through which your wives have passed； and where I also am about to
tread。〃
Thus Baleka spoke and she was gone； leaving me pondering； for her
words were heavy with wisdom。 I knew well that the brothers of the
king went heavily and in fear of death； for his shadow was on them。
With Panda； indeed； little could be done； for he lived softly；
speaking always as one whose wits are few。 But Dingaan and Umhlangana
were of another wood； and from them might be fashioned a kerrie that
should scatter the brains of Chaka to the birds。 But the time to speak
was not now； not yet was the cup of Chaka full。
Then； having finished my thought； I rose； and； going to the kraal of
my friend； I doctored my burnt hand； that pained me； and as I was
doctoring it there came a messenger to me summoning me before the
king。
I went in before the king； and prostrated myself； calling him by his
royal names； but he took me by the hand and raised me up； speaking
softly。
〃Rise； Mopo； my servant！〃 he said。 〃Thou hast suffered much woe
because of the witchcraft of thine enemies。 I； I have lost my mother；
and thou； thou hast lost thy wives and children。 Weep； my councillors；
weep； because I have lost my mother； and Mopo； my servant； as lost his
wives and children； by the witchcraft of our foes！〃
Then all the councillors wept aloud； while Chaka glared at them。
〃Hearken； Mopo！〃 said the king； when the weeping was done。 〃None can
give me back my mother； but I can give thee more wives； and thou shalt
find children。 Go in among the damsels who are reserved to the king；
and choose thee six； go in among the cattle of the king； and choose
thee ten times ten of the best； call upon the servants of the king
that they build up thy kraal greater and fairer than it was before！
These things I give thee freely； but thou shalt have more； Mopoyes！
thou shalt have vengeance！ On the first day of the new moon I summon a
great meeting； a bandhla of all the Zulu people： yes； thine own tribe；
the Langeni； shall be there also。 Then we will mourn together over our
woes； then； too； we will learn who brought these woes upon us。 Go now；
Mopo； go！ And go ye also； my councillors； leaving me to weep alone
because my mother is dead！〃
Thus； then； my father； did the words of Baleka come true； and thus；
because of the crafty policy of Chaka； I grew greater in the land than
ever I had been before。 I chose the cattle； they were fat； I chose the
wives； they were fair； but I took no pleasure in them； nor were any
more children born to me。 For my heart was like a withered stick； the
sap and strength had gone from my heartit was drawn out in the fire
of Chaka's hut； and lost in my sorrow for those whom I had loved。
CHAPTER XII
THE TALE OF GALAZI THE WOLF
Now； my father； I will go back a little； for my tale is long and winds
in and out like a river in a plain； and tell of the fate of
Umslopogaas when the lion had taken him； as he told it to me in the
after years。
The lioness bounded away； and in her mouth was Umslopogaas。 Once he
struggled； but she bit him hard； so he lay quiet in her mouth； and
looking back he saw the face of Nada as she ran from the fence of
thorns； crying 〃Save him！〃 He saw her face； he heard her words； then
he saw and heard little more； for the world grew dark to him and he
passed； as it were； into a deep sleep。 Presently Umslopogaas awoke
again； feeling pain in his thigh； where the lioness had bitten him；
and heard a sound of shouting。 He looked up； near to him stood the
lioness that had loosed him from her jaws。 She was snorting with rage；
and in front of her was a lad long and strong； with a grim face； and a
wolf's hide； black and grey； bound about his shoulders in such fashion
that the upper jar and teeth of the wolf rested on his head。 He stood
before the lioness； shouting； and in one hand he held a large war…
shield； and in the other he grasped a heavy club shod with iron。
Now the lioness crouched herself to spring； growling terribly； but the
lad with the club did not wait for her onset。 He ran in upon her and
struck her on the head with the club。 He smote hard and well； but this
did not kill her； for she reared herself upon her hind legs and struck
at him heavily。 He caught the blow upon his shield； but the shield was
driven against his breast so strongly that he fell backwards beneath
it； and lay there howling like a wolf in pain。 Then the lioness sprang
upon him and worried him。 Still； because of the shield； as yet she
could not come at him to slay him； but Umslopogaas saw that this might
not endure； for presently the shield would be torn aside and the
stranger must be killed。 Now in the breast of the lioness still stood
the half of Umslopogaas's broken spear； and its blade was a span deep
in her breast。 Then this thought came into the mind of Umslopogaas；
that he would drive the spear home or die。 So he rose swiftly； for
strength came back to him in his need； and ran to where the lioness
worried at him who lay beneath the shield。 She did not heed him； so he
flung himself upon his knees before her； and； seizing the haft of the
