At the time for giving food, the leopardess came back and said: “Give me my children that I may suckle them.” [[112]]
Hlakanyana gave one.
The mother said: “Give all at once.”
Hlakanyana replied: “It is better that one should drink and then another.”
The leopardess agreed to that. After three had drunk he gave the first one back the second time. Then the leopardess went to hunt again.
Hlakanyana took another of the cubs and ate it. He also made the door of the house very small so that the mother of the cubs could not come in, and then he made a little hole in the ground at the back so that he could go out. The next day the leopardess came to give her children suck. There were only two left now. Hlakanyana gave them both back the second time. After that the leopardess went away as before.
Hlakanyana ate another of the cubs, so that only one was left. When the mother came, he gave this one four times. When he gave it the last time the leopardess said: “Why does my child not drink to-day?” It was already full, and did not want to drink more.
Hlakanyana replied: “I think this one is sick.” [[113]]
The mother said: “You must take good care of it.”
Hlakanyana promised to do so, but when the leopardess was gone he ate that one also.