The other, however, reproved him, which was well, for our people,
traitors though they were, liked not to listen to that sort of talk.

"And now, Ntelani," went on this man, speaking softly and pleasantly,
"if we help you in the matter, how do you propose to carry out the
change?"

"Thus," replied my father, having paused awhile to take snuff and think.
"Umzilikazi is great--he is a lion--a buffalo bull--an elephant. The
young men are with him. The young men are all his dogs, for he gives
them plenty of fighting and abundance of spoil. Moreover, he allows
them to _tunga_ while yet children, and exalts them to be _izinduna_
over the heads of their fathers. Their fathers are to be their dogs.
He loves not old men as _izinduna_. He creates _izinduna_ out of
children like himself."

[Note: Tunga means "Sew"--the head-ring--i.e. marry.]

Now the King pushed me as we lay and listened, for both of us understood
this speech, which was not even dark. Then my father went on:--

"Here is my plan, leader of the Amabuna. We must have a King, but when
the Elephant who now trumpets is henceforth trumpeting in black night
the warriors will demand a leader, and no man is there who holds their
hearts like one, a lion-cub which I have bred, for he is fearless in
war, and him they will have to reign over them. This wish they must
have granted, if only to accustom them to the change. He shall be
King--King for a day--ah! ah!"

And my father chuckled with malice as he took more snuff.

"But what if he will not? What if he remains faithful to Umzilikazi?"
said the leader of the Amabuna; for that people talks plain, and
understands not our way of dark speaking.

"_Au_! Will he not?" sneered my father. "I tell thee, Ibuna, that he
would slay the King with his own hand but to sit in his seat, if only
for a day."

Now, _Nkose_, my fury well-nigh got the mastery over me. Such dangerous
and fatal words uttered by my father in the hearing of the Great Great
One struck dismay into my heart, for the minds of Kings are ever
suspicious, and had not I been brought there half under suspicion
myself? Besides, they were not true; for even were the chance to offer,
I would not sit in the seat of Umzilikazi in his lifetime. For he had
made me great, and, in reality, second only to himself. No thought of
treason was in my heart, nor had there ever been since the time when, as
a hot-headed and foolish boy, I had all but thrown away my