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DABEDABE THE GOOD
17

"Do not this thing, I pray thee," besought Dabedabe, "but tarry a little while I go to the river. I shall return."

Then he hasted and returned to the cave, and took his bag in his hand, and went down to the river. There he opened the bag, and took from it some of his mother's bones which he had placed within it on the day that he took leave of his people at Bou. And he flung the bones violently upon a stone, and they became men, and stood before him to hear what he would say. Then said he to them, "Go ye into the bush and cut many poles, and fetch them hither."

So they went and cut many poles, as he had said, but lo, when they brought them to Dabedabe he said, "These are too few. Go ye and cut more." Then they came again carrying more poles, but not yet were they enough, and he sent them forth a third time to fetch more, and now were there as many as he wanted.

He therefore took the rest of his mother's bones out of his bag and threw them violently upon the stones by the river's bank, and they became pigs, a great number. Then he bade the men who stood near bind the pigs to the poles they had cut, and he himself returned swiftly to the giver of the feast and cried,

"Cook now my gwada of plantains, and anoint it with coconut, for I and my men will soon be here."

When he had said this he returned to the river and bade the men carry the pigs, which had been