broken spear； drive it deep into her and wrenched it round。 Now she
saw Umslopogaas and turned roaring； and clawed at him； tearing his
breast and arms。 Then； as he lay； he heard a mighty howling； and；
behold！ grey wolves and black leaped upon the lioness and rent and
worried her till she fell and was torn to pieces by them。 After this
the senses of Umslopogaas left him again； and the light went out of
his eyes so that he was as one dead。
At length his mind came back to him； and with it his memory； and he
remembered the lioness and looked up to find her。 But he did not find
her； and he saw that he lay in a cave upon a bed of grass； while all
about him were the skins of beasts； and at his side was a pot filled
with water。 He put out his hand and； taking the pot； drank of the
water； and then he saw that his arm was wasted as with sickness； and
that his breast was thick with scars scarcely skinned over。
Now while he lay and wondered； the mouth of the cave was darkened； and
through it entered that same lad who had done battle with the lioness
and been overthrown by her； bearing a dead buck upon his shoulders。 He
put down the buck upon the ground； and； walking to where Umslopogaas
lay； looked at him。
〃Ou！〃 he said； 〃your eyes are opendo you； then； live； stranger？〃
〃I live；〃 answered Umslopogaas； 〃and I am hungry。〃
〃It is time；〃 said the other； 〃since with toil I bore you here through
the forest； for twelve days you have lain without sense； drinking
water only。 So deeply had the lion clawed you that I thought of you as
dead。 Twice I was near to killing you； that you might cease to suffer
and I to be troubled； but I held my hand； because of a word which came
to me from one who is dead。 Now eat； that your strength may return to
you。 Afterwards； we will talk。〃
So Umslopogaas ate； and little by little his health returned to him
every day a little。 And afterwards； as they sat at night by the fire
in the cave they spoke together。
〃How are you named？〃 asked Umslopogaas of the other。
〃I am named Galazi the Wolf；〃 he answered； 〃and I am of Zulu blood
ay； of the blood of Chaka the king； for the father of Senzangacona；
the father of Chaka； was my great…grandfather。〃
〃Whence came you； Galazi？〃
〃I came from Swazilandfrom the tribe of the Halakazi； which I should
rule。 This is the story： Siguyana； my grandfather； was a younger
brother of Senzangacona； the father of Chaka。 But he quarrelled with
Senzangacona； and became a wanderer。 With certain of the people of the
Umtetwa he wandered into Swaziland； and sojourned with the Halakazi
tribe in their great caves； and the end of it was that he killed the
chief of the tribe and took his place。 After he was dead； my father
ruled in his place； but there was a great party in the tribe that
hated his rule because he was of the Zulu race； and it would have set
up a chief of the old Swazi blood in his place。 Still； they could not
do this； for my father's hand was heavy on the people。 Now I was the
only son of my father by his head wife； and born to be chief after
him； and therefore those of the Swazi party； and they were many and
great； hated me also。 So matters stood till last year in the winter；
and then my father set his heart on killing twenty of the headmen；
with their wives and children； because he knew that they plotted
against him。 But the headmen learned what was to come； and they
prevailed upon a wife of my father； a woman of their own blood； to
poison him。 So she poisoned him in the night and in the morning it was
told me that my father lay sick and summoned me； and I went to him。 In
his hut I found him； and he was writhing with pain。
〃'What is it； my father？' I said。 'Who has done this evil？'
〃'It is this； my son；' he gasped； 'that I am poisoned； and she stands
yonder who has done the deed。' And he pointed to the woman； who stood
at the side of the hut near the door； her chin upon her breast；
trembling as she looked upon the fruit of her wickedness。
〃Now the girl was young and fair； and we had been friends； yet I say
that I did not pause； for my heart was mad within me。 I did not pause；
but； seizing my spear； I ran at her； and； though she cried for mercy；
I killed her with the spear。
〃'That was well done； Galazi！' said my father。 'But when I am gone；
look to yourself； my son； for these Swazi dogs will drive you out and
rob you of your place！ But if they drive you out and you still live；
swear this to methat you will not rest till you have avenged me。'
〃'I swear it； my father；' I answered。 'I swear that I will stamp out
the men of the tribe of Halakazi； every one of them； except those of
my own blood； and bring their women to slavery and their children to
bonds！'
〃'Big words for a young mouth；' said my father。 'Yet shall you live to
bring these things about； Galazi。 This I know of you now in my hour of
death： you shall be a wanderer for a few years of your life； child of
Siguyana； and wandering in another land you shall die a man's death；
and not such a death as yonder witch has given to me。' Then； having
spoken thus； he lifted up