Leopard and the Other Animals
Mr. Leopard lived. One day hunger grasps him. He says: “How shall I do? I will call all the animals in the world, saying, ‘Come ye, let us have a medical consultation.’ When the animals come then I may catch and eat.”
He sends at once to call Deer, Antelope, Soko, Hare, and Philantomba. They gather, saying: “Why didst thou send for us?” He says: “Let us consult medicine, that we get health.”
The sun is broken down. They begin the drums outside with the songs. Mr. Leopard himself is beating the drum; he is saying, saying:
“O Antelope! O Deer!
Your friend is sick;
Do not shun him!
O Antelope! O Deer!
Your friend is sick;
Do not shun him!
O Antelope! O Deer!
Your friend is sick;
Do not shun him’”
Deer says: “Chief, the drum, how art thou playing it? Bring it here; that I play it.” Mr. Leopard gives him it. Deer takes the drum, says:
“Not sickness;
Wiliness holds thee
Not sickness;
Wiliness holds thee!
Not sickness;
Wiliness holds thee!”
Mr. Leopard stood up from ground, said: “Thou, Deer, knowest not how to play the drum.”
The animals all then ran away, saying, “Mr. Leopard has a scheme to catch us.”