“Among the boys,” announced Damasi finally, “the prize goes to Fanase. Among the girls”—and he hesitated for the moment as if making up his mind—“the prize goes to Nomusa.”
Unbelieving, Nomusa looked at Intombi and then turned her head in the direction of Kangata. His face was full of disappointment and misery. Sad for her little brother, Nomusa could take no pleasure in having been awarded a prize. Just as she was thinking, “I shall give Kangata my prize,” she heard Damasi shouting out loudly, “The prize for the funniest design goes to Kangata!”
There was a roar of laughter. The children clicked their tongues, “tsick tsick,” in congratulation. For a few moments Kangata did not know whether to laugh or to cry, but when Damasi called him into the large ring of children and handed him a basket full of roasted winged ants, locusts, and caterpillars, his face broke into a cheerful grin, and he began to laugh, too. This caused the other children to laugh still more, and soon the kraal echoed with their pleasure. Nomusa expected to hear some of the mothers shout “Tula!” from their huts, but no one did. It was Damasi’s party, and the children could do as they pleased for this one day.
“Come into the ring, Nomusa,” called Damasi, “so everyone can see your designs.” More emphatic “tsick tsicks” clicked around her. A little embarrassed, she took Kangata’s hand and then looked down toward her wriggling toes.
“I wonder what you’re going to get,” whispered Kangata. But Nomusa neither answered nor looked up. Her only desire was to be allowed to get out of the middle of the ring and go back to Intombi’s side at once. What took Damasi so long? This was a poor joke—leaving her there next to Kangata with all those children staring at her. Kangata, however, was unconcerned. He was eating a locust with great relish and trying at the same time to count the number of delicacies he had won.
All at once the children grew silent. Nomusa looked up to see Damasi coming toward her with a very small gray striped monkey clinging to his neck with both little hands. When she saw the monkey, Nomusa’s heart began to beat faster.
“For you,” she heard Damasi saying, as he gently unclasped the monkey’s arms from around his neck and handed him to Nomusa.
She murmured her thanks and tenderly took the little animal in her arms. She could hardly believe she had won such a marvelous prize.
The girls crowded around Nomusa, trying to pet the little monkey. But he clung to Nomusa.
“See, he loves you already,” said Intombi. “What are you going to call him?”