Segu is the honey-guide. His work is that he lives in the forest and
flies about looking for bees' nests, and when he finds one he goes to
look for men. When he finds them he says, "Che! che! che! che!" until
those sons of men look up and say, "Ah, there is Segu. Let us go with
him that he may show us honey."
So these people follow Segu, who flies in front from tree to tree
saying, "Che! che! che! che!"
When he comes to that tree where the honey is he flies round, saying,
"Che! che! che! che!" very fast, and then he goes and sits by himself.
Then these men come to the tree and look up and see where the bees' nest
is; so they climb up with their axe and cut a hole and get out the
honey.
They take that honey and are very pleased, but a little of it they leave
for Segu as his share.
On these people going away, Segu comes out and finds the honey which
they have left him; so he sits and eats and fills himself, and arises
and flies away. This is, indeed, Segu's manner of living.
Another day Segu sees a lion asleep, and he looks for people, and when
he finds them he twitters and says, "Che! che! che! che!"
Then these people follow him thinking, "To-day Segu is going to show us
much honey."
They follow him up there to where the lion is lying, and when they
suddenly see him they are unable to stand, if there is running away to
be done instead.
The lion frightens these people, so they run swiftly away, saying,
"To-day Segu has done evil; every day he shows us honey, and to-day he
comes to show us a lion."
That is all.