said,—"Very well. Where are the things that you have got? Bring and let us see (them)." So he brought the skin, the tusk, and the Lion's tears. Then she said to him,—"Very good. Come in, that I may teach you cunning." She took a big calabash and said,—"Now, Spider, lie down inside, and I will shut you in, so that I may come and teach you more cunning." She shut him up. Then she went outside. She took a stone, and brought it back. When she had gone out, he, the Spider, opened the calabash and got outside, and came (to) the door of the house and hid. She brought the stone and came to throw it in the calabash, saying she would kill the Spider. When she had thrown (it), and had smashed the calabash, the Spider said,—"What about your calabash?" She said,—"If I taught you more cunning, you would destroy everybody (finish the world)." She drove him out. He ran away, and left all his booty with her, except the cone (of salt) which he had hidden in the bush.
15. The Hyæna, the Scorpion, and the Ram. (S. D.)
A certain man started off to take his ram to a certain town. A Scorpion said,—"Let me come and escort you." Then the Scorpion held the ram. They went out and met with a Hyæna. The Hyæna said,—"Let me come and escort you." Then, when they had gone to their lodging (place of sleeping), they tied the ram to the trunk of a tree. The Hyæna said she would lie a little way off. The owner of the ram (goat)[1] lay down in a different place from his ram. The Scorpion lay down very near the ram. When midnight had come (night had made middle), (and) they were sleeping, the Scorpion got up and lay down on the (their) ram's neck. In a little while the Hyæna called out,—"O owner of the ram! O owner of the ram!" Silence. Then she said (again),—"O owner of the ram!" She called even thrice. He did not (refused to) answer. Then the Hyæna got up, and walked (was walking) carefully, and came to seize the ram. When she was just about (had put her mouth) to seize the ram (goat), the Scorpion stung her on the nose. She returned to her resting
- ↑ This is an instance of Hausa carelessness, the animal being called a ram or a goat indifferently.
