Zulu (African people) -- Fiction; Zululand (South Africa) -- History -- Fiction
people of the Zulus she must be attended by Zulus only. I have spoken.
I pray that she who is named Princess of the Zulus will appear before
my messengers and acknowledge the gift of the King of the Zulus, that
they may see her in the flesh and make report of her to me.”
Now when Mr. Dove had received this message, one evening at sundown, he
went into the house and repeated it to Rachel, for it puzzled him much,
and he knew not what to answer.
Rachel in her turn took counsel with Noie who was hidden away lest
some of the embassy should see and recognise her.
“Speak with the messengers,” said Noie, “it is well to have power among
the Zulus. I, who have some knowledge of this business, say, speak with
them alone, and speak softly, saying that one day you will come.”
So having explained the matter to her father, and obtained his consent,
Rachel, who desired to impress these savages, threw a white shawl about
her, as Noie instructed her to do. Then, letting her long, golden hair
hang down, she went out alone carrying a light assegai in her hand, to
the place where the messengers, six of them, and those who had driven
the cattle from Zululand, were encamped in the guest kraal, at the gate
of which, as it chanced, lay a great boulder of rock. On this boulder
she took her stand, unobserved, waiting there till the full moon shone
out from behind a dark cloud, turning her white robe to silver. Now of
a sudden the messengers who were seated together, talking and taking
snuff, looked up and saw her.
“_Inkosazana-y-Zoola_!” exclaimed one of them, rising, whereon they all
sprang to their feet and perceiving this beautiful and mysterious
figure, by a common impulse lifted their right arms and gave to her
what no woman had ever received before—the royal salute.
“Bayète!” they cried, “Bayète!” then stood silent.
“I hear you,” said Rachel, who spoke their tongue as well as she did
her own. “It has been reported to me that you wished to see me, O
Mouths of the King. Behold I am pleased to appear before you. What
would you of Inkosazana-y-Zoola, O Mouths of the King?”
Then their spokesman, an old man of high rank, with a withered hand,
stepped forward from the line of his companions, stared at her for a
while, and saluted again.
“Lady,” he said humbly, “Lady or Spirit, we would know how thou camest
by that great name of thine.”
“It was given me as a child far away from here,” she answered, “because
in a mighty tempest the lightnings turned aside and smote me not;
because the waters raged yet drowned me not; because the lions slept
with me yet harmed me not. It came to me from the high Heaven that was
my friend. I do not know how it came.”
“We have heard the story,” answered the old man (which indeed they had
with many additions), “and we believe. We believe that the Heavens
above gave thee their own name which is the name of the Spirit of our
people. That Spirit I have seen in a dream, and she was like to thee, O
Inkosazana-y-Zoola.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account