On the following day, as they were about to start on their journey, Rat said to Leopard, "As you are the elder, go you first, and I will follow." Leopard said, "Good! come on!" And they went on the path, Rat keeping close behind Leopard's people. (Baskets being carried tied on the back with a strap over the forehead, the bearer leans heavily forward, and cannot see what is happening behind.) Rat had prepared a hook with a handle. From time to time, as they came to narrow places in the path where thorny branches met, he would strike the hook into some basket before him, and in pretence, would say, "Wait! a thorn on this branch has caught your basket! Let me unfasten it." While the carrier would stand still for Rat to release the branch, the latter seized the chance to take pieces of meat from the basket, and substitute stones from his own baskets. The way was long; and, at every obstructed place, Rat kept on at his pretence of helping to free some basket of Leopard's from the thorns that caught it, and changed pieces of good meat for his stones. Before they reached Leopard's town, darkness began to fall, and both companies were very tired, especially that of Leopard; for, their baskets seemed to have grown heavier. Rat said, "Njegâ! All this hard day's walk! Hide our baskets, yours in one place, and mine in another, and let us go on to town and sleep; and we will send back our women for the baskets in the morning." Leopard assented, "Good! come on!" So they left their baskets, and all went to town. The next morning, Rat sent his people very, very early. Leopard sent his later, at the usual time of morning business. When his people were going they met Rat's people coming back with their loads, and exclaimed, "You are loaded already!" When Leopard's people brought their baskets to the town, and opened them, they were amazed to find that they had little else than stones and bones. Leopard was very angry; and, going to Rat, he began to scold, "You have taken away my meat!" "No I have my own. Look! these baskets, you know them, they are mine! Perhaps some one stole your meat in the night and put the stones in place. But, as you are in such a trouble, I will share with you of mine." So he called to his women, "Give Njegâ a few pieces of meat." Leopard took the meat, and Rat and his people went away to their own town. But Leopard was not satisfied. He was sure that Rat had played him a trick. He had forgiven Rat his stealing at the camp; but, for this last trick, he meditated revenge. TALE 3 TESTS OF DEATH--1ST VERSION Persons Njegâ (Leopard) Ntori (Wild-Rat) NOTE It is the proper and most friendly mode, that relatives and friends should hasten to visit their sick, on the very first information, without waiting to be invited or summoned. Leopard told his head-wife, "Ntori has taken our meat and deceived me in all these ways; I will kill him and eat him." So he pretended to be sick.