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Updated: June 7, 2025
Then he spoke to them, saying, "You wonder, Unandi, my mother, and Baleka, my wife, why it is that I am come here into the hut of Mopo, son of Makedama. I will tell you: it is because he is away upon my business, and I hear that his wife Anadi is sick it is she who lies there, is it not? Therefore, as the first doctor in the land, I am come to cure her, Unandi, my mother, and Baleka, my sister."
None noted him except I, Mopo, alone, and perhaps Galazi, for all were watching the face of Dingaan as men watch a storm that is about to burst. "Fear thou not the Wolf-Brethren, soldier," gasped Dingaan, rolling his red eyes; "the paw of the Lion guards thee, my servant." Ere the words had left the king's lips the Slaughterer leapt.
"I also deemed you dead in the lion's mouth, though in truth it seemed strange to me that any other man than Umslopogaas could have wrought the deeds which I have heard of as done by Bulalio, Chief of the People of the Axe ay, and thrown defiance in the teeth of Chaka. But you are not dead, and I, I am not dead. It was another Mopo whom Chaka killed; I slew Chaka, Chaka did not slay me."
Was there ever such a club?" And Galazi held it up before the eyes of Umslopogaas. In truth, my father, that was a club, for I, Mopo, saw it in after days. It was great and knotty, black as iron that had been smoked in the fire, and shod with metal that was worn smooth with smiting. "I looked at it," went on Galazi, "and I tell you, stranger, a great desire came into my heart to possess it.
Then I, Mopo, sprang forward and picked from the ground that little assegai handled with the royal wood the same assegai with which Chaka had murdered Unandi, his mother, and Moosa, my son, and lifted it on high, and while I lifted it, my father, once more, as when I was young, a red veil seemed to wave before my eyes. "Wherefore wouldst thou kill me, Mopo?" said the king.
Whom do they call him, the young cub who brings ill-fortune to our doors? They call him the son of Mopo and Macropha!" And she laughed wildly, stopped speaking, and sank back upon the bed of skins. "They call him the son of Mopo and Macropha," said the king in a low voice. "Whose son is he, then, woman?"
"Look at him, Mopo," he said, "look at the wizard who has no tears, though my mother is dead by witchcraft. See, he takes snuff to bring tears to his eyes that are dry with wickedness. Take him away, the heartless brute! Oh, take him away!" So this one also was killed, and these were but the first of thousands, for presently Chaka grew mad with wickedness, with fury, and with the lust of blood.
Now I made as though I would depart, then, turning suddenly, I spoke once more, saying: "There were words in your message to the Black One who is dead of a certain man nay, how was he named? of a certain Mopo." Now Umslopogaas started as one starts who is wounded by a spear, and stared at me. "Mopo! What of Mopo, O Mouth, whose eyes are veiled? Mopo is dead, whose son I was!" "Ah!"
Must my babe be dragged from my breast and be strangled, and by you, Mopo? Have I not loved you, Mopo? Did I not flee with you from our people and the vengeance of our father? Do you know that not two moons gone the king was wroth with you because he fell sick, and would have caused you to be slain had I not pleaded for you and called his oath to mind?
"An evildoer, whose house the king has eaten up man, woman, and child," answered the captain. When Umslopogaas heard these words his heart was heavy, and a great anger burned in his breast, for he thought that I, Mopo, was dead with the rest of his house, and he loved me.
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