Part 19 (1/2)
Presently Jikiza spoke, rolling his eyes: ”This is the matter before you, councillors. I have settled it in my mind to give my step-daughter Zinita in marriage to Masilo, but the marriage gift is not yet agreed on. I demand a hundred head of cattle from Masilo, for the maid is fair and straight, a proper maid, and, moreover, my daughter, though not of my blood. But Masilo offers fifty head only, therefore I ask you to settle it.”
”We hear you, Lord of the Axe,” answered one of the councillors, ”but first, O Unconquered, you must on this day of the year, according to ancient custom, give public challenge to any man to fight you for the Groan-Maker and for your place as chief of the People of the Axe.”
”This is a wearisome thing,” grumbled Jikiza. ”Can I never have done in it? Fifty-and-three have I slain in my youth without a wound, and now for many years I have challenged, like a c.o.c.k on a dunghill, and none crow in answer.”
”Ho, now! Is there any man who will come forward and do battle with me, Jikiza, for the great axe Groan-Maker? To him who can win it, it shall be, and with it the chieftains.h.i.+p of the People of the Axe.”
Thus he spoke very fast, as a man gabbles a prayer to a spirit in whom he has little faith, then turned once more to talk of the cattle of Masilo and of the maid Zinita. But suddenly Umslopogaas stood up, looking at him over the top of his war s.h.i.+eld, and crying, ”Here is one, O Jikiza, who will do battle with you for the axe Groan-Maker and for the chieftains.h.i.+p that is to him who holds the axe.”
Now, all the people laughed, and Jikiza glared at him.
”Come forth from behind that big s.h.i.+eld of yours,” he said. ”Come out and tell me your name and lineage--you who would do battle with the Unconquered for the ancient axe.”
Then Umslopogaas came forward, and he looked so fierce, though he was but young, that the people laughed no more.
”What is my name and lineage to you, Jikiza?” he said. ”Let it be, and hasten to do me battle, as you must by the custom, for I am eager to handle the Groan-Maker and to sit in your seat and settle this matter of the cattle of Masilo the Pig. When I have killed you I will take a name who now have none.”
Now once more the people laughed, but Jikiza grew mad with wrath, and sprang up gasping.
”What!” he said, ”you dare to speak thus to me, you babe unweaned, to me the Unconquered, the holder of the axe! Never did I think to live to hear such talk from a long-legged pup. On to the cattle kraal, to the cattle kraal, People of the Axe, that I may hew this braggart's head from his shoulders. He would stand in my place, would he?--the place that I and my fathers have held for four generations by virtue of the axe. I tell you all, that presently I will stand upon his head, and then we will settle the matter of Masilo.”
”Babble not so fast, man,” quoth Umslopogaas, ”or if you must babble, speak those words which you would say ere you bid the sun farewell.”
Now, Jikiza choked with rage, and foam came from his lips so that he could not speak, but the people found this sport--all except Masilo, who looked askance at the stranger, tall and fierce, and Zinita, who looked at Masilo, and with no love. So they moved down to the cattle kraal, and Galazi, seeing it from afar, could keep away no longer, but drew near and mingled with the crowd.
CHAPTER XVII. UMSLOPOGAAS BECOMES CHIEF OF THE PEOPLE OF THE AXE
Now, when Umslopogaas and Jikiza the Unconquered had come to the cattle kraal, they were set in its centre and there were ten paces between them. Umslopogaas was armed with the great s.h.i.+eld and the light moon-shaped axe, Jikiza carried the Groan-Maker and a small dancing s.h.i.+eld, and, looking at the weapons of the two, people thought that the stranger would furnish no sport to the holder of the axe.
”He is ill-armed,” said an old man, ”it should be otherwise--large axe, small s.h.i.+eld. Jikiza is unconquerable, and the big s.h.i.+eld will not help this long-legged stranger when Groan-Maker rattles on the buffalo hide.”
The old man spoke thus in the hearing of Galazi the Wolf, and Galazi thought that he spoke wisely, and sorrowed for the fate of his brother.
