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That night he asked Zengi-mizi, in whom sat the spirit of his father, what he had better ask Sipao for next? 'Biz-z-z, said the wasp, 'would you not like to be as great a chief as Insato? And Gopani-Kufa smiled, and took the Mirror and said to it: 'Sipao, Sipao, I want a town as great as that of Insato, the King of Pita; and I wish to be chief over it!
Then the white men fell upon the people of Gopani-Kufa and slew them together with the chief and his daughter Shasasa; and since then all the power of the Earth has rested in the hands of the white men, for they have in their possession Sipao, the Magic Mirror. Story of the King Who Would See Paradise
So one day he called to him a trusty servant named Butou, and said: 'Go you to the town and find out for me what is the secret of its greatness. And Butou, dressing himself in rags, set out, and when he came to Gopani-Kufa's town he asked for the chief; and the people took him into the presence of Gopani-Kufa.
On the way they passed rivers in which men and women were bathing and fishing and boating; and farther on they came to gardens covered with heavy crops of rice and maize, and many other grains which Gopani-Kufa did not even know the name of.
In the distance Gopani-Kufa saw a great collection of houses all square, built of stone and very tall, and their roofs were shining with gold and burnished iron. Gopani-Kufa turned to Insato, but found, in the place of the python, a man, strong and handsome, with the great snake's skin wrapped round him for covering; and on his arms and neck were rings of pure gold. The man smiled.
Zengi-mizi was not an ordinary wasp, for the spirit of the father of Gopani-Kufa had entered it, so that it was exceedingly wise.
And Gopani-Kufa believed the white man's story, and he took him in and feasted him, and gave him a house. In this way the end came. For the heart of Shasasa, the daughter of Gopani-Kufa, went forth to Butou the traitor, and from her he learnt the secret of the Magic Mirror.
I did not think that you would request that which is most precious to me. 'Let me think over it again then, O king, said Gopani-Kufa, 'and to-morrow I will let you know if I change my mind.
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