among all
was this white _isanusi_ loved, because his words were ever soft and
kind; and soon the name by which he became known among the people was
that of "Father." There was one thing, too, which he never failed to
bring into his teaching--and this was that, although the King was
equally subject to the Great Great One who dwelt above the skies, yet
the people were none the less bound to obey the "word" of the King and
the orders of his _indunas_ and captains. And, this being so, he
retained the favour of Umzilikazi, who had set spies to watch him
secretly, and report what his teachings really were.

It happened that a few days after his arrival among us the white
stranger was with the King, for often would the Great Great One invite
him to an _indaba_, that he might listen to wonderful tales of far
countries beyond the sea. Yet when the _isanusi_ would tell once more
that marvellous tale which he had first told, and begin to set forth its
teachings, Umzilikazi would laugh softly to himself, and bring round the
talk to other matters. It happened, _Nkose_, that on the day I named,
an idea seemed to strike the King.

"See, now, father of the strange _muti_," he said. "Do all the white
people believe that great tale?"

We who were watching the stranger's face saw a troubled look come over
it, as he answered that nearly all did.

"Do the Amabuna believe it?" went on the King.

"They believe it, Great Great One--but not the whole of it."

"Ha! Not the whole of it! They are a lying and treacherous race,
deadly as a swarm of locusts! Say, my father, if they believed the
whole of it, they would lie, and steal land, and make slaves no more?"

"That is so, Black Elephant."

The King smiled grimly to himself as he took snuff. We, too, smiled.
Here were teachings which would never do for us--for although we of the
Zulu race did not lie, yet we took land and slaves, even as the Amabuna
did, and made war. Now these were customs we could not by any
possibility give up. Then the Great Great One leaned over, and
whispered a word to me.

Now the little white child we had taken from among the Amabuna was fast
becoming one of ourselves. Yet not; for those with whom she played she
would somehow cause to _konza_ to her, even in their games, as though
she were born to rule. If they played at building kraals, she it was
whose hut was always the largest. If the boys were playing soldiers, it
was always before her they