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learned all that had come to pass； her words were not soft； for she
reviled me and sang a loud song at Umslopogaas。
〃See now； Slaughterer；〃 she said； 〃see now what has came about because
you listened to this aged fool！〃that was I； my father〃this fool
who calls himself 'Mouth'！ Ay； a mouth he is； a mouth out of which
proceed folly and lies！ What did he counsel you to do？to go up
against these Halakazi and win a girl for Dingaan！ And what have you
done？you have fallen upon the Halakazi； and doubtless have killed
many innocent people with that great axe of yours； also you have left
nearly half of the soldiers of the Axe to whiten in the Swazi caves；
and in exchange have brought back certain cattle of a small breed； and
girls and children whom we must nourish！
〃Nor does the matter end here。 You went； it seems； to win a girl whom
Dingaan desired； yet when you find that girl you let her go； because；
indeed； you say she was your sister and would not wed Dingaan。
Forsooth； is not the king good enough for this sister of yours？ Now
what is the end of the tale？ You try to play tricks on the king；
because of your sister； and are found out。 Then you kill a man before
Dingaan and escape； bringing this fool of an aged Mouth with you； that
he may teach you his own folly。 So you have lost half of your men； and
you have gained the king for a foe who shall bring about the death of
all of us； and a fool for a councillor。 Wow！ Slaughterer； keep to your
trade and let others find you wit。〃
Thus she spoke without ceasing； and there was some truth in her words。
Zinita had a bitter tongue。 I sat silent till she had finished； and
Umslopogaas also remained silent； though his anger was great； because
there was no crack in her talk through which a man might thrust a
word。
〃Peace； woman！〃 I said at length； 〃do not speak ill of those who are
wise and who had seen much before you were born。〃
〃Speak no ill of him who is my father；〃 growled Umslopogaas。 〃Ay！
though you do not know it； this Mouth whom you revile is Mopo； my
father。〃
〃Then there is a man among the People of the Axe who has a fool for a
father。 Of all tidings this is the worst。〃
〃There is a man among the People of the Axe who has a jade and a scold
for a wife；〃 said Umslopogaas； springing up。 〃Begone； Zinita！and
know this； that if I hear you snarl such words of him who is my
father； you shall go further than your own hut； for I will put you
away and drive you from my kraal。 I have suffered you too long。〃
〃I go；〃 said Zinita。 〃Oh！ I am well served！ I made you chief； and now
you threaten to put me away。〃
〃My own hands made me chief；〃 said Umslopogaas； and； springing up； he
thrust her from the hut。
〃It is a poor thing to be wedded to such a woman； my father；〃 he said
presently。
〃Yes； a poor thing； Umslopogaas； yet these are the burdens that men
must bear。 Learn wisdom from it； Umslopogaas； and have as little to do
with women as may be； at the least； do not love them overmuch； so
shall you find the more peace。〃 Thus I spoke； smiling； and would that
he had listened to my counsel； for it is the love of women which has
brought ruin on Umslopogaas！
All this was many years ago； and but lately I have heard that
Umslopogaas is fled into the North； and become a wanderer to his death
because of the matter of a woman who had betrayed him； making it seem
that he had murdered one Loustra； who was his blood brother； just as
Galazi had been。 I do not know how it came about； but he who was so
fierce and strong had that weakness like his uncle Dingaan； and it has
destroyed him at the last； and for this cause I shall behold him no
more。
Now； my father； for awhile we were silent and alone in the hut； and as
we sat I thought I heard a rat stir in the thatch。
Then I spoke。 〃Umslopogaas； at length the hour has come that I should
whisper something into your ear； a word which I have held secret ever
since you were born。〃
〃Speak on； my father；〃 he said； wondering。
I crept to the door of the hut and looked out。 The night was dark and
I could see none about； and could hear no one move； yet； being
cautious； I walked round the hut。 Ah； my father； when you have a
secret to tell； be not so easily deceived。 It is not enough to look
forth and to peer round。 Dig beneath the floor； and search the roof
also； then； having done all this； go elsewhere and tell your tale。 The
woman was right： I was but a fool； for all my wisdom and my white
hairs。 Had I not been a fool I would have smoked out that rat in the
thatch before ever I opened my lips。 For the rat was Zinita； my father
Zinita； who had climbed the hut； and now lay there in the dark； her
ear upon the smoke…hole； listening to every word that passed。 It was a
wicked thing to do； and； moreover； the worst of omens； but there is
little honour among women when they learn that which others wish to
hide away from them； nor； indeed； do they then weight omens。
So having searched and found nothing； I spoke to Umslopogaas； my
fosterling； not knowing that death in a woman's shape lay on the hut
above us。 〃Hearken；〃 I said； 〃you are no son of mine； Umslopogaas；
though you have called me father from a babe。 You spring from a
loftier stock； Slaughterer。〃
〃Yet I was well pleased with my fathering； old man；〃 said Umslopogaas。
〃The breed is good enough for me。 Say； then； whose son am I？〃
Now I bent forward and whispered to him； yet； alas！ not low enough。
〃You are the son of the Black One who is dead； yea； sprung from the
blood of Chaka and of Baleka； my sister。〃
〃I still have some kinship with you then； Mopo； and that I am glad of。
Wow！ who would have guessed that I was the son of the Silwana； of that
hyena man？ Perhaps it is for this reason that； like Galazi； I love the
company of the wolves； though no love grows in my heart for my father
or any of his house。〃
〃You have little cause to love him； Umslopogaas； for he murdered your
mother； Baleka； and would have slain you also。 But you are the son of
Chaka and of no other man。〃
〃Well； his eyes must be keen indeed； my uncle； who can pick his own
father out of a crowd。 And yet I once heard this tale before； though I
had long forgotten it。〃
〃From whom did you hear it； Umslopogaas？ An hour since； it was known
to one alone； the others are dead who knew it。 Now it is known to two〃
ah！ my father； I did not guess of the third；〃from whom； then； did
you hear it？〃
〃It was from the dead； at least； Galazi the Wolf heard it from the
dead One who sat in the cave on Ghost Mountain； for the dead One told
him that a man would come to be his brother who should be named
Umslopogaas Bulalio； son of Chaka； and Galazi repeated it to me； but I
had long forgotten it。〃
〃It seems that there is wisdom among the dead；〃 I answered； 〃for lo！
to…day you are named Umslopogaas Bulalio； and to…day I declare you the
son of Chaka。 But listen to my tale。〃
Then