At this thought he looked round to see if he could discover any birds on the trees near him, and saw a big one looking down upon him. He was filled with fear, and said: "Oguizi, if you have taken the shape of that bird, look into my heart and you will see that I love you." Then he took some of the food he had with him, and left a great part of it for the bird, and continued his way, looking now and then up at the branches of the trees to see if the bird was still following him. Then hearing "Hi-Hi-Hi," a noise made by a peculiar species of grasshopper, he thought I might have taken that shape, so I could not be seen by him.
Once more he took his ogana from his bag and invoked her aid. Still he went on his march in search of me, his mind perfectly bewildered with different thoughts. When, lo! to his supreme joy, he discovered some of the marks I had made upon the bark of trees, broken off branches, and large heaps of leaves which I had laid along the path. After this he discovered that I had left the path and gone into the forest; and again he lost all traces of me. He stopped and talked to Andekko and said: "Andekko, we have lost the Oguizi. Perhaps he is gone forever. Perhaps he is in the forest. Let us find him. Help me, Andekko, to find him." Andekko looked into his face and barked. He seemed to know what Rogala said to him. But soon after this he found my traces again, and followed them to the village where I was.
"When I saw him, I came towards him, and in an instant we were in each other's arms."
Suddenly the villagers heard a voice outside of the stockade asking: "Is the Oguizi here?"
A number of voices answered: "Yes, the Oguizi is here with us, and slept in our village last night."
Then they opened the door. The man was Rogala, followed by Andekko, and having Ndova on his shoulder. I was at the other end of the street. When I saw him, I came towards him, and in an instant we were in each other's arms, to the great astonishment of the people of the village, who were mute with wonder at our outburst of friendship. Rogala shouted, "We are men! we are men!"
Andekko gave vent to barks of joy, leaping round me, and Ndova jumped from Rogala's shoulder upon mine, uttering the peculiar sounds which showed his pleasure in seeing me again.
After we were seated Rogala recounted to me what I have already told, and at the conclusion of his story he whispered to me: "Oguizi, I hope you have not told where we live in the forest." I whispered, "No;" and after a while the Bakalais crowded round Rogala and asked him all kinds of questions about me.