“Ehh!”
The girl clasped her breast in surprised terror.
“How dost thou know?”
“All things are known to the son of MTungo,” declared Marufa solemnly, still regarding the opposite wall. “Thou desirest a love charm.… What hast thou?”
Tremulously Bakuma put down the green package on the ground, darting terrified glances to right and left. Slowly the skinny hand of the wizard gently tore open the leaves; very impressively the eyes slanted down to appraise the stock of blue and white beads.
“The spirit of Tarum hath a big belly,” he announced tonelessly.
“O wise one, intercede for me,” pleaded Bakuma, [pg 23] “for more have I none, I, Bakuma, daughter of Bakala, a girl of the hut thatch.”
“The true love charm, infallible and powerful, is difficult to obtain, O Bakuma. The young huntress aims at big game.”
“Ehh! But I have no more, great one!”
“The hair of a rutting leopardess, the liver of a forest rat, the tongue of a Baroto bird—these must I have to mix with thy blood to be drunk by thy man when the moon is full.”