you left. I will go and look for it."

So he entered into the house, and presently came forth with the skin and said, "Here it is, my friend; I have found it safe and sound."

So the merchant took his skin and went his way.

When he reached his house he opened it with haste to look for his dinars.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Merchant and his oil-skin.]