“I will help you with the corn, Sisiwe, if you paint my back the way I tell you to.”
“I shall do it gladly, Nomusa.”
Carefully, Nomusa stooped before Sisiwe’s grinding stone, afraid lest she make cracks in the paint on her body. She began grinding the corn, throwing into the scooped stone a handful of dried kernels now and then. Sisiwe, more cheerful now, ran quickly out of the kraal for the wood.
While Nomusa worked, she could not help admiring herself, and her eyes wandered up and down the front of her body. Nomusa was pleased with her designs. When she had given her body a final layer of grease to protect and bring out the colors of the paint and had put on all her bangles and bracelets, she would look beautiful indeed. She would not forget to wear her new oxhide neck-pocket, either. Already she had put into it most of her best treasures, to be exchanged for even better ones, she hoped, with Damasi’s guests.
It did not seem at all long before Sisiwe was back again, her arms filled with branches and twigs. She dropped her load behind her hut, then carried into the hut as much wood as her mother would need for several hours. Out she ran to Nomusa and squatted beside her, taking the grinding stone out of her hand.
“I can go on grinding if you will get my paints and cover my back with red paint,” said Nomusa.
Sisiwe darted over to Nomusa’s hut to gather up the paints. When she returned, Nomusa said, “I think the paints will need more water. They are a little dry now. When you have used what you need on my back, you may have the rest of the colors for yourself.”
“You are good, Nomusa.” Sisiwe added some water to the paint, stirring water and paint together with great care. She began covering Nomusa’s back with the red color as smoothly as she could. Nomusa giggled as the rabbit’s foot tickled her sides.
After having made the designs and used the colors Nomusa showed her, Sisiwe said, “It is done now, and you look splendid.”