THE CLAN
“Mother, why can’t we live with those Tree-dwellers?” asked Rago.
“Let us go down and wait for the men. Maybe they will take us with
them.”
“I think they would,” answered their mother, “they are always ready to
make their clan larger.”
So they got down from the trees and squatted upon the ground.
As they sat there, they watched a herd of wild cattle coming slowly
along.
They were wandering toward the river for a drink of cool water.
“See, they have a leader,” said Goni.
“Yes,” said Rago, “cattle always follow their leader.”
“They will have to watch out for the wolves and bears.”
“The other day I saw a pack of wolves rush upon a herd of cattle,” said
Rago.
“They seized three young cattle and killed them.”
“Wolves are always ready for a feast,” said their mother.
“I think I hear the men coming back,” said Rago.
“They are going back by the trail. Let us call to them. They will hear
us.”
[Illustration]
So Rago shouted very loudly. He shouted again and again.
The leader of the men heard the call.
“I hear someone calling,” he said. “Let us go into the forest and see
who it is.”
So all of the men went into the forest and soon came upon Rago and
Goni, who were sitting on the ground, with their mother and baby sister.
“Did you call?” asked the leader.
“Yes,” answered their mother. “Will you take us with you?
“We should like to join your clan.”
“Yes,” said the leader, “we shall be glad to have you.”
“Shall we have someone to play with?” asked Rago.
“Yes, there are many boys and girls in our clan,” answered the leader.
“You are very brave,” said Rago. “I watched you drive the huge
rhinoceros to the edge of the cliff.”
“I should like to be as brave as you are when I am a man.”
“We will teach you how to be brave,” said the leader.
“Come, let us start as it is getting late.”
So they all started off together.
Rago and Goni weren’t a bit afraid because they were with these brave
men.
“What is that?” asked Rago, pointing to the firebrand.
“This is a fire-torch,” said the leader; “when we carry these we need
not be afraid.
“Fire protects us from the wild beast.”
“And where do you get fire?” asked Rago.
“Not so very long ago we had a terrible storm in our forest. It
thundered and lightened.
“The lightning set fire to the trees in the forest.
“At first we Tree-dwellers thought that the fire was a terrible
monster. We were frightened and ran away from it.
“Then we learned that the fire would not harm us and that if we fed it
wood, it would burn on forever.
“When we have fire there is no need for swinging from tree to tree, for
we are safe on the ground.”
“Do the wild beasts fear the firebrands?” asked Rago.
“Yes,” answered the leader.
“May I use a firebrand?” asked Rago.
“Yes,” answered the leader. “You may light your own firebrand, and you
may help us feed the fire also.”
“I am glad we are going to live with you,” said Rago.
“We shall be glad to have you,” said the leader.