Rolling himself together like a book.
14. THE ELEPHANT AND THE TORTOISE.
(The original, in the o Tyi-hereró or Damara language, is in the Library of Sir G. Grey, J. Rath’s Manuscript, pp. 27, 29.)
Two things, the Elephant and the Rain, had a dispute. The Elephant said, “If you say that you nourish me, in what way is it that you do so?” The Rain answered, “If you say that I do not nourish you, when I go away, will you not die?” And the Rain then departed.
The Elephant said, “Vulture! cast lots to make [[60]]rain for me?” The Vulture said, “I will not cast lots.”
Then the Elephant said to the Crow, “Cast lots!” who answered, “Give the things with which I may cast lots.” The Crow cast lots and rain fell. It rained at the lagoons, but they dried up, and only one lagoon remained.
The Elephant went a-hunting. There was, however, the Tortoise, to whom the Elephant said, “Tortoise, remain at the water!” Thus the Tortoise was left behind when the Elephant went a-hunting.
There came the Giraffe, and said to the Tortoise, “Give me water!” The Tortoise answered, “The water belongs to the Elephant.”
There came the Zebra, who said to the Tortoise, “Give me water!” The Tortoise answered, “The water belongs to the Elephant.”