They all stood ready to listen, and he said, "Do not cut up the Goat till we first know who killed it. That stomach there! What makes it so big?" Leopard, in the stomach, heard; but he did not believe that Tortoise meant it, and thought to himself, "What a fool is this Ekaga, in pretending to inform on me, by directing attention to the stomach!" Tortoise ordered, "All you, take your spears, and stick that stomach! For the one who killed Goat is in it!" And they all got their spears ready. Leopard did not speak or move; for, he still thought Tortoise was only joking. Tortoise began with his spear, and the others all thrust in. And Leopard holding the heart, was seen dying! All shouted, "Ah! Njegâ killed our Goat! Ah! he's the one who killed it." Tortoise taunted Leopard, "Asai! (shame for you) you took my wife; and now you are dead!" Leopard died. They divided the Goat, and returned to town. Tortoise took again his wife and all his goods, now that Leopard was dead. And he was satisfied that his artifice had surpassed Leopard's strength. TALE 5 A TUG-OF-WAR Persons Ekaga (Tortoise) Njâgu (Elephant) Ngubu (Hippopotamus) NOTE African natives are sensitive about questions of equality and seniority. A certain term, "Mwera" (chum) may be addressed to other than an equal, only at risk of a quarrel. A story of the trick by which Tortoise apparently proved himself the equal of both Elephant and Hippopotamus. Observe the preposterous size of Elephant's trunk! But everything, to the native African mind, was enormous in the pre-historic times. Leopard was dead, after the accusation against him by Tortoise for killing the great Goat. The children of Leopard were still young; they had not grown to take their father's power and place. And Tortoise considered himself now a great personage. He said to people, "We three who are left,--I and Njâgu and Ngubu, are of equal power; we eat at the same table, and have the same authority." Every day he made these boasts; and people went to Elephant and Hippopotamus, reporting, "So-and-so says Ekaga." Elephant and Hippopotamus laughed, and disregarded the report, and said, "That's nothing, he's only to be despised." One day Hippopotamus met Elephant in the forest; salutations were made, "Mbolo!" "Ai, mbolo!" each to the other. Hippopotamus asked Elephant about a new boast that Tortoise had been making, "Have you, or have you not heard?" Elephant answered, "Yes, I have heard. But I look on it with contempt. For, I am Njâgu. I am big. My foot is as big as Ekaga's body. And he says he is equal to me! But, I have not spoken of the matter, and will not speak, unless I hear Ekaga himself make his boast. And then I shall know what I will do." And Hippopotamus also said, "I am doing so too, in silence. I wait to hear Ekaga myself."