As soon as it was day, the cannibal pursued the children. They looked behind, and saw clouds of dust which she made as she ran. There was a tall tree just in front of them, so they hastened to climb up it, and sat down among the branches. Nomagoda came to the tree and commenced to cut it down; but when a chip fell out, a bird (Ntengu) sang—
“Ntengu, ntengu,
Chips, return to your places,
Chips, return to your places,
Chips, be fast.”
The chip then went back to its place and was fast again. This happened three times; but Nomagoda, who was very angry, caught the bird and swallowed it. When she put it in her mouth, one of the feathers dropped to the [[126]]ground. Then she began to chop at the tree again; but as soon as a chip was loose the feather sang—
“Ntengu, ntengu,
Chips, return to your places,
Chips, return to your places,
Chips, be fast”