Old Sara's Dutch was poor, and Poppy could not speak Basuto, so that much conversation did not ensue, but black people can tell a great deal without saying much.
Once Poppy asked her why she did not go to her kraal and live with her children instead of working for white people.
Old Sara took snuff and answered briefly:
"Ek het nê kinders, oor Ek is ne getroud." (I have no children, because I am not married.)
This was good, but not infallible logic, as Poppy even in her few years had discovered.
"Why didn't you get married when you were young, old Sara?" she queried.
Old Sara rolled her eyes mournfully at the child, and muttered some words in her own language. Then slowly she undid the buttons of many kinds and colours which adorned the front of her dress. From the left bosom she took a large bundle of rags, and placed them carefully on the floor, then opening her bodice wide, she revealed her black body bare to the waist. Poppy's astonished gaze fell upon a right breast—no object of beauty, but large and heavy; but where the left breast should be was only a little shrivel of brown skin high up out of line with the other.
That was old Sara's only answer to Poppy's question. Afterwards she quietly replaced her bundle of rags, and rebuttoned her dress.
As for Poppy, she pondered the problem long. At last she made a little song, which she called:
"The woman with the crooked breast."