Then came the most important event of the party--the refreshments, which consisted of such delicate titbits as fried mice, locusts, mutton, goat, and old hens, which had been roasted over the embers. After all had been gobbled up, various violent games, such as "Horses," "Wolf," and so on, were played by the children. Many of the bigger boys crawled about frightening the younger ones, pretending to be lions. Petrus and George, beginning to tire of all this, were about to thank their kind host, the Chief, for their pleasant afternoon, mount their ponies and strike out for home. They peered anxiously through the kraal door to see if their ponies were all right. It was nearly dark. George looked anxious as he recalled his promise to his Aunt Edith. "We must go!" he said to Petrus. "All right, George. I think so, too. Come on. It's late!" Just at that moment there appeared the "Great Wife," as she was called. Of all the Chief's many wives she was his favorite--the "wife of his heart"--and the mother of the little "Bull of the Kraal," who was heir to the chieftainship. "Mabiliana" was her name. Petrus and George had long heard of her beauty. They had heard, too, that five men had been assegaied before she became the undisputed property of the gallant Chief, who had paid the large "lobola"[15] of fifty of his fattest oxen for her. All the pickaninnies hailed her appearance with a great shout of joy. They crowded about her, clamoring for "A story!" "A story!" "Just one moment longer, Petrus--just till she begins her story," promised George, as Mabiliana gracefully seated herself before the children who quickly ranged themselves in a circle on the floor about her feet. Her dress was in keeping with her beauty. A broad band of blue and white beads encircled her forehead, while hanging in a gracefully pendant curve over her eyelids, sparkled another string of the same white beads giving to her eyes a languid look. About her slender round throat were negligently hung many more sparkling strings. Bead and brass bracelets encircled her wrists, arms and slender ankles, where also was noticed a fringe of monkey's hair, while fastened about her waist was a little leathern apron, tastefully ornamented with blue, red and white beads. "Which shall it be, children? The 'Story of the Shining Princess' or 'Nya-Nya Bulembu,' 'The Fairy Frog,' or 'The Beauty and the Beast'?" asked Mabiliana, very gracefully taking a pinch of snuff from time to time. "The Beauty and the Beast!" shouted all the little blacks with one voice. That story is a great favorite with Kafir children. "Then 'The Beauty and the Beast' it shall be," sweetly assented the young Kafiress.