who then went to the Baboon, and accused the Mouse with these words :

"In this manner I come to thee:-The Mouse has torn my clothes, but will not know anything of it, and accuses the Cat; the Cat protests likewise her innocence, and says the Dog must have done it; but the Dog denies it also, and declares the Wood has done it; and the Wood throws the blame on the Fire, and says, 'The Fire did it;' the Fire says, 'I have not, the Water did it;' the Water says, 'The Elephant tore the clothes;' and the Elephant says, 'The Ant tore them.' Thus a dispute has arisen among them. Therefore I, Itkler, come to thee with this proposition: Assemble the people and try them, in order that I may get satisfaction."

Thus he spake, and the Baboon assembled them for trial. Then they made the same excuses which had been mentioned by Itkler, each one putting the blame upon the other.

So the Baboon did not see any other way of punishing them, save through making them punish each other; he therefore said

"Mouse, give Itkler satisfaction."

The Mouse, however, pleaded not guilty. But the Baboon said, "Cat, bite the Mouse." She did so.

He then put the same question to the Cat, and when

she exculpated herself, the Baboon called to the Dog, "Here, bite the Cat."

In this manner the Baboon questioned them all, one after the other, but they each denied the charge. Then he addressed the following words to them, and said"Wood, beat the Dog.

Fire, burn the Wood.
Water, quench the Fire.

Elephant, drink the Water.

Ant, bite the Elephant in his most tender parts." They did so, and since that day they cannot any longer agree with each other.

The Ant enters into the Elephant's most tender parts, and bites him.

The Elephant swallows the Water.
The Water quenches the Fire.
The Fire consumes the Wood.

The Wood beats the Dog.

The Dog bites the Cat.

And the Cat the Mouse.

Through this judgment Itkler got satisfaction, and addressed the Baboon in the following manner:"Yes! Now I am content, since I have received satisfaction, and with all my heart I thank thee, Baboon, because thou hast exercised justice on my behalf, and given me redress."

Then the Baboon said, "From to-day I will not any longer be called Jan, but Baboon shall be my name."

Since that time the Baboon walks on all fours, having probably lost the privilege of walking erect through this foolish judgment.(?)

18. THE LION AND THE BABOON.

(The original, in the Hottentot language, is in Sir G. Grey's Library, G. Krönlein's Manuscript, pp. 14, 15.)

THE BABOON.

Thou hollow-cheeked son
Of a hollow-cheeked one,
My hollow-cheeked one!
Who hast two hip-bones,
High hip-bones,

With which thou sittest on the edge of the rock,
Thou whose face appears like the edge of a rock.

THE Baboon, it is said, once worked bamboos, sitting on the edge of a precipice, and the Lion stole upon him. The Baboon, however, had fixed some round, glistening, eye-like plates on the back of his head. When, therefore, the Lion crept upon him, he thought, when the Baboon was looking at him, that he sat with his back towards him, and crept with all his might upon him. When, however, the Baboon turned his back towards him, the Lion thought that he was seen, and hid himself. Thus, when the

Baboon looked at him, he crept upon him. Whilst the Baboon did this, the Lion came close upon him. When he was near him the Baboon looked up, and the Lion continued to creep upon him. The Baboon said (aside), "Whilst I am looking at him he steals upon me, whilst my hollow eyes are on him."

When at last the Lion sprung at him, he lay (quickly) down upon his face, and the Lion jumped over him, falling down the precipice, and was dashed to pieces.