for half of
them, and her father would be punished for the rest. Now, King Gumbi
had lately married ten wives, and all at once this old belief of the
elders about troubles with daughters came into his head, and he issued a
command, which was to be obeyed upon pain of death, that if any female
children should be born to him they should be thrown into the Lualaba,
and drowned, for, said he, "the dead are beyond temptation to err, and I
shall escape mischief."

To avoid the reproaches of his wives, on account of the cruel order, the
king thought he would absent himself, and he took a large following with
him and went to visit other towns of his country. Within a few days
after his departure there were born to him five sons and five daughters.
Four of the female infants were at once disposed of according to the
king's command; but when the fifth daughter was born, she was so
beautiful, and had such great eyes, and her colour was mellow, so like a
ripe banana, that the chief nurse hesitated, and when the mother pleaded
so hard for her child's life, she made up her mind that the little
infant should be saved. When the mother was able to rise, the nurse
hastened her away secretly by night. In the morning the queen found
herself in a dark forest, and, being alone, she began to talk to
herself, as people generally do, and a grey parrot with a beautiful red
tail came flying along, and asked, "What is it you are saying to
yourself, O Miami?"

She answered and said, "Ah, beautiful little parrot, I am thinking what
I ought to do to save the life of my little child. Tell me how I can
save her, for Gumbi wishes to destroy all his female children."

The parrot replied, "I grieve for you greatly, but I do not know. Ask
the next parrot you see," and he flew away.

A second parrot still more beautiful came flying towards her, whistling
and screeching merrily, and the queen lifted her voice and cried--

"Ah, little parrot, stop a bit, and tell me how I can save my sweet
child's life; for cruel Gumbi, her father, wants to kill it."

"Ah, mistress, I may not tell; but there is one comes behind me who
knows; ask him," and he also flew to his day's haunts.

Then the third parrot was seen to fly towards her, and he made the
forest ring with his happy whistling, and Miami cried out again--

"Oh, stay, little parrot, and tell me in what way I can save my sweet
child, for Gumbi, her father, vows he will kill it."

"Deliver it to me