Then she left him, and ran after the children again.
They were near their grandfather’s village, and were very weak when their mother overtook them. The girl fell down, and the cannibal caught her and swallowed her. She then ran after the boy. He fell just at the entrance of his grandfather’s house, and she picked him up and swallowed him also. She [[141]]found only the old people and the children of the village at home, all the others being at work in the gardens. She ate all the people that were at home and also all the cattle that were there.
Towards evening she left to go to her own home. There was a deep valley in the way, and when she came to it she saw a very beautiful bird. As she approached it, the bird got bigger and bigger, until at last when she was very near it, it was as big as a house (i.e., a native hut).
Then the bird began to sing its song. The woman looked at it, and said to herself: “I shall take this bird home to my husband.”
The bird continued its song, and sang:
“I am a pretty bird of the valley,
You come to make a disturbance at my place.”
The bird came slowly towards her, still singing its song. When they met, the bird took the axe from the woman, and still sang the same song.
The cannibal began to be afraid.
She said to the bird: “Give me my axe; I do not wish for your flesh now.” [[142]]