[A Tale.]
(From Sir James E. Alexander’s “Expedition of Discovery into the
Interior of Africa,” vol. ii. pp. 197, 198.)
Once upon a time a certain Hottentot was travelling in company with a
Bushwoman, carrying a child on her back. They had proceeded some
distance on their journey, when a troop of wild horses appeared, and
the Man said to the Woman, “I am hungry; and as I know you can turn
yourself into a Lion, do so now, and catch us a wild horse, that we may
eat.”
The Woman answered, “You will be afraid.”
“No, no,” said the Man; “I am afraid of dying of hunger, but not of
you.”
Whilst he was yet speaking, hair began to appear at the back of the
Woman’s neck; her nails gradually assumed the appearance of claws, and
her features altered. She sat down the child.
The Man, alarmed at the change, climbed a tree close by. The Woman
glared at him fearfully, and going to one side, she threw off her skin
petticoat, when a perfect Lion rushed into the plain. It bounded and
crept among the bushes towards the wild horses, and springing on one of
them, it fell, and the Lion lapped its blood. The Lion then came back
to where the child was crying, and the man called from the tree,
“Enough, enough! don’t hurt me. Put off your lion’s shape, I’ll never
ask to see this again.”
The Lion looked at him and growled. “I’ll remain here till I die,” said
the Man, “if you don’t become a woman again.” The mane and tail then
began to disappear, the Lion went towards the bush where the skin
petticoat lay; it was slipped on, and the woman, in her proper shape,
took up the child. The Man descended and partook of the horse’s flesh,
but never again asked the Woman to catch game for him.