So Rat put up a curtain; and opened a bundle of nice meat; and he and his people began to eat.
When Leopard took down one of his bundles, and opened it to share with his women, he was amazed, and said, “See! only bones and mean pieces! Ah! what is this matter!” And he called out to the other camp, “Ntori! Tata!” Rat responds, “Eh! Mwe Njĕgâ?” Leopard inquires, “What kind of meat are you eating?” Rat answers, “My own, from my own bundles. But what kind have you, Mwe Njĕgâ?” Leopard says, “My women prepared meat that was nice; but now I have only bones. I am surprised at that.”
The next, the fourth day, Rat said to Leopard, “I think we better change from the hard work on the ivory. Let us go hunting today; and tomorrow we will resume the ivory.” Leopard assented “Good! come on!” And they started out to hunt. They were successful again as on the previous days. At the time of the division of the meat, Rat showed no displeasure at Leopard’s taking the best pieces; as he had now his own artifice to get them back. And the meats of the day were placed on their owners’ respective drying-frames. By this day’s doings, many of Leopard’s baskets were full, ready to be taken to town, while most of Rat’s were still empty.
On the fifth day, they went to the brook again, to their fruitless work of pulling at the so-called ivory. The same things happened as before; Rat remembers that he has forgotten something; has to go in haste to the camp; rapidly changes the bundles on his and Leopard’s frames; returns to the brook; they all come back to the camp to eat; and there were repeated Leopard’s surprise, and his questions to Rat about the kinds of meat they were eating. Thus they continued; on alternate days hunting, and working at the ivory that was stuck immovably fast in the mud; and Rat stealing; and Leopard complaining.
Finally, Leopard became tired of his losses; and, one day, without letting anyone know what he intended doing, he said, “I will take a little walk.” Rat says, “You go alone? May I accompany you?” Leopard said, “No! I go alone; I won’t be long away; and I do not go far.”
So Leopard went to the wizard Ra-Marânge, whom as soon as he saw him, exclaimed, “What are you come for? Are you in trouble?” Leopard told him the matter of the losses of the meat. Then Ra-Marânge jumped into his fire, and emerged powerful and wise. And he said, “I will make for you something that will find out for you who it is that takes your meat.”
So Ra-Marânge made a little image of a man, and conferred on it wisdom and power, and gave it to Leopard, who took it to his camp, and hid it in his hut.
The next day they all resumed the work at the brook, with the ivory. There was the same diving, the same fruitless pulling, Rat’s same need of going back to the camp, and his same attempts at stealing. While he was doing this, he sees something like a little man standing near him. Rat puts out his hand to take from Leopard’s bundles as usual, and the image catches him by the wrist of that hand. Rat indignantly says, “You! this little fool! leave me! What do you catch me for?” But the image was silent; nor did it let go its hold. So Rat struck at it with his other hand. And the image caught that hand with its other hand. Then Rat was angry and kicked with one foot at a leg of the image. And that foot was retained by that leg of the image. Rat kicked with his remaining foot; it also was retained by the image’s other leg. He was thus held in the power of the image.
Rat, in desperation, said, “Let me go!” The image spoke, and simply said, “No!” Rat felt he was in a bad situation; but he put on a bold face. He knew that, by his long delay, the others must have given up the work at the brook, and would by now be returning to the camp; and, in a little while, he would be discovered. To forestall that discovery, he shouted out, “Mwe Nĕjgâ, come quickly! I’ve found the person who changes your bundles!” Leopard, on the path, heard his voice, and replied, “My child, is that so? Hold him fast!” Rat still daringly said, “Come quickly! He wants to get away from my grasp!” Leopard replied, “Hold fast! I am coming!” They all came hastily, both of Rat’s people, and of Leopard’s people; and there they saw Rat held fast by the hands and legs of the image. Leopard asked, “Where is he?” Rat, daring to the last, said, “This little man here that I am holding.” Leopard said, “Now that I am here, let go of him, for I will take charge of him.” Rat struggled, but in vain. Leopard several times repeated his direction to Rat, “Let go of him!” But Rat was utterly unable to withdraw his limbs from the power of the image. And he gave up the effort, in shame. Then Leopard had to help release Rat; the conferred power of the image being subservient to him. He did not strike Rat, he being his relative. But rebuked him, “Ah! Ntori! now I know it was you who made all the trouble about my meat!” And he took back all his fine bundles, and returned Rat his poor bundles. Rat went to his own camp ashamed, but still angry at the unjust division of the meat.
As Leopard’s baskets were now full, he announced that they should prepare to break camp, and return to town. Rat’s women murmured, “Ah! all going away, and our baskets almost empty!” Rat comforted them, “Yes; it is so; but, we will find a way to fill them!”