He replied: “I did not dream; I spoke the truth.”
Then they made a plan that one should remain awake, and if anything happened, he should pinch the one next him, and that one should pinch the next, till all were awake.
After a while the boy who was listening heard some one come in quietly. That was a [[81]]cannibal. He said the same words again, and then went out for the purpose of calling his friends to come to the feast. The boy awakened his companions according to the plan agreed upon, so that they all heard what was said. Therefore, as soon as the cannibal went out, they arose and fled from that place. The cannibal came back with his friends, and when the others saw there was no one in the hut, they killed and ate him.
As they were going on, Sikulume saw that he had left his bird behind. He stood, and said: “I must return for my bird, my beautiful bird with the long tail and topknot on its head. My father commanded that I must not see his face again unless I bring the bird.”
The boys said: “Take one of ours. Why should you go where cannibals are?”
He replied: “I must have the one that is my own.”
He stuck his assagai in the ground, and told them to look at it. He said: “If it stands still, you will know I am safe; if it shakes, you will know I am running; if it falls down, you will know I am dead.” Then he left them to return to the hut of the cannibals. [[82]]
On the way he saw an old woman sitting by a big stone. She said: “Where are you going to?” He told her he was going for his bird. The old woman gave him some fat, and said: “If the cannibals pursue you, put some of this on a stone.”
He came to the hut and got his bird. The cannibals were sitting outside, a little way back. They had just finished eating the owner of the hut. When Sikulume came out with his bird they saw him and ran after him. They were close to him, when he took some of the fat and threw it on a stone. The cannibals came to the stone, and began to fight with each other.
One said: “The stone is mine.”