Part 23 (1/2)

XXV

PAKA THE CAT

This is the story of Paka the cat.

If there are three or four men walking along and only one woman, the cat will turn aside from the men and follow the woman.

Now the reason for this is the story I am telling you.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Paka the cat]

In the beginning Paka sat in the bush, till one day she felt the pain of hunger.

So she came down to the sh.o.r.e, and there she met a serval, who was hunting the crabs of the sh.o.r.e. So Paka went up to the serval and said, ”Good morning.”

And the serval said, ”Who are you?”

”It is I--Paka.”

”What do you want?”

”I want to follow you about and so get food.”

So the serval said, ”Very good then. Here, eat these crabs.”

So Paka ate of the crabs, and she followed the serval many days.

Till one day there came a leopard and fought with the serval and killed him.

So Paka thought in her heart, ”Now, this one was not a manly one: he who is the man is the leopard.” So Paka went up to the leopard and saluted him, ”Good morning.”

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE LEOPARD]

So the leopard said, ”And who are you?”

”It is I--Paka.”

”What do you want?”

”I want to follow you about and get food.”

So the leopard said, ”Very good. Here, eat of this serval.”

So Paka followed the leopard many days and many weeks.

Till one day came a lion, and he fell on the leopard and killed him.

So Paka thought in her heart, ”Now, this one also was not a manly one: he who is the man is the lion.”

So she went to the lion and said, ”Good morning.”