he
skinny figure, half bent, glide out from the glow of the fires into the
blue shadows. A small log collapsed, throwing a red gleam upon the form
poised upright before the clump of grass as Marufa cried out:

"Let him who-may-not-be-mentioned speak that his children may hear!"

Immediately commenced a high voice chanting:

"Take up, O Marufa, the wise, the pod of my soul!"

Then in the sight of every man Marufa bent upon his knees, muttering, and
arose unharmed. Save for the slow turn of each head the better to follow
the progress of the magician no limb nor muscle moved as in silence Marufa
bore the like of which had never before been seen; a thing like unto a
stone, having an ear almost as large and as erect as an angry elephant,
the colour of a lion yet hairless. "The pod of the soul" Marufa placed
within the circle of the fires so that all should see. More incantations
did Marufa make, sitting fearlessly; he caressed it as a young man
caresses a maid and came forth again the voice of Tarum:

"Rejoice, O my children, for he that is bidden shall come!
Rejoice, O ye warriors, for he that shall lead you shall come!
Rejoice, O ye wizards, for he that is greater than ye shall come!
Rejoice, O ye women, for he that fertilizes shall come!
He shall eat up your enemies as a lion eateth buck.
He shall make your dead to be seen and your phantoms to talk!
He shall give to your women to have sons of your breed!
He shall give you that which was slain on the hill!
He that walks in a flame in the night!
He that is whiter than the flesh of the baobab!
He shall come forth bearing that which ye seek!
He shall come forth bearing that which is yours!
Hear me, my people, and give voice to my word!"

"Ough! Ough!" came the chorus of assent.

Not a limb nor a hand moved among the concourse of warriors and wizards
until a new voice, deep, as one who commands, cried out:

"Let the son of Kawa Kendi, the son of MFunya MPopo, the son of MKoffo,
move not; neither he nor Marufa, the son of MTungo! Unto ye others we say
unto you, depart that we speak in peace with this our son and priest!"

And simultaneously appeared in the gloom of the undergrowth three pairs of
eyes as luminous as the glowworm, vaster than any human; and beside the
souls of the dead King-Gods were terrible hands. Warriors and wizards, all
save Bakahenzie and Zalu Zako, literally leaped for the forest and village
in one convulsive bound and