Black Tales for White Children Part 23

XXV

PAKA THE CAT

This is the story of Paka the cat.

If there are three or four men walking along and only one woman, the cat will turn aside from the men and follow the woman.

Now the reason for this is the story I am telling you.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Paka the cat]

In the beginning Paka sat in the bush, till one day she felt the pain of hunger.

So she came down to the sh.o.r.e, and there she met a serval, who was hunting the crabs of the sh.o.r.e. So Paka went up to the serval and said, "Good morning."

And the serval said, "Who are you?"

"It is I--Paka."

"What do you want?"

"I want to follow you about and so get food."

So the serval said, "Very good then. Here, eat these crabs."

So Paka ate of the crabs, and she followed the serval many days.

Till one day there came a leopard and fought with the serval and killed him.

So Paka thought in her heart, "Now, this one was not a manly one: he who is the man is the leopard." So Paka went up to the leopard and saluted him, "Good morning."

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE LEOPARD]

So the leopard said, "And who are you?"

"It is I--Paka."

"What do you want?"

"I want to follow you about and get food."

So the leopard said, "Very good. Here, eat of this serval."

So Paka followed the leopard many days and many weeks.

Till one day came a lion, and he fell on the leopard and killed him.

So Paka thought in her heart, "Now, this one also was not a manly one: he who is the man is the lion."

So she went to the lion and said, "Good morning."

And the lion said, "Who are you?"

"It is I--Paka."

"What do you want?"

So Paka said, "I want to follow you about that you may give me food."

So the lion said, "Then eat of this leopard."

So Paka ate of the leopard, and she followed the lion for many weeks and many months, till one day there came an elephant.

And the elephant came and struck the lion with his trunk, and the lion died.

So Paka said in her heart, "Now, this one, too, was not a manly one: he who is the man is the elephant."

So Paka went and greeted the elephant, "Good morning."

The elephant said, "And who are you?"

"It is I--Paka."

"What do you want?"

"I want to follow you about, that you may give me food."

So the elephant said, "Then eat of this lion."

So Paka ate of the lion, and she followed the elephant for many months and many days.

Till one day came a man; and that son of Adam came and he took his matchlock and fired.

And he hit the elephant, and the elephant ran away.

After running a long way he fell down, and that son of Adam came and he fired again and again, until the elephant was finished and he died.

Now Paka said, "Behold, he also was not a manly one: he who is the man is the son of Adam."

So Paka went up and saluted him, saying, "Good morning."

And the man said, "Who are you?"

"It is I--Paka."

"What do you want?"

"I want to follow you about, that you may give me food."