After awhile they all finished their work at the bellows. They still left their tools lying on the ground, and came near to the Bird, and they said, as on other occasions, “Show us who is the eldest.”

Then Tortoise at the request of the Bird, announced the decision, as if it was its own, “Ye who ate of the Njâbâ are the ones who are oldest; ye who ate of Uhingi are the ones who are younger men; and ye who ate of the Edubu are the ones who are the youngest.”

So, they assented to the decision, and took away their belongings.

TALE 8

Abundance: A Play on the Meaning of a Word

Persons

A Hunter; Man Mbindi (Wild Goat) A Dwarf, with Magic-Power Bwinge (Abundance, or “More”) Ngweya (Hog) Ungumba (Riches)