“The Frog asked the young men where and how he could buy some cloth, and they told him that if he carried some peanuts to Mboma[[29]] he could buy plenty there, and the road was not difficult to find, for if he followed the river he would reach there in a few days. The Frog was glad to hear this, and thereupon he killed six fowls and made a feast for his friends, and told each of his wives to bring him a large basket of peanuts in the morning, for he said: ‘Altho’ I am a big chief of a large town I feel ashamed, because my wives have had no new cloths since I married them, and they do not dress properly.’
“The next morning the peanuts were brought and tied into a load, and for the journey some food was prepared, and the Frog started, telling his wives that he would be back in twenty days.
“On the third day of his journey the Frog reached a large baobab-tree that had fallen across the road, and while he was considering how he, a person with such short legs, could jump over it, he heard a voice say: ‘If you are a strong man please put down your bundle and save me, for as I was on my way to visit my wife’s family this tree fell on me and has held me here for twenty months. Have pity on me and help me now from under this tree.’
“When the Frog heard this, he at once put down his load and went under the tree, and swelled and swelled until he lifted it and the Snake was able to crawl out; then the Frog let the tree down again, and went to pick up his load to continue his journey. The Snake, however, immediately caught him by the leg, and told him to get ready to be swallowed.
“The Frog said: ‘What have I done that you should swallow me, for although I had a right to be paid for helping you, yet I did not ask for anything! Let me go on my way to Mboma.’
“While they were arguing about this an Antelope arrived, and he was asked to judge between them; but when he had heard the whole matter he was afraid to settle the affair properly, for he said to himself: ‘If I let the Frog go, who is right, but little, then the Snake will kill me.’ So the Antelope gave the verdict in favour of the Snake.
“The Snake quickly said: ‘Do you hear that? Get ready at once and I will swallow you.’ But the Frog cried: ‘He would have given me the verdict only he is afraid of you.’
“While they were discussing this point a Fox arrived on the scene, and he wanted to hear all about it. When the case was laid before him, the Snake said: ‘Am I not in the right, for I am very hungry and want to swallow the Frog?’
“But the Fox would not give the verdict until he had seen the Frog lift the tree, so he said to the Snake: ‘Release the Frog’s leg and let him go and raise the tree,’ which the Frog did at once.
“The Fox said: ‘Truly the Frog is very strong to lift so large a tree. Now, Snake, you go under it, and show us how you were lying beneath the tree.’ So the Snake went, thinking he would surely win the case as the judge was taking so much trouble over it, but the Snake was no sooner under the tree than the Fox called out: ‘Frog, let go the tree,’ and down it came right on the Snake, holding him so that he could not get away.