37. THE VICTORY OF HEITSI EIBIP.
(From a German original Manuscript in Sir G. Grey’s Library, H. C. Knudsen’s “Notes on the Hottentots,” p. 7.)
At first they were two. One had made a large hole in the ground, and sat by it, and told passers-by to throw a stone at his forehead. The stone, however, rebounded and killed the person who had thrown it, so that he fell into the hole. At last Heitsi Eibip was told that in this manner many people died. So he arose and went to the man, who challenged Heitsi Eibip to throw (a stone) at him. The latter, however, declined, for he was too prudent; but he drew the man’s attention to something on one side, and while he turned round to look at it, Heitsi Eibip hit him behind the ear, so that he died and fell into his own hole. After that there was peace, and people lived happily.[3] [[110]]