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Updated: July 18, 2025
"I know not for certain," answered Maputa; "but it is said because of a dream that Saduko, his general, has dreamed thrice, which dream declares that there and there alone Umbelazi will find honour.
Indeed, the Zulus named him "Umbelazi the Handsome," and no wonder. To begin with, he stood at least three inches above the tallest of them; from a quarter of a mile away I have recognised him by his great height, even through the dust of a desperate battle, and his breadth was proportionate to his stature.
But this gallant charge availed Umbelazi but little, and by degrees Cetywayo's forces pressed his men back to the banks of the Tugela, and finally into it. Thousands fell upon the field and thousands perished in the river. When my friend swam back that night, he had nothing to fear from the alligators: they were too well fed.
And thereon did not the Amabunu clothe me in a dress of honour because I was the King to be? But now of late the mother of Umbelazi has been whispering in your ear, as have others" and he looked at Saduko and some of Umbelazi's brethren "and your face has grown cold towards me, so cold that many say that you will point out Umbelazi to be King after you and stamp on my name.
And now, when she has got rid of Saduko, she enters the hut of Umbelazi, who will one day be King of the Zulus, the biggest man in all the world, which means that she will be the biggest woman, for remember, Macumazahn, she will walk round and round that great Umbelazi till whatever way he looks he will see her and no one else.
From these I gathered that some skirmishes had taken place and the battle could not be long delayed; also that Umbelazi had chosen his fighting ground, a plain near the banks of the Tugela. "Why has he done this," I asked, "seeing that then he will have a broad river behind him, and if he is defeated water can kill as well as spears?"
"As the King pleases," said Umbelazi, with a yawn, for he was growing weary of listening to the case of Saduko. But Cetewayo said nothing, for he appeared to be thinking of something else. "I think also," went on Panda in a rather uncertain voice, "in order to bind him so close that the bonds may never be broken, it would be wise to give him a woman of our family in marriage."
Like myself, he had fought for the Prince Umbelazi in the great battle of the Tugela, a crime which Cetewayo never forgave him. About a year afterwards he got warning that he had been smelt out as a wizard and was going to be killed. He fled with two of his wives and a child.
A heavy splash, and that was the end of Umbelazi the Fallen Umbelazi, about whom Mameena had cast her net. A sad story in truth. Although it happened so many years ago I weep as I write it I weep as Umbelazi wept. After this I think that some of the Usutu came up, for it seemed to me that I heard Saduko say: "Touch not Macumazahn or his servant. They are my prisoners.
Now I remembered what old Zikali had said to me years before to the effect that Saduko was living with a ghost which would kill him. "Does he think much about Umbelazi, Tshoza?" I asked. "O Macumazana, he thinks of nothing else; the Spirit of Umbelazi is in him day and night." "Indeed," I said. "Can I see him?" "I don't know, Macumazahn.
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