Part 15 (1/2)

This is the end of the story. The tale comes from the Wazir and his daughter, the last born, who was called Binti Ali the Clever.

XVI

SEGU THE HONEY-GUIDE

Segu is the honey-guide. His work is that he lives in the forest and flies about looking for bees' nests, and when he finds one he goes to look for men. When he finds them he says, ”Che! che! che! che!” until those sons of men look up and say, ”Ah, there is Segu. Let us go with him that he may show us honey.”

So these people follow Segu, who flies in front from tree to tree saying, ”Che! che! che! che!”

When he comes to that tree where the honey is he flies round, saying, ”Che! che! che! che!” very fast, and then he goes and sits by himself.

Then these men come to the tree and look up and see where the bees' nest is; so they climb up with their axe and cut a hole and get out the honey.

They take that honey and are very pleased, but a little of it they leave for Segu as his share.

On these people going away, Segu comes out and finds the honey which they have left him; so he sits and eats and fills himself, and arises and flies away. This is, indeed, Segu's manner of living.

Another day Segu sees a lion asleep, and he looks for people, and when he finds them he twitters and says, ”Che! che! che! che!”

Then these people follow him thinking, ”To-day Segu is going to show us much honey.”

They follow him up there to where the lion is lying, and when they suddenly see him they are unable to stand, if there is running away to be done instead.

The lion frightens these people, so they run swiftly away, saying, ”To-day Segu has done evil; every day he shows us honey, and to-day he comes to show us a lion.”

That is all.

XVII

LILA AND FILA

There were once upon a time two poor children, one was called Lila and one was called Fila, and they were great friends.

Fila said one day to Lila, ”Our mothers are poor; what can we do for a living, my friend? We have no money with which to repay them for the kindness they have shown towards us. We have now become full-grown lads, and have not yet earned any money to give them. I propose that we set out on a journey and see what we can find.”

[Ill.u.s.tration: Lila and Fila]

Lila agreed to the words of his friend, and so each one went to his mother and said to her, ”Mother, make me seven ladu-cakes, for I am going on a journey to a very far country.”

And each mother replied, ”Where are you going, my beloved child?”

Lila's mother said to him, ”Do not go with Fila.”

Lila answered, ”I am not able to leave my friend Fila for half a second.”

His mother said, ”It is he that will leave you, and it is you that will be lost.”