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The head man of our party answered that he was conveying Maiwa, Wambe's runaway wife, together with the white hunter and his men, to be given up to Wambe in accordance with his command.
Let them, I suggested, be sent to the hiding-places of the soldiers and make an offer. If the men would come and lay down their arms and declare allegiance to Nala, they and their town and cattle should be spared. Wambe's cattle alone would be seized as the prize of war. Moreover, Wambe having left no children, his wife Maiwa should be declared chieftainess of the tribe, under Nala.
"'It is not to be borne indeed, said Nala; 'but how can we make head against so great a people? "'Ask of him ask of Macumazahn, the wise white man, said Maiwa, pointing at me. "'How can we overcome Wambe, Macumazahn the hunter? "'How does the jackal overreach the lion, Nala? "'By cleverness, Macumazahn. "'So shall you overcome Wambe, Nala. "At this moment an interruption occurred.
He loved the child that is dead, yes, he wept when its father slew it, and at the risk of his life told Wambe, my husband ah, yes, my husband! that which he is! He too it was who made a plan. He said to me, "Go, Maiwa, after the custom of thy people, go purify thyself in the bush alone, having touched a dead one.
Would you believe it, she told me the tale without a tremor, in the most matter-of-fact way. Only I noticed that her eyelid quivered all the time. "'Well, I said, as unconcernedly as though I had been talking of the death of a lamb, though inwardly I was sick with horror and boiling with rage, 'and what do you mean to do about the matter, Maiwa, wife of Wambe?
"After that the girl Maiwa stood up, and once more producing the dreadful little dried hand, made her father and several of his head councillors swear by it and upon it that they would carry out the war of vengeance to the bitter end. It was a very curious sight to see. And by the way, the fight that ensued was thereafter known among the tribes of that district as the War of the Little Hand.
A man entered and said that messengers had arrived from Wambe. "'What is their message? asked Nala. "'They come to ask that thy daughter Maiwa be sent back, and with her the white hunter. "'How shall I make answer to this, Macumazahn? said Nala, when the man had withdrawn.
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