“Moonspirit is the brother of Eyes-in-the-hands?”
“Nay,” answered Birnier, wondering at the persistency of this idea. “Eyes-in-the-hands is of another tribe ten moons distant from Moonspirit.”
Marufa grunted. Another long pause. Then:
“The magic of Moonspirit hath blunted the spears of Bakahenzie?”
“Even so,” said Birnier modestly.
“The son of Maliko maketh much magic that the bride of the Banana be taken from the white stranger.”
“The monkey makes many faces and much noise, but does he eat up the leopard?”
“The bite of the spear is more deadly than the bleat of a goat,” retorted Marufa.
“Doth the wise man eat the heart of a goat to gain courage?”
“The louder the lion roars the less teeth has he!”