“Here is a goodly twig with which to tempt spirits of the forest,” and significantly, “Maybe there are others.”
“A mighty potion shall be prepared for thee, O son of MBusa,” declared Marufa, moving slightly to conceal the package of beads. “A mighty potion, infallible; made from the hair of a rutting leopardess, the liver of the forest rat and the tongue of the Baroto bird; these must she take that she shall speak thee softly, together with a portion of that which remains from the ceremony of the lobolo. Infallible is it; never known to fail.”
“Ehh!”
Marufa stared interestedly at a wandering hen. MYalu watched him covertly. Like bronzes sat the two young slaves. From the distance came a faint chanting and the beat of a drum.…
“The tusk is here, Marufa,” remarked MYalu casually.
“My eyes see it,” observed Marufa, without altering his observation of the hen.
“Where then is the potion?”
Marufa glanced at the tusk, appraised it again, and fumbling within his loin-cloth, thrust another tiny package along the ground. MYalu greedily picked up [pg 26] the amulet and stared in awe, turning it over and about.
“The tusk,” murmured Marufa.
MYalu gestured to his slaves. They rose and placed the tusk beside the old man, shuffled backwards and squatted again. After lifting one end to test the weight, Marufa examined the grain. Then sliding it behind him as if he wished to sit upon it, remarked: