people. Haste and
follow me that I may show thee to her, for thy fortune is made."

"Nay. I have a companion not far from here, and I must not lose him.
But thou mayest say thou hast met a stranger who, when he has found his
friend, will present himself before Queen Naku and Sebwana before
sunset."

The maid withdrew and Kimyera rose, and cutting a large portion of the
meat he retraced his steps, and sought and found Mugema, to whom he told
all his adventures.

After washing the stains of travel and refreshing themselves, they
proceeded into the village to the residence of the queen and her consort
Sebwana. Naku was prepared by the favourable reports of the maid to
receive Kimyera kindly, but when she saw his noble proportions and
handsome figure she became violently in love with him, and turning to
Sebwana she said:

"See now, we have guests of worth and breeding. They must have
travelled from a far land, for I have heard of no tribe which could
boast of such a youth as this. Let us receive him and his old friend
nobly. Let a house close by our own be made ready for his lodging, and
let it be furnished with abundance of food, with wine [banana wine] and
milk, bananas and yams, water and fuel, and let nothing be lacking to
show our esteem for them." Sebwana gave orders accordingly and
proceeded to select a fit house as a lodging for the guests.

Then Naku said: "I hear that thou art skilled in music. If that is the
instrument in thy girdle with which thou hast delighted my maid, I
should be pleased to hear thee."

"Yes, Queen Naku, it is my flute; and if my music will delight thee, my
best efforts are at thy service."

Then Kimyera, kneeling on the leopard-skins placed for the convenience
of himself and Mugema, took out his flute, and after one or two
flourishes, poured forth such melodious sounds that Naku, unable to keep
her eyes open, closed them and lay down with panting breasts, while her
senses were filled as it were with dreams of happier lands, and faces of
brighter people than ever she knew in real life. As he varied the
notes, so varied the gladsome visions of her mind. When the music
gently vibrated on her ears, her body palpitated under the influence of
the emotions which swayed her; when they became more enlivened she
tossed her arms about, and laughed convulsively; and when the notes took
a solemn tone, she sighed and wept as though all her friends had left
her only their tender memory.