344 Collectanea.
that the King wants you ? " She said, — " Oh, no, it is not I, (it is) another. The chief saw her where they were dancing." They came and arranged for the marriage. The King gave the rival riches. They said, — " Let her be taken and brought to the chief." Then in the evening she (the rival's daughter) went and ran to the fish and told him, and said, — " I have been married to the chief." The fishes said, — "Thank God;" they said, — "Go to the chief's house. To-morrow we shall come." She said, — " Very well." In the morning they all assembled, and he told his relatives what had happened. They collected grain. Then in the evening, when night had come, they sent and said, — " Let nobody from the chief's house go outside at night." They took the flour of grain, and brought it to the girl. They all collected cloths, and brought (them) to her. Then the women of the chief's house in the evening seized the girl's hands and cut them off, because of (their) jealousy, and said, — " Look at the chief's wife. She has no hands." She (girl) roused her chamber-maid, and said, — " Go to the fish, and tell her (see) what has happened to me. They have cut off both my two hands." When the fish heard, they said, — " Now, since she did not bring sadness to us, she also will not have any," When midnight came, the fishes took the road, and came to the house. They restored her hands to her. When day broke, the women said, — " Let them be given guinea-corn to pound up." They said, — " Let the bride be called to come and pound (the guinea-corn)." The bride came out. They thought she had not two hands, but she took the pestle, and they saw she had hands. Then other people (who) had heard them say she had no hands laughed at the jealous women. They were laughed at until they were ashamed. She merely ignored them, and returned to the chief.
44. The Girl who stole the Snakis Egg. (B. G.)
This is about a certain girl who went and found a Snake's egg and took it. Then the Snake arose and followed her, saying " Ta mulu mulu,'^ Girl, give me my egg." Then the girl (began) running till she came to some Hoes which were hoeing of their own accord. Then they said, — " O Girl, what are you running
- Mulu is said to signify fat, and the translation might be " O fat girl," but
the narrator was unable to explain it.
