Zulu (African people) -- Fiction; Zululand (South Africa) -- History -- Fiction
He said that whilst he was collecting the oxen, a ringed Zulu came upon
him, who from his manner and bearing he took to be a great chief,
although he was alone, and seemed to be tired with walking. The Zulu
has asked him if it were true that the Inkosazana and the white chief
Dario were in prison at Mafooti, and when he hesitated about replying,
threatened him with his assegai, saying that he would cut out his heart
unless he told the truth. The Zulu replied that he knew it, as he had
just come from Ramah, where he had seen strange things, and spoken with
a man of Ibubesi’s, whom he found dying in the garden of the house.
Then he had given him this message:
“Say to Ibubesi that I know all his wickedness, and that if the
Inkosazana is harmed, or a drop of the blood of the white chief,
Dario, is shed, I will destroy him and everything that lives in his
town down to the rats. Say to him also that he cannot escape, as
already he is ringed in by the children of the Shouter, who have come
back, and are watching him.”
The lad had asked who it was that sent such a message, whereon he
answered, “I am the Horn of the Black Bull; I am the Trunk of the
Elephant; I am the Mouth of Dingaan.”
Then straightway he turned and departed at a run towards Zululand.
Moreover, Mami described the man in the words of the lad, and Rachel
thought that he could be none other than Tamboosa, whom she had
commanded to follow her with the white ox. Mami added that when he
received this message Ibubesi seemed much disturbed, though to his
people he declared that it was all nonsense, as Dingaan’s Mouth would
not come alone, or deliver the King’s word to a boy. But the people
thought otherwise, and murmured among themselves, fearing the terrible
vengeance of Dingaan.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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