The Village in the Jungle

by Leonard Woolf

'Yes, Hamadoru.'

'He charges you with the theft. Have you anything to say?'

'I know nothing about this.'

'He says he knows nothing about this,' said the interpreter to the judge.

'Any witnesses?' said the judge.

'Have you any witnesses?' said the interpreter to Babun.

'How can I have witnesses? No one will give evidence against the headman.'

'Any reason for a false charge?' asked the judge.

'Hamadoru, the headman is on very bad terms with me; he is angry with me because of my wife. He is angry with my wife's father. He wanted me to marry from another village. Then he wanted me to give my wife to the Mudalali and because I refused he is angry.'

'Anything else?'