Now, the word was given, and Jikiza rushed on Umslopogaas, roaring, for his rage was great. But Umslopogaas did not stir till his foe was about to strike, then suddenly he leaped aside, and as Jikiza pa.s.sed he smote him hard upon the back with the flat of his axe, making a great sound, for it was not his plan to try and kill Jikiza with this axe. Now, a shout of laughter went up from the hundreds of the people, and the heart of Jikiza nearly burst with rage because of the shame of that blow. Round he came like a bull that is mad, and once more rushed at Umslopogaas, who lifted his s.h.i.+eld to meet him. Then, of a sudden, just when the great axe leapt on high, Umslopogaas uttered a cry as of fear, and, turning, fled before the face of Jikiza. Now once more the shout of laughter went up, while Umslopogaas fled swiftly, and after him rushed Jikiza, blind with fury. Round and about the kraal sped Umslopogaas, scarcely a spear's length ahead of Jikiza, and he ran keeping his back to the sun as much as might be, that he might watch the shadow of Jikiza. A second time he sped round, while the people cheered the chase as hunters cheer a dog which pursues a buck. So cunningly did Umslopogaas run, that, though he seemed to reel with weakness in such fas.h.i.+on that men thought his breath was gone, yet he went ever faster and faster, drawing Jikiza after him.
Now, when Umslopogaas knew by the breathing of his foe and by the staggering of his shadow that his strength was spent, suddenly he made as though he were about to fall himself, and stumbled out of the path far to the right, and as he stumbled he let drop his great s.h.i.+eld full in the way of Jikiza's feet. Then it came about that Jikiza, rus.h.i.+ng on blindly, caught his feet in the s.h.i.+eld and fell headlong to earth.
Umslopogaas saw, and swooped on him like an eagle to a dove. Before men could so much as think, he had seized the axe Groan-Maker, and with a blow of the steel he held had severed the thong of leather which bound it to the wrist of Jikiza, and sprung back, holding the great axe aloft, and casting down his own weapon upon the ground. Now, the watchers saw all the cunning of his fight, and those of them who hated Jikiza shouted aloud. But others were silent.
Slowly Jikiza gathered himself from the ground, wondering if he were still alive, and as he rose he grasped the little axe of Umslopogaas, and, looking at it, he wept. But Umslopogaas held up the great Groan-Maker, the iron chieftainess, and examined its curved points of blue steel, the gouge that stands behind it, and the beauty of its haft, bound about with wire of bra.s.s, and ending in a k.n.o.b like the k.n.o.b of a stick, as a lover looks upon the beauty of his bride. Then before all men he kissed the broad blade and cried aloud:--
”Greeting to thee, my Chieftainess, greeting to thee, Wife of my youth, whom I have won in war. Never shall we part, thou and I, and together will we die, thou and I, for I am not minded that others should handle thee when I am gone.”
Thus he cried in the hearing of men, then turned to Jikiza, who stood weeping, because he had lost all.
”Where now is your pride, O Unconquered?” laughed Umslopogaas. ”Fight on. You are as well armed as I was a while ago, when I did not fear to stand before you.”
Jikiza looked at him for a moment, then with a curse he hurled the little axe at him, and, turning, fled swiftly towards the gates of the cattle kraal.
Umslopogaas stooped, and the little axe sped over him. Then he stood for a while watching, and the people thought that he meant to let Jikiza go.
But that was not his desire; he waited, indeed, until Jikiza had covered nearly half the s.p.a.ce between him and the gate, then with a roar he leaped forward, as light leaps from a cloud, and so fast did his feet fly that the watchers could scarce see them move. Jikiza fled fast also, yet he seemed but as one who stands still. Now he reached the gate of the kraal, now there was rush, a light of downward falling steel, and something swept past him. Then, behold! Jikiza fell in the gateway of the cattle kraal, and all saw that he was dead, smitten to death by that mighty axe Groan-Maker, which he and his fathers had held for many years.