Identifier: voicefromcongoco00ward (find matches)
Title: A voice from the Congo : comprising stories, anecdotes, and descriptive notes
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: Ward, Herbert, 1863-1919
Subjects: Ward, Herbert, 1863-1919 Africa, Central -- Description and travel Africa, Central -- Social life and customs
Publisher: New York : Charles Scribner's Sons
Contributing Library: University of Connecticut Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Connecticut Libraries

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artedaside, and watched the great elephant shake, stagger,fall and die. What? It is dead? You killed the elephant?Oh, Makwata! Some good spirit was indeed withyou this day. Brave Makwata! Good Makwata!and Balala coiled her arms around her lovers neck,and gazed into his face with an expression of ad-miration and love. But, Makwata, art thou sure that it would be agood bargain to pay my father two such valuabletusks of ivory for me ? Two large tusks would surelybuy two, if not three, women stronger to work, withbroader backs to carry burdens, than mine. Your words are true, Balala, but to me you areworth more than all other women. Your saucylaugh, your happy heart, and your pretty face andfigure, shall be mine. For many weary moons I havebeen poor—too poor to buy you. All that time I havelived in constant fear lest my enemy, Mueli, wouldtake you. His eye has been upon you, and is he not achieftain, and has he not many slaves and tusks ofivory? But now my fear is passed, for to-morrow,
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m m l^-^C^ ^ A Congo idyll From a bronze group by the Author A VILLAGE ROMANCE 169 when the sun is still high, I will see thy father andpay his price. Then Balala, thou wilt be my wife. Balala clapped her hands like a delighted child. This moon is now full. In fourteen days it willbe gone. Think, Makwata! we can be wed on theday of the new moon. Do not all the great charm-doctors of our tribe say good fortune follows a newmoon marriage? It is so. In fourteen days, nuni ami (my bird),we will eat from one dish. To-morrow I will com-mence to build a hut, and I will fish for you, andI will hunt for you, my Balala. O Makwata! My heart beats for joy. See thetears of happiness in my eyes. Thus they continued to talk of their prospectivehappiness, until the sun was well past its zenith,and its rays shone slantwise through the palms,casting trellis-like shadows upon the ground. Inthe village a few naked boys bestirred themselves,and commenced to carry on a mimic warfare, withtheir miniature bo

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