So they took the knife and beat it.
But the knife cried: “Here! I am Kee′soo, the knife. Why do you beat me? What have I done?”
And they said: “Yes, we know you are Keesoo; you cut Kaamba, the rope; that ties Paaka, the cat; who eats Paanya, the rat; who bores through Keeyambaaza, the mud wall; which stopped Koosee, the south wind; and Koosee, the south wind, threw down the calabash that struck our teacher Goso. You should not have done it.”
But Keesoo said, “If I were so powerful would I be burned by the fire?”
And they went and beat the fire.
But the fire cried: “Here! I am Mo′to, the fire. Why do you beat me? What have I done?”
And they said: “Yes, we know you are Moto; you burn Keesoo, the knife; that cuts Kaamba, the rope; that ties Paaka, the cat; who eats Paanya, the rat; who bores through Keeyambaaza, the mud wall; which stopped Koosee, the south wind; and Koosee, the south wind, threw down the calabash that struck our teacher Goso. You should not have done it.”
But Moto said, “If I were so powerful would I be put out by water?”
And they went to the water and beat it.
But the water cried: “Here! I am Maa′jee, the water. Why do you beat me? What have I done?”