Settling back once more to his usual air of serious dignity, Sobah continued his recital.
"Elephan' he go back, he no kare any fiah.
"Well, Lepped come, he tell de ooman say: 'I come fo' fiah.'
"De ooman say, 'All ret,' he say, 'Look me pickin, he go fet yo.'
"Dey begin fo' fet, Goro en Lepped. Dey fet en fet. De girl he hase (raise) de Lepped up; he sen' um, he go, he take t'ree mont'; he come down, he fa' down 'pon 'tone, he cut hese'f, de blood sprinkle all 'pon um. Dat make de Lepped he spot, spot."
This explanation of the Leopard's spots, seemed reasonable enough to these simple-minded people, who ask only that some cause out of the ordinary should account for ordinary things. Dogbah was about to offer a comment again, but before his slow wits could formulate his words, the story-teller had plunged into the next sentence.
"De Lepped he go widout no fiah. De beef, w'en dey see um, dey say:
"'Eh! We no get no fiah to-day.'