Mpuke, Our Little African CousinWade, Mary Hazelton Blanchard
General
Mpuke, Our Little African Cousin
Wade, Mary Hazelton Blanchard
Africa -- Juvenile literature
Mpuke is soon strong and well. What cured him? Did the doctor really
have the power to drive spirits away? Or was it the medicine the boy
swallowed? Of course, his mother believes nothing could have been done
without the magic charms, but those who are wise must see that if the
herb tea had not been made and swallowed, Mpuke would most likely be
still burning with fever.
But Mpuke is now well and strong, glad to be out once more in his canoe;
eager to look for honey in the wild bees' nests; chasing the monkeys
from the banana-trees; feeding his chickens, and doing a hundred other
things beside all these.
But the chickens we hardly recognise as such, they are such poor,
scrawny things, with their bodies and feathers all awry; and when
Mpuke's mother prepares a chicken stew, the meat is so dry and tasteless
that it seems scarcely worth eating. What can be the reason that the
African chicken is so much poorer than the American bird? Perhaps it is
because it is tormented by such numbers of insects.
This reminds me of something that once happened at Mpuke's home. One
night, in the midst of sound sleep, they were suddenly attacked by an
army. There were millions, yes, billions, in that army, yet it made no
sound as it drew near. It had travelled many miles through fields and
forests, and Mpuke's home happened to be in the line of march. That is
the reason it was attacked.
For a few moments the sleepers were in a state of great excitement.
There was much scuffling, screaming, scratching, and running about. Then
all was quiet once more, and the family returned to their mats and
dreams.
The strange army was not one of human beings, but, nevertheless, it
caused fear and trembling while it stayed. It was composed of ants, much
larger than any we have ever seen in our own country. They were under
the orders of generals who marched at the sides of the advancing
columns. Each ant knew his place and duty. He was ready to bite any
living creature that barred his way; and it was a fierce bite, too, for
a piece of flesh was taken out each time before he let go.
For some reason unknown to us, the ants were changing their
camping-ground and moving to another part of the forest. Such a small
thing as Mpuke's home must not be allowed to stand in their way, so they
passed through it, and took the people inside by surprise.
"Ouch!" screamed Mpuke, as he woke up to find himself covered by these
wise but uncomfortable insects. Then, one after another, the boy's
father, that brave warrior, his mother, his sister, and himself, fled
from the hut as though a pack of hyenas were after them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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