A low moan sounded from the crowd of watching Indians on the hill-side
as they saw the grey wolf leading in the race. But the next moment, the
moan changed to a shout of surprise. The strange warrior had changed
himself into a partridge; he rose swiftly in the air, flew past over
Mudjee Monedo, and lighted on the course far ahead of him. Then he
resumed his natural form and again ran forward.
The ogre did not know what had happened. He heard the shout and the
whirr of wings above him, and now he saw the stranger far ahead. He was
very much surprised, but again he used his magic and turned himself
into a deer. With long leaps and bounds he overtook and passed beyond
the running warrior.
Again there was a whirr of wings. The partridge flew past overhead, and
a mocking voice cried in the ogre’s ear, “Mudjee Monedo, is this the
best you can do?” A moment later the ogre saw the stranger once more
far ahead, and running as lightly and gracefully as ever.
The charred stump was passed and Mudjee Monedo’s heart began to beat
hard against his sides. Never had he had to strive so hard. For the
third time he used his magic, and turned himself into his third and
last form, that of a buffalo. It was in this shape that he generally
won the race. With his great shaggy head down, his eyes as red as blood
and his tongue lolling from his mouth, the ogre thundered past the
stranger.
Once again there was a whirr of wings. The partridge rose from the
ground and flew past over the head of the straining buffalo. “Mudjee
Monedo,” he called from above, “is this the best you can do? I fear you
will lose the wager.”
With despair the ogre saw that the stranger had once more flown far
ahead of him, and was now almost within reach of the goal-post.
Suddenly stopping, Mudjee Monedo resumed his natural form. “Hold!
hold!” he called to the warrior. “A word with you.”
The stranger gave a mocking laugh. Springing forward he laid his hand
upon the goal-post, and a mighty shout burst from the watching people
on the hill. Then a stillness fell upon them. In silence they watched
the ogre as he slowly went forward toward the goal-post.
As he drew near the stranger Mudjee Monedo tried to smile, but his pale
lips trembled. “It was all a joke,” he muttered. “You will spare my
life, as I would have spared yours. You run well and we must have many
races together.”
“Wretch!” cried the stranger. “What was the wager? Life against life;
the loser pays the forfeit.”
Swift as lightning he caught up the club that hung from the goal-post,
and with one blow he struck the ogre to the earth. Then again a great
shout arose from the people, and like a stream they flowed down from
the hill-side and gathered around the warrior.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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