When all was ready, Antelope said, to (the one whom he supposed was) Kudu, “Come! let us race!” They started. Antelope ran on and on, and came as far as about ten miles to the town of Ubĕnji, among the Igara people. At various spots on the way Tortoise apparently was lost behind; but as constantly he seemed to re-appear, saying, “I’m here!”
At once, Antelope raced forward rapidly, pu! pu! pu! to a town named Ipĕnyĕnyĕ. Then he looked around and said, “Where is Kudu?” A tortoise stepped out of the bushes, saying “Here I am! You haven’t raced.”
Antelope raced on until he reached the town of Beyâ. Again looking around, he said, “Where is Kudu?” A tortoise stepped out, replying, “I’m here!”
Antelope again raced, until he reached the town Lolabe. Again he asked, “Where is Kudu?” A tortoise saying to himself, “He hasn’t heard anything,” replied, “Here I am!”
Again Antelope raced on as far as from there to a rocky point by the sea named Ilale-ja-moto; and then he called, “Wherever is Kudu?” A tortoise ready answered, “Here I am!”
From thence, he came on in the race another stretch of about ten miles, clear to the town of Bongahĕli of the Batanga people. At each place on the route, when Antelope, losing sight of Tortoise, called, “Kudu! where are you?” promptly the tortoise on guard at that spot replied, “I’m here!”
Then on he went, steadily going, going, another stretch of about twenty miles to Plantation Beach. Still the prompt reply to Antelope’s call, “Kudu, where are you?” was, “I’m here!”
As he started away from Plantation, the wearied Antelope began to feel his legs tired. However, he pressed on to Small Batanga, hoping for victory over his despised contestant. But, on his reaching the edge of Balimba, the tortoise was there ready with his, “I’m here!”
Finally, on reaching the end of the Balimba settlement, Antelope fell down, dying, froth coming from his mouth, and lay dead, being utterly exhausted with running. But, when Tortoise arrived, he took a magic-medicine, and restored Antelope to life; and then exulted over him by beating him, and saying, “Don’t you show me your audacity another day by daring to run with me! I have surpassed you!”
So, they returned separately to their homes on the Campo River. Tortoise called together the Tortoise Tribe; and Antelope called all the Antelope Tribe. And they met in a Council of all the Animals. Then Tortoise rose and spoke—“All you Kudu Tribe! Mbalanga said I would not surpass him in a race. But, this day I have surpassed!”