BLACK TALES FOR WHITE CHILDREN

CONTENTS

PAGE


FOREWORD v

I THE LION OF MANDA 1

II PEMBA MUHORI 7

III THE CAT'S TAIL 22

IV THE YOUNG THIEF 25

V THE TRAPPER, THE LION AND THE HARE 35

VI NUNDA THE SLAYER 44

VII THE WOODCUTTER AND HIS DONKEY 51

VIII KITANGATANGA OF THE SEA 58

IX THE LION'S TALISMAN 65

X KIBARAKA 66

XI THE FOOLS 72

XII THE HYAENA AND THE MOONBEAM 82

XIII THE SNAKE-CHILD 83

XIV THE POOR MAN AND HIS WIFE OF WOOD 93

XV BINTI ALI THE CLEVER 97

XVI SEGU 109

XVII LILA AND FILA 111

XVIII THE HUNTERS AND THE SNAKE 118

XIX ALI OF THE CROOKED ARM 122

XX FEEDING THE HUNGRY 137

XXI SHANI AND TABAK 140

XXII A MAN AND HIS MOTHER-IN-LAW 150

XXIII THE JACKAL, THE HARE AND THE COCK 153

XXIV THE MAGIC DATE TREES 161

XXV PAKA THE CAT 172

XXVI THE OIL MERCHANT 178

XXVII BATA THE DUCK 190

XXVIII THE SULTAN'S DAUGHTER 196

XXIX THE LION, THE HYAENA AND THE HARE 198





I

THE LION OF MANDA


Once upon a time there was a lion who lived on the island called Manda,
which is opposite Shela town, and the people of Shela heard it roaring
nightly. In Shela was a rich merchant, and one day he gave out in the
bazaar: "I will pay one hundred dollars to whosoever will go and sleep
alone one night on the opposite shore, in Manda island." But for fear of
the lion no man would do this.

[Illustration: Lions]

Now in that same town was a youth and his wife who were very poor, for
they had nothing. When this youth heard the talk of the town, he came to
his wife and said, "There is a man who will give a hundred dollars to
any one who will sleep on the opposite side one night. I will go and
sleep there."

His wife said to him, "Do not go, my husband, the lion will eat you."

He said, "Let me go, for if Allah loves me I will not die, and by this
means we will get the wherewithal to buy some food."

Then she said to him, "Go. May Allah preserve you."

So that youth, when evening fell, took a canoe and paddled over to
Manda, and there lay down on the shore.

Now, when the youth had gone, his wife there behind him was sad because
she had let him go, and her heart was very heavy with fear for her
husband. So she took some embers and some sticks of wood and went down
on to Shela beach, and there she kindled a little fire and tended it all
night, so that her young man on the opposite side might see it and not
be afraid.