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"Go," he said, "back to the village of Mbonga, and Tarzan will follow to see that no harm befalls you." Tibo translated the words to his mother, and the two turned their backs upon the ape-man and started off toward home. In the heart of Momaya was a great fear and a great exultation, for never before had she walked with God, and never had she been so happy.
It had all happened to little Tibo very suddenly and unexpectedly within the brief span of two suns. First had come Bukawai, the witch-doctor Bukawai, the unclean with the ragged bit of flesh which still clung to his rotting face. He had come alone and by day to the place at the river where Momaya went daily to wash her body and that of Tibo, her little boy.
Saddened, disheartened, she turned slowly upon the back trail toward the village of Mbonga. Her young shoulders now were drooped like those of an old woman who bears a great burden of many years with their accumulated pains and sorrows, and she walked with tired feet and a halting step. The spring of youth was gone from Momaya.
"I will make no medicine," he said, "until I have the goats and the mat and the copper wire." Momaya pleaded and threatened, but all to no avail. Finally, she turned away and started off through the jungle toward the village of Mbonga.
His medicine was very expensive and he would have to give at least five goats to the gods who helped him make it. They were still arguing when Momaya returned with the fire. Bukawai placed a little on the ground before him, took a pinch of powder from a pouch at his side and sprinkled it on the embers. A cloud of smoke rose with a puff. Bukawai closed his eyes and rocked back and forth.
It was noon of the third day when Momaya came within sight of the cave of Bukawai, the unclean. The old witch-doctor had rigged a framework of interlaced boughs to close the mouth of the cave from predatory beasts. This was now set to one side, and the black cavern beyond yawned mysterious and repellent. Momaya shivered as from a cold wind of the rainy season.
The other women, turning, saw him, too; but they did not come toward him. Instead they rose as one, shrieked as one, fled as one. Momaya threw herself at Tarzan's feet, raising supplicating hands toward him and pouring forth from her mutilated lips a perfect cataract of words, not one of which the ape-man comprehended. For a moment he looked down upon the upturned, frightful face of the woman.
Beside him were two hyenas, which rumor had said were his only and constant companions. They made an excellent trio the most repulsive of beasts with the most repulsive of humans. "Five goats and a new sleeping mat," mumbled Bukawai. "Two fat goats and a sleeping mat." Momaya raised her bid; but Bukawai was obdurate.
"Who is Tibo?" asked Bukawai. Momaya told him. "Bukawai's medicine is very strong," said the voice. "Five goats and a new sleeping mat are scarce enough in exchange for Bukawai's medicine." "Two goats are enough," said Momaya, for the spirit of barter is strong in the breasts of the blacks.
So Momaya bided her time until night, and just before the gates of the village were closed, she slipped through into the darkness and the jungle.
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