Nevertheless, Civet ran rapidly back before night to his mother’s kitchen-garden in his town, at the place where he usually went, while the three others sat down in the path to await his return. After a long time, Civet, having relieved himself, came again by night to his companions, saying, “I am feeling very well.”
The next day, they all rose, saying, “Now! Let us resume our journey!” and they started again.
They walked, and they walked, until Boa cried, “O! my stomach! O! my stomach aches!” Then Tortoise asked him, “What is ‘stomach ache’?” Boa replied, “It means that hunger has seized me.” So Tortoise said, “Yes, that’s right. We have with us food for the journey ready. So, come, all of you, let us all eat.” But Boa said, “No! not this food. I must go and seek other food.” Tortoise inquired, “What other kind of food?” Boa said, “Let me go over yonder a little way; and I shall return.”
As he was going, he came in sight of a red Antelope. Boa curled his body in folds, according to his manner of crushing his prey. The Antelope happened along; and Boa seized and killed it. He covered it with saliva very much, as is its manner in swallowing its prey. And, carrying it to their camp, Boa lay down with it. Tortoise said, “We will all eat together of it.” But Boa replied, “We do not give each other in the town; shall we give each other on the journey?” Then he swallowed the entire carcass. Presently he called the other three; and they went to him. And he said to them, “I have finished eating, and I am satisfied.”
So, Tortoise said, “Come on, then; let us continue our journey.” But Boa said, “No! I shall leave this place only when this Beast I have eaten dissolves.” Tortoise expostulated, “Indeed! Chum! I said in the town, ‘Let no one begin any matter on the way,’ yet, first Njâbu began his affair; and now you, Mbâmâ, begin yours!”
However, they all sat down, and waited for Boa’s food to digest. For an entire month they waited there, delaying while that food was being digested. Finally, Boa said, “Now, we will journey, but first I will go to the river to drink.” He drank a very great deal of water, which acted as a purgative to relieve his bowels of the bones of the Antelope. Then he reported to the others, “I am feeling very well. Let us go.”
They went, and they went. And they came to a large tree so recently fallen across the path that its leaves were still green. Hog jumped over to the other side of it. Also, Boa crawled over it. And Civet leaped over it. They called to Tortoise, who was vainly trying to climb over it, “Come on! Let us go ahead! Jump!”
But, Tortoise being vexed, said, “No! I won’t go! You know I have no long legs. What can I do! So, I shall leave this spot only when this tree has rotted through, giving me an open way!” They all wondered, and said, “No! this tree is new and fresh. It will rot in how many days?”
Tortoise replied, “Not me! you! For, had not you two, Njâbu and Mbâmâ, delayed us, we would already have passed this spot long before this tree fell. You, Njâbu, first began a matter; soon, you, Mbâmâ, began your matter; now, this is my matter. Now wait for me.” So, they waited and waited.
But, while waiting, the other three went out sometimes by early daylight in the morning to an adjacent plantation, and found there corn, yams, plantains, and all kinds of food. Civet and Hog said, “We must eat!” They ate up the corn, and finished the plantains.