When evening came, they saw a fine large tree, where the little ngina and his mother could rest comfortably. Both ascended the tree, and the old fellow slept at the foot. Toward midnight there was a great thunderstorm, the rain fell in torrents, the claps of thunder were incessant, and the lightning was most vivid, and after one terrific clap of thunder, a vivid flash pierced through the forest, and the thunderbolt struck the tree next to theirs. The nginas gave a terrific yell of alarm. They fled, and wandered about in the darkness, for they could not see their way well. Suddenly the big ngina stepped on a huge python and gave another yell; but before the serpent could attack him, he gave him a terrible bite and killed him. Ere long they found another good tree for sleeping in, and ascended it for the rest of the night.
They were delighted when morning came. “What an awful night we have had!” the old fellow said to his mate. “That is the first time in my life that I have seen lightning strike so near us. We have narrowly escaped with our lives.”
In the course of the day they came to a part of the forest where the ground was soft. The big ngina saw the footprints of a njego. At this sight his hair stood erect on his body, this being a sign of fear and anger. Looking at his mate, he said, “Here are the footprints of a njego.” Then both inspected them closely and she said, “We must be careful to-night, for the njego makes such tremendous leaps that one is never sure of his life.”
“He gave him a terrible bite”
It happened that the njego was famished on that day, and left his lair before the night had come, to prowl in the forest in search of prey, for the leopard can see in the daytime, though he sees much better at night. The big ngina, who was on a tree busy eating fruit, suddenly saw the njego coming toward his tree. At this sight his hair became erect again, his eyes showing some fright at first, but he recovered himself speedily, and soon they looked full of anger. He remained silent and waited for the leopard to pass under his tree. He had not to wait long, and then, quick as an arrow, he fell upon the njego’s back and with one of his powerful vise-like feet seized the nape of the leopard’s neck with such force, holding it down, that the leopard could not move his head, and with his other foot on his back near his tail he held his body on the ground. Then he gave a quick jerk, stretched the body of the njego, and broke his spine. The njego gave a terrific scream, a few groans, and was dead.
The ngina dropped the njego from his clutches, looked fiercely at his body, and, seated on his haunches, gave several yells, and with open hands struck it with tremendous force, breaking some of the ribs and severing the body almost in two. While he was doing this, his mate appeared with their baby ngina. At the sight she uttered a fearful scream, and the little fellow, full of fear, climbed into a small tree.
The following morning, as they were enjoying a breakfast of nuts, suddenly they heard a great crash through the jungle. A herd of elephants was coming toward them. Forthwith they ascended a tree, and soon after the njokoos passed near them. When they were gone, the nginas said: “These njokoos are not going our way. They are going in an opposite direction and are foraging. It is a good thing they know nothing about our plantain field; if they did, we should find no plantains upon our arrival there.” That very same afternoon, they saw a huge omemba (snake) coiled round a tree and looking them steadily in the face. The big ngina at the sight gave a tremendous yell of anger, but he and his family passed safely by.
They continued their journey and came to a river. Some kambis on the opposite shore were drinking. As they raised their heads, they saw the nginas and said: “The nginas are not among our enemies, for they do not live on blood, and we do not eat the same kind of food. We need not be worried, anyhow, for nginas do not swim across rivers.” Whereupon the kambis went their way in peace and unconcerned.