When her two brothers had packed up, she went with them between the cattle, but she left at home one cow, one ewe, and one goat, and directed them, saying to the cow, “You must not low as if you were by yourself alone, if you do not wish for my death;” and she taught the ewe and the goat the same.

Then they departed with all the other cattle, and those who were left behind lowed during the night as if they were many, and as they lowed as if they were still all there, the Elephant thought, “They are all there.” But when he rose in the morning, he saw that his wife and all the cattle were gone. Taking his stick into his hands, he said to his mother, “If I fall the earth will tremble.” With these words he followed them. When they saw him approaching, they ran fast to the side, against a piece of rock (at a [[96]]narrow spot), and she said, “We are people, behind whom a large (travelling) party comes. Stone of my ancestors! divide thyself for us.” Then the rock divided itself, and when they had passed through it, it closed again (behind them).

Then came the Elephant, and said to the rock, “Stone of my ancestors! divide thyself also for me.” The rock divided itself again, but when he had entered, it closed upon him. Thus died the Elephant, and the earth trembled. The mother at her hut said then, “As my eldest son said, it has happened. The earth shakes.” [[97]]

[[Contents]]

28. A BAD SISTER.

(The original, in the Hottentot language, is in Sir G. Grey’s Library, G. Krönlein’s Manuscript, pp. 15, 16.)

Copper and Weather, it is said, were man and wife, and begat a daughter, who married amongst other people.

Her three brothers came to visit her; and she did not know them (as such), though the people said, “Do not you see they are your brothers?” She determined to kill them at night. They had, however, a Guinea-fowl to watch them.

When the Copper-Weather relative crept near, in order to kill the men, the Guinea-fowl made a noise to put them on their guard. They were thus warned of the danger; but afterwards they fell asleep again. Then she stole again upon them. The Guinea-fowl made a noise, but broke the rope by which it had been fastened, and ran home. She then killed her brothers. When the Guinea-fowl came near home it wept:— [[98]]

“The Copper-Weather relative has killed her brothers!